Whitehaven chairman Tommy Todd has had a pop at the “unfair distribution of funds” in the Kingstone Press Championship.

His side’s 60-6 defeat at champions Leigh on Sunday, which had followed Workington Town’s 60-point mauling in the Challenge Cup, is part of his argument.

He said: “It’s my view the Championship is run the wrong way. It’s all about who can avoid relegation, not who can aspire to going upwards.

“Right from the start of the competition teams like ourselves and Workington Town are up against it. We have to operate on small squads and when you run into a crop of injuries there are going to be big problems.

“It can’t be right that clubs like ourselves and Workington struggle to put out a team on occasions because there’s a shortage of players through having less funds.

“We are a little more fortunate than Town in having our dual registration agreement with Widnes in place, whilst their partnership with Wigan has ended.

“There is such a difference in the amount of money paid out in prize money and I don’t think it’s as variable in the Super League.

“We actually had a meeting with rugby league representatives at Workington last week and we made a point of saying how we felt about the distribution of the Championship money.

“It surely can’t be the way to run a competition when clubs start the season with only one thing in mind – avoiding relegation. There has to be a more even playing field.”