Dave Parkinson and James Gordon talk to Leigh Centurions coach Darren Shaw.

How do you feel your squad compares to others in NL1?

I'd like to think we are strong. We've got a little bit more depth than last year which is a bonus. When injuries come we are just able to replace them like for like. There are a lot of teams with very strong squads out there, you've only got to look at Widnes, Halifax, Whitehaven are always strong; obviously Salford and Celtic. It's a very evenly matched competition.

What are your thoughts on the Super League licence/franchise system?

It's good for clubs that are guaranteed franchises but its not good for clubs like ourselves that are trying to get one.

For me it's great that they are up there and they can have special dispensation but where do clubs like us go if we fail to get a franchise? There are some big decisions that need to be made and from a directors point of view, do you continually run three or four teams at quite a high cost? Where are you going to go at the end of it?

Do you see it looking towards a two tier future in that case?

I can see sister partnerships emerging where a Super League club might merge with a first division club. I can see a lot of that happening. It happened in Australia and I can see the way they are trying to do things here. I think that is the only way they are going to go about it.

Read the full interview in Issue 2 of Code13 Magazine.