*** Official Rugby League SLXXI Thread ***

As a Widnes fan, I despair. Especially as the Chief Engineer on this ship, my boss, is an insufferably smug Cas fan. :(

I've been stuck on here since before the start of the season, so haven't had chance to endure the unedifying spectacle of watching us play, but from what I'm reading, and picking up on, we just don't look like a Super League team anymore, too weak in offence and defence, with players falling off tackles and conceding penalty after penalty. And worse, it seems we keep churning out the same old, game after game, in the hope that somehow, the result will be different. There needs to be change. Urgently.
 
hoppyintheuk said:
To be honest if KR dont go straight back up then they will be stuck in the Championship, until franchising is reintroduced, or 2 up 2 down is restored.

Either way for teams like KR/Bulls and perhaps Leigh, they need cash injections on a monthly basis to stand any chance of promotion. The system is so stacked in favor of the existing superleague teams, whilst giving the illusion of promotion. You might say Leigh was proof of the concept, but only because Beaumont spent a fortune to get them there.
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Agree entirely.

As for the salary cap, I'm not sure I agree with the proposed amendments. They are somewhat geared to make the "big clubs" bigger. Marquee signings upped to two? As far as I am aware there is only one player in the whole of SL who is classed as a marquee signing (Sam Tomkins)?? To me, it just seems like this makes clubs like Leeds, Wigan and Wire able to flex their financial muscles a bit more and undermine the whole basis of having the salary cap in first place.

I find it hard to see how clubs like Wakefield could afford a marquee signing given their low crowds and lack of decent stadium.
 
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physichull said:
Agree entirely.

As for the salary cap, I'm not sure I agree with the proposed amendments. They are somewhat geared to make the "big clubs" bigger. Marquee signings upped to two? As far as I am aware there is only one player in the whole of SL who is classed as a marquee signing (Sam Tomkins)?? To me, it just seems like this makes clubs like Leeds, Wigan and Wire able to flex their financial muscles a bit more and undermine the whole basis of having the salary cap in first place.

I find it hard to see how clubs like Wakefield could afford a marquee signing given their low crowds and lack of decent stadium.
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I don't know how you can avoid the bigger clubs having an advantage. The salary cap seems to have levelled things down - think what the Sts team from 10 years ago woud do to the current side. The comptetion is more even, but the quality is much lower. Its good that Cas and Salford are now genuine challengers (Cas kicked Wigan's backside on Thursday), but watch any NRL game to se how big the gap is between the two competitions. You can't go back to having no cap, but it seems there are a significant number of teams not spending up to the full cap. I'd have liked more of some way of rewarding talent that has come through the club's own system, but that's unlikley to help say Wakefield to keep Tom Johnston if they couldn't pay him any more anyway. It would also benefit Wigan/Leeds/Wire who have the money to invest in Academy structures - its a viscous circle. It had to go up by some amount and I think its probably about right. Its what Wigan were spending when the salary cap went to 1.8m. The marquee rule might stop the inevtitable drain to the NRL/RU, but again just favours the clubs who can pay. Its always hard for a Wigan fan to comment on the salary cap - its like a red rag to a bull to most other fans :)
 
Pretty disappointed by the Wigan Saints game, was all set up to be a cracker but the result looked inevitable after that red card. Yellow for me to be honest, Amor did it with no malice, his arm just bounced up his chest and into his face. A bit unfortunate in my opinion.

A testing game against Featherstone today for HKR. They are a pretty decent team and held us until late on. Some absolutely horrendous officiating though who tried his level best to hand it to Fev. One thing about this league is that the officiating is definitely a level or ten down from SL standard. Some of them make James Child look flawless.
 
Just got back from the Wigan Sts game. A bit of a slog, but a win over the old enemy nonetheless (and the first win in 5). I thought it was a red card live, but I'm hearing that video evidence isn't backing this up (haven't seen it yet). Worth noting that the ref (Thaler) was dropped last week for not dealing with the Ferris 'tackle' on Gildart, so him being a bit trigger happy was to be expected.

I'd heard about the standard of officials below SL. There isn't enough depth in their ranks. If they can make Childs look flawless that's some going! When people talk about dropping SL refs after a dodgy perfromance, this is where their replacements are coming from
 
Cracking game on tv last night, really engrossing.

Rovers put up a very good performance against Salford in the CC a couple of weeks back but it wasn't quite enough. The performances against the SL opposition has certainly given me a lot of hope for the Middle 8s though. On the other hand, I think SL clubs shouldn't underestimate the Championship opposition either. There is certainly a banana skin waiting to happen if they aren't careful, particularly with Featherstone.

Big Bash this weekend, not going, but certainly watching Rovers on telly.

Hopefully there is another great game to be had before then with Leeds Wire tonight.
 
I think the current bottom 4 (Catalan/Wire/Leigh/Widnes) will do well to get out of the Middle 8s, even though Wigan are in freefall at the moment. I can see Widnes finidng it hard once the split happens. Catalan are miles out of form, but it would be tough for Championship sides going to there place and get something. Huddersfield seem to be coming back into a bit of form. In the next 2 weeks Wigan play Wire in the cup and Huddersfield away. 2 wins, some big names coming back and everything is rosy. Lose both and they could be in a bit of bother.

What's the view amongst Wire fans about this season? What's going wrong?
 
I am absolutely positive that Wire will be fine in the middle 8s! Id tip them to top that competition but the more tine goes by the more it looks like they will be in the middle 8s. Still think it ouvht to be one up one down though.
 
Catalan are terrible - even worse away from home. I don't think either Leigh or Widnes have anything to worry about if they end up in the MPG. It will be interesting to see what contortions the RFL try to pull off to keep a French presence in SL
 
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