Maximus Decimus

When was the last post that you didn't mention the words 'sugar daddy?' This post is the usual nonsense and still people don't quite get that's it's not all about on the pitch any more. If it was we would have a totally different situation. Widnes have played by the rules and are far ahead in all aspects except for on the pitch. We saved our worst performance in over 4 years for yesterday. That's no reason to say we should suddenly be in Super League.

Despite Wigan winning the league I think most people still think that the jury is out on them when it comes to big games. Personally and I hate to say it, but I think Wire are the strongest team on their day and have the confidence of a victory at Wigan and battering the current champions in the Challenge Cup.

It does have a charm in the same way that most of the old stadia do, but it's only for reasons of nostalgia. It's like going to the rugby used to be. It's nice once in a while, but my over-riding feeling coming into the ground was that it showed exactly why we have licensing criteria in the first place. The place and places like it couldn't and shouldn't be hosting top level modern RL. The views are rubbish, the facilities are poor and it makes it difficult to bring new fans to the sport.

I think the club are too honest. Most people I was with couldn't get over how cheap the food was, even if the quality's not the best.

Today was my first visit to Craven Park and it's safe to say it's nowhere near Super League standard, so that is a massive barrier. That said if they did have a better stadium they probably have potential because that stadium must stop a lot of fans from coming.

Barrow were good today. Started like they looked low on confidence though. As soon as Widnes' ineptitude gave them a couple of tries they were off and we probably did well to keep them to 38 in the end. I got the feeling had we scored first Barrow's heads might have dropped but we wouldn't have scored in 2 games today. Disappointed but hey thanks to licensing it's not the end of the world, in fact it doesn't matter much at all! Thanks RFL for taking the highs and the lows out the game!

How predictable from Barrow's number one mental case. We're a charitible bunch in Widnes and thought we'd give Barrow their confidence back, which we did with some style. Oh and Rooney did play. Talking of dreaming, if you think that stadiums ever getting anywhere near SL you're living in a dreamworld. It makes Wakey look like Old Trafford.

I think the ref got it right. In most circumstances 2 yellows would have sufficed but I think the fact that Bailey wasn't fighting back and Radford looked like he had no desire to stop left the referee with no choice. I'm not condoning Bailey for one second, and a fight is a fight but beating somebody up is bordering on assault.

Ah right I thought Hull-Leeds was a straight fight for 4th vs 5th.

Why do 5th play 7th and 6th play 8th? Surely this means that finishing 6th is better than 5th?

Looking at another thread I actually feel quite guilty. We've torn whole families and communities apart by bringing our sport to this North Welsh enclave. The question of whether to go follow the Crusaders to Huddersfield or to stay loyal to Wrexham who are playing at same time, could cause a civil war in Wrexham.

I see what you're saying but in my opinion there is a difference. A fight is one thing and whilst what Bailey did was bad, he was trying to get him off so that he could get up. Radford was hitting somebody who wasn't hitting back. I'm not against fighting in the game and I'm glad we're nowhere near Football where you get sent off for standing within 2 metres of another player, but as a sport we can't condone thuggery like that.

Bailey is an idiot and should be nowhere near the England side. However yesterday I think the ref got it right. Bailey elbowed Radford but Radford punched a man who wasn't punching back. That's pretty cowardly.

I can't see how anyone would drop Cas over Wakey I'm afraid.

http://www.redpassion.co.uk/forums/crusade...playoffs-3.html My favourite quote is, "I love football but this game is something else."

This weekend has been one of the best weekends of RL for ages. Kicked off with Sheffield and Leigh playing a dramatic, thrilling game on TV. Today had 2 superb, controversial, exciting until the end, matches with massive crowds with a finish that will go down in history. Then you have an expansion club winning in front of a decent crowd in another dramatic game to make the playoffs for the first time. Add in 60,000 fans so far and you've got a blinder. Unfortunately it will end with probably the least anticipated game of Super League history (Salford vs Wakey) but you can't have everything!

Decent balance there I'd say.

I'd second that. Well done Cru, hopefully you get some good publicity from it across Wales.

What a brilliant RL moment. Well done Keiron.

24-24 Sounds like a cracker.

Awesome. BBC4 has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Monday is gonna be superb. What do they mean by 'The game that got away?'

We always seem to be a few years behind the NRL. I wouldn't say 8 years but the game does seem more like an NRL game did a few years ago. The positive and I've been saying it for a while now, is that the NRL seems to have moved to a more skills based game again. Whenever I see it and I watch a lot of the highlights, the tries are often sensational.

Agreed, I've said this before. In places like Widnes, St Helens, Warrington, Wigan, Featherstone, Castleford etc etc it's the rugby club that gives the town it's heart and soul. Without it, all your left with is Runcorn....

I agree. I still think Leeds should have more common sense, seeing as though they only ever clash with one other clubs colours but the RFL should have seen it coming. Wendall even posted about it a few days after the semi finals so it's not like nobody realised it. You could see the difference most of the time but there was the odd occasion from an up and under where it was difficult to see. It was disappointing when reading Twitter to find it was what most people were commenting on, meaning they'd notice that rather than the game. Although it was probably for the best seeing the quality of the game... Actually on a separate point, from reading Twitter it was quite disheartening to see how many people hate RL and feel the need to comment on it when it's on national TV.

So we have a Blue and Amber kit and a Blue and Amber kit. Great! Both kits manage to clash with the only team that they would clash with.