gogledd
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Posts posted by gogledd
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8 hours ago, Barley Mow said:
Most of the things you mention are disruptive, off-putting and not ideal for fans. You could see them putting people off a return visit in future, but are the type of thing that you get from time to time at the occasional ground. Hopefully they can be addressed.
The thing that sticks out to me is the visiting club's team bus being charged to park at the ground. I know the operational rules require there to be parking set aside for the team bus and X number of the visiting club's officials, but am not sure if it specifies that this is to be free of charge. Do you know if this was the case when NWC visited for the regular season game against Doncaster? I don't know if this is something that happens at many clubs, but it really surprised me.
I can't remember it happening to our supporters bus before but from memory I think previously we got dropped off and our coach driver went elsewhere to park then we phoned him once we were ready to leave.
I've driven a 17-seater minibus there before with North Wales Cru fans, 4 of them with mobility problems, one was well into his 80's. Even though I had a blue badge for the vehicle I was asked for £10 to park in a disability parking space! I refused, dropped off my passengers, parked elsewhere and returned to collect everyone after the game. I did write to Doncaster RLFC regarding this and was told it was the policy of the then Keepmoat Stadium management
We had a similar issue at Oldhams Boundary Park ground at the play-off earlier this month. We were again charged £20 for the Supporter Club bus....It seems like football stadiums like to add on charges for visiting fans.
At Midlands Hurricanes new venue, The Alexandra Stadium, fans were asked to pay an additional £5 to go into the post-match bar. Guess what? we all got on the bus and spent our money in our local on our return....so perhaps its not just football clubs who are greedy.
These policies, in my view lose revenue for the venues. It might not be a lot of money, but it doesn't sit well with the fans, who vote with their feet and go elsewhere rather than putting money behind the bar. I have to say that most clubs run by and on behalf of rugby league clubs are usually welcoming and appreciate supporters spending their cash in the ground.
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8 hours ago, robt said:
I'll pass those on to the relevant people, our fan/club engagement group meets soon, so they'll pass these on, I know the issue with the bar has been going on all season, and is something that needs looking at.
From a personal point of view, I've never had an issue with the North Wales fans, yeah, you can be boisterous, but, thats the nature of your support. I'd much rather deal with you guys, than some other groups of fans I've experienced.
Anyway, I don't want to take away from what was a good game, despite the low score, and hope you guys have a great season next year.
Appreciate you passing my comments on. I've passed them on to the fella that runs your Facebook page (Darryl). I've also completed the feedback form I received from the Stadium and encouraged our fans to do the same. Finally I've written a formal complaint about one particular, confrontational and aggressive steward to the Eco-Power stadium. Whether they do anything about it is another matter. Hopefully they take complaints from customers seriously
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2 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:
How about tidying it up a bit:
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North division (4 teams)
Newcastle, Barrow, Workington, Whitehaven
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West division (5 teams)
Widnes, Swindon, Oldham, Rochdale, North Wales
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Central division (5 teams)
Bradford, Halifax, Keighley, Sheffield, Doncaster
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East division (5 teams)
Wakefield, Dewsbury, Batley, Hunslet, York
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South division (4 teams)
Toulouse, London, Midlands Hurricanes, Cornwall
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OK. I'll ask. Who play who...and how many times? Or in other words how many home games would each team get to make sustainable season?
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Can I add my congratulations to Doncaster on the win at the Eco-Power Stadium yesterday. It was a great atmosphere, with lots of noise, colour and entertainement. I thought we fared well and at 8 - 0 at half time our fans were still confident that our lads could do it; we'd come from behind before and won, and it was close as could be. The Doncaster defence was incredible, no matter how we tried it took us until after 70 minutes to break through. It was settles by a really good Donny try at the end and I thought the score genuinely reflected the game. Very best wishes to the Doncaster players and staff for next season and a huge thanks to the fans that came over at the end of the game to wish us well and a safe journey home.
A few things for the Donny fans to take up with the Doncaster Stadium management for next season:
1. Charging a team bus and a supporters club bus £20 each to park is incredibly stupid. Our fans chose to drink on the Beefeater as they didn't feel that was the warmest of welcomes.
2. Over officious stewarding. We were approached aggressively from the get go; one steward had an atrocious attitude to our fans. A former police officer heard one steward say "this lot looks like trouble!" We're probably the friendliest bunch of fans you're likely to meet! The same steward even took a grapefruit-sized beachball of one of the junior players, who had played in the warm up. He actually grabbed one of our fans by the throat while hugging Carl Forster post-match. I'll be forwarding a formal complaint. I recognise this isn't stewarding organised by Doncaster RLFC but they do need to be aware of how fans are respected and treated by the current staff.
3. Members bar. £5 to get in the post-match area then pay a fiver a pint needs addressing. Again, a stadium management decision that needs changing.
That aside overall we had a fantastic day out and appreciate the plaudits the Club received in person and on social media.
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Imagine your team had only 9 home games, and someone f**ked up and 7 of those home games were played at other stadia. Imagine you lost the first 7 games of the season and half your team was injured and you never played with the same 1, 6, 7 and 9 for weeks on end. Imagine some how, by some amazing twist of fate your team end up in a play-off situation, and you win...then you win again.....then you win for a third time and end up in a play-off final with a chance to get promotion to the league above.ay
Just imagine being a North Wales Crusaders supporter...You'd definitely have Fear OF Missing Out.
Ive missed two games this season, home and away....I've even cycled to Thatto Heath, Rochdale, Midlands Hurricanes and.....Cornwall ( as well as Chester, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay).
I'm definitely watching....and hoping for one more win on Sunday!
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55 minutes ago, Rene_Artois said:
I'm keenly awaiting the squad announcement tomorrow. I've no reason to believe there'll be any surprises and there's unlikely to be any additions that aren't fully match fit. I think most Donny supporters would agree already on the 17 for Sunday. 2 possible changes, Corian for Taulapapa and Holdstock for Cooper. Misi's form over the last few weeks would suggest he'll keep his place. Alex's form similarly suggests he might step in.
No predictions for the score as it means far too much to speculate. We've got to win. Pressure is all on Dons.
All the pressure has been on all the teams wev'e beaten in the play-off so far...just sayin'
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27 minutes ago, weighman said:
Holdstock to return, if fit , replacing Foster.
Misi took a knock , if fit, should retain his position.
How many Cru fans will be travelling ?
We have a full supportes bus travelling from Wrexham and another traveliing from North West England. Best guess, 250ish.
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This will be the toughest of tough games for us.....but I've got a good feeling, and we did beat them at Chester. We've got a bunch of overexcited fans just waiting to make a whole lot of noise at Doncaster; I'm one of them!!...... North Wales Crusaders win
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5 minutes ago, fighting irish said:
Why?
Not really sure. Perhaps most of the prospective players were from the North West of England. Having said that it would have been nice to have trails based in Wales.
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Not Super League but a huge thank your to Rob Massam of North Wales Crusaders.
Rob unfortunately got taken off around the 60 minute mark at our play-off eliminator final at Hunslet for a head injury assessment - which he failed. This means that unfortunately he won't be able to play in the play-off final in Doncaster and having announced he was retiring Hunslet was his last game, after scoring his 178th try for Crusaders
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On 16/09/2023 at 19:44, welshmagpie said:
Wales U16s hold a trial day in the north of England annually, this year it had 26 attendees from memory.
If this was the one held in Chester, its in a location and pitch to attract players from across North Wales....however I have it on good authority that a venue was available in Bethesda and turned down by the WRL
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On 09/09/2023 at 06:11, Odsal Outlaw said:
Agree. So much momentum lost with wheelchair RL since the World Cup.
I hope for this game they put down a proper pitch like in the WC and its not just the normal sports hall floor.
I can only comment as the previous team manager of Wales Wheelchair RL. I was so disappointed that the RFL decided to remove North Wales Crusaders from the Wheelchair Super League. It meant that our teams dropped down to championship games wand were delivering blow out scores against much weaker opposition. It also meant our elite players weren't getting the high intensity games they need to compete at that level so NWC have lost players to Wigan and London Roosters already.
And even though North Wales Crusaders easily beat everyone in the Championship we're told that the Wheelchair Super League is for teams to be invited to play....and we're not invited!
Wales are currently ranked 3rd in the Wheelchair RL world rankings with much poorer finances and infrartucture that England or France..an amazing achievement considering our resources. North Wales Crusaders are one of the founding wheelchair clubs in the the UK and are getting royally shafted by the RFL.
Best of luck to both sets of players in the England v France game. If its anywhere as near as spectacular as the World Cup final it will be a great advert for Wheelchair RL
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2 hours ago, Hopie said:
How has a team that won only 7 regular season games out of 18 made the final? I'm genuinely curious to know.
Because we finished in 6th place,which is enough to get in the playoffs.....then beat, Workington away, Oldham away and Hunslet away. Its really that simple!
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On 15/09/2023 at 13:05, Pulga said:
I started playing at 33. My first ever game was 36°c and I copped a horrible crusher tackle where my forehead hit my groin.
Just finished my 5th season. Not sure if I'll go again. I'm playing with guys who's parents I went to school with.
You're a spring chicken....I'm in my fourth full season (had some gaps in between season 1 and season 2) age 64! Just back from a weekend in Ireland playing for Wales Masters. I absolutely love it.
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Like @fearnowt says following the collapse of Crusaders RL from superleague and getting a taste of rugby league in north Wales we wanted a club to follow. A lot of us campaigned to 'Save the Cru' and from then there was enough impetus to start again with a new Club in, what was then Championship 1. We had a steady first season and then went on to win the league with a 100% home record and win the Northern Rail bowl in the 2013 season. Promotion to Champoinship would have been more sustainable if the RFL hadn't moved the goalposts and demoted the bottom 5 clubs at the end of 2014. We'd spent big to stay in the Championship and financial problems followed. Every season since changes to the league status and structure hasn't helped. Amazingley the Club has held on through all their problems, but have still managed to produce a really successful Wheelchair Rugby League squad, a Womens team and host a range of mini Cru festivals this season. The best thing about standing with the Cru fans is the fun we have together, we love to sing, we love to cheer on our heroes and we always endeavour to represent the sport at its best. Long may it continue.
Whoever wins on Sunday, Crusaders have had a tremendous season, given all the problems we've faced this season alone
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Can North Wales do it again? South Leeds Stadium not normally a happy place for us but we have the momentum and Hunslet have all the pressure.
North Wales Crusaders win
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14 hours ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:
Go to the Oldham FB and website. The sequence before during and after has now been published. Decide for yourself.
I don't need to. The result was what mattered on the day. Whats done is done
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4 hours ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:
The two players sent off near the end of the game were cited for headbutting!! The review panel said that footage showed no headbutting motions occured and therefore no action needed'. What were the officials looking at?
I've watch the game back on the Sportsman on YouTube...my first question was why did either of them get involved. If you watch it again the two that were sent off were head to head and Baker does look like he moves his head towards Gibbons. In real time I can see why the ref cited them for headbutting....and anyway, they both deserved a sit down - pair of numpties!
I occasionally referee; just Masters RL and its easy to miss stuff or make a mistake. I think the ref had a decent game.
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14 hours ago, Northern Eel said:
Hopefully something we can aim for next year, now we’ve just got started! , …
Best of luck to you all. I hope to see you at Blackpool if not before at one of the other Masters Festivals.
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3 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:
Interesting looking at the Player of the Season nominees for League 1. I thought Dewsbury did well to hold on to Reiss Butterworth when they went down so not surprised he's one of the nominees, but 34-year-old Sam Smeaton, 37-year-old Martyn Ridyard, and 42-year-old Paul Sykes as the other nominees are perhaps a tribute to how well modern players are able to look after their bodies and prolong their careers, but do we think they are also perhaps a reflection on the current overall talent level at League 1? I'm only asking rather than stating this as a fact as I barely get to see any League 1 games.
I've seen all North Wales Crusaders games bar one. I also went to watch Rochdale vs Oldham in a week we weren't playing, so I got to see a lot of league 1 players. Paul Sykes was excellent against us and ran the game seemingly without breaking sweat, so he'd get my vote.
Theres no one from our team in the nominations but Carl Forster should have had a mention for coach of the year considering the challenges hes face having to play at 5 different home venues and still getting his team to the playoffs and Rob Massam, although not as prolific a scorer in years gone by, still performs to the high standards he sets himself and is an outstanding player.
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23 hours ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:
Oldham had three tries disallowed. This one, the ref said, was held up!!!!!
But the picture could be after the ref has blown his whistle and called held up...we dont when the picture was taken and at what stage of the decision making. I thought the ref had a good game to be fair. He put up with Ridyard and McNally carping at him all afternoon...I'm afraid my patience wouldn't have lasted that long!
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4 hours ago, fighting irish said:
And is it in Blackpool again?
Oh yes...
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On 10/09/2023 at 20:39, Billy King's Boots said:
A rugby team coached by Mike Ford couldn't find a drop goal when it mattered.
Ouch!! Possibly because Ridyard spent all game spouting off at the ref....rather than concentrating on kicking the DG
Sun 24th Sept: The Betfred League One Promotion Final: Doncaster v North Wales Crusaders KO 15:00
in The General Rugby League Forum
Posted
Appreciate all the responses and amazing comments our fans have received from Doncaster fans. I'd like to emphasise our beef is with Doncaster stadium management and certainly not with Doncaster fans or their Club. All the very best for next season..and hopefully we can join you in the Championship at the end of 2024.