The big difference is that both Barrow and Whitehaven are traditional RL areas and both have fans who will strongly oppose any kind of 'merger' (plus it takes at least 1hr 40mins hours to travel between the two).



How many RL fans live in Wrexham ??



Widnes Crusaders for Super League 2010.

Clubs on the edge of SL and the RFL need to be careful with this kind of conjecture. Yes, right now i would say that Widnes are in the box seat but as i 've said many times, how embarrassing would it be if a club like ..... let's say .....Halifax, won the NRC and the GF next year - total domination. Let's say also that Halifax lose by 6 points to Saints in a Challenge Cup Semi. During that season, the average attendance jumps to 4,000 and by January 2011 the club have sold 3,500 season tickets for the following year. By June 2011 the club are once again at the top and in the NRC final. How embarrassing and difficult would it be to say to Halifax then that their bid has been unsuccesful?



Pre-empting and media statements are all well and good but conjecture (like Matt's famous comment) could leave lots of egg on lots of faces. There's nothing wrong in shouting about what clubs have achieved to date and how plans are progressing but to issue statements about being "chosen" already for 2012 is disrespectful quite frankly - in EXACTLY the same vain as Matt's comments.

my thoughts are that he is saying the truth and been told by the RFL that they are already in. no matter who or what happens.

Slightly off topic, but I wouldn't be surprised if we get some announcement soon that the franchise criteria re grounds has been eased "due to the credit crunch". This would get Cas, Wakey and Salford out of gaol for another three years.

have been expecting that for a while now.

i would say they are a total certainty, thanks partly to the controversy surrounding their omission last time

It wouldn't whatsoever...

Expect the line...'Fax whilst impressive on the field have some way to go in other areas but we look forward to reviewing their bid in 2014.'



SOC has done nothing here that won't become the norm in the upcoming months... Hopefully it won't descend into the sordid affair it was last time when club officials of rival teams took to point scoring and criticising of our bid. I'm proud to say that SOC kept his integrity and did not get drawn into this.

Whatsmore he's only echoing what the majority of the RL community are saying.. even more so in the last week or so.

I agree with that prediction but it would still be a little embarrassing. "Sport" and everything that it stands for would be made redundant.

The RFL don't do embarrassment mate.



As for sport being made redundant that is already the case Rich. Barrow (provided they would have met the ground criteria) should be preparing for a season in SL.

Once again, i agree with all of that.

So, if Widnes are a shoe-in for SL, what does the rest of the Championship have to play for?

a place if any go bust or do not have new ground started for those clubs on warnings or if going to expand size of SL.