Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:48 pm  

I'l be honest, for the 2012 franchises, this time last year these were the only team we were worried about and quite a few thought these would get the spot. However, without reaching the grand final this year does that definately mean they cant apply?

Re: Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:49 pm  

Nope, as per the RFL guidelines apparently any 'foreign' team can be 'invited' to apply

Re: Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:57 pm  

As per the guidelines they have lied about and then introduced. They confirmed that Toulouse would need to reach a final a while back, now without announcement this has been altered.

Re: Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:06 pm  

Chris Dalton wrote:

As per the guidelines they have lied about and then introduced. They confirmed that Toulouse would need to reach a final a while back, now without announcement this has been altered.

Just that i haven't really seen anyone commenting on this situation and to me its a huge positive. I felt back the and still feel the biggest threat to us not getting a franchise is from a club not in England or the north west region.

Re: Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:14 pm  

Viva La Vikings!! wrote:

I'l be honest, for the 2012 franchises, this time last year these were the only team we were worried about and quite a few thought these would get the spot. However, without reaching the grand final this year does that definately mean they cant apply?

I think the thing that you can take some comfort from is the fact that they will unlikely be up against us for a spot.
From the championship teams only the one that meets the minimum criteria will be promoted. I think Toulouse would now need to apply under the general applications taking part in April.

Re: Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:33 pm  

Viva La Vikings!! wrote:

Just that i haven't really seen anyone commenting on this situation and to me its a huge positive. I felt back the and still feel the biggest threat to us not getting a franchise is from a club not in England or the north west region.

I don't think anyone of our fellow clubs can boast having what we do. Barrow can claim they are in an area of the country without a flood of clubs but that's all they can claim, their crowds have significantly weakened even after winning the league, no youth set ups, tumbledown stadium too small for super league, they would not be going up even in P & R I feel. Their backer is not someone who I would trust with a license at all. Leigh can boast the stadium but not the youth, the crowds, and at this present time can't even apply because they need to make the final and it is by no means a formality. I would love for Widnes to be the club that denies them, not because I dislike them but quite the opposite. They've been bleating recently that they weren't allowed to run u18s because of some conspiracy but quietly Featherstone have announced they're going to start running teams themselves in the U18 super league so I think they just didn't have a good enough set up to do it. Featherstone are not ready for the top league yet either and I don't think they will want another Calder club, although continue down the path they've taken and next time they will be a very good bet and could end up replacing Cas and Wakey as the premier club in that area. Halifax are better than us on the pitch but that's about it right now. A stronger rival than the others I feel but worse crowds, youth and stadium ensure we are a better choice and who is left?

If it were up to me I'd have P & R but it isn't. If it were up to me, I'd relegate three, and promote three. I'd actually have toulouse in there, as a straight replacement for crusaders. Their real crowds are beginning to shine through. They weren't ready. I'd bung out salford and cas and put in us and fax and then see what happens. It's not a perfect system but it's all we've got.

Re: Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:40 pm  

Chris Dalton wrote:

I don't think anyone of our fellow clubs can boast having what we do. Barrow can claim they are in an area of the country without a flood of clubs but that's all they can claim, their crowds have significantly weakened even after winning the league, no youth set ups, tumbledown stadium too small for super league, they would not be going up even in P & R I feel. Their backer is not someone who I would trust with a license at all. Leigh can boast the stadium but not the youth, the crowds, and at this present time can't even apply because they need to make the final and it is by no means a formality. I would love for Widnes to be the club that denies them, not because I dislike them but quite the opposite. They've been bleating recently that they weren't allowed to run u18s because of some conspiracy but quietly Featherstone have announced they're going to start running teams themselves in the U18 super league so I think they just didn't have a good enough set up to do it. Featherstone are not ready for the top league yet either and I don't think they will want another Calder club, although continue down the path they've taken and next time they will be a very good bet and could end up replacing Cas and Wakey as the premier club in that area. Halifax are better than us on the pitch but that's about it right now. A stronger rival than the others I feel but worse crowds, youth and stadium ensure we are a better choice and who is left?

If it were up to me I'd have P & R but it isn't. If it were up to me, I'd relegate three, and promote three. I'd actually have toulouse in there, as a straight replacement for crusaders. Their real crowds are beginning to shine through. They weren't ready. I'd bung out salford and cas and put in us and fax and then see what happens. It's not a perfect system but it's all we've got.

It feels weird the whole situation. On the train back from the game yesterday, which did take ages may i say, we bumped into a Wakefield fan. He was 100% sure that Widnes will be in SL in 2012 in the place of maybe Wakefield. Hearing other fans say we will be in is one of the best feeling i have had in years and it would be a great present for all those fans who have watched us in this division for the last 6 years.

Although i am confident, nothing is set in stone and until next March i'll try not to get my hopes up. agree with you about Halifax, currently our biggest threat but i think that we may better them in just a couple of departments. Only time will tell.

Re: Tolouse : Mon Aug 23, 2010 4:16 pm  

Chris Dalton wrote:

I don't think anyone of our fellow clubs can boast having what we do. Barrow can claim they are in an area of the country without a flood of clubs but that's all they can claim, their crowds have significantly weakened even after winning the league, no youth set ups, tumbledown stadium too small for super league, they would not be going up even in P & R I feel. Their backer is not someone who I would trust with a license at all. Leigh can boast the stadium but not the youth, the crowds, and at this present time can't even apply because they need to make the final and it is by no means a formality. I would love for Widnes to be the club that denies them, not because I dislike them but quite the opposite. They've been bleating recently that they weren't allowed to run u18s because of some conspiracy but quietly Featherstone have announced they're going to start running teams themselves in the U18 super league so I think they just didn't have a good enough set up to do it. Featherstone are not ready for the top league yet either and I don't think they will want another Calder club, although continue down the path they've taken and next time they will be a very good bet and could end up replacing Cas and Wakey as the premier club in that area. Halifax are better than us on the pitch but that's about it right now. A stronger rival than the others I feel but worse crowds, youth and stadium ensure we are a better choice and who is left?

If it were up to me I'd have P & R but it isn't. If it were up to me, I'd relegate three, and promote three. I'd actually have toulouse in there, as a straight replacement for crusaders. Their real crowds are beginning to shine through. They weren't ready. I'd bung out salford and cas and put in us and fax and then see what happens. It's not a perfect system but it's all we've got.

Bring back Promotion and Relegation

Re: Tolouse : Tue Aug 24, 2010 5:19 pm  

As I've said before - put Widnes & Fax up and see what happens. Drop Cas or Wakey and maybe Salford if they can't sort a ground out ( went past today and still a big pile of mud).

Re: Tolouse : Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:14 pm  

Toulouse are in, Widnes probably. You heard it here first