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  1. Well that was a fun weekend... Regular visitors will have noticed the forum, in fact the entire site, was down over the weekend. This was due to a catastrophic system failure on the web server, which we had to get reprovisioned and then restore everything from backups. The backup is from the early hours of Friday 15th March, so you'll notice a big gap in posts between then and now. I wasted my time posting all them flippin' match threads, that's for sure!! Anyway, it's all (hopefully) working again now. It might be a bit slow for a while, as there are a few tweaks that still need to be made on the new server to get it running efficiently, but if you spot any glitches, please post the details here and I'll investigate any as they pop up. Thanks.
    49 points
  2. Batley have never been in the top division at any time that we’ve had multiple divisions. Not once. I doubt it’s been their goal for a very long time, if it ever was. So what does IMG’s role in Super League have to do with them? Anything they’ve done in the past to build their club, and its connection with its community, has never relied upon the promise of some sort of sunlit uplands in another league. It’s been about the enjoyment of today, and the building of local roots for tomorrow. It’s been about being part of the area they’re in, and doing what they do for many other positive reasons that don’t rely on some nebulous idea of needing the “benefits” of promotion. Basically Batley are the living, breathing embodiment of how there’s a genuine, sustainable, enriching, rewarding life in rugby league without doing that. They’re a standard bearer of the future model, not a critique of it. Hopefully Featherstone and others can learn the right lesson from Batley’s excellence.
    30 points
  3. Thanks for all the work you do to create, and maintain, this wonderful online rugby league community. I really appreciate what you guys do.
    27 points
  4. From midlandshurricanes.com (11/3): Midlands Hurricanes are delighted to announce that from March 2024, the club’s home fixtures will be played inside the main stadium arena at Alexander Stadium, starting with the first League One fixture against Rochdale Hornets on 17th March. For the last two years the club has been based at the Alexander Stadium campus, playing matches on the Community Pitch within the warmup infield. It has always been an aspiration of the club to move into the main stadium in the future and the club are delighted that this aspiration has come to fruition. Representatives of the club confirmed: “We look forward to calling Alexander Stadium our home venue for the foreseeable future." Moving into the main stadium is a fantastic boost for Rugby League in the Midlands and will allow the club to grow the game within the region. Speaking on the move, CEO Greg Wood said: “To call a stadium that hosted the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games our home venue shows the intent that the club has to grow. I thank our fans, the RFL and visiting clubs for their continued support, I am sure that they are as excited as we are about this announcement. In addition, we would like to thank the team at Alexander Stadium and Birmingham City Council for their efforts in making this happen." Dave Wagg, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Birmingham City Council, said: "We are delighted that Midland Hurricanes are playing their 2024 season home fixtures at Alexander Stadium. While athletics will remain at the heart of the stadium ethos and operation, a multi-sport approach was set out as the legacy Vision Statement for the stadium following the success of the Commonwealth Games. Having the Hurricanes at Alexander Stadium supports the diversification of the site and opens up a new audience to rugby league, which is an underdeveloped sport in the Birmingham region. We hope their presence continues to attract new followers to the sport and the stadium, which in turn will lead to further opportunities for participation in a wide range of sports on offer at the site."
    23 points
  5. This is definitely going to end in Mick Gledhill posting on his twitter that he's heard Bradford have a new investor looking to pump in £10 million.
    23 points
  6. England being a curtain raiser for Fev would be absolutely peak rugby league.
    21 points
  7. On one hand we've got players wanting contact allowed, leniency on head contact, less red/yellow cards, etc. On the other hand, on the evidence of the last 2 weeks we've got players throwing their hands in the air at any contact, play acting head contact, begging refs to make decisions, conning refs to get players binned. Refs have a ridiculously difficult time with the new rules as it is, and players are choosing to make it more difficult, while also demanding changes. Franky I'm sick of them, they want their cake, want to it gift wrapped with little bows and want to eat it. They can't have this both ways, they can't make demands of the RFL and referees whilst also cheating them at every opportunity, and this also goes for coaches. The hypocrisy is embarrassing, the last 2 matches I've watched (Salford v kr and Leeds v catalans) had this all in spades, so much play acting, pressuring refs etc. I now hope the RFL dig in and tell them to shove their demands.
    21 points
  8. Agree with this, Super League is not the be all and end all of Rugby League, some club are more than happy to be a success in their local community and are, and do well off the field rather than like professional football where everything revolves around getting as high as you can to make as much money as you can. I've never in 36 years of following RL ever thought of Batley as a club who desperately want to get into Super League, i'm sure they wouldn't turn it down if they thought their club were ready for it on and off the field, but they seem to be a great club who's supporters and townspeople are bloody proud of what they are and what they continue to do for them. Batley is a proper rugby league day out these days, a great atmopshere inside and around the ground and the ground has been developed into a smashing place to watch and enjoy the great game, they seem perfectly happy up there that that's what they want to be and fair play to them. It would be wrong for the media and people to presume that IMG/SL are holding clubs like Batley back, unless of of course clubs like Batley come out and say otherwise.
    15 points
  9. 7200+ at Belle Vue on Friday.
    15 points
  10. Absolutely right. The combination of the NRL as a sport needing to be sold with the Americans' expertise in marketing was always likely to give a great outcome. One thing that the NRL is doing, it seems to me, which the FA Premier League managed to do some years ago, is extend the demographic that is interested in the game. Football managed to seduce the middle classes while not alienating its existing working class support. I think we can see the same process at work in Oz. The visuals of the Vegas trip will hopefully help break down more resistance in Australia against the NRL. The other point worth making about the whole event is that it's a nonsense to suggest that America will be instantly won over. Those people who are complaining that the New York Times didn't run the game as its front page lead story on Monday and that the game wasn't the lead topic on all the radio shows on Monday morning don't seem to understand that even engaging 0.1% of Americans would give the NRL a solid base from which to develop future income streams. I was also interested to read that the President of the 49ers has said he might be interested in investing in an NRL team after seeing Sunday's event. Part of the reward for taking risks comprises the unanticipated benefits from the venture. And just to give an example of this, in 1999, when Wakefield Trinity took a Super League game against St Helens to Barnsley's Oakwell ground, there was a young teenager in the stadium watching his first Rugby League match (so I understand). His name was Matthew Ellis. 25 years later he runs a £100 million company and he owns the club. Who knows whether he would have done if that game hadn't gone to Barnsley all those years ago.
    15 points
  11. It’s higher than Halifax’s average if memory serves me right, and an 1,800 all-pay gate obviously turns over much more than a 1,500 gate with season tickets. If that’s grounds for it being a waste of time then I must be lost as I had a cracking afternoon despite the fairly one-sided scoreline.
    14 points
  12. Regardless of the rights or wrongs no-one wants to see a traditional club (Or any club) go to the wall. Hopefully it will all work out OK
    14 points
  13. Anyone who watched the "event" type build up, saw how NRL dominated the Aussie news cycle, watched the matches, and then finally saw the TV viewing figures land after the weekend won't be in any doubt that it succeeded. A brave plan, executed with commitment and chutzpah, that delivered - and can build next year. It's a rare thing for our game and I'm delighted.
    14 points
  14. I have been watching rugby league for 50 years,and between matches in England France and Australia have racked up an estimated 4000 + matches (Maybe more) and this was 100% the most enjoyable rugby league event i have EVER been to was wonderful. What more can one say
    14 points
  15. As others have pointed out, the forum was offline from late afternoon on Friday 15th March until the morning of Monday 18th March, which killed most of the match threads that weekend stone dead. Posts may have been made in them since we came back online, but you can't make any reliable judgements on their popularity based on that, as there was no option to discuss the games while they were taking place, which most people prefer to do. Another factor this season is I'm not posting the match threads up as early as I used to, to avoid them becoming off-topic slanging matches before the actual games have even kicked off! Plus, I am posting warnings in every thread about avoiding accusing officials of cheating, corruption etc, which has probably reduced the number of posts from those who can't think of anything else to say when their team is losing, but is making my life as a moderator a lot easier. So, match threads on here this year may have fewer posts overall, but hopefully the discussions within them are of a slightly higher quality...
    13 points
  16. It's fast becoming a sport between the more reputable journo's as to who can debunk Gledhill the quickest.
    13 points
  17. The developing European nations leading the way again. Its amazing how the likes of Netherlands, Greece and Serbia can get games on with homegrown domestic players yet nations with far more resources at their disposal come out with excuses.
    13 points
  18. Welcoming applications for an 11th league one team is a good laugh. Would this new team be expected to pay all the away teams costs, and asked not to enter the 1895 cup?
    13 points
  19. York - Nice stadium, no real other sport to compete with, large student population & attractive for a weekend break for away fans
    13 points
  20. The story is about Fev not paying their way, why would he report on the match? Do you expect those reporting on knife crime in London to also say what a great cup of coffee you can get down there and how nice the Shard looks at night just to balance things out? it’s his story as well, he’s interviewing players and those affected, there’s another today. It’s great journalism in my opinion, far better than just regurgitating press releases or transfer rumours. It’s also in the public interest to know what’s going on behind the scenes.
    12 points
  21. I was present at the naming of the bar tonight and all I can say is what a great night it was to celebrate one of the most influential ‘non player’ the club has had to be lucky enough to have had associated with, long reign ‘Keith’s Bar’
    12 points
  22. Not only Fiji, but the whole Pacific. NRL 2024, Jersey Flegg, Kaiviti Silktails matches to be broadcast free to air into Pacific region, PacificAus TV | NRL.com In a huge boost for rugby league in the Pacific region, all of the Kaiviti Silktails' 26 matches in the Jersey Flegg competition will be distributed by PacificAus TV in 2024 to over nine Free-to-Air broadcast channels across the Pacific, whilst FBC will be the exclusive free-to-air-broadcast-partner in Fiji. Starting with this Saturday's clash against Wests Tigers at Lidcombe Oval, all of the Silktails' home and away matches will be shown on Free-to-Air channels across the Pacific, bringing more rugby league content to the region. Silktails chairman Petero Civoniceva added: “This broadcast deal is not just a win for the Silktails as a club but a massive win for our code in Fiji. “This broadcast deal will allow these young players to showcase their talents playing for the Silktails on television across the Pacific. “On behalf of everyone at the Kaiviti Silktails a big Vinaka Vakalevu to all of the key stakeholders that have put this landmark deal together.”
    12 points
  23. I just had a quick peek at the disciplinary thread when Morgan Knowles was cleared of twisting the arm of Chris Atkin to see if you posted that Knowles had been completly vindicated on appeal. No, instead you typed "I honestly would not mind if some newshound actually reported and screened on national TV the ongoings of the last week with the manipulation of the Bateman ban and this total abhorrent saga concerning Knowles, and show the country just what a complete shambles this game is in". Well, colour me surprised.
    11 points
  24. 11 points
  25. You're correct no model is perfect, but when promotion is won on the field rather than by some arbitrary method then it has definitely been earned. London won their place in SL fair and square and if they earn enough points to not finish bottom of SL, they should keep their place. If Wakefield are promoted to SL, then it should be because they've won the Championship GF and not because they've built a new stand.
    11 points
  26. credit to the coverage on the sportsman - very good indeed
    11 points
  27. The last couple of pages are real bald men fighting over a comb stuff.
    11 points
  28. Not this again. Salford got a purpose built stadium for free, and quite rightly snapped the hand off Peel/Salford Council to utilise it. Trinity and Cas played out of dumps and were financially impacted because of it and the lack of resource fundamentally ended up with Trinity's relegation and Cas' near relegation last season. Salford are still signing NRL players whilst getting loans from a fiancially strapped local authority. The food and beverage isn't going to plug that financial gap and they'll be knocking on their fans doors for more cash as the season progresses, or the council again. They are well and truly spinning plates in the hope one doesn't drop, but that will catch up with the club in the end when the magic money tree no longer bears fruit. On the field they are one of the more entertaining teams to watch in the league. Off field they are a disaster.
    11 points
  29. Yes I have. “I’m not sure we would withdraw central funding but who knows what that might become. The travel will change in terms of going out to Catalans and who pays for the travel in 2025. The Dragons will pick up that bill now. It’s been talked about but we haven’t got into that detail yet, that’s something we will do quickly so everyone knows how the land lies. Toulouse already do that so in effect we are bringing Catalans in line with what Toulouse are doing.” It's not ambiguous. It's very, very clear. The MD of RFL Commercial, who is wholly unqualified for his job and certainly hasn't earned it through results, thinks that French teams somehow have to demonstrate some sort of special "return on investment" for their TV revenue, in a way that UK clubs do not. I'd simply ask who has brought more to British rugby league in the last 20 years for example, Catalans or Castleford? And that wouldn't be the only positive comparison. It's disgracefully disrespectful, as well as being bad strategy for the sport's growth. Catalans generate 1/12th of the content, and so earn 1/12th of the value. We're not doing them some sort of charitable favour, the central distribution is not some form of subsidy, it is income earned by Catalans through their work. Every time the sport starts to make progress, usually as a result of some people outside the sport making things happen, the incompetent "jobs for the boys" cabal manage to find a way to mess things up. How many times?
    11 points
  30. Bit rich this Harry, given you had arguments/discussions with me over and over again on this very forum last summer in which you repeatedly seemed to be advocating Fev spending even more money than they already had, whether they had it or not.
    10 points
  31. Were Fev also responsible for paying the server hosting bill?
    10 points
  32. Totally agree, for a number of reasons. Underdogs at home, against a poor SL side, who will bring a decent crowd, and a returning coach, with the mild chance of an upset. That's what the Challenge Cup used to be about.
    10 points
  33. Wakey vs Bradford is sold out! When is the last time that happened in the Championship??
    10 points
  34. To answer your question...Manoa Wacokecoke came from Hull Ionians, having been released by Hull FC without making a first-grade appearance. He's in his first first-grade season, he's 19 and is still very raw. He's one of a number of players in the Fev squad who have arrived from pretty humble backgrounds. We've got a guy we signed from Hunslet amateurs (who played big minutes today), a guy we signed from Upton, a guy who was released by Doncaster, another who was released by Keighley, another we signed from Pontefract rugby union. Our makeshift half back today was Harry Bowes who was a hooker released by Wakefield. Still plenty of quality in the Fev squad but there are a lot of relatively unknown/inexperienced players in the squad, unlike previous years when we had almost an embarrasment of riches.
    10 points
  35. I don't think I've ever seen a deliberate knock on given either when watching or playing. Personally I have no issues with a deliberate knock on as a defensive tactic, as on a overlap the advantages lie with the attacking team, if they fail to convert that advantage then they haven't earned the score.
    10 points
  36. Cronulla Sharks secure $5 million windfall after a big night in New York | The Australian Sharks powerbrokers have detailed an extraordinary 48-hours in New York that has resulted in an immediate $5 million cash injection from one of Australia’s most influential businessmen. Flying from the NRL season launch in Las Vegas to New York last Sunday, Sharks chairman Steve Mace and CEO Dino Mezzatesta met with Mike Dorrell, the CEO and co-founder of US$61 billion global investment firm Stonepeak. From a meeting with Dorrell at his plush New York offices, Cronulla’s most significant decision-makers were taken to dinner at one of the Big Apple’s most exclusive clubs. Born in Sutherland Shire with his father a teacher of Port Hacking High, Dorrell owns Stonepeak, an American investment powerhouse headquartered in New York City. The firm invests in infrastructure, with offices in Hong Kong, Houston, London, Sydney and Singapore. It is the largest independent infrastructure investment firm in the world. “This is for the Sharks club and fans,‘’ Dorrell said of his multimillion-dollar cash gift to the club. “I have followed the Sharks religiously since I was a young boy, from Steve Rogers, to ET (Ettingshausen) and Mark ”Sparkles” McGaw, to David Peachey and onwards. “I have watched and re-watched the 2016 Grand Final, a game which gave every Sharks fan a near heart attack in the final minutes, followed by a multi-generational outpouring of joy when we won. “My dad taught at Port Hacking High School and is a Sharks fan. “My brother Simon played professionally. Rugby League is in our blood. “I can’t speak highly enough about the current players and management. “Let’s not wait 50 years for another premiership.” Mace said Dorrell’s investment in the Sharks was validation for the club’s trajectory. “Mike’s support and involvement with the Sharks will undoubtedly bring a significant boost to our reputation and financial standing,” Mace said. “Both Dino and myself are delighted to welcome lifelong Sharks supporters into the club’s family. “We didn’t know what to expect. We hit it off immediately with Mike, Lucas and Ben. Like old mates with a shared love of the game. “The collaboration with the Dorrell family is expected to provide invaluable support to the Sharks and further elevate the club’s stature.”
    10 points
  37. Outstanding entertainment, brilliant game. And as expected the players and ref have adjusted to the new tackling rules, barely anything high at all. Anyone claiming the games dead made to look foolish once more.
    10 points
  38. Thought town were fantastic at the weekend, could clearly see they wanted it more. Thought the atmosphere and vocal support from the town fans was what the players responded to and got them over the line. As for Haven, rumours flying around again and it seems like lessons haven't been learned. Town could be in with a good play-off shout if all players are kept fit. Hope Town have a good season, West Cumbria needs a strong semi-pro presence to give the kids of the area something to aim for, hopefully Haven and Town can both provide that.
    10 points
  39. Funny you should say that, I wandered past the ground this morning and took this photo, we're just doing a little light irrigation to promote normal grass growth.
    9 points
  40. If we hadn't have gone again this year I don't think we would've gone next year to be honest. We have to keep backing the team, we knew it would be difficult and it is.
    9 points
  41. Apart from a few of us who are realistic most of our fans have probably started watching only recently, ie last 20 years, they were brought up watching good teams contaning the likes of Brough, Crabtree, Lunt/Drew, Hodgson, Robinson etc and saw us in cup finals, play off semi finals, top 3 of the league regularly so have this idea that we should be up there with the likes of Saints/Wigan/Wire/Leeds etc as the top dogs of British RL, because realistically we will never be that with the things that hold the club back they expect us to win everything every year and never lose a game so when we don't they throw their teddies out of the pram and demand everyone gets sacked and sulk and don't come and watch, in fact most of them don't anyway as seen by our crowd numbers. They have this unrealistic view on our club that we are underachieving when the fact is we overachieved really between 2008-2015, we finished top of the league in 2013 and our crowds went down every season after that but yet those that have stopped coming say they won't come back till we win a trophy.....madness!! They won't listen to reason, they expect a trophy every season despite us not winning one (LLS apart) since 1962. They expect us to magically find money for NRL superstars when only 3,000 of them bother to buy a season card, they expect the players we do have, hard working and good squad players but not the most talented lads to produce 5 star performances every week and destroy all in front of us, because they don't they expect us to 'get rid of them' and replace them with a superstar player Jeez our 'Fans' facebook page has 'legal' people keeping an eye on it due to the venom and downright bile that is posted on there, even when we win it's never good enough. There's a small bunch of us who are realistic and don't have ridiculous expectations of our club but who use the correct channels to let the club know our concerns rather than just attacking individuals. I speak to our club officials on an almost daily basis and i know how hard every single staff member of the club works as well as volunteers from the Supporters Association who chip in, it hurts them to read some of the stuff our so called fans write but yet offer no support whatsoever when the club really needs it. I cringe reading some of the stuff, i'd love the club to have a magic wand or a fairy to grant 3 wishes but unfortunately they will never happen but some of our fans think this is exactly what the club should have!. I'm happy to see the club stiill alive, i'm delighted when we win and content when we lose and put the effort in but findourselves not good enough on the day and like most fans if i feel the effort wasn't high enough i will criticise too but next day i'm back to being a supporter and doing my best for my club as a supporter, it's a shame others who claim to be don't! Some of our fans are horrible, nasty people and their expectations and lack of them coming to the fore have made them like that.
    9 points
  42. Last year Norway Albania Germany Serbia and Czech in a five week stint. Year before only two internationals. 2021 three in October. The regular season is over. Looking at the international results of the Dutch over the past few years playing a block of games over a short period of time seems to make the national side more like a club side All selected players can commit to "in camp" like training . Play a game, meet up ,discuss, train prepare for the next weekend. No distractions. Seems to be paying dividends. Question about union. (Not sure why it's always brought up) October September is deep into union season. All boys selected are committed to League. Union to some of them is now becoming their 2nd choice.
    9 points
  43. At least it was over a weekend, many peoples productivity at work would have suspiciously gone through the roof if it had been over a couple of weekdays!
    9 points
  44. I am a country affected by this decision. That being Ireland. One thing i commend the board for doing is picking a good weekend to bury bad news. It went unreported in Ireland and very commneted on it. On face value the criteria on face value seem laugablely easy. Leitrim a county with a population of 30,000 would meet the criteria if its GAA clubs also played Rugby League. To get a true understanding of the problems of Rugby League expanding in Ireland you have to look back. Ireland pre the Celtic Tiger of the 1990s was a cold house to professional sport and federations had little interest in going professional. The interest in Rugby League took off with Rupert Murdochs Sky TV in the 90s and the ending of the ban in 1995. Rugby League in Ireland seemed to be in its strongest in 2000's . Both Ian Dowling and Brian Carney played Rugby League and both became dual code internationals. In the mid 90's the then Super League must have seemed alot more glamerous than the domestic Irish Rugby Union scene. Since that period Rugby League in Ireland seems to have gone into stagnation and decline. In 2013 the RFL anounced that they would cut Rugby League Ireland funding. This decision has had devistating consequences and had led to the situation we are at now. Had Rugby Leaugue put big money in the 90s and 2000s in Ireland things may have worked out differently. The creation of the Celtic League in Rugby Union in 2001 seriously affected Rugby League chances of expansion in Ireland. While Rugby League Ireland had two international matches on TV a year on at best Rugby Union had 2 to 3 Provinical matches a weekend on Free TV. The professionalisation of Irish Rugby Union has led to a explosion of interest in the game. It is ironic the country that least wanted professionalism benefited the most while Australia the one that most wanted it the most benefited the least. The Provincal Rugby Union teams have caught the public imangination. There has been talk of a League 1 franchise been given to Ireland for over a decade. A few articles and forum posts but all talk no action. One thing for sure the sport wont expand in Ireland off a budget that would barely run a small GAA club in rural Ireland. That figure being around €50,000. I think this action is a power play by Australia and the NRL and is more about cutting votes than anything else. I seriously doubt i will see Ireland at Rugby Leage World Cup again and much the pity it is as i have a lot of good memories watching the games. I feel bad for the well meaning familes that put their heart and soul into Rugby League in Ireland and amoung emigrant communities.
    9 points
  45. Can you all just put like on this comment so that SKY know it's what we want (and also I will be top of the daily leaderboard for likes) And no funny b****rs putting 'sad face' emoji on this
    9 points
  46. I think I'd invest in my local amateur club, Beverley ARLFC, because they currently have virtually no presence in the town. They play at the local leisure centre and use a pub that is next to it as the clubhouse and changing room facilities whereas the union team has their own dedicated facilities and are much more well known by the general public. So give the RL team enough money to buy their own facilities and pump some money into a bit of advertising and start building up some visibility. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult, just get some volunteers to hand out leaflets on market day and maybe even get a market stall and sell a little bit of merchandise. Also try to get some players or coaching staff to go into schools and talk in assemblies about the club and maybe even run some coaching sessions.
    9 points
  47. According to my parents my first game watching Salford at the Willows was in 1946 and I am still a fan some seventy eight years later along with all the family and some friends. I can’t remember who we were playing but I do remember the hot potatoes when it was cold and Lucketties ice cream on the warm days and my dad used to say that Albert Lucketti the ice cream man was faster than any of the players if he could see a sale along the touch line.
    9 points
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