RP London

for me there is a little bit of chicken and egg in this.. I would pay more money for a better quality shirt that will last, but for that too i dont want it to date in terms of the design. So keep a similar/same design year on year and "build a brand" but also get better quality stuff which means i'd be more happy to part with the cash knowing that it will last (both in build quality and design). At the moment you know it will only last 1 year, do I want to spend "top dollar" on a shirt that lasts "in style" about a year no matter how much i like the design it is obvious to all who support the team/sport that it is "last years shirt" within 1 year. Therefore the quality of the actual merch suffers as people arent prepared to spend the money. Personally I understand the latter but prefer the former and think there is more long term gain in it for all concerned.

I would expect so because who knows the things that can happen between now and then. Shortages of materials, covid lockdowns etc. However, if all goes to plan it should be ready. Its coming along well.

you would think they would but i'm not betting the house on anything at the moment knowing how RL clubs can look at things!

That would probably be the only way to do it I would guess, but you would be adding fixtures to their season which may be fine but may not.. that would be a question for those clubs really about player welfare and how long a season can be etc.

Problem of that though is that the teams from the champ or league 1 (which could happen depending on how the draw falls) will have quite a few extra matches to play which could really hamper their league ambitions which, in the end, is where the money is. Also fitting in loads more games into their shorter season. So somehow you are going to have to deal with that as a potential issue. I dont mind it as an idea but just see this as quite a big stumbling block.. personally I would bring in Super league teams a couple of rounds earlier.

Just to update.. managed to pull my finger out and organise this and the training session is booked for the 21st... really looking forward to it, so far the response from the parents has been fantastic and think the lads are looking forward to it. Something a bit different for the kids and a break from the normal coaching which will be great for them i'm sure.

To be fair the obstruction rule has been needed to be looked at for years. some of the dissallowed tries get ridiculous when defenders have made their own massive error of judgement but get away with it. However, again we have to get them tuning in first or turning up at the game first, which is something I dont think we do enough.. not saying we shouldnt do it, but just that its shuffling deck chairs on the titanic if you dont radically fix the way the game is pushed or the fact there is no international calendar.. (sorry just wanted to get that off my chest again)

On your last point.. i'm going to bring up my hobby horse.. INTERNATIONALS.. a nice big calendar that is planned in advance and with terrestrial tv on board etc etc.. Club games are great and you want them on but anyone who isnt from or doesnt have ties to those towns struggles to invest in the game, watching as a neutral means a dull game turns you off, if you side with a team that doesnt happen so much. If you are already into the game then you may start to decide to take a side on to support etc. However, this all starts IMHO with international matches grabbing the attention. For the most part everyone will have "skin in the game" on this.. they'll either support one team, or they hate that country and support the other.. Its an easy buy in and because of that a more tedious game is forgiven because you are invested in the result.. that is not the same for club matches.. yes the exposure is ok but honestly i dont think it is the right exposure.. and the game can fix this relatively easily, we have seen in the past that if you put internationals on then the BBC will show them, they may not pay what you want (england v samoa a few years back) but if it was regular fixtures I am pretty confident that would change.

cornwall should fit right into the RL pyramid then... another team people can moan about not bringing away fans..

In terms of the Knock on debate and debate around the rules: Knock-ons.... a few years back they had the "free play" after the knock on.. this was advantage +.. personally I quite liked it but it met with a very hostile reaction from the crowds and on this board. If the ball goes backwards from the hand it is fine, whether it hits the floor or not, we can see that when you listen to the Video Ref looking at tries "it hit his hand but it went backwards" is often said.. Honestly if they just applied the rules as they are written all would be ok. I would have a longer advantage but to compare to Union some of their advantage is ludicrous. Players need to clear the Ruck quicker I agree. that would make a big difference. Playing the ball with the foot would be great but quite honestly it is utterly irrelevant to the game whether it touches the foot or not.. it is just another thing in a list of things that have been forgotten. On another note we talk of our exposure we talk of good games etc.. above people have said about if you like it you watch it and exposure to good games... On BBC TV this year how many games were there.. free to air? probably less than 10 at a real guess... when is the highlights show and how good is it?? those are the keys.. The NFL has made great strides in the UK and that is dull to watch a full match (I enjoy it on a sunday night as I can read my book and watch it at the same time.. ffs that tells you everything you need to know).. the highlights package and pre weekend show on the BBC though are excellent.. even as an RL fan i find the RL highlights show a bit dull due, often, to the "experts" they have on. Highlights shows have to be good, and accessible. We need more international games that allow the none initiated to watch and have "skin in the game". A few Super League games on too would be great (sounds like that may be possible with the new deal).. if we can get all that then it will grow in the consciousness of the country. Look whats happened to womens football in the last 5-10 years (yes i know there is more to it than just coverage but its a major part of it). The game is exciting, it is a good, physical game. Apply the rules as they are written and all will be well.

i'd forgotten that one... cant wait to see what you come up with next from your "utter fantasy.. will never work" pile.. maybe go to the RLIF board meeting and ask for "a well thought out and planned in advance calendar".. that should get some chuckles..

I'm starting to think you just went to board meetings to rile everyone up with your ideas that you should spend money on marketing and come together as a group of clubs to make more money from merchandising than you do as individual clubs.. i mean your just an antagonist that hasnt got anything constructive to add arent you...

Did you also point out that if it wasnt for the evil BBC forcing this rubbish onto us through putting it on the telebox when no one wants to see it then you wouldnt have been there at all?

To be fair.. they cant be aiming to get people to walk into a JL store because they've shut most of the damn things! (yours disgruntled of Sheffield)

I had a coffee meeting with the new DO a few months ago which ended up lasting nearly 2 hours as we chatted about all sorts... she is really enthusiastic about what is happening and what the plans will be to develop schools, clubs, the womens game and the wheelchair game within the Eagles. I came away massively enthused by the plans and, got to say, quite excited about the future. I am hoping to get them to do a couple of sessions at my boys RU club as they can teach union players a lot in terms of defence and ball handling but also it helps cement the knowledge of them to the kids and there is rugby to go an watch on the doorstep. Its down to my inability to pull my finger out due to work being hectic that I havent got anything arranged (and we are now into matches on the weekend!). IF (and its a big IF) Eagles can get this up and running then i can see a really nice club coming together that can start to move the game (in all its aspects) forward in the city.

I'd say coote is wearing the wrong size generally as it looks a bit bag on him all over.. My Eagles and England shirts both fit really well as does my England 1/4 zip top.. the Hummel England shirt on the other hand was woeful..

you misspelt the last word... its an "i" instead of the "an'"

of course not.. the roof would be optional but desirable. I do get frustrated when a new team pops up with the general black or white nature of a lot of the arguments. This is a good thing, more people wanting to play and watch Rugby League. It will have its challenges but then so does anything. IF It works it will be great for the game, if it does not work then it will be added to the long list. The problem for me is that the clubs voted to not allow a "Manchester club" into the club because it was too close to other competitors. But then if we go further a field then its too far so dont let the clubs decide on who is allowed in and who isnt as they will do that on self interest obviously (and i dont blame them). The RFL need to come up with a plan of how this is all going to work and how its all going to come together.. lets call it a 3-5 year plan and a 10 year plan that work in harmony, you know, like a business would... madness i know.. At that point we can all understand where this is coming from. Cornwall may well be a great idea and work fantastically well but it does smack a little of someone having an idea and some cash so lets just chuck it in and hope for the best. I hope I am wrong though and it is more like Newcastle which seemed to have a plan for the future right from the start.. if that is a case then Cornwall will work well IMHO. As GJ has said before 20 years ago we had what seemed like a plan for the rest of the country and for bringing clubs through the system.. I played in it and it was great NL3 was a good idea poorly executed IMHO, the RLC and everything that went with it worked really well but the impetus seems to have gone from it when the funding for DOs disappeared.. We seemed to have a joined up plan but we dont seem to have that now and IMHO thats where a large part of the frustration with "new clubs" is coming from. Good luck to Cornwall.. I love and always push expansion and i hope it works. I just wish the RFL would be as passionate as many on here (including GJ) are about expansion and back it with a plan (not asking for loads of cash BTW but a plan would be a good start.. from that we may even see outside investment to help it.. heaven forbid!)

to be fair i've been a fan for longer than i dare to remember, played the game winter and summer and I still wouldnt want to go to an away match at Wakefield on a Thursday night

Also watch Titletown High on Netflix... the way that people get themselves so heavily involved it to the points they do (money and shady dealings) is quite amazing!

Top league of BAFA is an alright standard but I dont think they get spectator numbers. The Sheffield Giants are moving into the Olympic Legacy Park next year but thats more to do with it being an artificial pitch rather than needing room for spectators. Looking at the website it looks very NARL like in terms of setting it up without the governing bodies backing, needing investors etc.. With very little crowd level the money isnt there for a fully pro league. I cannot see where these numbers are coming from... yes loads of people watch it on sky (i'm one of them) but i watch it because i can read my book while having it on in the background, I enjoy the highlights shows because they are interesting (RL can learn so much from Osi and J Bell), people go to the spurs stadium to watch as its an "experience" (more that RL could learn) not just for the game.. As an investor i would need A LOT of convincing about those numbers being converted to regular bums on seats.

Exactly, we don't show sports like water polo or handball on TV over here not even when it's on at the Olympics.. does that say those sports are in major trouble? No.. just that we aren't interested in them en masse

Totally agree.. oxen stuff just delivered, amazing service as didn’t pay for next day.. fits well, slightly smaller than some, if you are close to the top end of a size bracket go up I would say but as a large it fits fine for me (I’m pretty much an average large, as in I always buy a large never an xl or medium)

My eagles shirt is a good fit, normal sizing, maybe a little tighter but nothing major. Better than hummel I would say, my himmel England shirt is a terrible fit