I don't see it happening personally, I think Toulouse are in pole position. They've got a stronger squad than us, a lovely stadium, a large sponsorship and business network they've spent years building up, very close relations with the city and regional authorities, and a general feeling of being on the up. Plus, it would allow Elstone to say that he (and the game generally) is pro-expansion but only in the right circumstances.
On the Broncos front the main issue is (again) the stadium which we know SL wasn't keen on 2 years ago. In terms of re-building the squad, a quick look at the Wolfpack website says the following are available: Cunningham, Russell, Stanley, Leutele, Mellor, Lussick, Mullally, Miloudi. All are good SL players.
Given SL clubs prefer their own self interest to that of the game overall, you could see them inviting Broncos back on the grounds that Broncos might be less of a threat to their SL status than Toulouse or Leigh.
So 5 clubs declared there interest so far. 3 currently with full time playing squad Leigh toulouse and York have arguably SL standard stadiums. London and Toulouse have the "expansion" tick. Fan base probably leigh are ahead on that one. But if you were to put ticks on boxes or a points system like the previous franchise system, Toulouse have to top the pile
Looking at the Leigh squad (and the players they are still linked with) they are a million miles ahead of us, likewise Toulouse. As much as I would love us in SL, as it stands we would get smashed. Im not too sure we would do that well in the Champ as it stands!!!
Joined: Apr 03 2002 Posts: 4958 Location: North West
Shameful that the Promoted Club will receive less than the rest of Super League next season from central funding why? Disappointed to say we are not ready, no one here knows what players or not we may be talking to, we should be thankful that David Hughes before this was even announced confirmed he would back and keep us Professional! No other club in The Championship even this season is providing so many players to Super League Club, that says so much about investment and the great coaching team that we have!
If we continue to stay in The Championship we will not improve on and off the pitch, we need to be playing at the top! Blame must be put at the door of The RFL and Super League the lack of support for many years, I submitted a plan a long time ago to them, when the sport was looking at having a London HQ & Ground, it should have also included a Centre of Excellence for The Sport in the Capital, and as well as providing a ground fit for a Super League Club. No wonder my late friend & colleague Peter Deakin left the sport to go to Rugby Union, we both did a Australian Course in Sports Management well before he joined Bradford and looked what he did for them as well as Rugby Union!
It is worrying that there is talk that much less money is on the table from Sky when the current contract comes to an end in 2021, a figure of £30 million is rumoured? and I am sure no other broadcaster will offer more than that. The RFL seem all over the place and little control of the game, Super League which I backed fully is not fully carrying out the role they should,
We are entering a very difficult time for the sport, we need to look to the game in our Own Country first, in these difficult times expansion outside of the country is not a priority.
Why would you have the headquarters and centre of excellence 200 miles away from where the majority of the proffesional clubs in that sport are based, makes no sense. London have had how many years to make there imprint on the sport? Blame the RFL if you want, blame SL if you want, blame the club owners if you want, but the supporters of lack of supporters also is a factor.. Second tier rugby in france in some places get better support than London Broncos get when they were in SL. As much as i would love Rugby League in London to have made a greater impact, and as much as i would love Broncos to be in SL fact is it hasnt! London broncos had a ground fit for RL, they tried it, it still didnt take off. As a club we are where we are, if DH walks i cant see anyone chomping at the bit to fund it, we dont have the fan base to support the club. Toulouse and catalans have the advantage with there recruitment over london is that South of France is a lifestyle change where moving to london to play does not, thats backed up by number of players that stay down there when they finish playing. Just because its London does not make that much differnce to the profile of the sport in the country, just my opinion
You can't expect a club to develop a crowd if for whatever reason you move grounds every few years. I'm sure Wigan's crowds would dwindle if they moved a season or two home games to Bolton then Blackburn then Preston.
One thing you can't take away from Broncos is their development of young players. Not every SL club can match that
A generous lot these Super League clubs. Giving the twelfth team an allocation of just One Million pounds, rather than the nearly Two million that all the other clubs will get. They do want to keep the lower clubs down, don't they.
Other way of looking at it, if the crowds had come the club may not have had ti move homes so much. Guarantee had we been drawing 15/20k a game at the stoop we woujd still be there!. The SL funding thing is an issue and a crazy idea, suppose the way they are viewing it is the team coming in have to prove there worth to the league! Would love to see who ever gets the spot do well and not finish bottom, wonder how they will deal with that?
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