@vikingsinbradford because they somehow jumped up to an actual SL ranking based on IMG points and the other 2 were chosen by a panel so only got half funding as part of that
Not a good read is it?
Bad publicity for the capital club at the worst possible time.
Spelly.
@lord-lucan I never expected or suggested that we would get in the top 14. Just commenting on the suggestion that we may well finish above London, which could potentially put us in 15th spot I suppose ie above Barrow, Salford and the defunct Featherstone. The only question then is where Castleford and Huddersfield are in the rankings.
My point in all this post has been the nonsense of determining promotion and relegation on the basis of a spreadsheet, rather than on the pitch; or even having some secretive arrangement in place to offer to play on Las Vegas to avoid relegation in any event.
In my view, having announced the criteria at the beginning o the season, the RFL should stick to it, whether we agree with it or not. If that means that London will miss out or Bradford, Huddersfield, Toulouse or York or anyone else are relegated in their place, so be it.
With the speculation about London and the demands of the NRL, this is all coming to be even more of a joke than it already is.
@pauliewalnuts Isn't this just a simple dispute between the Club and a contractor? Not sure what this has to do with IMG gradings, unless the backers have pulled the plug on the finance which they are likely to if London are not in SL next year, or why the article suggests that this is why some journalists are not critical the clubs or the RFL. I do not use X so might have well missed something.
I am totally fed up with the way the game has been run over many years. The principle of the IMG gradings is probably right in seeking to improve standards and financial sustainability - but just how Wigan running up a £4.5m debt meets the financial criteria is correct, but a club like Widnes that have spent within their means and not run up any debt, are prevented from strengthening their squad as much as they could afford!
The sooner that the RFL is swept away and taken over by the NRL, the better. They couldn't be worse for the game. Could they? Maybe as many on here of suggested, we are witnessing the slow decline of the game beyond the chosen few clubs in the not so super Super League.
I just want this season over and to see us whacked by the Aussies again; and keep my fingers crossed that someone with a bit of common sense and a love of the game, will step forward to sort out the mess and chaos that the game has been allowed to fall into over many years
@lord-lucan I never expected or suggested that we would get in the top 14.
Ok, it was your comment "Do either teams meet the current criteria for entry to SL ie top 14 of the IMG Spreadsheet League. The answer is a big YES from me." which made me think you were saying Widnes would be in the top 14.
But I agree with your overall comments about how murky and flawed some of the IMG scoring system is.
If I remember rightly, Widnes complained about the poor rating last year as they said it didn't take into account some of the changes they'd implemented. They then said they would see the benefit of those changes in next year's rating. However, like you say, I'm not sure the impact will be that significant. Who knows?
@gpo1971 That was 2024, we ranked 22nd out of 35. Below Sheffield, Halifax, Keighley, Featherstone and Barrow.
In 2025 we moved up to 19th via implementing what we should of done the year before, below Barrow, Featherstone, London and Salford.
We should be aiming for 16th this time, but as the 6 year plan has been abandoned and nothing put in its place, i'm unsure if we are focusing on IMG or just trying to be the best Champ club we can.
If I was running things it would be the latter. We have zero chance of going up and overtaking the 14th raked SL side with the current IMG setup. (Doubts around if even London will do) Win the Championship, build the crowds and youth setup and wait until the IMG is added to the RFL's long list of failures (and wasted money)
If we won the Champ a couple of years on the bounce it would apply pressure to let us in, with the support of powerful clubs like Wigan, Leigh, Wire and Saints who would benefit from us joining them for a local fixture and good away following.