This seems to be just all about Wood's coup in parachuting himself to the top job & his power-grab at the expense of the French clubs. He & his cohorts don't want either Toulouse or Catalans in SL because they don't bring in Sky revenue & don't send more than a couple of dozen supporters over here (if that many). Which are valid arguments until you think about the wider game. If league is to properly move forward & expand it has to include the French (and the Welsh, Scots & everyone who wants - yes, I know the talent pool is tiny) or we become an insular, inward-facing sport doomed to ever call on a shrinking audience with concomitant TV, sponsor & advertising revenue reducing year on year.

One argument is that the contract negotiations would be bolstered by a 14 team league, with the theory that more diverse games would mean more advertising etc.. Except that Sky don't broadcast French home games, so it would have to be 2 new English teams (& with all the will in the world I very much doubt London would be able to sustain any sort of interest & profit for any length of time - so we're back to the M62 corridor again).

Notwithstanding Sport England who have questioned the transparency of Wood's appointment & the governance of the game, have threatened to withdraw funding.

I did think when IMG arrived we'd have a few years' stability. That's gone up in smoke. 

i think they were both on the columbian marching powder over in Catalan and decided to chuck a load of ideas into a hat, and then just keep chucking them out there for a laugh and see how many clubs / fans they can p*** off in the process

So we got an unhappy broadcaster, an unhappy Sports England which is bad news for the wider sport not just super league, unhappy clubs, unhappy fans - need i go on

I'm not going to use this an opportunity to bash Radlinski - but it's a real shame that IL isn't around for this. 

I always thought he was more at odds with the direction SL was going than anyone else.  He'd have loved an opportunity, or opening like this to drive real and purposeful change. 

 


I'm not too concerned about KR at this point.
Although we voted Woods in the position the abstained vote on the 14 club League left people not knowing quite what Wigan's view are on it.
Hull FC & KR voted against, they said, due to a start date of 2026. That suggests they would have voted in favour had it been 2027 implementation. 


Wigan and Warrington were earlier leaning towards an NRL takeover with a 10 club League. Whether this is still a proposal I don't know.
When Maurice wanted to expand the game and back then was opposed by Wood and Hetherington he upstaged them by getting the SKY TV deal which every club voted in favour of.
Pity the NRL together with SKY can't put forward a deal which would take the sport out of the clutches of the collection of clowns to take Rugby League in the UK forward. 

I was more saying that there's an opportunity there for someone who wants to take it. They've gotta be on the inside, but if someone wanted to stir the pot - the opening is there.  

That could, like you said, be something like Maurice getting a new TV deal. Could Danson, Radz do something with the NRL?  Could Hudgell be the king maker instead?

Yea Radlinski has pretty much rolled over on this issue have the stones to say yes or no on such an important issue.

I’m really nearing the end of my time watching this sport I really am