Leaderboard

Fans moan before, during and after the games about the ref. Coaches and players blame the ref for their own team's inadequacies. RL 'journalists' sensationalise everything for clicks. The RFL doesn't act on coach's and player's comments. Referees get abuse. It's going to continue to happen. The referees should get together and refuse to work unless they are properly supported

Marcus himself has re-Tweeted a couple of examples of the abuse and threats he's received. I'm not posting the actual abuse, due to the NSFW language, but it can easily be found online. But, next time your team concedes a penalty that you can't bring yourself to admit may have been deserved, think a second or two before posting a red-mist tirade. Otherwise, you're on the first step towards this sort of behaviour yourself.

That would not be as bad if all 3 leagues were treat same - but they are not and I dont mean CF Current SL 12 teams = 22 games plus MW = 23 plus loops = 27 games CH 14 teams = 26 games plus SB = 27 games L1 10 teams = 18 games plus NOWT = 18 games The league with the lowest CF given the fewest games and less chance to grow income from match days L1 Shown no respect from RFL

On the whole the BBC have been a good home for international Rugby League. They've generally showed most England internationals and there was widespread coverage of the World Cup. Its not their fault we don't play enough international games. I'd be amazed of the Tonga tests weren't on the BBC.

Will it? Have you seen the matchday threads on here? Almost 80% of posts are hammering the ref.

100% agreed! No refs, no game!

The RFL have the “Respect” code but it is all just words and meaningless actions. They have had numerous opportunities this season to clamp down on some high profile coaches but so far nothing.

I'm absolutely sick of this witch hunt against match officials by fans, coaches, players but alarmingly so "journalists". The whole Rohan Smith crying about a drop goal thing has seemingly triggered a whole host of "journalists" and media accounts slaughtering the officials, questioning every minute decision, especially it seems in favour of Leeds. I've seen references to "client journalism" many times over the last 48 hours, even League Express and TotalRL have been accused of reporting on the side of Leeds with damning and damaging headlines such as " 5 more decisions unearthed that angered Rohan Smith" etc. Not to mention the habit of taking coaches comments out of contexts and sensationalising them for click bait. It's pathetic, damaging and disgusting, especially from such formerly respected publications and sites such as League Express and TotalRL.com. For what?

The current England RL logo looks like something from a rubbish computer game that they had to use because they didn't have the rights to use the proper one.

Teams that don’t own their ground, and have no way of getting an income from match days are completely done for. In a few years most of the current teams in League 1 will cease to exist, it’s as simple as that. 15 grand a year funding is not enough.

Says a lot about the status of rugby league that the very idea of even a semi professional club forming in Edinburgh is laughable.

And it gets worse after kick-off.

I actually quite like Matthew, he's given up his time for the HGSA numerous times and has always been straight up, approachable and honest. I was surprised he took on the role as "clickbait manager" for Reach and stopped being a proper, decent, RL journalist. His weird roasting of the match officials and inability to accept Huddersfield beating Leeds by fair means is just really bizarre! Has there been pressure from the Leeds club for it to be pursued as some are suggesting?

I’m sure Matthew Shaw is happy that his click baiting reporting of the Huddersfield v Leeds match has contributed towards this sort of abuse. Maybe the RFL should consider revoking his press accreditation for a while.

I do think this is a problem in the mentality when it comes to internationals in RL, particularly in the governing bodies. RU gets plenty massive blowouts at international level but they persist with it and teams eventually start to close the gap - prime examples being Italy and Georgia. In RL we try something, get a lopsided score and feel embarrassed with ourselves and immediately scrap it and look for short cuts to meaningful internationals such as the exiles concept. If tier 2/3 nations are ever going to close the gap we need them playing as many internationals against bigger teams as possible to give them the experience, and the opportunity to promote the game that is necessary for them to improve. I think what is most frustrating is that after 2013 and in the run up to 2017 it felt like we'd turned a corner on this, even having Wales v Serbia live on S4C in 2016 as part of the qualifiers. Since then all Northern Hemisphere international teams have gone backwards at a rate of knots.

As said earlier taking the money from the lowest level to give to the richest [Robin Hood in reverse] Is causing damage to the foundations. It wont happen, but if you lost all the teams below SL where you gonna send all your Dual Reg players/loans for match time. And the gap from Community would become far to huge for most players to cross YOU HAVE TO LOOK AFTER THE WHOLE PYRAMID - NOT JUST THE SHARP POINTY BIT ON THE TOP!

The proposed buyer pulled out. Skolars is sustainable with funding - £70k a year down to £15k a year isn’t. Seems to me the only way for clubs to survive and compete in the future is if they have a seriously rich benefactor.

Because I live thousands of miles away and I’ve never been to Newcastle. From my arm chair I can read that the owner has cut the budget, the team has gone part time and Hogan has left the set up. From where I’m sitting, I thought there’d be more discussion. I use this forum to learn about what’s happening on the ground.

I do agree with this and realise I’ve been guilty of it this week, which im not usually one to do it. Although I’ve never been abusive, I think discussing incidents is a part of this forum

I haven't had a bad experience, I saw Huddersfield beat Leeds, that's never a bad experience Every time I view a matchday thread, there's countless ref bashing or questioning posts, probably more comments about referee's decisions than anything the players are doing.

Its actually quite pathetic how some fans jump on the ref - quite often as an excuse for the failings of their own team. It exists at all clubs I'm quite sure. The last few SL games i've attended have been quite laughable at how keen some fans are to get on the refs back. They bemoan 'consistency' and a perceived injustice, and a demand for identical retribution - but so often its the failings of their own team and players that lead to these situations. It also baffles me how some fans will absolutely make repeated excuses for their team and players - but will never give the ref a second chance, or the benefit of the doubt. Refs get things wrong - of course they do, but thats the game. I've often thought having a TV segment post game where the referees can break down certain decisions - and admit they maybe got it wrong, if that was the case - would be a good insight and addition to a broadcast. And might help in getting some fans off their back.

Mods are too soft. As are the RFL. They should be pushing for hate crime prosecutions.

I have never met him but the latest “article” is similar to others he has written and it was only a matter of time before something like this occurred (again).

Giants had 3 tries disallowed but there's no mention of that at all by these media outlets, just weird behaviour.

I’m still waiting for the video clips of the Leeds players missing tackles and dropping the ball all of which contributed more towards the result than any of the “decisions” which were highlighted. Maybe the video is too long for Twitter?

The whole 'Leeds have been robbed' thing the last couple of days is just bizarre but to be totally fair, most Leeds fans I've seen have accepted that their team wasn't good enough, haven't been good enough and the coach and the underpar players are at fault, not the officials, and are calling this weird witch hunt out, which is always good to see so fair play Loiners.

Any and every international is very welcome…

Yep the offending tweet is vile. I've criticised/discussed decisions I dare say we all have at some point, however I've never made it personal about any particular referee. I do think refs have a ridiculously hard job and Ive never really understood why people think they are biased or why they think personal abuse is OK. I also think the media need to stop with the clickbait articles and fans should stop analysing every detail, and I realise I have been guilty of this this weekend, however I do think talking about it in a specific game thread is slightly different to general Social Media.

Helped by "media" organisations and "journalists" sticking out articles and videos on every decision they can get clicks out of.

France play Wales in October I've read in the French paper today.

From my point of view as a Thunder season ticket holder. Yes playing numbers at a community level have dropped off, this is about the same as the average across the country. But with fewer numbers to start with will always look worse. Can that be re-built? Yes it can but that takes time and the club is aware of this. Can't say too much about off the pitch, owners etc but we have to be more realistic and honest on what we can afford to do and that doesn't involve winning Super League by 2030. As relegation looks likely we have to take our medicine and regroup. The players under Chris Thorman are fighting and look like they care From my point of view as a fan, albeit a relatively new one, there's so much potential here and yes football is king. But St James Park sells out every week, there's an opportunity for parents to bring their kids to live sport at a reasonable price, so yes it's a challenge but not unrealistic. In terms of people around the club, we have a small group of people day to day who care about the club and we're in good hands there. What we're starting to see is a better link between the University game and Thunder which could bring players through, but these players need time. If anyone knows anyone visiting or coming to live in Newcastle get in touch with Thunder and come down to Kingston Park and get involved.

In effect yes. A deal was done between the RFL and NCL to accept several perceived failing semi pro clubs into the Premier Division of the NCL. They were allowed to retain their contracted players ( and continue to pay them ) and NCL criteria were relaxed for them. In return the NCL received funding including in particular travel subsidy. All failed on the park largely because they did not have the structures in place off the park to sustain a successful community style club at that level.Some NCL clubs are themselves now struggling because they have not been meeting the criteria, but that's another story.......

As we've seen, BBC returns far more viewers than C4, England games should be on BBC1 where possible. We've been on there for years, I see no reason that would change.

This is true, but RU also has similar lower level clubs playing in Leicester, Gloucester and other places with a pro side, however it also has town and village teams everywhere. What rugby league doesn't have is weight of numbers outside where the pro/NCL teams are, and zero presence in some places that could potentially switch to part-time pro. And of course, funding. Rich benefactors are more likely to be in social circles where owning or sponsoring an RU club opens doors or allows you to swan around a nice clubhouse, host a corporate dinner etc. Look at clubs like Caldy, Ampthill, or Hartpury. Competing in the 2nd tier from villages, although Hartpury is a kind of feeder team for Gloucester and would never wish to get into Tier 1. Which of course is unthinkable in Rugby League, where everybody simply has to get into Super League. Nottingham Outlaws got refused entry to the NCL. Not sure why - they have their own ground, a women's team, a junior setup and have been around a long time. They have never conceded a game in their history. The irony is that "heartland" teams in the Yorkshire League and Women's League have repeatedly scratched fixtures against the Outlaws. The amateur game is really struggling. This is bad news for the pro game (as if it needs more bad news) as this is where all their players come from. I'm ranting a bit and losing the plot as well because RL is such a great game but it's been let down again and again by poor management and self-interest and it makes me angry.

It's going to depend on injuries to key players imo before the end of the season, particularly for Toulouse.

If you talk to anyone in the know, it's very apparent that we have a squad of players who care. I think there was a worry that with Hendo inheriting Fordy's squad that some of the players might not make the transition and apply themselves and that has very much not been the case and the coaching staff deserve mountains of credit for that as well as the lads themselves. We might not make the playoffs but the lads are trying like hell to get us there, despite the injury hoodoo.

I absolutely wouldn't have taken 8th spot and a Wembley appearance. We also had a great weekend in London for Wembley but coming 8th in't 2nd Division isn't my aim or ambition for Halifax RLFC.

It was the 8's that destroyed League 1. Oxford, Hemel, All Golds jumped ship because of them. West Wales followed shortly afterwards and the Midlands have spent the last two seasons based in Castleford. Only Skolars have attempted to stay true to their roots and they now find themselves in their current situation. How long before Cornwall (aka Hemel Stags) find themselves in the same situation

I think this sums it up - refs are an easier target than to just admit your team made too many mistakes and/or didn't play well enough to win. I do think the media could contribute to this with more well-thought out, analytical articles too, although that's easier said than done.

Well for a start, I find that article a bizarre one for a journo to publish. The story is essentially "Losing coach whinges about the ref". Then goes onto list 4 specific incidents. I assume that no calls at all went in Leeds' favour. The offside one does look like a mistake from the referee, but it also looks like there was a Leeds player stood right next to Greenwood as he caught it, but was too busy appealing to the referee to make a tackle. Playing to the whistle is a fundamental thing that players need to get right. Rohan Smith can look closer to home when it comes to reasons for the defeat, and Shaw shouldn't be amplifying this nonsense.

Yeah I've said the same before. Clubs being separated from their grounds from the 90s on has been a disaster. Without being too dramatic, I'm not sure if we can ever recover fully.

Wales need to be getting involved in these types of games as well.

Whatever your thoughts on it, there are some good photos alongside details of the Award Recipients on the Club Website - Charlie's legs are pretty frightening.............. should also remember it was about recognising the Sponsors for their invaluable input and support ....... From main Club sponsors to individual player sponsors. Such a shame that Ray Abbey couldn't attend on the night but best wishes Ray - get well soon !!

Going into soccer/shared stadiums and losing their own grounds has bitten some clubs already, just the SL ones that mostly get away with it. We are largely a nomadic sport at pro level now.

Word it whichever way you want - you know what i mean. The RLF should be classed as a family. You dont just look after the top and ignore the rest. You said "SL generate all the money for the TV deal and are just sharing less of it with the bottom" So in a family Father/ Mother and kids each get 3 meals a day - Money gets tight - so in your terms in that family Father/ Mother still get most because they generate the money and kids get less say down to one meal a day?

Literally every RL media outlet i've seen online are banging on about these 'decisions' as if it's a huge major thing that's happened, ex-referees and coaches have already butted in saying there was nothing wrong with any of the tries and the match officials deemed the drop goal went over so that's that!. The amount of media clickbait frenzy based on biased accounts from some bitter Leeds fans and their coach is ridiculous. Headlines such as " 4 Refereeing calls that angered Leeds Rhinos", "footage has emerged online of Jake Connor drop goal as Sky sports exclude moment from highlights", "Explained! why official allowed Jake Connor drop goal", " A drop goal that didn't go over -Rohan Smith unhappy", "A try that was disallowed, another that wasn't and a penalty not given. Footage of further calls that have angered Leeds Rhinos has now emerged." For god sake give it a rest, for a start the drop goal wasn't the deciding score in the game, we scored again after it, do Sky ever show drop goals in their highlights unless it'a match winner? It's embarrassing from the Leeds coach, the Leeds fans and the RugbyLeague 'media'.

I think it was about 850 ish.

I think the top community clubs are happy in the competition(s) they are in

The boys played well, Ryan Johnston looked a class act. No bad performances, good luck for the remaining games.

You’re all underestimating how clever this is. Placing the Betfred logo approximately around the beer gut level means it approximately doubles in size once you actually wear the shirt. And Fred Done hasn’t paid a single penny more. Mwhahaha.