I do find it amusing that the fans of the semi-pro clubs are so outraged by this closed shop to the top tier, stating that the sport isn't pure, there needs to be competition, etc.

So where were all the thousands of petitions and campaigns to get P&R from the 3rd tier to the 4th tier? That's being going on longer. Why not campaign for that? Because it doesn't suit you. You don't want to be down there, you want to be up at the top. Yet you are calling the fans that are at the top for the very same things you've been doing to the amateur teams.

I am a fan of the most successful professional club in the history of superleague, but first and foremost I am a Rugby League Fan who cares about how the game is run and its effects on other lesser clubs.

In my opinion the RFL don't think things through, keep changing there agenda when confronted with obstacles...................in fact the RFL always reminds me of a Dog Chasing its Tail.

I,m led to believe that you are charged over £8000 per week, is that correct.

Yes...


Rugby league didn't start in 1996.

how many amateur teams want to move into the professional ranks.?

Irrelevant. Whether, eg Bramley Buffaloes, want to be promoted to Championship 1 after winning their fourth minor premiership in a row (and when they won their first grand final iirc the division they play in was called NL3) the point is that the semi-pro clubs don't offer them the opportunity - instead if they want to move up into the semi-pro ranks they have to apply for entry into the league and have their application judged on a whole range of criteria which aren't simply the performance of their first team on the pitch in any given season. Exactly the same as any semi-pro club wanting to apply to join the full-time professional league.

Now, Bramley is run by a supporters trust, and the people who run it are members of this site so I wouldn't dream to speak for them on whether they want to move up to the semi-pro ranks or how they would prefer to do it if they do.

The point is, though, that there is no automatic promotion and relegation in and out of the semi pro ranks. There never has been in the whole history of the game since 1895



is at best a myth.

For instance, when we joined the league in 1926 we didn't do it by winning the division below in 1925. There was no Castleford RLFC club competing in any competition in 1925. The club was formed new and put in a bid to join the league. And, whether we've had one or two divisions of semi-pro rugby and whether we've had a division of full-time professional rugby above that, that's been true of every club that's ever joined the league. That's how we've always done it. - apart from an experiment between 1995 and 2008. And the experience of Whitehaven, Oldham, Widnes (remember the club was wound up the day after the 2007 Grand Final) and indeed ourselves, shows that that experiment didn't work to the benefit of the game or the clubs. Licences are simply a return to the way we've always done things.

If on the other hand, you believe that automatic promotion and relegation between the professional and semi-professional leagues is such a fundamental 'right' then logically you have to support automatic promotion and relegation between the amateur and semi-pro ranks for the same reason. And if your club finishes bottom of Championship 1 in one year, be prepared to go down to the amateur ranks with whatever consequences that may have for your club.

I totally agree!!

As j.c asked , how many amatuer clubs want to move into the Championships ?

Who is stopping them ?

Why ?

Simple question , away you go

personally speaking if bramley want back in then let them in.
i would be disappointed if my club was voting against them re-entering the semi pro ranks.

But you're happy that the process is dependent on them submitting an application and having it judged on a range of criteria, not up and down each year dependent on winning their Grand Final and replacing the team who finished bottom of Championship 1, who would take their place in the amateur set-up? That's the point.