The Blues Ox
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Posts posted by The Blues Ox
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8 hours ago, The Future is League said:
Perhaps more needs to be done to encourge players to become match officials when they retire.
We had this with Jamie Bloem and it ended with him quitting reffing and claiming that he was told which teams to influence winning games by people above him.
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2 hours ago, DEANO said:
Had to laugh at the 2 clubs already promoted have been beaten this weekend
We have to remember this is the modern game where it means almost nothing what happens on the field.
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The big questions if the league does expand are obviously, where do the SL quality players come from to fill 2 more squads, and also who would be the 3rd team going up? Bradford and Toulouse would be nailed on and with Salford we have to presume getting the boot we would need another team. Could they just put London back in there? Other than something a bit leftfield like that you could throw a blanket over a number of teams and it would just be luck of the draw if it works or not.
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56 minutes ago, Damien said:
How?
They have at least one very rich investor pumping money in to them. They could comfortably give up the SL funding for the first season if it meant them getting in there.
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4 hours ago, gittinsfan said:
I have read a report that at least 2 Championship clubs are willing to form a SL league of 14 but will give up any central funding.If anyone thinks this is feasible I must be living on another planet.
I am assuming they think they will have a miserable season in the hope of a closed shop the season after.
I think Bradford could afford comfortably at least for the next 2 or 3 seasons.
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21 minutes ago, Pen-Y-Bont Crusader said:
Please elaborate ? I genuinely didn’t know about this?
In 2023 Bradford posted a number of attendances that were disproved on this forum with evidence. Obviously the Fax game stands out for me and I think the attendance was announced as around 4500 when there was not even 2k in the ground. This became a common theme through the rest of the season, I believe at some point it was also called out by a couple of Championship chairman. It is no surprise their attendance figures for corresponding figures over the following seasons became a bit more realistic.
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The experience he gained in faking Bradford's attendance figures 2 or 3 seasons back can only help when it comes to bodging numbers for the overall game.
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SATURDAY 28th JUNE
Widnes Vikings v Toulouse Olympique Toulouse by 16SUNDAY 29th JUNE
Barrow Raiders v Bradford Bulls Bradford by 10
Batley Bulldogs v Sheffield Eagles Draw
Halifax Panthers v Oldham Oldham by 16
Hunslet v London Broncos London by 12
York Knights v Featherstone Rovers I can't win with this one can I?
Regards Kear, I think hes perfect for Batley. His respect and contacts in the game, his ability to motivate players for a battle, and he probably is costing Batley next to nothing, makes him a good choice in my opinion. Its a tough ask for him as for the first time in many years they look a bit of a mess.-
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2 minutes ago, OldRedEyes said:
‘Backwards in relation to the ground’
The most used phrase this season went missing. Wrong call and it’s given Wakey a well needed rest
Hull KR player pulled it back towards the try line, never regained control and it touched the Wakey player. It really only needed one view not 20.
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One view to know that was not a try.
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Very good ref Aaryn, I remember having him ref some girls games a few years back and it was obvious he would end up at a high level so its great to see him reffing top end Championship and won't be long before he is taking on SL games. He's well fit as well apparently.
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I think in a couple of the cases its the players and coaches that are the problem, more so than the fans.
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2 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:
I do share the puzzlement of Fax fans at Eastmond still playing Woodburn-Hall at half back, I'd certainly say as an opposing fan that Jouffret (injured or just not selected?) at half and WH at full back would worry me a lot more than WH and Hansen at half. Caleb Aekins is exactly the same, he can fill in adequately at half but he's miles better at 1.
I think enough people see it now that it becomes a bit of stubborness. Jouffret fit to play last 2 weeks and he has to be in the team infront of Hansen every single week.
1 hour ago, Fevrover said:It's clearly says in the scores that the last try WAS a try
, good contest and for long periods good backing from Fax fans - and THAT drum 
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Nope not having it, in true Fax fashion, I am claiming the moral high ground on that decision and calling it a 10 point win.
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3 hours ago, RigbyLuger said:
What are they bickering over?
Reading the Illingworth and Fax statements, it seems Fax had 14 players available to Illingworths 16 and refused to play the game but then also refused to look for another date and just took the 40-0, or what ever it is now, loss. I think part of the gripe is the late decision and with the fact that Fax played Friday night it may have been a good crowd and a bit of a money earner for Illingworth. Trying to be as impartial as possible, but it seems poor form by Fax who stated player welfare in their announcement. I may be wrong but I think Fax played a team from over the pennines last season who turned up with 11 and then dropped to 9 with the game eventually been abandoned all the time with Fax refusing to drop numbers from 13. I guess in typical RL fashion it is player welfare when it suits.
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Sounds like its been an eventful week in League 1 with Fryston unable to raise a team for their trip to Workington due to Fev U19's having a game which subsequently got cancelled as they were also unable to raise a team but with Fryston players already making plans they were still unable to raise a team to complete the fixture.
Also a spat between my two local teams after Halifax forfeited their game against local rivals Illingworth at the last minute and refused to rearrange the fixture. It could be tasty if the second game goes ahead after the bickering on socials.
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1 hour ago, Chrispmartha said:
Seems daft declining the kick, just take a quick drop goal attempt then the clock would stop afterwards. Thats of you can do a DG for a conversion? Im sure ive seen it done in the past?
I wonder too. I asked a similar question to an official a couple of weeks back to see if you could still place kick or drop kick for touch and was told it now has to be out of hands only. I don't know if the rules have been updated as its still in the rule book.
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You would think once a kick is turned down then you move to kick off protocol which would see the clock stopped in the last part of the game after a kick.
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10 hours ago, Gooleboy said:
Good game at Feath tonight, Halifax right in it at 16 a piece in the second half, but Rovers turned the screw in the last 20, to run out worthy winners.
First time Ive seen Fax live in a while and think you are right, I don't think there was much in the teams but Fev deserved it in the end. I thought the game turned on a knock decision that now having watched the replay certainly goes a couple of yards back that we would have had a race away try to make it 22-14 and a 2 score cushion. Other than that a 7-1 penalty count and Fax's discipline is clearly still a massive problem. I thought Fev looked really sharp moving the ball while Fax were clunky and Eastmond seems loathed to play JWH at 1 and Jouffret at 6 but on the flip side I thought Nofoaluma looked really dangerous for us at FB and looks a good signing.
I did chuckle at the last try which is clearly no try, taking away my predicted 10 point margin. So ive gone to a captains challenge for that one and saying I got it spot on.
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2 minutes ago, Wakefield Ram said:
Well the RFL have taken a first step.
It does beg the question why the 6 clubs involved let the situation get so bad, their fixtures are suspended.
In my opinion they should name and shame the teams. We know 4 of them anyway but surely putting their names out there would act as deterrent in the future.
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I'm coming to watch tomorrow so need to give us a chance.
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4 minutes ago, Angelic Cynic said:
From an individual who has put more money into the sport than the equivalent cost of a few academy coaches.
But Mark Aston knew?
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Work on a new hybrid pitch is underway as we speak with the cost covered by grants from the Football side of things and Ken Davy covering the rest but will eventually be repaid to him as loans. It is still to be confirmed if Huddersfield will be playing there next season.
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FRIDAY 20th JUNE
Bradford Bulls v Batley Bulldogs Bradford by 22
Featherstone Rovers v Halifax Fev by 10SATURDAY 21st JUNE
Toulouse Olympique v Oldham Toulouse by 6SUNDAY 22nd JUNE
Hunslet v Barrow Raiders Barrow by 10
Sheffield Eagles v Doncaster Doncaster by 4
Widnes Vikings v York Knights York by 8-
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On 15/06/2025 at 08:10, The Blues Ox said:
Another is Lock Lane U13's girls after ugly events in a game against Drighlington.
Drig were also banned after this as well.
Sat 28th-Sun 29th Jun: The Betfred Championship Match Thread
in The General Rugby League Forum
Posted
I know it will annoy some Fax fans but I likely won't go and watch a single game that we play at Odsal, its not because of some weird hatred of Bradford that some Fax fans have but just because its a really bad place to watch rugby. The stadium itself is pretty bad and food and drink prices are ridiculous but the pitch been so narrow just makes for really poor quality games. If you are paying a fortune to watch what is basically just a step up from amateur rugby then you want to at least have a chance of enjoying it.