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Another reason to admit TO to SL and give them 5 years relegation exemption.

I think it’s an harsh call. The forwards are predominantly a young group of men learning on the job. There is no doubt that this season is going to be very tough. To make accusations of hiding is IMO a bit disrespectful. I agree that any team can make improvements. If you were privy to the individual player match day stats such as tackles made it my alter your point of view. It could just be that you don’t fancy a particular player and others do. To try and offer some form of perspective a club down the road will be in the same league operating on a playing budget of 1.4 million. I would like to see us all stick together, support the staff and offer up individual positivity throughout the course of the forthcoming season.

I might be starting to believe...

He ought to be out clubbing till 4 in the morning, like any normal 16 year old.

match starting a lot later than scheduled- hope its not past the kids bed time

Actually, just forget it. Some folk clearly cannot read, so to save myself the bother of having to moderate this thread every five minutes over the New Year weekend, just use the thread in the politics sub-forum for all Honours related comments instead. Happy New Year.

The club has announced that Conor Turner has become assistant to Dale Ferguson. Conor, the brother of Calum, was on the coaching staff at Lock Lane for four years. Jaymes Chapman will continue in his coaching rôle and as Head of Conditioning.

Am currently in Tblisi and have managed to track down 2 persons who were involved in RL here way back. Great shame it fell apart i went to the Russia v Georgia match in Moscow way back and there was a lot of promise. Might do a blog later will see how it goes.

He's called Mike Ogunwale. Cresta mentioned he is a serving soldier, and he is in talks to sign, so watch this space.

Yeah I'd like to know as well. Also thought Max Moore-Anderson had a great game as well

Dan's calling in the Army... Well done Dan Toal, hats off to you mate, always put your body on the line. Thanks mate enjoyed watching you smash a few & never give an inch away. Great service to Barrow RL

Law Cup | Oldham RLFC (roughyeds.co.uk) Mike Ford has got class. I have such immense respect for the guy.

Very similar. In fact they were next to each other on the freezer at Costco and I picked up the wrong ones.

Don't forget the gym, changing rooms, and the pitch plus floodlights, all before the barn. We have a great team at the club who have worked hard to get all the different grants for these projects, but at the end of the day, this is Sport England money that is put under the RFL umbrella for distribution, and it is Sport England who rubber stamp the funding for the project. But not all the funding has come from the RFL (Sport England).

Cracking read that.

A British Empire Medal in the New Year's Honours for Noel Cronin, the man who created and runs Talking Pictures TV.

Too often it's the basics that let RL down imo. Ticket sites that are poor, or sometimes don't even work. Poor food and drink (or sold out before half time). Lack of engaging content on social media. Delays in getting kits launched. Poor matchday presentation etc. These are basics, fix these before we even start looking at fancy new things.

Back in November , Martyn Sadler wrote, "To be fair to IMG, most clubs have told me that IMG’s advice has enabled them to significantly improve their digital operations and it may be that the payment is fully justified, both by the outcome of that work and its inclusion in the IMG contract with the RFL."

If people don't see the new deal as an example of the sport being forward thinking, then I can't help them. They are increasing coverage and widening the FTA element, and progressing video refs at all games. It's all good stuff. Suggests things are moving in the right direction. So yes, IMG were brought in to make things better, and this new approach certainly sounds better.

If we are going to make statements like this every single time, then for balance we should be giving them the benefit for the fact that for the first time in history every game will be shown, VR's at every match, more games than ever on terrestrial expected and an increase in streaming content. All forward thinking stuff that many have wanted for years but the game has never delivered. But some of these things take time to navigate the detail.

Can we have our own page in the League One thread now?

Basically as I understand it Keith Christie and Jordan Robinson will be shareholders. Fans will be paying a monthly membership or pay for a season ticket which will bring in a budget. Other income is coming from sponsorship. We will be living within our means. We're being realistic here and know this season is going to be tough but it's more about keeping rugby league alive in the north east. As things stand we have a ground, a Head Coach in Chris Thorman and some volunteers who have got us to this point. There's a lot of work to be done now. If anyone's in the Newcastle area for any reason come and take in a game at Kingston Park, you'll be made welcome.

It was not written as a series of instructions for a computer, far from it, in fact the opposite. Again you fail to see the point.

On point 1, they would have had to be taught the principles by using simple rules, you don't learn written English by not being taught its strange rules, you can speak it nevertheless. You can say where, were and we're and not know the spelling but know the difference. Point 2. The rules applied 500 years before calculators, they were understood and worked across nations. Point 3. I will take that as compliment, but it may be an insult.

sometimes you know you are witnessing something special in sport - history in the making

Unbelievable from Littler again taking the third set.

Some unbelievable darts from him so far.

Well if there were any nerves they didn't show in the first set!

Ian Van Bellan

Steve Mcnamara at the darts today.

About 5 years before he died Terry and Alan Marchant came to Sheffield dog track.I worked paying out or doing the floor for one of the bookies.So i went over and had a chat knowing them both from years ago.Me and Alan had a laugh about when i backed one of his greyhounds at Whitwood before Alans team got their money on.Alan grabbed hold of me and we ended up rolling about on the floor scrapping.I would have been in my early twenties and Alan had just retired from playing for Hunslet.A crowd gathered round watching and up strides Barry Kear ex Cas Salford and Hull Fc who pulled us up and said that's enough.Good lad was Barry and a very good forward.I went in the Liberal Club in Normanton as my mate was a member and Terry's dad Fred was steward so i got to know him quite well.Happy days never a dull moment.

The clue is in the opening post. The Q & A is in the current issue of Rugby League World, available to buy at https://www.totalrl.com/product/rugby-league-world-single-issue/ or available to download from https://pocketmags.com/rugby-league-world-magazine

Just tried some kimchi flavoured dumplings I got a while back In Costco. Amazing! 9 mins in the air fryer so they are not greasy like the fried Korean stuff. Plant based version so good for everyone and little kick of spice. Similar to a mini samosa.

I'm not sure that's true for roles like this in the public eye. I'm not one for demanding to know everything, but it is very, very rare to not hear the outcome of a disciplinary hearing. Even if there was no evidence or similar, you'd expect that to be part of the announcement and then go onto the fact they have agreed to part company. To not mention that he has been suspended for the last 12m (IIRC) is bizarre and not really the kind of transparency that we should see from a governing body.

It is interesting to hear how many positive stories are coming out about season ticket sales etc. I always make the point that there is no silver bullet here, it's doing good things. Then doing good things again. Over and over and over.

I agree too wet

Yep. Everytime Bunting hit a 60 or 45, he punished it with a big score. Last year an on-fire Smith was all that could stop him, now he's gone I'm not sure who is firing enough to do it.

I know I have already made a contribution to this thread but if I am able to add another then I need to mention Gavin Miller.

Cresta must be talking about AN Other that’s in the squad. Hopefully it’s a hooker.

My Resolution is to visit as many pubs I haven't already been in as possible. Like your goodself .. I guarantee I will stick to it

Seems the club can’t win. Great news that sales are up and there’s still plenty of time before the official start. I thank them for being open with us.

Ruck….. a stupid rugger union word that should never be heard in rugby league.

But it wasn't the referee's fault the players failed to follow the rules (or are they Laws? - I forget). The saddest aspect of the game was the players' ability to learn. Once the referee has penalised a team for an incorrect PTB, or not standing square half a dozen times, surely players ought to realise what's going to happen if they do it again! And I'm glad the referee was consistent in continuing to penalise these infringements throughout the game.

Yes the hospitality is full, there's a waiting list, so having more will increase the income,

Hospitality is sold out in some areas the wife booked 4 places for ourselves and the boys a couple of days ago they are getting decent money as well Aus 1050 PP.

The NRL has set 40K as their target for Y1 & has already locked in a deal with Visit LV & LV Stadium till 2028 (5 years). They are sitting close to 25K currently. The NRLs aims for this are of course to make money. Gambling has been talked about, but the reality is the NRL is unlikely to establish much more than a broadcast/sports data arrangements with key providers in the first few years. The NRL has outlined that they hope to increase WatchNRL subscriptions in the US (currently around 3000) & they want to get more NRL on FS1. The most encouraging thing is the NRL is also working with the USARL whilst over there as well. They are underwriting a 9s competition that will take place on the Thursday/Friday leading in, they are running coaching & referee training courses & they are planning school visits with DOs leading into it.

...and get there quicker. You'd have a guaranteed seat and everything. Seriously, I wonder if we'll see any familiar names returning to refereeing the game, if Ganson's permanently gone.

Given costs, it's probably cheaper to fly a few blokes out to Tenerife and have them stay in a resort off-season than pay for transport in the UK and have them stay at a conference centre. Plus people are allowed to have nice things.