some thoughts of St Helens fans on just one of the quality players comming off the production line in London......











.......given the kid was 9yrs old when London Joined SL....not bad.

Then you have the lad who scored 4 tries in a game for England RL in 2010......another London product. Then if you take the lads that are representing England at age group level and university level I think you are exposed for what you are.......bitter that you have to wait another year for SL rugby.





By the way....I have no issues with spelling mistakes, but sort your user name out

'til not 'till.....unless you are a farmer from Widnes

So it could hurt "some clubs", but overall, the long term prospect is a good thing for British RL?



That 29 million sports England provided the RFL with, is that only to be used on junior development or can the RFL spend it any way they choose?

They can spend it pretty much as they want, but they will have to show an ROI in the eyes of sport england if they want any more. Stuff like getting schools playing the game etc will be key to being seen to do the right thing. Development outside of SL.....as the SL clubs have their own hand outs from uncle rupert

ahhh, ok.



best be spending big on junior development to get some cash again.

that just about sums up the situation,doesn't it ?





and the game will continue to plod on in europe but at an even lower level - unless of course a bigger uk tv deal is done to play 'keep-up'.

No, it's a very bad thing for domestic Rugby League. We can't sustain a SL with 8 teams of English players never mind 14, the standard will drop dramatically in an instant.



So yes we'll have a load of kids, all of which will be used to playing an average standard. It'll be like Ireland and Wales at soccer where their best players play in the premierleague and we'll never get close to NRL hardened players.



We need a quota system that is not challenged, reduce the imports slowly without reduces the quality of the competition. The need to grow our game is paramount to increase the cap so we keep good players here.

To back that up, it widely regarded by people in the know in Australia that the standard of the NRL has dropped due to losing too many players to salary cap restrictions (lower leagues and retirement) and Super League. Phil Gould has been suggesting for a few years they need to bring 'their' players back as they need them.



They have better depth of talent and they've struggled so you can only imagine the problems it will cause over here when the NRL get their new TV money without SKY having a negative influence on negotiations.



Big payday for the NRL = a poor SL.

just because the NRL is deemed bigger and better than the SL doesn't make the SL bad - just not as good as the NRL,that's all.

Any fool can throw money at a venture down under and make it successful but it doesn't have to devalue the SL game which will find it's own level and give the fans the entertainment value accordingly.

I reckon last season I watched as many SL games as Championship games and I would say I found the Championship games more entertaining overall - so,the moral of the story ? - well,just because it's bigger doesn't automaically mean it's better.....

I see your point, but Rugby League should no longer settle for second best and accept we're a inferior sport and competition.



It'll de-value Super League when most of the better players are playing in the NRL. It will truely be a second rate competition. We have to grow the sports revenues through working with the clubs, expansion and greater TV revenues long term.

you're right of course it will devalue the SL if money isn't pumped into SL to give it a chance to keep up.

But we,the humble fan,can do very little to change this trend.If the overall quality drops,then so be it.It doesn't mean we have to stop liking and following our sport,just accept the lower standards,realise we will be even further behind the big two internationally and just get on with it.

You can't change the inevitable....

well.....the london kids just handed the widnes kids their ar5es......explain that

surely the question should be. why do we import overseas players in the first place?



it is a quick fix, laziness on the part of the SL teams. spend more time and money on good scouting and good coaching and develop our own players.



there are loads of very good players in the lower leagues that with full time training and good support would be easily good enough to play at SL level yet are not given the opportunity.