Tigerade wrote:
Catalan Dragons should not be in Super League IMO. Yes their home support is good and quite a few away side’s supporters make a holiday of it which inflates their attendances.
But what do Catalans bring to your club?
How many make the return trip to say Wigan, Wakefield or any other away game?
They also get to play all their home games on a Saturday. No Monday, Thursday or Friday home games for them.
They haven't improved the French national team or the profile or French RL since they were allowed into SL. In fact the French team is in a worst state than ever.
How many overseas players are they allowed and why doesn't signing English players count on their overseas quota?
They even have a different salary cap to ours with the exchange rate as it is.
Boot 'em out I say - we want an English Super League. If they are that good why don't they form their own Super League anyway.
I understand where you are coming from but, presume that you are having a laugh or hoping for a bite from the pseudo Frenchman.
They do gain some advantage by playing all of their hoe games on a Saturday but, that is a good thing for us visiting fans and they do stil play their away fixtures on different days, which bearing in mind the travel issues, makes their lives far more difficult than any of the English sides in the comp.
Signing English players doesnt count on their quote, just as French players in England dont count on ours.
The salary cap should be adjusted periodically but, this is far from simple, when you have players already signed up and you weren't complaining when this actually worked against them.
As for improving the French National side, they probably have. However since the professional era began, The French with their 20-25 full time professional player pool havent a hope in hell of competing with England, NZ or Aus.
Even if Toulouse make it into the top flight, which still looks a few years away, The French will still struggle and to expect anything different is wishful thinking.
As for forming their own super league, that's going to be pretty damned difficult with 1 1/2 professional clubs over there.
Finally, they HAVE increased the RL profile in France. At least their President (Macron) wished them luck in the Cup Final. Our Prime Minister and "Golden Prince" couldn't give a toss about the sport, which is probably our own fault as there are some who want it kept as a northern pub sport.