Why in the round ball World Cup do they have a game for third place? It's pointless in my opinion!

It's nowt more than the gutted not good enoughs v the gutted not good enoughs!

We didn't have Kiwis v Us after the semis in the real World Cup!

Spelly.

Re the distribution of Sky money, I have no idea of the Sky viewing figures but would guess that games involving Wigan and Hull KR attract more than Huddersfield or York. Do they get Sky in France? On your logic and if I am correct, should Wigan be demanding a bigger share of Sky money.

Maybe any money the RFL get for the Challenge Cup final should only be distributed between the two finalists as well?

My point is that surely those running SL should be concerned about the wider game of rugby league and Sky income should be used to help the game from grass roots upwards, not just a few clubs. Maybe they should ask themselves just why Sky believe the value the SL product has fallen so much? It is certainly not the fault of the Championship Clubs, so why should they face the biggest impact?

Just maybe those wealthy backers who are now bleating about how much it is costing them to keep their clubs afloat, should think why the game is in a financial mess. Is it something to do with bringing in too many over-rated and over-paid average overseas players, when the game would be better investing in the development of our own players?

The QLD & NSW cup competitions. That process is already in full swing.

Its a ticking time bomb, in 10 years where will SL get its player pool from. With a 50% cut in TV money why would an athlete choose RL as a sport and get battered every week for little reward and not enough money to retire on.

It shouldnt be just for 12 clubs to grab as much money as they can to try and survive, you cant sustain that long term and why would owners want to. Without TV funding RL is a part time sport.

Lack of strategy, self interest and weakness have meant since 1996 we have gone backwards. The NRL over the same timeframe has advanced as have sports in this country such as womens football and darts. 

Probably more chance of that than someone wanting to 'invest' in the club.

I have often thought that selling a few pints and pies before a game adds little in commercial value. Maybe letting the facilities out for community use or concerts could generate some income. Probably, the greatest commercial value is ability to raise funds using the ground as collateral, but that in itself can lead to financial problems.

If the ground is a loss-maker for the Council, maybe they are looking to sell; and maybe there is a rich Widnes supporting benefactor out there willing to buy the ground and facilities to retain its use for rugby league (and that other game super league) for another 150 years.

You say if SL can't attract a better TV deal, they think killing off 'traditional teams' is going to help. But the SL clubs might say the same thing in reverse. If Champ clubs can't attract a TV deal / appropriate revenue, why should they get some of the SL TV money?

Do Widnes have ambition to get in to the top league? Is there any evidence of this since they were last in it?

I can see now that SL is an entirely new game which started in 1996 and nothing whatsoever to do with that other old fashioned game started in 1895. I must keep up to date.

Why do you think that only Championship Clubs are surviving on handouts, when most SL Clubs are depending on hand-outs from rich benefactors? Quite insulting to Clubs like Widnes, with a decent fanbase and a long history and ambition to get into the top league. Are you suggesting that we don't offer anything to the game?

If this SL cannot generate enough interest to negotiate a better tv deal, do they really think that killing the game off in traditional RL areas is going to make things better? They need to make it an exciting competitive sport, which it isn't at the moment in the Championship nor in that other game too.

I actually thought that the introduction of the IMG gradings was a good idea, to improve standards within the game and set a minimum standard for entry to SL based on financial sustainability, community development, youth development, facilities etc. Having said that I also believe that promotion and relegation should be based on on-field performance not a spreadsheet.