I've asked 'em on here more than once, but...............
Here's two more unfair questions! 🤣
1) If you get the nod, and the likes of Saints, HKR, FC (and of course Wire!) head your way next term, how equipped would you be the meet the huuuuuuuge challenge(s) awaiting you?
2) It you're being 101% honest, are you (not) hoping that you'll be one on the fourteen come 2026?
Spelly.
I’d like to see widnes in the top tier of British rugby league but I feel without huge investment we won’t be getting the nod this time around
I’d like to see widnes in the top tier of British rugby league but I feel without huge investment we won’t be getting the nod this time around
Do you think any Club would stupid enough to apply without funding in place? WV may not apply after reading the process and what the distribution from Sky will be. Everything seems to be 'Cart before the Horse' with the RFL/SLE
Just asking
Paulie xx
Absolutely right there Palme - I don’t think there is a point of applying - will take time and money and we know the outcome anyway
see they are saying SL to 20 teams in 10 years €!
where is the money going to come from! And the players ?
Absolutely right there Palme - I don’t think there is a point of applying - will take time and money and we know the outcome anyway
see they are saying SL to 20 teams in 10 years €!
where is the money going to come from! And the players ?
20 teams is utter BS, unless they have 2 divisions of 10, which would bring back loop fixtures (something they are all for getting rid of now). I suppose re; players, all SL Clubs will be expected to run Academies, and develop their own. It's a bit 'Pie in the Sky' for me, at the moment.
Rather than adding teams, I'd be more inclined to refreshing the Comp as it's gone stale. Salford are more than likely goners, I'd be inclined to boot out Cas for Fev (for the Rhubarb place). Give a chance to TOxiii, London, York, and dare I say it Bulls, and Vikings, for the other 3 places. May the best Club win!
Paulie xx
@pauliewalnuts whose the big investor then? You need to say goodbye to about £1.5 million a season to sustain a decent full time squad. Is someone backing the bid?
Just read the info on the site. I see a former Bradford player is on the selection panel.
Another point, not only will clubs have part time players contracted for next season. They will have sold shirt sponsorsorship based on being in the Championship with no TV deal. How does it work if they get promoted to SL with every game on TV but shirt deals already signed? They can't of put a subject to not being in SL clause in as no one knew 6 weeks ago that it would be 14 teams.
@pauliewalnuts well Oldham can't be accepted as it states sustainability and financial compliance Oldham must be losing about 1.5 million this year alone in championship as crowds have only grown to 1500 and they've bought a sl team lol totally not sustainable
@pauliewalnuts whose the big investor then? You need to say goodbye to about £1.5 million a season to sustain a decent full time squad. Is someone backing the bid?
There are Financial Backers lined up should we get the nod. Who they are, I don't know. The Club will obviously announce as and when.
Paulie xx
@pauliewalnuts I would love for this opportunity for the club to go up and have financial support from whoever it may be but if we look at the squad players signed up for next season that tells me we aren’t going up because most if not all of those players are not super league standard and are part time professionals not full time as all but 2-3 players have jobs outside of the game
@pauliewalnuts I would love for this opportunity for the club to go up and have financial support from whoever it may be but if we look at the squad players signed up for next season that tells me we aren’t going up because most if not all of those players are not super league standard and are part time professionals not full time as all but 2-3 players have jobs outside of the game
Whoever is already signed up for 2026 in The Champ is irrelevant. A lot won't want to go FT, some may do. There are options available to who the Club would keep, and what players would prefer to stay PT and carry on with their careers outside of RL.
Paulie xx
I am not sure if we get the chance to go up - yes a lot of our current players are not SL grade, so where do we get the extra 10 players from - Oldham probably, using their ex salfraud players
also central funding is an issue
I think we better off staying in the league below, however it is constructed .
I think every widnes fan wants the same, for us to be in the top division and have a competitive team. It comes down to the reality of the situation right now as the decision was only made recently and doesn’t give clubs a lot of time to find investment and recruit players, staff etc. unless they had a tap on the shoulder earlier in the season
When we went up in 2012 we struggled the first season but had 3 years to build. I think this is the most realistic option and what will happen moving forward. A hybrid franchise/IMG ratings system. The possibility of teams going up/down but not guaranteed. For example if Hunslet scored the best over 3 seasons in the championship but couldn’t meet super league standards regarding ground/fan base etc they wouldn’t be granted promotion also look at salford this season they should automatically be relegated and a deserving club promoted.
When the decision is announced (has it already been made, but kept secret for now?) will there be a "no relegation in the first year" clause in it? It wouldn't surprise me at all.
Would it be fair if there is?
What will be the incentive in the (whatever the format is) second tier next term, if the door to the promised land remains firmly locked?
No matter what the final outcome is, there'll be cries of "WRONG!" and "FIX!" from those who miss out.
I'm still sticking with my prediction elsewhere of Toulouse to swap with the Pinks on IMG ratings, York getting one of the "picks" and being joined by a team whose financial record is not blemish free, and whose home ground has seen better days!
Spelly.