Jimbo78

Great day at Thunder yesterday. All organised very well with a live band on in the concourse as well. Two good games although Thunder let themselves down a bit in the 2nd half due to what seemed to be them lacking in fitness so that's something to work but I'd still expect to see both us and Doncaster fighting it out at the top end of the table this season. Great attendance as well of 1,817 which also included around 400 noisy Widnes supporters.

Agree with this. I think it's between us, Doncaster and Oldham for the title so tomorrow should be, on paper, one of our toughest tests of the season. A win would be massive but it's important not to lose heart if we don't because this will be a very hard game. Come on Thunder!!!

Yes the ticket office will be open on the day. It's situated in the East Stand.

Loads of parking at Kingston Park or failing that there's plenty of street parking nearby as well. Traffic won't be a problem on the A1 at that time although I'd recommend you get there a little earlier if possible because Newcastle v Doncaster should be a cracker as well! Very pleasant bar areas once inside the ground as well.

I've paid £250 for 3 season tickets at Newcastle Thunder for great seats more or less on halfway. 1 of those was a child's season ticket which cost £10! Also includes access to very nice bar facilities. Great value.

Here's how the bookies see it going; Regular season winner. Oldham 2/1 Newcastle Thunder 3/1 Doncaster 9/2 Workington 5/1 Hunslet 8/1 Whitehaven 9/1 London Skolars 33/1 North Wales 33/1 Keighley 50/1 Coventry 100/1 West Wales 1000/1

Newcastle Thunder are my team but I've got a big soft spot for Widnes Vikings. Can't wait for February 16th when I get to them both in action at Kingston Park for the big double header!

Seen something the other week saying Newcastle Thunder season ticket sales were well up on last year.

Newcastle Thunder have just tweeted that once again the average attendance has risen, this time by 7% to 1,022 for the season. Clearly having the MW here the past few years has benefited the club enormously and has gone hand in hand with all the hard work going on behind the scenes to make the matchday experience at Kingston Park a really good one, which it is. Some brilliant prospects coming through the academy on today's evidence and along with the great season ticket offers for next season, and hopefully a promotion challenge, the club should continue to grow over the coming years. Getting the RL World Cup up here wouldn't do any harm either!

Tbf that game was against Bradford so even though their may have not been a 4k+ crowd in attendance had it not been played on the Friday before MW it would have still attracted a healthy crowd. As a born and bred Geordie who had no previous interest in Rugby League until I was hooked by Magic Weekend being hosted here I started following Widnes Vikings 3 years ago after the first MW (thanks to them supporting the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation) and have travelled down to Widnes several times to watch them play. However just last month with us being at a bit of a loose end and with the weather being nice and hot we decided to go and watch Newcastle Thunder v Whitehaven to fill in a Sunday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very good, entertaining game, friendly atmosphere and my 5 year old son got a high five off all the Thunder players at full time which he was absolutely buzzing about! He begged us to take him to the next game, which we did, and I'm pleased to say he seems hooked on it. He even managed to persuade us to buy him a replica top which he never has off his back and we've also bought half season tickets for the rest of this season. There's a huge catchment area up here and it's great to see the club growing from what it was just a few years ago. Hopefully it continues.

My local team, Newcastle Thunder seem to be bucking the trend and attendances have increased massively in recent years to a very decent 1,289. https://www.thunderrugby.co.uk/general/crowds-on-the-rise-at-newcastle-thunder/

I live on Newcastle and it's fair to say that most people don't even know it's happening up here. Advertising has basically been non existent. At work yesterday people were asking If I had any plans for the weekend and when I said I was off to MW at St James' I was met with blank looks. It'll never grow as long as people don't know about it.

I've got 3 tickets for this and now, due to work commitments, not going to be able to to make it. Anyone wanting them (free of charge) drop me a message with your address and I'll pop them in the post 1st class for you. Tickets now taken. Thanks.

Tremendous spirit in this Castleford team mind.

Not sure if there's any official figures available but Widnes, Wire, Wigan, Castleford and Hull FC seemed to have a good following, Leeds didn't have as many as last year and St Helens and Hull KR didn't seem to bring many at all.