Deakin’s support for French newcomers

Oldham manager Steve Deakin

STEVE Deakin is backing Toulouse for a place in National League One.

The Oldham coach played a big role in preparing what is now a highly successful Catalans club for the rigours of Super League during his spell working over in France, before being fired just seven weeks before the Dragons' first season over here in late 2005.

He remains a staunch supporter of the international game, though, and even pre-empted the RFL's proposed parachuting in of French Elite club Toulouse to National League One prior to last week's decision on Super League licences during a radio interview.

"I suggested in that interview that it may be better to let Catalans Dragons have three more years to build and for the RFL to offer a National League place to Toulouse," said Deakin, who felt that, at the present time, to send Toulouse straight into Super League would see playing resources stretched too thinly across the channel.

"People moan about our international game, yet when you come up with a solution which will help raise standards they moan again.

"I have no qualms about it as it is far better for the game as a whole.

"You can't bring about major change through short-term fixes, which is one of the reasons the game has gone to a franchise system as it allows clubs to plan for three years.

"If you look at the examples of gridiron and baseball, after the first year of a new team, the second is about improvement and the third year is the biggest year.

"Look at the Catalans Dragons. They swept the board in the season before Super League — it was unheard of in the 75-year history of French rugby league.

"Their first year here helped bring them up to standard and their second season in Super League ended on a high with a Challenge Cup final appearance. And they did that without having Stacey Jones for much of the season.

"The Toulouse players will have to get used to the rigours of National League One, which is a competition in which you are tested week in, week out.

"It would give them the chance to play at a more consistent level than they are used to at the moment and build up a player base."

In addition to Toulouse's possible entry in either 2009 or 2010, further changes to the NL1 picture have been mooted in the past week.

RFL chief executive Nigel Wood suggested that to apply for the next round of licences, which come into effect from 2012, teams may only need to qualify for a Northern Rail Cup final in the intervening period, rather than a NL1 Grand Final as was originally planned — or even finish third in NL1.

"Nothing has officially been changed yet," explained Oldham chief executive Chris Hamilton.

"One of the things discussed in the meeting of the National League clubs was a change to the current format of the Northern Rail Cup competition and the possibility that a place in the final would give clubs the chance to apply.

"The idea behind it is that it would help make sure that clubs take the competition seriously."