welcome to the club

[braytontiger]

I'm a traditionalist that likes to follow us home and away. I think the game needs to be very careful that they don't start pricing people out of the game,very few fans will be able to travel to Catalans and Toronto in the same season and even less so if those fixtures come close together.

I'm hoping London get in although having been to the Trailfinders with the academy it's not geared up for super league so they may need another new venue which would set them back again having spent 3 good years their. They do have the structure on the field with an excellent youth development.

[laner]

Thought player development was required at different levels so does Toronto meet requirements or does that pass the buck where as Cumbria has always met that with junior rugby being strong and before anyone comments about financial problems which have happened to the clubs and those in Lancs&Yorkshire they are still active whereas the likes of other tried shoe ins have failed. Would expect if they do qualify they will use ther financial clout and put together a side that would be of a unfair advantage to opponents very much doubt if those at RL head quarters have visited Cumbria and seen the potential there and do they really believe that including foreign teams will make the game stronger here very much doubt it past history is fact

[braytontiger]

Thought player development was required at different levels so does Toronto meet requirements or does that pass the buck where as Cumbria has always met that with junior rugby being strong and before anyone comments about financial problems which have happened to the clubs and those in Lancs&Yorkshire they are still active whereas the likes of other tried shoe ins have failed. Would expect if they do qualify they will use ther financial clout and put together a side that would be of a unfair advantage to opponents very much doubt if those at RL head quarters have visited Cumbria and seen the potential there and do they really believe that including foreign teams will make the game stronger here very much doubt it past history is fact

I believe that it's no longer a requirement to run any youth teams, Salford don't have any youth development whilst there's the city of hull academy based at bishop Burton some 20 miles from hull that serves both hull clubs. Sorry to say there is no longer a Cumbria regional academy either but I do believe many of there players do still keep getting picked up. It should also be taken into consideration that the more clubs that choose not to run academies the less players coming into the system.

[laner]

Having visited the pro and ametaur clubs in Cumbria over many years it’s remarkable the number of young players up there makes you think if the structures there were given help how many future pro players would be developed

[Casmania]

Toronto

Whilst they wouldn't add anything to the gates they would bring with them a wealthy, ambitious owner and the chance to crack several new wealthy TV deals and sponsors, something our game desperately needs

This

[gateman]

It looks to me who ever wins and gains entre to super league this time its going to be to the deritment of ouur game, the powers that be will see TV as the thing thats going to boost our game, being a person that watches games played at every level this is were the players come from if Toronto do win there is nothing below them i cant see teams springing up in Canada for a very long time i hope i am wrong, Cumbria is a different Kettle of fish

[HuddsTigers]

Cumbria is irrelevant in this discussion for the simple fact that it’s such a huge area without decent travel links. There’s also no one with money willing to finance one of the clubs to the top, nor are the fans willing to join together to support a joint Cumbrian team. It isnt that the game is leaving them behind, it’s that there is no one with the money or willpower to drag the area forward. Clubs like Newcastle, York, Toronto have all caught up or become better.

If fans are that arsed perhaps they should get off their backsides and support them instead of Whitehaven and Barrow pulling in just 800 fans.

[the machine]

Cumbria is irrelevant in this discussion for the simple fact that it’s such a huge area without decent travel links. There’s also no one with money willing to finance one of the clubs to the top, nor are the fans willing to join together to support a joint Cumbrian team. It isnt that the game is leaving them behind, it’s that there is no one with the money or willpower to drag the area forward. Clubs like Newcastle, York, Toronto have all caught up or become better.

If fans are that arsed perhaps they should get off their backsides and support them instead of Whitehaven and Barrow pulling in just 800 fans.

:clap: :clap:

[flow]

Cumbria is irrelevant in this discussion for the simple fact that it’s such a huge area without decent travel links. There’s also no one with money willing to finance one of the clubs to the top, nor are the fans willing to join together to support a joint Cumbrian team. It isnt that the game is leaving them behind, it’s that there is no one with the money or willpower to drag the area forward. Clubs like Newcastle, York, Toronto have all caught up or become better.

If fans are that arsed perhaps they should get off their backsides and support them instead of Whitehaven and Barrow pulling in just 800 fans.

I think the game needs a strong team in leeds lol

[Adelaide Tigurrrr!]

Cumbria is irrelevant in this discussion for the simple fact that it’s such a huge area without decent travel links. There’s also no one with money willing to finance one of the clubs to the top, nor are the fans willing to join together to support a joint Cumbrian team. It isnt that the game is leaving them behind, it’s that there is no one with the money or willpower to drag the area forward. Clubs like Newcastle, York, Toronto have all caught up or become better.

If fans are that arsed perhaps they should get off their backsides and support them instead of Whitehaven and Barrow pulling in just 800 fans.

Spot on HT.

People bagging Toronto seem to forget that they have only been around for 2 years unlike Cumbrian clubs and other struggling clubs that have had over 100 years to get it right.

Teams like Cas over the years have just relied on a local businessmen to bankroll them and other sports have left us behind when it comes to sponsorship and TV deals. If we stay as we are then the game itself will get less money and we will end up semi-pro as we were back in 1995.

As for away fans it is up to Cas to fill the stadium with their own fans. I follow Adelaide Utd and except when Melbourne Victory rock up with around 300 supporters - it is an 8 hour drive to Adelaide from Melbourne - for all other home games some teans only bring 20 or 30 supporters.

[St Albans tiger]

I think the idea that some mega TV deal is coming in North America is simply madness. Do people honestly believe that TV companies are waiting to give toronta and super league a deal over baseball and ice hockey.

At best it will be something like a Canadian premier sports, hardly espn prime time.

[Burratha]

One of my mates went to Toronto with Hunslet £800 for 5 days its a bit out of the reach for most of our fans

Just out of interest, how does that compare to Catalans?

[StevieTheTV]

It cost about £350 for me this year @ Cats.

I will go to Toronto at some point. If I can afford next season then I will go, if not, it's no biggie.

Catalans away will always be a definite for me, its a great weekend.

[gateman]

its been said that the Cumbrian teams attract only a few supporters some of you old fans like myself may remember gates of 500 at Weldon RD when were, bumping along at the bottom of the league its only when the likes of the CAS H bombs came along that the support started to pick up ,

[Kenilworth Tiger]

I'd love it to be Toulouse - really easy to get to and a great city

[steadygetyerboots-on]

I think Toulouse is the most attractive proposition at the moment, but simply because of Catalans already being in SL. A second team in France is imperative & should generate further interest in talent pool, audience & sponsorhip. It couldn't come at a better time either with Catalans having won the Challenge Cup this year. You only have to look at the impact of France winning the football World Cup in 1998.
SL has to strike while the iron is hot & the prospect of a French derby would really enhance the game & bring us nearer to a professional French domestic league.

[StevieTheTV]

I think Toulouse is the most attractive proposition at the moment, but simply because of Catalans already being in SL. A second team in France is imperative & should generate further interest in talent pool, audience & sponsorhip. It couldn't come at a better time either with Catalans having won the Challenge Cup this year. You only have to look at the impact of France winning the football World Cup in 1998.
SL has to strike while the iron is hot & the prospect of a French derby would really enhance the game & bring us nearer to a professional French domestic league.

This :clap:

[gateman]

with the fixtures this weekend I would put my money on a Toronto v London million pound game, but there again I must be one of the worst tippers on this forum

[StevieTheTV]

If the results go this weekend how i think/hope they will,

Leeds to beat Toronto by 3 scores. Toronto end up on -1 points difference.
Toulouse to beat Salford by 1 score. Toulouse end up on +6 points difference.
Hull KR to beat Widnes by 3 scores. Hull KR end up on +23 points difference.
London to beat Halifax for 4 scores. London end up on +14 points difference.


I think the table will end up like;
Leeds 12pts
Hull KR 10pts
Salford 8pts
London 8pts
Toulouse 8pts
Toronto 8pts
Widnes 2pts
Halifax 0pts


I think at this moment, Toulouse would bring more to SL than Toronto as outlined by Steady earlier on. Plus, it would be interesting to see how Argyll and Perez deal with the disappointment, would they reduce funding / walk away??

[Hepworth7]

How sick would you be Stevie if all those results went the way you're predicting,get down the bookies fella!Just a case of if the Whinos turn up against Toronto.