Martyn Sadler

In this week's episode of the League Express Podcast, Host Jake Kearnan and I are joined by Rugby League Legend Garry Schofield OBE to discuss Round 10 results and how close the Super League competition is, how John Asiata can help Hull FC and who could be their next coach. We also discuss, among other things, how Lewis Dodd can crack the NRL and preview this weekend's match-ups.

Many people confuse strategic and tactical issues. The strategic change I have proposed is switching the Challenge Cup Final to the end of the season. The other elements in my proposal are tactical points. There is another article to be written about the aims of the change and how they could be achieved. I would suggest that the primary aim should be to fill Wembley for the Challenge Cup Final. You're right to point this out. What prompted me to write the piece in the first place was someone at the RFL saying to me that the Challenge Cup is now in a state of "managed decline". If you take that view, you may as well ditch the competition. We've seen the Lord Derby Cup in France draw just over 4,000 people at the weekend and that is ultimately the fate of the Challenge Cup if we allow it to happen. The point is that a market can be created for major events, particularly when they already exist. Not many years ago, most people wouldn't have imagined that NFL games could come to England and sell out. But that now happens regularly and it's because the NFL has invested resources into creating a market for its product. My aim in writing the piece was to create a product that is capable of being marketed and sold.

https://www.totalrl.com/talking-rugby-league-ten-point-plan-to-restore-the-magic-of-the-challenge-cup/

For those wanting to find out, here is a link to the current Podcast.

Now being aired online on Rugbyleague.com. https://player.broadcast.radio/rugbyleague?

Check out the latest League Express Podcast. Jake Kearnan and I review the Challenge Cup, while we discuss the situation at Hull FC and we talk about the other current issues in Rugby League, including in the NRL.

In the latest League Express podcast, editor Martyn Sadler and host Jake Kearnan discuss the weekend's results, they preview this weekend's Challenge Cup Quarter Finals, the rumours around Hull FC, whether South Sydney will make a move for Sam Burgess and Wigan re-signing superstar Bevan French.

Can I echo that from everyone at League Publications and, I'm sure, everyone on this forum.

Check out our latest discussion. Jake Kearnan and I discuss the weekend's results including whether Hull KR are contenders or pretenders, Saints' impressive win over the Premiers and the prospect of an NRL Europe competition. We also discuss the International Rugby League meeting taking place in Singapore in two weeks, the NRL's record breaking attendances and the expansion of the NRLW to 12 teams next year.

If there was a completely open draw for 32 clubs that included 12 SL clubs and 20 non-SL clubs, the average draw would include two all-Super League matches, six matches between two non-Super League clubs and eight matches between SL clubs and non-SL clubs, with four each expected to be at the home of the SL and non-SL clubs respectively. I think that would be a pretty good combination of fixtures for an opening round. Last night I was at Bradford Bulls and I had the chance to speak to Frank Slevin, the Chair of RL Commercial about the Cup. I'll be continuing that conversation with him next week so I'll be happy to put your thoughts to him as well as my own.

I think the idea of converting the Magic Weekend into the Challenge Cup Quarter-Final weekend, with all four ties being played at one venue in one day, has some potential if we could find a venue that would stage it at the required date. I've proposed this myself in the past. But it all has to be part of a bigger review of the Challenge Cup. I take your point about keeping Super League clubs apart from each other in the earlier round, but I think that would detract from the magic of the Cup, which is that it always used to be possible to see big clubs drawn together at that stage and, with one of them being knocked out, it gave other clubs an opportunity to take advantage of their absence in subsequent rounds. The USP of the Grand Final is that the two best teams will face each other, whereas those same two teams may meet in the first round of the Challenge Cup and one of them will be out. That difference to distinguish the two competitions should be emphasised more than it is.

Thanks for your generous comment. Plenty of people are trying to work out how to revive the Challenge Cup and I'll be writing about it myself in the near future. The trouble with your proposal for Super League sides to all play away in the round of 32 is that it conflicts with the underlying ethos of the Cup, which is an open and unrestricted draw. That would mean that Wigan could draw St Helens in the first round, while in the same round Cornwall could draw Midlands Hurricanes, depending on how the cookie crumbles. I would be reluctant to depart from that principle as its part of the USP of the Challenge Cup, although we have moved away from it. I'm sure there's a way to restore its former prestige. As for joining the podcast, you never know, anything is possible as we build up the audience. Let me know if there is anyone you would particularly like to see on there with us.

In this week's episode of the League Express Podcast, Jake Kearnan and I are joined by Rugby League Great Garry Schofield OBE to discuss whether the Challenge Cup has lost its aura, poor attendances and what needs fixing at Hull FC. We also discuss the proposed Championship broadcasting deal, the injury casualty ward in the NRL and the controversy surrounding Wests Tigers playing at Leichardt Oval.