Entry 40, 16th December 2010.
It has been an interesting few days in rugby league with three particular issues for me to get my teeth into.
First of all Crusaders RL: While I am glad that the Crusaders have emerged from administration to reform I feel it is unfair that where other teams have had to suffer the equivilent point deduction of 3 wins, Crusaders have been deducted two wins or four points. The RFL has explained that the difference is down to the fact that the new club has agreed to inherit a good chunk of debt which the old club amassed and will pay this off. I would guess that the part of the debt to be serviced is the rumoured £500,000 owed to the Rugby League itself who stepped in to help run the crisis torn club during their first season in Super League.
The RFL will also do everything in its power to ensure a Welsh presence in the top division due to the revelations a couple of weeks ago that the country will co-host the 2013 World Cup Event.
While I can see the merits of having such an expansion team in Super League and I truly wish them well, the RFL has to ensure that it is not showing preferential treatment. I would also like to see more English and Welsh lads in their squad next season as opposed to their squad at times being more New South Wales than Wales!
Next on the agenda, England Academy. I applaud and salute the efforts of the England Academy squad in overcoming the Aussie Schoolboys 2-0 in the recent test series. Having been present and had the fortune to report on the first game of the series, the England side was well drilled, ultra committed, skilful and patient. All seventeen players on that day, and indeed the people in the squad can feel proud of their achievements and many of those lads should form the backbone of the 2013 England team for the World Cup. That said, how many will get the opportunity?
Afterall, would we all be talking about Sam Tomkins if Tim Smith hadn't got injured at Wigan? It's a travesty if some of these young guys paths are blocked. It's now a case of these boys pushing through the glass ceiling and being given their heads and time to make an impact at first team level. In my opinion George Burgess can emulate his two older brothers while Adam Milner looks a good prospect at hooker and Sam Powell and Gareth O'Brien are two very useful halfbacks pushing through. Out in the centres, Jordan Thompson of Castleford looks the part and the teenager made 15 appearances in the first team at the Jungle last term, also scoring 4 tries.
It is with sadness that I read today about the Tigers signing Willie Isa, a 21 year old Samoan centre or winger from Melbourne Storm for the season. What is wrong with giving young Thompson more game time? This shows everything that is wrong with the game over here and is probably the reason why more Australian Schoolboy players end up in the NRL - they are given a chance.
And finally, for now! Scottish Football's announcement on a re-evaluation of their league structure.
Readers of my blog over the last few weeks will have seen my musings about the lower leagues and it seems that all is not well in Scottish Football either where as well as the country shivering to a halt in recent days, the two big Glasgow clubs of Rangers and Celtic dominate year in, year out with teams being relegated from the top flight struggling financially for years after relegation or subsequent promotion campaigns.
The Scottish FA have a proposal to run two fully professional 12 team top divisions with everyone below that playing on a regional basis. My own thoughts on the way Rugby League in the semi-pro Championships would operate echo this, although it falls down somewhat through only having 21 clubs and only 7 on the red side of the Pennines if you include the Cumbrian teams too. Next season bar a game against Swinton, and Widnes, Leigh's closest rivals in georaphical terms are across the great divide in Halifax. For me the Championships are three clubs short of the ideal number, although I still think there is value in everyone playing each other in their own league twice and every team in the other league once.
I must admit that three years on I am still against franchising. It is artificial and hasn't done what it said it would do. I think to a certain extent it has killed Championship rugby and I will be amazed if clubs can retain a 2500 average once the drawbridge is pulled up next season. I fully expect Widnes to be given the nod for Super League but what then for the rest of us?
The RFL have recently opened another online consultation to find out fans views on a regionalised pyramid structure for the amateur leagues that are going to run and I will watch for the results with interest.
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