EastLondonMike

Think England have been pretty hit and miss. Doesn’t seem to be the right level of energy to me. Hopefully they can fix that up in the second half. Think Samoa will have their time with the ball on our line, so we’ll need to improve.

Stadia selection also plays into this. Leeds will have been selected because Leeds always traditionally support the International game compared to other RL areas, hire costs no doubt will have also been key - but Leeds as a stadium does not lend itself well to 'event' type games being staged there, as there is very little space (from my experience - limited though it is) to do anything worthwhile for fan engagement. I'd wager the first two points will have been much higher on the agenda for the RFL than fan experience. When you are not going to invest in making these games genuine events worth attending, i think it does beg the question - why are we doing it?

I think most of us on here know you have to make fans feel special, and that the event they are attending is worthwhile. We are so bad at this in RL. We rely on loyalty and habit so much, and have done for decades - if not always.

I think apathy towards the International game in general has a big part to play. With club games its an easier sell without much effort, as its habit with many, and part and parcel of a weekly routine. When the series was announced against Samoa I had every intention of travelling up from London for one of the games, as i did against Tonga, but as the series has approached, and with what feels like a lack of any real attempt to make the occasion special, I find myself just thinking "i'll watch it on TV instead" - and i think theres probably a few more fans out there that are thinking the same. The England v Tonga game at Leeds as a fan experience was dull and uneventful - it felt like it could have been a regular club game - I cant imagine the Samoa game will be much different. I don't think the team England are playing is the problem, its everything else.

I actually think the opposite to be honest. RL doesn't need those big names - Those big names will never promote RL through their association until RL is a big deal and translates beyond the confines of the sport itself, like Football does, and a number of US sports. What RL needs is to invest in people who have the knowledge and understanding on how to make their own product. And cut out the middle man. Go direct to source. Its happening in Football already in some cases, alongside the association with big brands resulting in a best of both worlds scenario for them. But RL doesn't have the pleasure of being able to do that. Such a thing is infinitely doable, with the right team of people.

I was just about to post similar. The license is held by the same company who did the Patrick kits. So no real shift, but, for the average man on the street the perception will be different, and could likely mean great sales for the club. And always nice to see a prominent brand associated with the game. Perception goes a long way.

Disappointing for Wardle. He's progressed nicely this season and would have been nice to see him in and England jersey (albeit a poorly designed one ). We seem to lack those stand out front row forwards we've always been blessed with, but still, the starting 13 will be strong enough.

Decent from VX3.

Classic Oxen. Just when you thought they might be getting better.

Some great names in there. Fish Eagles and Nigel Rabbitohs particular favourites. Said it a million times, but would love the game to take hold in south Africa. With all the talk of WCC and games in Vegas, I think SA should be a location to take games annually or maybe bi-annually.

On the phone to Mark Geyer on the best ways to loose your passport.

Stratford / London stadium never gets a lot of love but location wise its perfect. Plenty of space, plenty of bars/restaurants/shopping at nearby Westfield - plus the space the Olympic park offers pre and post match. But sadly as a stadium its not at all popular. I think the danger with the NRL playing a game in the UK is perhaps the knock off effect of how SL is perceived post game. If the NRL come over all waving flags and glitz etc etc, getting TV coverage and increased media coverage - how does that reflect on the UK game? Quite likely that the game over here is at a considerably lower level and cannot attract the same levels of interest - which its obviously is, and doesn't - though you wouldn't want that being openly portrayed. I can see two NRL teams playing each other over here pre-season - maybe in combination with another NRL team playing in the WCC. Maybe with shared costs a double header at a major non-heartlands stadium could be looked at. I think Cardiff could even be a good option in that respect. I think union fans in the UK are more likely to go and watch an NRL game than they are a SL one. And Cardiff could attract curious fans from south wales and SW England.

I cant get my head around this. Do other SL clubs pay for the opposition to travel to them? Genuinely. I assume they don't.

1st choice half backs for me would be Lewis and Williams. I think that would give us a great running threat on both sides of the pitch (assuming they play that way). Both have good kicking games and Lewis is still somewhat of an unknown for many on that side of the world. He'll surprise plenty with his strength, speed and abilities with ball in hand.

Assume he'll be removing himself from Origin selection also to focus on the Knights GF attempts. Press release no doubt coming tomorrow.