Game 7 - Toronto v Toulouse

I assume everyone thinks this is a wonderful idea and are fully behind it?

just seen toulouse aren't playing in the challenge cup either. making it up as they go along

It truly is a MAGIC weekend now.....what a load of bollocx. Let's promote NEW clubs in the 'Planet Earth' league structure that the RFL have embraced....

Toronto have given up home advantage and will play Toulouse as a 7th game at Magic Weekend?

Now the cynic in me thinks this a fiscal decision, as Toronto would have had to pay for flights from France to Toronto as their contra-sponsor doesn't offer that route and they are probably exempt from paying for any travel cost for Toulouse now, whilst the conspiracy theorist in me also thinks that this might be a trial run for the future, with both teams possible contenders for receiving a licence, should we revert back to licencing.

to be honest I think we will go back to Licencing and the sooner the better at the moment teams that come up are miles behind other teams in getting better players

It took us relegation to assemble a better squad than we had in SL

Licencing is gone, we tried it and it failed. I was a big believer in it, but I was wrong.

Licensing done the way the RFL did t was wrong. Licensing done properly can work.

your opinion would of been different last season well you was in the championship had the rules changed last season

I'm a Bulls fan so if anyone should be saying licencing failed, it's me. But I don't think it did. My club was simply mis-managed and would have sunk regardless of the system. Widnes and Catalans both came through under licencing and are both still here. Admittedly 2017 wasn't great for either of them but for the most part they have held their own in SL.

I think Toronto will want some assurances should they make it into the top flight. The last thing they will want is to 'do a Leigh' and go straight back down again. We all know the RFL follow the money so I wouldn't be surprised to see licencing come back in some form in the near future.

What about a hybrid system? I.e not all 12 (or 14) teams have licences, just offer licences to those who are integral to the success of SL? Set criteria in terms of revenue, attendances, having an academy, decent ground, maybe a degree of leeway for non-heartlands clubs. Make those clubs exempt from relegation, and the ones who aren't achieving in terms of those criteria will need to prove themselves on the pitch. For example:

14 teams
Catalans, Hull FC, Leeds, St Helens, Tolouse, Toronto, Warrington and Wigan (Licensed)
Castleford, Huddersfield, Hull KR, Salford, Wakefield and Widnes (Non-licensed)

Everyone plays each other twice, top 5 play offs. Bottom non-licensed club plays the top Championship club in the MPG. Use the extra space to fit in mid-season internationals against Fiji, Tonga etc if viable. Not sussed out what I'd do with Magic, I like the concept but hate that it creates an unbalanced fixture list. Using it for a Challenge Cup round could be an option, but then you have the risk that the draw may not produce many exciting games some years.

Licencing 'done properly' would result in a 5 or 6 team SL.....