Bang on there PW. Look at the ground and facilities at Leigh, coupled with last seasons CC win and it's scandalous that Wakey, Cas and Bradford are so close to them on the rankings.
Totally agree about Bradford, particularly in relation to the ground, but I guess that if they ever got back into SL they have potential to attract bigger crowds than the likes of Widnes.
On the question of IMG gradings, I agree with Jon Wilkin and Derek Beaumont, that it has had a negative impact this year in regard to Hull being given Grade A status and a guaranteed place in SL, allowing them to release players and coast along this year without the threat of relegation. Toulouse are in a similar position of being guaranteed promotion to SL, without really trying in the Championship.
I also agree with Beaumont that the bottom Club in SL should be relegated, irrespective of their grading, with promotion to SL based on Championship league position and play-off.
Didn't IMG also indicate that it was important that SL should include a London Club, so it will be interesting what decision is made about London if (and most likely) they finish bottom of SL?
To be honest, I think the SL "vision" is to comprise big city and Metropolitan area clubs. including Wigan, St Helens, Leeds, London, Sheffield, Bradford, York, Hull and Newcastle, together with the French clubs to give it a wider audience; although with the lack of interest shown by low attendances at games in some areas, this does seem to be a far-off vision. Perhaps the SL and certainly SKY, are only interested in viewing figures, rather than crowds at games?
Hows this turned into IMG thread? The IMG points are from before CH came in. I think our scores will be actually lower than our 1st published scores. Apart from performances which have been great but won nothing, Our fandom will let us down, I think anything below 7k average attendance you wont get a sniff at the Sooper Dooper League and we are lightyears away.
@eddieo57 When Hamilton was appointed, one of his prime objectives was to improve the Club's IMG grading. With the team performing well in the Championship to date, he seems to have dropped off the radar, but we shall see what improvements he has achieved to the IMG grading later this year and what that means to the Club.
As has been said on here, let's enjoy the current run of form and see what happens with the injuries and potential loan/dual registration replacements. Next four games - Toulouse (A), York (A), Wakefield (H) & Sheffield (A) - may be defining for the season. The Club should be looking for the biggest crowd of the season for the Wakefield game and a good (winning) performance.