Didn't you know that small northern towns with clubs in SL see sky sports subscriptions go through the roof and in turn see sky paying more for the broadcast rights.

That's the myth I've seen told before.

This.

Any club could promote young players to 1st grade but thats not how you judge whether a clubs development system is working.

The players have to be good enough and the reality is there are very few players across the whole competition which make it to 1st grade because they are genuinely good enough.

Or multiple folks with the same agenda regurgitate the same gaff and then are`nt seen for months on end until a certain topic appears.You are part of Lord of the Flies.

If the board was more nrl centric I would gladly post more. The state of super League currently just doesn't create enough discussion.

Who's expecting Toulouse to bring any TV deal, they're hardly New Zealand Warriors. After all, prior to their previous 2 homes games they had barely achieved a home attendance bigger than 2000 whilst playing in the Championship & League One. :

That all you got time for Tabby? Shows how hard it it to run as several on-line persons all at once.

I suggest you drop the "Tabby" character, Gav Wilson has already "doubted your sincerity" shall we say and suggested TRL isn't the place for you.

I think your better than that just shouting "xenophobia".

Ian Lenegan in 2015 went to Toulouse as a guest of the club with other SL chairmen. Lenegan was supportive of Toulouse for Superleague and in the main after dinner speech he told them so, but added that TO needed to "Work towards developing French players capable of playing at SL level and finding a French TV deal".

Fev and Leigh would also be expected to have player development systems in Superleague too, albeit as English clubs they would underpin the TV deal anyway.

Eamon McManus was also supportive of Toulouse when he lambasted Toronto Wolfpack. He felt two French clubs would create a classic derby, he felt that would "open up new avenues with French Broadcasters" This was all at a time when the SKY TV deal was massive.

But that deal has been slashed and the problem will be if there is no French TV deal, and if Toulouse turn up at their first Superleague fixture with only the odd one or two pro French players, then English clubs will be asking Lenegan why has he let them in when they have not met the criteria Lenegan on behalf of Superleague set for them, something Toulouse did not argue against.

You can try to belittle Featherstone and Leigh as "Village clubs" and extol the virtues of a major city club, but the fact is playing in a big city doesn't guarantee growth - see London Broncos lack of success in our of biggest city, see the success and longevity of leigh and Featherstone based in pit villages.

As above SL were asking TO for such a deal since 2015. If no such deal comes - and French TV may not feel there is the potential for selling many subscriptions to French fans especially if interest is low in the club a you state, and TO struggle to compete which will lower interest further .....then they will become a one season wonder.

I just wonder if Superleagues insistence on trying to push through a 10 club Superleague for next year was to head off a Toulouse club who at this point in time offer no player development, no TV deal and won't attract great audiences here if they are shown on SKY. Obviously what comes to mind is how Toronto went in SL easily losing their first six games........Not good telly.....

While the M62 supporters plead poverty and await a bit of communication from those putatively in charge of the sport,over in France it is all positivity. https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/10/12/rob ... d-cup-bid/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemeehal ... by-league/ The M62'ers meanwhile,wash daily in their own misery - reliant on their power grab.

While the M62 supporters plead poverty and await a bit of communication from those putatively in charge of the sport,over in France it is all positivity. https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/10/12/rob ... d-cup-bid/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemeehal ... by-league/ The M62'ers meanwhile,wash daily in their own misery - reliant on their power grab.

That's what Catalans do, they have 11 major imports and add to that the half dozen real quality French players for their first team squad, with the rest of the roster being the very best young french lads of potential. Morgue shows up well and he's in, which has been great to see.

Thus Les Catalans have established themselves as a major French SL club that is a conduit for the relatively few talented French players their game produces. Sadly it leaves Toulouse no quality French talent to sign (Casty is of course retiring).

Catalans presence in Superleague has become very much a plus for the game, and this is despite the number of top French players reducing since 2008 when a Catalans first team side contained Raguin, Bosc, Pellow, Casty, Munis, Duport, Kattabi, Olima, Guisset, and Fakir .......

Catalans Dragons and the reduction in quality french talent over the years leaves Toulouse nowhere to go really in terms of building a second French Superleague side, and a season of defeats will do nothing to boost interest in the grass roots game there either. You cannot say look what catalans have done and seriously predict Toulouse can do the same.......