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For those unable to attend at Saddleworth Rangers, here are some of the matters dealt with. There will be future forums at Waterhead, St Annes, Higginshaw and hopefully Limehurst. The aim of the fist team is promotion, this season, then finishing in the top 4 of the Championship next season with Super League within 5 years. To that end recruitment of other players is currently underway. There is an arranged fixture next weekend against Salford Reserves which will take place in Salford. In addition to the first team, the announced funding this week for a part-time person to assist with development of girls rugby in the area, will then ultimately lead to a girls competitive team in 2025. The intention is to create a third team - Academy level, which is all part of the longer preparation for potential Super League entry. This may contain players who have come through the Pathway Programme, and therefore from the area. Whilst not part of this, note was made that one amateur player (from Waterhead) who was currently training with the first team. JT commented on the much better facilities at Boundary Park than exists at Castleford. Sean Long also said that he is currently enjoying his coaching role more than he has done at any club in the past. Finally, there are specific plans for further developments of the Boundary Park experience, including an attempt next season at a new world record attempt - details not disclosed.

Plenty of threads on here about poor spectator facilities, poor development, poor administration, poor ground maintenance, poor marketing. I'm not going to single out clubs but the fact is that there's more to running a club than winning games. You can sneer about the importance of decent toilet facilities but, eventually, having your customers paddle about will have an effect on your club's income.

I've probably told this story before but... Some years back, Hull FC held a fans' forum with a panel featuring owner Adam Pearson, head coach Lee Radford and new signings Mahe Fonua and Sika Manu, all facing questions from both supporters and BBC Radio Humberside's Gwylym Lloyd. The evening was going very well with an air of positivity about it all. Then the intrepid BBC reporter Gwylym tried to ascertain how serious the two new signings were taking their contracts and wanted to know if they would put 100% effort into their performances on the field. "So you haven't come here for a holiday then?" asked Gwylym. Struggling to keep a straight face, Lee Radford jumped in with "You've lived in this city long enough Gwylym, nobody comes to Hull for a holiday". It was a good five minutes before the hysteria had died down and any more questions were submitted.

How it started: How it's going: Seriously impressive from the Trin!

I wouldn’t have said this when he left but I’m glad Reynolds is in we’ve been crying out for an organised since lacans went down hopefully Reynolds gets us over the line to kick start our season

Slightly different point, but Bradford announced that they would show a small operating profit for 2023. That, if replicated over 3 years, would gain them 0.5 IMG points, which presumably they wouldn't be achieving without the reported annual six-figure RFL subsidy, or without the "peppercorn rent".

Cast your minds back 18 months ago , or to any time over decades before that - anyone talking in such terms would have been laughed out of the room or be sent to have their medication checked! The movers and shakers behind all this are heroic. I can feel the excitement. I’d say they should run the country but no, let’s keep them for Oldham and give them every atom of support we can. Come on, you ‘Yeds!!!

The whole thing is joke. It’s just another way of putting who they want in the top flight as they did all those years ago when sky bought the game

I think that's overly conspiratorial. The details and the RFL's justification of of the Odsal purchase were public at the time and although a lot of people grumbled, it was signed off by Richard Lewis and the RFL board. Which is ultimately the clubs themselves. What no-one predicted in 2012 was that the Bulls - who were still a SL club at the time - would go into sharp decline, lowering the value of the asset. And that nothing would have changed 12 years later. Should they have predicted that? Quite possibly. But it's simple bad management for all to see, dodgy dealings not really necessary. The fact that Nigel took over the Bulls later shows what a small time sport we are, but doesn't mean it's corrupt. The fact is the RFL could still get out of this lease with minimal losses if it sold out to non-sport developers (and got Bradford council's agreement to do so). But that would leave the Bulls homeless and complete their transition into another Oldham-type club: great history but forever dependent on others for a home. In 2012 I can see why some people wanted to avoid that, but perhaps now in 2024 it's time for the RFL to accept that "saving historic Odsal" and dreaming of a resurgent Bulls just aren't a priority any more.

If and when we get back to SL the seats will be back for Saints

So they don’t want London?

This doesn’t make sense. On your basis that it doesn’t matter cos they can’t get relegated, then they might as well have kept them even though they’re conceding 50 points a game. Instead Hull are looking to get rid to bring in replacements to improve their situation

Have to disagree think with Stack unavailable best option is Max Clarke into Back Row and Shane or Broadbent in the centre. Personally think Charlie plays better in the middle as a prop than a second row.

The sport won't suffer any embarrassment, its not big enough in the British sporting landscape to turn any dials unfortunately. But with your suggestion the sport could suffer more /embaressment' if a Grade A club finishes Bottom of the league and the B team above got relegated. I don't think any half way house system would work. The London situation is an outlier and one that will only happen at this stage of the system being implemented. London being so ill prepared for life in the top flight could actually be an argument for the grading system and not the old system in fairness.

Great report from the forum. Thank you. I can honestly say I have not been more excited about the season or the club since the the clubs time ln SL

https://hullkr.co.uk/news/hull-kr-announce-groundbreaking-pathways-partnership-with-port-moresby-vipers

Two years ago, a lion escaped from Hull zoo and was roaming around Bransholme as the local primary school kicked out. Lot's of people naturally rung the Police in fear - the Police said they were very busy and the lion would have to look after itself until the evening shift came on.

Ok fine, so let’s ask the logical prior question then: Why did Wood allow the RFL to lend so much money to a member club in the first place, before then benefitting later as the owner? Stinks to high heaven Re: rent you’ve got it backwards: The fact the rent is low is what will be driving the value of the land down, it doesn’t generate a yield to justify the purchase. Market forces would say “use the land for something else, and kick the sports businesses out, if they’re not prepared to give you a reasonable return”. Either way you cut it, it’s a huge subsidy.

IMG is a stain on the sport of Rugby League and the sooner they pack up and go back to their shiny skyscraper in the good old USA the better.

The RFL are incompetent. They couldn’t run a bath. Same poster The RFL are corrupt and are manipulating who they want to win/ get a place in SL

They're really trying to engage with the amateur club's. Having these forums at the amateur club's is a fantastic idea. Great exposure for the club. Complete opposite to the isolationist viewpoint of the previous administration. Very refreshing and very transparent.

We had 1700 last weekend which was the first time we've dipped below 2000 in a long while for a league match, so hoping for many more than 1319 !!!

Nine ex-Fev players in the Doncaster squad, you can be pretty sure they'll be up for this one.

Just the one, his name is Adrian Lam !

Even better news R we 've got Fishwick back instead of Wallace

There was a great, really long piece, by George Clark in Forty20 a few years ago which went into detail about the many issues with Odsal/Bradford. Easier to write "Bulls Are Back" stories when they win a game.

This guy puts some great videos up from the 1980s and 90s. A few Dewsbury matches from Crown Flatt and even some from when we were in Division One in 85/86. https://youtube.com/@paulkyffin?si=RJCU1zC3n5sXfcSG

Get on the langoustines, they're like sweet little lobsters and are excellent in this country.

Beggers belief Bradford would want the lease back. The RFL make an annual loss of £100k with a rent paying tenant, so in reality that would be a £200k drain on Bradford. Odsal is a money pit and nobody in their right mind would take the lease on for sporting purposes.

See jambos have sacked a player, quite hypocritical considering there handling of Dion Aiyre.

Case of double standards from Whitehaven. The then club captains crimes were horrendous so god knows what he has done. I don't understand why they signed him anyway with a court case pending, strange club.

I think the RFL should be made to pay Catalans a bond of £500k to be allowed to continue administering the game, just in case they end up (predictably) selling it on the cheap to Bradford.

If we play like we did against Batley, then you’ve no chance! If we play like we did against Widnes, it’ll be all yours! I think it will be the latter unfortunately.

Really? There are loads of charity shops in Brid.

Not sure you should be cconfessing on a public forum.

Rate Forber highly!! He was dynamic in attack, great in defence and made a big change when he came on. Hopefully he is available.

If that's true, it just demonstrates the nonsense that the current method of measurement of catchment is. York can include the population of Skipton, Whitby and Hawes but Castleford can't include Allerton Bywater, two miles away (maybe less). I'm not against catchment, I just think it's done very poorly.

Interesting to see how the Knights are using KPP. He plays on the edge in attack but defends in the middle. That shows the engine he has but sometimes a few Knights fans (on their forum) get frustrated that he stands out the first few plays on an exit set but they don't realise he has defended in the middle. When they are in attacking positions, they are still using him as a lead runner and going out the back to Best too much. Mixing it up and giving KPP some early ball will have the double benefit of keeping the defence guessing and using his strength and offloading game better. Not to say any of the above is him not doing well... just he can get a lot better still when they figure out how to use him.

I think if you have chosen to play a sport where physical fitness and strength/speed makes you a better player. And. You have ambition to be either a professional player or reach the top of your sport. Then. You cannot really complain if you are challenged for not putting the work in to reach that level. For as long as I have been playing and watching, the fitter teams or players are then the better they are. So if you don't put in the required effort then you are not doing yourself justice. I stress that this view is for the elite levels in the sport, those playing the community game can and should be treated and spoken of differently.

There is a point about promotion, but I don't watch BBC promotions particularly closely and the BBC has a lot of content to promote. The more annoying thing is that they don't seem to be sticking to any particular pattern slot or channel for these BBC games. So nobody is thinking "it is 3pm (or whatever) on a Saturday, is the rugby on?". People point out that BBC3 is a free to air channel, but nobody scrolls through the TV guide to check if there is any rugby on on a random channel. I only knew the Catalans-Saints game was on BBC because the match thread on here mentioned it was in the title.

Certainly looks like the RFL have been giving a (probably unconstitutional) financial benefit to one of the member clubs for some considerable time......unless the other members have agreed of course.

I suppose so if they filled it with the all the NRL games, instead of the 114th viewing of each Grand Final that has been played.

Shogun has been great so far.

Ive looked on the forum Today for the first time in ages , wow what a meltdown , re the Rochdale Topic. The one thing i will say is ..if i have anything to say i will use my own name. Lets just leave it at that..relax ,enjoy your rugby All the best.

I was in a medical waiting room in NZ and I spotted a sign ostensibly about nurses. I realised it was a subliminal message from a Wire fan using an innocent poster to get his message across. What an unusual place to spot RL, albeit done surreptitiously.

I hope the lad goes well for us, but I’m not sure a 21 year-old second row who has played an handful of first team games for for 8 or 9 clubs (albeit mostly on loan) is really the answer for York. But if the cash isn’t there, what else can they do? On a different note, where is our Chairman by the way? Keeping a very low profile this season….

Suspected Paga might get a full run out as he was left out of the 18 at Hunslet. Good to see ET back in. With Ellis rested, it will be interesting to see what he does at halfback.

In the 70s playing league 0n Hackney Marshes in London,103 soccer pitches and 2 rugby pitches. Good old days in SRL Ron