: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:25 pm  

Paul Youane wrote:

Its not completely different at all, it just doesn't suit your argument.

Melbourne Storm being added to the NRL taking into account the games' popularity in Australia and adding Celtic Crusaders to the SL isn't different?

Ok if you say so. Then let's hear your argument..

: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:27 pm  

Leigh have gone abit nuts about it all on Sportinglife. It would be interesting to see the applications side by side and understand where the RFL believe that Celtic's application is of higher standard.

I would have admitted Widnes and Leigh personally with their new stadia built / nearly built. Advisory notices would have been sent to Salford and Celtic on what they need to do in order to achieve status in 2011.

: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:34 pm  

Istilldontbelieveit wrote:

Melbourne Storm being added to the NRL taking into account the games' popularity in Australia and adding Celtic Crusaders to the SL isn't different?

Ok if you say so. Then let's hear your argument..

Super League via SKY broadcasts has a biger profile currently in South Wales than the NRL had in Melbourne prior to their acceptance into teh competition. Not only that Celtic Crusaders already have some NL1 games broadcast on Welsh free to view TV.

Also as "rugby", as a concept, is embedded into the psyche of the local population. It is not as difficlut A job to sell the "summer version" of the game to an audience that already exists without having to educate them to the game.

You obviously know Melbourne well and therefore prior to the Storm what percentage of the population living there would you say had an interest in the game?

I believe Celtic have a decent chance of making a go of it. The one thing they won't receive to help them is the size of hand-outs that Melbourne have and continue to rely upon to exist.

I guess it comes down to those people who are willing to take in risk because they want the game to expand and be successful on a national level and those that are willing to accept mediocrity. If you rewind three years it will people the same people who forecasted the imminent disaster that Catalans were to be.

: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:40 pm  

Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."

Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."

: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:44 pm  

Wirefan wrote: Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals." Cheeky barstewards.

Wirefan wrote: Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals." Cheeky barstewards.

: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:47 pm  

Paul Youane wrote:

Super League via SKY broadcasts has a biger profile currently in South Wales than the NRL had in Melbourne prior to their acceptance into teh competition. Not only that Celtic Crusaders already have some NL1 games broadcast on Welsh free to view TV.

Also as "rugby", as a concept, is embedded into the psyche of the local population. It is not as difficlut A job to sell the "summer version" of the game to an audience that already exists without having to educate them to the game.

You obviously know Melbourne well and therefore prior to the Storm what percentage of the population living there would you say had an interest in the game?
I believe Celtic have a decent chance of making a go of it. The one thing they won't receive to help them is the size of hand-outs that Melbourne have and continue to rely upon to exist.

I guess it comes down to those people who are willing to take in risk because they want the game to expand and be successful on a national level and those that are willing to accept mediocrity. If you rewind three years it will people the same people who forecasted the imminent disaster that Catalans were to be.

A lot more than I initially thought to be fair. Their first home game, which I remember fondly managed to bring Olympic Park to it's capacity (over 20,000). And thats no easy feat given that Victoria as a state tends to side with Australian Rules Football.

Catalans do deserve all the praise in the world I agree. But I do feel that their initial potential was far greater than Celtic Crusaders. Don't get me wrong, I can understand why the RFL are trying to expand. But they're missing the simple concept that RL will struggle to stamp it's mark as a leading sport over here, regardless of who they choose to invite into the competition. Take Millenium Magic for example. I loved Cardiff to be honest. I'm sure you probably went yourself, if not this year, then last year? The average crowd over the 2 days was about 60,000 but I doubt that a great deal of those were Welsh Rugby League fans.

In 3 years, if Celtic are pulling in over lets say 7 - 8,000 and contributing sufficiently to the competition, feel free to dig this one up Paul and I'll be the first to hold my hands up

Re: h : Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:47 pm  

wire-til-i-die wrote:

good idea, lets kick a super league team out who are 7th in the league for a french team who got absolutely anialated by bradford in the cup, that will improve the league won't it.

widnes most probly didn't get in because they went into liquidation last year and teh rfl won't want to make the risk.salford will of got in because they are a super league standard team, got relegated last year and are top of nl1 this year.
and celtic were always going to get one, this is pretty much what millenium magic was all about, getting wales into the sport, for me this was always going to happen

Well surely London / Harlequins / Fulham or whatever they wish to be called should be in the same bracket. Didn't the RFL bail them out of financial trouble to the tune of about £3 million not too long ago?
Something the RFL haven't done with the likes of Widnes, Oldham and Halifax, still it's all in the name of expansion

Widnes should be in. They have the stadium, support and the potential to make an impact in SL. Now with the inclusion of the Welsh we are going to have 3 games (Catalans, Quins, Celtic) at the HJ with absolutely no or little revenue, or atmosphere for that matter, generated from the away supporters. As far as I'm concerned the idea expansion should be scrapped. We've had 1 real success story, Catalans, the rest including London, PSG etc haven't worked. Harlequins had just over 2,000 there on Sunday which isn't good enough. We've been trying expansion for many years and not got anywhere with it. We even tried a side in Bridgend in the 1980's where Celtic are based and that failed too!

: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:48 pm  

The Mighty Wires wrote:

Cheeky barstewards.

I thought they were being quite generous.

Re: h : Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:54 pm  

Garrincha's Dog wrote:

Well surely London / Harlequins / Fulham or whatever they wish to be called should be in the same bracket. Didn't the RFL bail them out of financial trouble to the tune of about £3 million not too long ago?Something the RFL haven't done with the likes of Widnes, Oldham and Halifax, still it's all in the name of expansion

Widnes should be in. They have the stadium, support and the potential to make an impact in SL. Now with the inclusion of the Welsh we are going to have 3 games (Catalans, Quins, Celtic) at the HJ with absolutely no or little revenue, or atmosphere for that matter, generated from the away supporters. As far as I'm concerned the idea expansion should be scrapped. We've had 1 real success story, Catalans, the rest including London, PSG etc haven't worked. Harlequins had just over 2,000 there on Sunday which isn't good enough. We've been trying expansion for many years and not got anywhere with it. We even tried a side in Bridgend in the 1980's where Celtic are based and that failed too!

yeah but the rfl want a team based in london, i feel that quins should of been under more threat then wakey because they dont really contribute to the comp and their fan base is appaling, but the rfl's expansion plan would rather have quins in over widnes because their are already teams in the north west but there is only 1 in london

Re: h : Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:57 pm  

Garrincha's Dog wrote:

Well surely London / Harlequins / Fulham or whatever they wish to be called should be in the same bracket. Didn't the RFL bail them out of financial trouble to the tune of about £3 million not too long ago?

No. Anything else you want to make up?