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Martyn Sadler - Talking Rugby League

Last Saturday afternoon I was at Huddersfield's Challenge Cup-tie against Leeds at the John Smith's Stadium.
It was a tremendous match, played in front of a terrific crowd, and must have created a very positive impression for the audience watching the BBC's coverage of the game.
After the match, and the media conference, I went upstairs into the lounge in which Giants supporters and players congregate, and I was assailed with people asking me about the RFL's proposals for changing the structure of the league competitions.
It's fair to say that I didn't find anyone who was in favour of the proposed changes, and many supporters couldn't understand why the changes were being proposed.
So it's hardly surprising that the RFL chief executive Nigel Wood and his fellow RFL director Ralph Rimmer should have taken to the Twittersphere today to try to explain their proposals to an audience that has been fairly sceptical about them so far.

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Foster signs new two year Bulls deal

Goal kicking Winger Jamie Foster has signed a new two year contract with the Bulls and will remain at the Provident Stadium until the end of the 2015 season.
Foster, who is 22 years of age, joined the Bulls from St Helens in the close season and immediately made a big impact at the club kicking 38 goals and scoring 2 tries in 10 appearances before he was injured against Rochdale Hornets.
“It’s a massive confidence boost for me to get this new contract," said Foster. “The deal was very easy to agree and I was quick to sign on the dotted line.  I'm just really excited about what the future holds now.
“We know it’s a building process here at Bradford to challenge the big clubs again but we’re all hungry for it. I think if you’re have the hunger then you’re halfway there already.
"Omar Khan has come in and bought the club and there is a tremendous feeling here now.  The club is certainly going places.”

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The RFL's rocky road

THE latest Rugby Football League Policy Review appears to have hit rocky ground, even before its launch, which takes a little bit of doing.
The governing body is keen to stress that the re-organisation of the top two tiers of the game is part of a 'Whole Sport Plan', although no-one outside the Red Hall seems too sure what that means.  Whatever the plan for the 'whole sport', the key to having a strong, sustainable future is to get it right at the top.
The plan to re-structure the Super League and Championship as outlined last week, with two leagues of 12 splitting into three leagues of eight almost half way into the year, has gained little support outside the clubs.  In fact we have had absolutely no positive response from any of our readers.
But there has been plenty of negative reaction, and plenty of stakeholders within the game have warned of dire consequences should the blueprint be implemented.
When one of those stakeholders, a Super League coach, openly criticises the direction of the RFL, it is time to be concerned.  Warrington coach Tony Smith is losing patience with the governing body, particularly its insistence on making wholesale changes with the structure of the competition, seemingly to appease a few disgruntled club officials.

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Bowled Over

I’ve long been an advocate of providing clubs at all levels of the game with achievable targets in terms of reaching showpiece finals, which they can use to galvanise and excite their supporters. The creation of the Northern Rail Bowl, which will be played as a curtain raiser to this year’s Northern Rail Cup final at Halifax is a big step forward in this regard.

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