NRL

[Mucky1978]

Rumours of a take over by the NRL creating a European super league.
So is that it for Cas as a top flight club or will they try merge us with Wakefield again?

[Tigerwood posse]

Rumours of a take over by the NRL creating a European super league.
So is that it for Cas as a top flight club or will they try merge us with Wakefield again?

Think we tried that already, it didn't work

[jackknife]

I dont think they try merge anyone, theres plenty of clubs in NRL that are close to each other.

I think if they take over they'll raise the amount of quota spots for each team and try get as many of there players in SL as possible n we may see more SL teams partnering with NRL clubs and been used as feeder teams.

[Tamworth Tiger]

To be fair they did merge clubs in Aus and booted Souths out if I remember correctly.
The idea of takeover seems to be in very early stages at the moment.
I suspect the real issue which will be the sticking is cash flow and ability to raise income. We don’t have things like club casinos to rely on here.

[alftupper]

To be fair they did merge clubs in Aus and booted Souths out if I remember correctly.

Yes, I think Norths got the boot and Balmain and Illawarra merged with Western Suburbs and St George respectively

[Tamworth Tiger]

To be fair they did merge clubs in Aus and booted Souths out if I remember correctly.

Yes, I think Norths got the boot and Balmain and Illawarra merged with Western Suburbs and St George respectively

[tigerfeat]

Wonder if it will be Castleford Trinity or Wakefield Tigers ....

[Mysterio]

We certainly can't argue with the way the Australian game has grown and been promoted

[Railwayend]

8 team super league is coming guys

[Tamworth Tiger]

8 team super league is coming guys

Just saw something from Martin Sadler saying NRL takeover proposal is likely to be London, Catalans, Hull, Hull KR , Leeds, Saints, Wigan, Wire
That makes no business sense, would not create a big enough fanbase, international pool or wider public interest and be the death of the game in this country.
Can only have been dreamt up by overpaid management consultants and self interested club owners. How many Hull derbies would fill stadia regularly or attract a regular TV audience?
Absolutely insane if true.
I wonder how many bottles of champagne in Los Vegas it took to dream that one up?

[tigerfeat]

Also I understand it will be back to a winter sport so the aussies will have some rugby to watch all year round and you could have players playing in the nrl then coming over here to play SL

[Tamworth Tiger]

Remember the size of winter crowds?

[tigerfeat]

I can see London v Catalans on a cold December day with 650 die hards in the ground
The whole idea is bonkers and if that's what the so called big clubs want there signing the death warrant of RL in this country

[Railwayend]

I can see London v Catalans on a cold December day with 650 die hards in the ground
The whole idea is bonkers and if that's what the so called big clubs want there signing the death warrant of RL in this country

But who wants to see cas v saints cas v Leeds cas v Warrington. When we're not competive enough and losing by 40-50 points and only winning 3 games year were doing ourselves no favours

[tigerfeat]

Yes I agree we've fallen on hard times since Powelly left but in the Powell era everybody wanted to watch Cas we ended up playing some of the best rugby seen in SL
That's the point if you have a closed shop of 8 teams playing each other over and over you lose the magic of what sports all about that's how I see it anyway for what it's worth

[alftupper]

Also I understand it will be back to a winter sport so the aussies will have some rugby to watch all year round and you could have players playing in the nrl then coming over here to play SL

I’d welcome a return to winter rugby, there’s generally more things to do during summer for me and rugby would fill the void through the winter months. I have always felt the loss of the Boxing Day and NYD fixtures has been a real detriment, I’m sure these fixtures would attract above average crowds, even sell outs, and let’s not forget that the current set up sees us play through the months of February and March which can produce some of the foulest weather.

[Tigerade]

I can see an eight team SL been played in winter. We would obviously not be involved in that. If you put us, Wakey, Salford, Hudds and Leigh in the summer league (league one) along with existing teams Fev, Sheffield, York, Widnes, Halifax and everyone’s favourite away fixture - Batley, I could live with that. I would even say it would be a more purer and competitive game albeit a reduction in skill. I’ll give SL 8 three years maximum and they would come running back after getting bored of playing each other 4 times a season.

[Dazzyb]

So what if they did . We could just change to west tigers (West Yorkshire) and keep Castleford ion the badge . They would leave us alone for sure and our catchment would be all of West Yorkshire

[Shameless]

I can see an eight team SL been played in winter. We would obviously not be involved in that. If you put us, Wakey, Salford, Hudds and Leigh in the summer league (league one) along with existing teams Fev, Sheffield, York, Widnes, Halifax and everyone’s favourite away fixture - Batley, I could live with that. I would even say it would be a more purer and competitive game albeit a reduction in skill. I’ll give SL 8 three years maximum and they would come running back after getting bored of playing each other 4 times a season.

Agree with all of this. If they go to an 8 Team SL I would genuinely rather be in 'the other league'.
The gulf between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' is widening and without being negative, I can't see a way for us to bridge it in the abscence of someone walking through the door with more money than sense.

If it happens, let them have their 8 Team Super Duper NRL Feeder competition. The crowds and the excitement will be elsewhere though.

[mdean]

It is easy to make links to facts - as in are ours, Salford's and other investors holding back for something coming? I really don't know.

There would be almost no point in everything over the last three years with IMG if we were to throw that away and go to an arbitrary 8.
Surely you'd have to keep Cat A's in play. That being said, NRL owned and same product is not likely to give a different audience or outcome. The UK sport has a fundamental issue in that businesses don't want to give it money and not enough people watch it on TV or in person.