Why is the (so called) gap so big now ?

Part of it is maybe, that when there was PROMOTION & RELEGATION, the likes of Leigh, Whitehaven, Widnes, Salford, Hull KR, Cas, Wakefield had full time squads, or some of the players were.

Some Promoted clubs 1st season in SL stats:

(1999) Wakefield Wildcats...20 points 11th/14 clubs

(2002) Widnes Vikings....29 points 7th/12 clubs

(2003) Huddersfield Giants....23 points 10th/12 clubs

(2004) SalfordCity Reds ...16 points 9th/12 clubs

(2006) Castleford Tigers ...19 points 11th/12 clubs (but relegated to protect Catalan Dragons !!)

(2007) Hull KR ....20 points 11th/12 clubs



NOT EVERY SIDE DID A LEIGH CENTURIONS SUPER LEAGUE 2005 CAMPAIGN !!!

And if there was P&R this year, how much interest would that generate for London 6pts , Widnes 8pts and Cas 10pts.



It would be exciting at both ends of the table.

OK! Just thought I'd ask and see whether I would get the usual response. You did,t let me down!!!!!!

What about Fax........didnt they finish on 0 points?

They were already in SDL......think they won one or two, but then had points deduction for going into administration mid season....or was it salary cap?? Either way, they were already in SDL.



The point that was being made, was that not all promoted clubs die on their s in the first season in SDL!! We were the victims of a system that gave us about three months to put a squad together....months after everyone else in the division had sorted their squads out!! The other thing that must be considered is that most of the teams listed were already full-time set-ups, and in the case of Hudds/Salford/Cas remained so during their 'gap years' outside SDL.

The bottom line problem is the bottom line. Championship clubs are p/t, have a salary cap of £400k, and a turnover of £750k, or thereabouts. SL clubs have a salary cap of £1.75m, plus £50k on Academy, and a turnover of £2.5m +. Clubs can't go from one to t'other, and back again, with 4 months' notice. Best option, medium term, would be two full time divisions...

Super League 1 and 2

One up one down each year

Equitable distribution of the sky money

Scrap the franchise system

Scrap the dual contract system

One more meaningful cup competition

Reintroduce the lancs v yorks game and promote it well

Realise that RL will never work in London

and the closer we can get to making SL larger - ie 16 FT teams, the closer we get to looking at a franchised competition with SL1 and SL2 with P&R between them.

Great idea

It would have to be an East vs West game as we would have players and teams from areas other than Lancs and Yorks.

But there isn't enough good players to support a 14 team Super League.

Surely SL2 needs to be a 'stepping stone' division - for those that want it?



Reduce SL to 10 clubs - and the monies saved would be split among the 10 clubs in SL2.



A club can be promoted from the Championship as part-time, but must use the additional funding to sort out it's minimum requirements to operate on a full-time basis, before making a push for SL1. No funding to be used on players salaries.....this must be sourced from the club's own revenue streams - be that increased crowds, corporate, sponsorship, merchandising, etc. And all the clubs finances must be transparent, and open to scrutiny.



Same applies in SL1. All central funding (TV revenue, and sponsorship) can only be used to improve facilities, academy set-up, administration, and commercial set-up. Again, salaries must be funded from revenue streams, and be open to scrutiny. This way, no club should be able to operate beyond it's means. Obviously, this would involve a 'cap' based on previous season's earnings, so players would have to be induced with 'back end' bonuses based on how well the club has performed commercially......incentivise them to create the interest, that will generate the income!!

Now, as nine home games a season is not ideal there would have to be an additional cup competition - maybe along the lines of the Trains Cup, but for the clubs in SL's 1 and 2. (Maybe 4 groups of 5 teams....and you play each other team home and away - creating 4 more home games) Top 2 from each group go through to quarter finals. These groups drawn completely at random, so as not to 'favour' the SL1 clubs. And the group games to be integrated into the season's fixtures - not played 'pre season' - to maintain an interest. (IMHO this is what should be happening in Trains Cup at present!)



A 26 game 'season' (plus CC and play-offs.....which would revert to top 6.), means there should be enough free weeks to include some meaningful 'rep' games as well. An 'East' v 'West' Origin style series (and that means 3 games!!)



And - how about moving The Magic Weekend to the south of France???





Thoughts?