This is RL's perennial problem, decisions are rushed and the next big thing hyped up with no follow up.



Examples include: Celtic Crusaders started in the wrong place, Wrexham was always the far better option being away from the Union heartland and near our heartlands but the damage had already been done and the debts racked up. Then instead of backing them after a good season on the field and a decent fanbase built they were cast adrift.



Magic Weekend is another, started as an opportunity to make money from Cardiff and spread the game. Now just advertised to season ticket holders with discounts. We were told 10k Newcastle postcodes had booked tickets to the first one there but haven't heard numbers like that since, I bet noone has asked them did they enjoy the day? did they want to go back next year? etc



They bought Odsal to save Bradford but didn't do much due diligence on several owners and now they don't even play there.



Started SL in Paris when a team in South of France always made more sense.



Bristol got 7k to a dead duck midweek America-Cook Islands World Cup game but we haven't bothered going back with even a minor event. England had a great 2013 world cup then they didn't play at home for 2 years. They built up the Exiles but ditched it quick after a bad crowd or two when they didn't market it.



Most fans would like a 14 Team league but instead we getting Wigan - Warrington about 6 times a year.



And that's just off the top of my head...Would love to see the Union management swap places with League for a few years and see what happens.

Maybe that’s why Super League are pushing for a break. Apparently talks with Sky on reduced money and nothing going to the RFL.

For me their replacemnet has to come from London, Leigh or York, think they are the best placed sides to did it a go next year, I would have done for Toulose but with covid, it's hard enough with one French team.



I think there has to be no relegation next year.

For me, I’d go with Toulouse.



We’ve been trying to do London for 40 years. From a fan perspective other than the initial Fulham years, the fan base didn’t develop. Obviously not helped by the nomadic existence from ground to ground.



With respect, York wouldn’t bring too much as they have a low fan base with limited growth potential.



Leigh are within an established heartland, but unless they it’s via winning the Championship, do we want to promote another club within a drop kick away from St Helens, Warrington, Salford and Wigan? The same relates to Featherstone, with Cas, Wakefield and Leeds in close proximity.



With regards Covid, yes it may still impact the first part of next season, but most clubs have been affected (us, Rovers, and Cas have all had to postpone matches), but I wouldn’t exclude Toulose because of this. For those that haven’t seen it, check out the Toulouse video, their infrastructure is a match for any SL club, it would also increase interest for the competition in France with an instant rivalry with Cats.



As a one off, I’d postpone relegation for 2021 and give all clubs the chance to stabslise as we hopefully get through Covid, assuming a vaccine becomes available next year. Championship clubs would have promotion to join SL in 2022.



Some other great points made above re. Missed RFL opportunities/decisions, but I think that needs to be a separate strategic debate for the longer term future of the game.

I agree with every point you have made it's got to be Toulouse and it also gives the competition credibility having another French team.



The journalist Gareth Walker has stated that he believes the promoted club are likely to receive only 1 million from the central funding pot rather than the estimated 1.8 million existing SL clubs receive. Obviously this would be a massive disadvantaged added to the fact they will have to recruit basically a new squad in a short space of time to be competitive. That seems totally unfair. They want an extra club to make up the numbers but know full well they'll be whipping boys. It this is true they should have gone with a 11 team league.

Sounds unfair, but could be mitigated if there is no relegation next season and allows the 12th team a little more stability.

Another vote for Toulouse here - win win as great for the french game, great for European Super League, great for fans (once Covid is over)



And sounds like Toulouse are recruiting for Super League as theyve just signed Joseph Paolo and Dom Peyroux from Saints as well as Eloi Pelissier, Ben Reynolds and Mitch Garbutt

More players cut adrift with just two months wages https://www.totalrl.com/ottawa-aces-not ... 21-season/ Could I guess herald the end of the Canadian adventure.

More players cut adrift with just two months wages https://www.totalrl.com/ottawa-aces-not ... 21-season/ Could I guess herald the end of the Canadian adventure.

The Toronto thing was never going to work for me. If the want to do RL over there, they need to create their own competition.



In all honesty, I dont like catalan being in the league either.



Our sport isn't a rich sport, so we need to do whatever we can to build the clubs we have, get more money, grassroots, academy, fans etc



Who ever comes into the SL needs to be able to spend the cap or at least close.to it, be sustainable and have a good fan base. Or at the very least, be able to bring fans in.



Several clubs in SL take a good amount of fans home.and away, teams like catalandont. So what do they offer.

This is quickly turning into a farce. Their replacement should have been pencilled in before the vote took place, and announced immediately for a full pre-season and fair shot at recruitment. Professional game run by amateurs.

A decent s up in the sun ?

So, having a replacement ready before Toronto's application was rejected, before SL voted for 12 teams, before SL revised the playoffs?

Call that professional? Toronto's lawyers would have had a field day.



This is what was said 4 days ago....





And I'd imagine there are more players on the open market than ever before.