Watching Celtic on saturday left me wondering if the clubs will be able to do all that is necessary to be re-franchised next time round.In Celtics case I cant comment on things off the pitch (stadia income etc) but certainly on the pitch results dont look too bright. They got no luck mind you and the ref seemed poor, But there youngsters i believe have done really well. IF Celtic continue to lose and crowds dwindle player recruitment might get difficult. It will be the same for any franchised/new club who play in a traditionally non-RL area. Despite the powers that be wanting clubs in new areas Rugby League players are still produced (with some exception) in Lancashire Yorkshire and Cumbria. It generally means that when players leave clubs they dont have to uproot familys and change childrens schools. However well paid you might be the thought of getting thumped week in week out, living in a different town/city away from family cannot be a good one. The counter argument may be that players will love to play in cosmopolitan places like London, Barcelona, Dublin or such like. But is three years enough time to even prove your value to the Super League for the next round of franchises. While we all may want to see the game develop it is an unedifying thought that in 10/12 years time we will be able to list a host of well known cities/towns around the world where Rugby League was tried..and failed.

Or how about giving them longer outside of Super League, so that they hit the ground running when awarding a franchise, rather than being a rabbit caught in the headlights.

.....because the millionaire backers would not be interested. Mr Samuels or his 'company' recently made half a million by selling the lease on the ground. He now also has the sky money and has not invested that much in new players as can be seen from the results. It also seems the free ticket give aways have also stopped and without Wakeys following at the weekend the crowd would have been nearer 1000 according to the RL press.

I hope he makes me eat my words but Mr Samuels was given a garauntee by the RFL and he figured out he could make his investment back plus more as he only had to impress for 2 years. He will be gone before the next round of Franchises.

It has been stated and is common knowledge that people won't watch a losing team but they have just won their first game which was away from home so instead of attending the next home fixture to cheer them on the fans stayed away.....actually, that is probably incorrect. They can't ahve stayed away because they don't exist in the first place.

I'm not bitter, I just despair at the fact that so many people have kept quiet about their dissatisfaction with the game.

As an aside the RFL have just lost a major sponsor for the 4 nations tournament - Coca Cola - yet they blame this on Australian RL. Al;so no one as had anything outspoken to say about Rod Findlays appointment at Gateshead, the 'ex RFL' employee who was at the forefront of the Franchisee decisions. SL clubs will NEVER speak out against the RFL/SKY as they cannot afford to lose the SKY monies due to over inflated salaries paid to players, most of whom aren't even British.

On second thoughts I am bitter