redjonn

could look at it another way... pay a pittance to the up and coming youngsters expecting them to stay around to be be coached to improve. We as in SL tend to use the young academy players as fill in... not guiding and manging their exposure whilst improving them through coaching at a higher level. It seems to me we just want a fair number of academy players as just temporary make weights. Its not surprising so many move on/out

I'm not against SL going to ten clubs, but I don't agree with some views that their are only a few strong teams. Yes only a few have won silverware but that's no different than soccer. From my perspective we have x5 relatively strong financial clubs that could go beyond the salary cap. On top of that we have Hull FC whom could be added, we have Castleford who ignoring this Covid year are very competitive to any of the clubs. We have Hull KR building well and Huddersfield. To me we have seven to nine competitive clubs, that's a fair percentage of the current 12 and even more so if 10 clubs. All-be-it only a few have won silverware. That's no different than soccer whom have gone from top 4, to top 6 and now top 8 over the decade or so, with only x3 or x4 winning the main prize.. Yep, I think the standard on the field could be improved but that to me is a salary cap issue. Either unable to keep the "best" for longer o attracting higher standard as well as playing a good sum to young players coming through as an incentive to stay in the sport and improve - don't think I would be highly incentivised to stay in SL if a young inexperienced player to maintain the focus on improving if getting relative pitiful money. Not surprised we lose so many, given themselves a chance to reach peak performance.

maybe, but their was and continues huge demand for soccer grounds attendance. So that doing Monday isn't a big hit due to that demand. We have never had such demand so it is/was more risky to ground attendance. Don't blame Sky for wanting to fill its schedules but RFL/SL for allowing non of its own control over prime fixtures. Although I recognise that may have been difficult given need for money, short term v mid to longer term impact.

Yep, agree as per my comment on the family section of stand at Headingly the other day. Look forward to the cricket approach... without the blazer and tie

Agree in general, but the flip side our enjoyment was spoiled the other day at Headingly having a bunch of drunks sitting behind... all thinking their comments funny but in essence abusive, balancing drinks that spilled as they moved and went back for more... My family often don't attend much saying such is a factor, especially for the little un's. It is/was good that Headingly had a family stand section... Always seems to me for some and seems to me drinks is the only factor getting them their. Never-the-less the above are a minority and the social drinking is a key part of my enjoyment normally. I just don't impose any drunken behaviour on others. I guess it comes down to stewarding, like a barman of old who knows when somebody is going to be a pain in the backside.

Probably the only pass he got off his centre Newman... have to say for all the hype he is a centre that doesn't like to pass... he would rather come back inside... practically every time..

I assume except those playing in the internationals... or does he mean a window and no games so they can all rest... seems odd if only a sub set can rest but not the others as it would not be from a health perspective.

no vision - often the problem isn't a vision, its given were you are and how best to get their. That means some pragmatic steps. Most of which upset many...

chuckle - looked as if they are really enjoying themselves. Liked some of the flamboyant diving tries... Beach RL, why not. Whatever innovative new concept all you need to do is keep a backward pass and a simple restart rather than a faffing PTB with opposition players having to be square - just have them having to return to defending line and the attacking player having to touch with foot and pass.... then it can be a fast paced short game. The rest is about what you build around the play on the field to make a compelling product.

I agree, in the short term it doesn't provide an answer. In the long term it will do better I think than the current ideology in the sport that we seem stuck with. In the short term, going down to 10 clubs as a sort of holding pattern with a view to growing again after a period for me is as good a restarting point as anything I've seen or can think of. Despite many peoples reaction to it. For me it is a pragmatic solution.

The idea a alternative competition aimed to attract new fan base and excite the existing of itself is a good idea - especially following the example of the cricket. Although many have been saying similar in this forum for years but if it takes another sport to show what can be done and we copy that's fine Pity we don't have the innovation the sport use to have to do something before the rest. Anyway whilst not clear why 8 players I like the name Lightening Rugby as a start and the discussion as to try and achieve something. The number exact number of players is immaterial. Key is coming up with a format then the number of players. A format that can be marketed appropriate and to be exciting and sufficient different. Of course have to come up with a set of rules that help achieve that fast based game...try's only game, limit number of tacklers, no need for PTB just a foot touch to restart... whatever, whatever, whatever... The focus on the number of players just to make wider spaces wouldn't be my starting point, my start would be the format and rules, then the number.

not in the short term for sure... but it might have enabled those clubs to keep the stars coming through or attract back the stars that have left. That in itself may help in the long term to improve standards, initially within those few clubs but then further down if it brings increased media and sponsorship money. As I've said before its an ideology issue... constraining the stronger clubs to the level of the weakest in the hope more even games versus allowing the few elite clubs to drive the sport in the field from which increased interest arises and eventually benefits other clubs. Of course now we can't afford to wait for the long term benefit that in my opinion is likely to accrue, whereas we may have been able to with the previous sky broadcast deals.

Hope you get inspiration to keep the enthusiasm going...

I still enjoy going to attend games. No difference than yesteryear... Through this blog you probably get to know more about wider issues that I would not do otherwise. Then again when people say the sport isn't being run well it often means not as per what I think they should be doing. Whether their idea's are sound or not and often worst than what may be happening. I divorce myself from what I think is best, recognising I don't have any detail, and accept the administration of the sport try to do their best. Often not as good as could be but then pay a decent wedge and you would only have people on here moaning about paying too much. As I say I try to divorce what's happening administration wise with my enjoyment with whats happening on the park. If I only went by what I read in this forum or by RL media I think I would have stop going years ago, I enjoy the socialising at the game and watching the game...

his mate as I read it says why not concentrate on creating more of those 5 clubs... so not a five team league. Anyway just using it as a Segue way into the conversation in comparing how our sport limits the financial strong with salary cap and its long term consequences. For me premiership football over the last couple of decades has had x4 clubs, then x5 now x6 and starting to increase maybe to 8 big clubs... it is those x4, then x5, etc that has created the money windfall that all other clubs benefit from. They kept an elitist system that has eventually trickled down monies to all and sundry. Such that all Premiership teams are full of internationals and many championship clubs also. The number of big clubs increasing all-be-it slowly as their financial opportunities increase through the success of the league through those clubs. We on the other hand curtail the possibility of the more elite as in financially strong clubs capitalising on their clubs finances. In order to have a laughable salary cap to suit the weakest. Look what that has achieved in comparison. OK I know football is far different in what opportunities they have but its worth looking at some aspects. They for sure don't worry that its the same side winning the premiership... In last 2o years only 6 teams have won it... and of that 6 two only once... so x4 clubs have dominated winning the title. Yep lots aspects to consider from salary cap, pathways, internationals, etc etc but the difference in ideology hasn't helped our sport.

Picked up chess again - all be it against computer. oh also... talking loudly to the wall... on the hope I'll get more sense out of it than I do myself

of course we should be stamping out any racial abuse.... but to be frank I find the general level of verbal abuse at games offensive. We just seem to ignore it and as such its taken as acceptable. Especially as we in general like to portray it as family friendly. For a drunken idiot or someone that way inclined its only another step to adding racial aspects to it without that person really thinking of what he is saying.

sure he is but he broke the RFL sports covid protocol - totally disregard. Nice of him to have his phots taken with the paying public for sure... not we regard to the overall covid risks to the sport.

chuckle... yep although Hull too, it is endemic in our sport nowadays. Use to be just the hookers being a pain waving for infringements at every PTB now its every ruddy player... and while I'm on it... the water boy coach as well as for some teams. notable Warrington, he is always on the pitch pointing to players where they should be or running...

The key is the broadcasters and sponsors... I mean as for potential fans anybody I speak too outside of my RL circle didn't and haven't a clue their was to be a RLWC. So it won't impact the potential non RL sporting fan base. Although I know the competition of other sports will be a factor but could as said before be something we could use to advantage.

it would be anyway in by far the majority of media... even now and no football at all except friendlies, Its going to be hard but a good marketing organisation and able to fully utilise all the digital/social media can make a difference... with the right sort of programme and lead in. Of course that would require extra investment so don't know if can be afforded.

well yes but it could be an opportunity. In that lots of focus on sport and sporting events... so the public appetite should be increased following all the publicity around sporting events of one type or another. A good opportunity to sell to a "wetted appetite"... Grab the opportunity on the back of the sporting awareness or just give up and say we are doomed...

Too be honest I never understand that their isn't enough quality.... unless the SL academies are not doing a good enough job. Every year their is X new players coming through, so every year times that X is a number of players that can be further coached... that's a fair number after so many years... Seems to me the less SL clubs we have must mean more academy SL players are discarded from SL... or are just fillers in a large squad not getting paid much nor coached extensively until they can be swapped out with more low paid academy players... Its all nuts to me...

plus the hysterics of the crowd... at one stage every single call the Hull crowd were screaming at a non decision... Yep I get it sometimes crowds screaming off side as in instinct, because no way most of the crowd are looking at the line or if the ref is actually standing the correct distance as distinct from a little further back than the wo line... but to scream at every non decision just made me think what a crowd of -----------.... if your hoping to influence the ref have to be more selective...

I tend to agree with you but have doubts about the semi double header. I always see that as admittance of failure to attract a large enough gate for each game. Far better for me if we had two semi's, packed out and on different weekend days on the BBC/FTA and hence potential of different audiences too. Having the joint semi is pragmatic to the issue of being unable to attract large number of fans to each CC semi's. That in itself says a lot.