tim2

Even if you did make it a "cup", coaches would still want to play more than 17 players and ring the changes. The point is to try out players and structures in something that's a bit more than just an opposed training session. Whether fans want to watch that is another thing entirely.

With the Championship and Challenge Cup starting soon, Sheffield and Keighley had a runout this afternoon. Keighley Cougars 22 Sheffield Eagles 26 Next up for Sheffield, a friendly at Batley on 11th January, then the following week Whitehaven (A) in the League followed by Whitehaven (H) in the Cup.

WIll either Fev or Salford get a points deduction next season? In some respects it doesn't make much difference with no relegation, and zero chance of either being promoted next year, but it may affect the "prize money" on offer depending where they finish. Salford is a new team/club so I guess the punishment is being considered the top team in the fixture sorting hat.

What's the best way to get £1 million pounds? Invest £10 million in a rugby league club. I'll get my coat.

I see what you mean, but that would probably disincentivize clubs from improving. In US sports, they level up by using the draft system, which effectively rigs the transfer market in favour of the weaker teams. We obviously can't do that, but we have rigged the fixtures!

Whether the issues are with the OLP's management or the Eagles' management depends on who you listen to and/or believe, but from a spectator's perspective I hate it.

Where do you want to start? There's no official announcement but there's the hint at the end of the kit launch post, and that launch took place in Dronfield.

Continue by train to Dronfield, then about 10-15 minute walk to the ground. Unsure how reliable Sundays will be, though.

We've done it before, a few times.

The kids tickets are £60 including the shirt. That's my two locally based grandsons' Christmas presents sorted. Also, what about this - they can Gift Aid it too if you're a taxpayer. And in a further initiative, recognising the 25th anniversary of the Eagles Foundation - the club’s charitable partner – Sheffield Eagles will provide complimentary season tickets (including the FREE 2026 Replica Home Shirt Offer) to fans who donate the cost of their season tickets to the Foundation. In answer to "how can the club afford this?" I think you would say that season tickets and fans through the door are important, but financially aren't enough to sustain a club. So, the club always looks more to sponsorship, and being supported by benefactors. This offer is really to try to stabilise the fan base for the future, and in recognition that once again we are probably having to play outside of the city.

There's a group of "fans" that are actively hostile to the club since the Aston incident, and its aftermath, who have said they won't be back. I'm not going to revisit that mess again - it's a clean start for the club and for Craig Lingard and part of my reasoning for buying the ST is to make up for some of those lost tickets, even though I can't get to a lot of the games. Last season was a bad one but you just move forward, or you die. 2026 marks 30 years since I started watching and supporting the Eagles, and I'd like to be able to keep doing that.

Sheffield Eagles have launched this year's season ticket and it's a really good deal. £150 including a shirt. The poetry's not great in the launch video, but the inclusion of all the teams is, and the kit's not bad. I haven't had a season ticket for ages but I'm going to get one for '26. On the ground front, it looks like we'll be playing some (most?) of the games at Sheffield FC's ground in Dronfield. It's got to be better than the current one. It's turned out to be a massive disappointment, when it could have been really good.

I dont know why we're argiung. The fixtures will be out soon, changed again in December and then 2 days before it starts we will change to 3 points for a win and golden point.

Will it be on Betamax?

Scottish football splits for the last part of the season but that's also weird, as the final table can have 7th place with more points than 6th place. Sadly no other sport compares to English football in its ability to have a huge P&R based league structure all the way to tier 10 (or whatever it is) and still have teams like Bournemouth competing near the top with an 11,000 seat stadium. They still have issues further down, and stadium and other requirements related to promotion.