JohnM

Well done, Leigh. Clearly better then us in more or less every on-field department.

This has been covered somewhere, multiple times in previous posts on this and other even longer and more ancient topics. On field performance depends on skill, ability, good players and managers, which in turn are dependent on money. By getting all the off field things right, clubs will be better able to increase their income and so afford decent coaches, decent players etc. so improving their on-field performance, which in turn will generate more money through improved gates etc. and contributing to the RFLs value proposition to broadcasters. It's just part of a virtuous circle and the RFL chose one of the best possible expert specialists in this field to provide a really degree of quantification.

The VR last night certainly seemed much slower, more deliberate, more detailed than ever. Maybe instead of his boring voice, there should be "music on hold" . And puleeze, give up saying "I have made my decision".

Is it reasonable to assume that the inordinately long time spent by the video ref examining each referral was because of fear of repeating last weeks performance? TBH I thought that the game was not really that bad, despite the commentary team sucking any joy out of their coverage. This is where I feel that the NRL commentators do better. They seem more dynamic, injecting more excitement. We need a much more dynamic approach if we are to retain casual viewers converting them into fans.

Ah! the New RFL, aka The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.....

I prefer my idea of playing both cup semi finals at the same time on one pitch. So, for example, Saints Vs Wigan and Hull FC vs Hull KR. one set of match officials each. Just don't tell the New Regime, they'll probably go for it.

I'm in agreement with that conclusion, based on the different competences and freedom from conflicts of interest required to run a whole sport compared with those required to run a club.

You mean like Altringham, Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bradford FC,Broughton Rangers, Carlisle City, Heckmondwike Holbeck, Kent Invicta/Southend Invicta, Lancaster, Leigh, Liverpool City, Manningham, ........Runcorn, Streatham and Mitcham, Prescot Panthers, Celtic de Paris, PSG, Abedare RLFC, Ebbw Vale RLFC, Merthyr Tydfil RLFC........

No no no no no no nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I understand that getting more fans through the turnstiles means more gross revenue. 1000 extra fans, average entry price (mix of full price, concessions) £20 over say 13 home games = £230,000 per season gross, but significantly less nett after costs....or even adding to a clubs losses. Its up to each individual club to work on that. In 2025 surely the battle is about TV rights and that's the job of SuperLeague/RL Commercial/RFL to drive. That's one of the things IMG were brought in to consult on. Somehow, I've a feeling that they might be better at it than rugby leagues answer to the Power of Parker.

Everything that is happening, that is going on etc is entirely the clubs own fault. Instead of falling for the old "double glazing will save you money" line, the clubs should have stuck with what they had already agreed... "Re-imagining Rugby League"

SuperLeague with two or more of Bradford, Oldham, Batley, Featherstone, York even, (at the expense of Salford?) to make it up to 14 sounds like we've given up, shrunk the boundaries and told the world that rugby league is a northern sport for northern people. At least with London and Toulouse in, there is some indication that we've broadened our horizons at least a lttle.

all hell's going to break loose, isn't it? I doubt it. This lot have shown that they pay scant regards to the rules when they put Wood into a position in contravention of Sport England rules.

"Smoke is mainly just the result of incomplete combustion, so it's actually a failure for fire to actually occur properly. Since incomplete combustion often occurs early in the process of an actual fire, people made an association which is not entirely accurate. So from a physics perspective, neither implies the other." Stolen

but as I say, cash ain’t coming without a nod from IMG It's not up to IMG, though. Especially with the new cleaner than clean, brighter than bright RFL, who have already decided that London will be in Super League.

From an original idea by N. Wood.

Are we sure they are coming? Some story saying they've not booked hotels yet, etc.

If the New Old Kids on the Block are going to try to get more money out of Sky, or to try to get a new TV partner, then they'll have to have enough cards in their hands. Sky will know exactly the value they are getting from their SuperLeague rights and if that value is trivial (subscriptions and ad revenue minus costs?) then they can just walk away from any quit threats from Wood . Of course, we don't know what money Sky make from SuperLeague so work needs doing there. So the RFL needs to work on a value proposition and although Wood is an accountant, maybe he needs help in creating the value proposition to put before Sky and it's competitors. If only I could find one to suggest. One that has a long term track record of success in multiple sports, across the whole world. I Must Get looking for one.

From the Beaumont Hetherington statement in League Express March 12th 2025. “The review will encompass the “whole of the game” and will solicit views from as wide a cross section as possible, engaging the views of all clubs, and to include those of our biggest assets, our partners and supporters." “It is aimed to have this work undertaken, for presentation to the RFL Council at the next scheduled meeting in July, when members will have their say on the best way forward. This is not intended to be a long drawn-out process but a prompt, transparent and effective one that delivers outcomes and produce results the game needs to achieve." It's July 1st tomorrow. Which fans have been asked for their views?

Watched Rod Stewart last night. Great show, with him, 80, Ronnie Wood 78, Lulu 76, Mick Hucknall 65.

Re the "leap of faith". I'd like to explain it in terms of "best practice" as identified by IMG because of their experience and track record across time, across geographies, across cultures and across sectors. This is something that the new RFL will never be able to match in any way if it kicks out IMG.

But I've not heard a single club express any praise or confidence in IMG in the last year to 18 months. if you were to rely on League Express content, then yes, you wouldn't have. In my day, we ancients had a saying, "Rome wasn't built lin a day." The equivalent in some rugby league circles is, "Where's that city you promised we'd all build together? After all, you've had all day to build it."

Perhaps he'd have been better saying, "Clearly I didn't agree with the ref and the video ref but I'm going to talk to the the RFL to try to understand why they reached that decision. I'm certainly not going to go into this in public, straight after the game."

Nigel Wood is tearing it up to get Bradford Bulls into SL. I firmly believe this was a condition of him taking the reins. All decided in beer-fumed back rooms somewhere sordid.

Saints, you say? Hmmmm... By the way, whatever hapened to Konrad Hurrell?