Whippet13

I understand Sancho Panza was involved in setting up the Spanish Rugby League.

I didn't know Sister Sledge were Leigh fans.

Looks like it's been signed off to commence once the Coronavirus has subsided: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/sheffield-eagles-finally-coming-home-stadium-deal-signed-2519843 10 month build, so assuming that as conservative and this not being a false dawn, completion will likely be Summer/Autumn 2021. They have the WC games at Bramall Lane next year so as long as they are in by then it will give them the opportunity to build on that.

Nicely spaced out to get the momentum building.

What an odd question to ask. It leaves them sat twiddling their thumbs like everyone else, once SL starts up they will play again.

I attended that Leeds v Widnes game as a neutral and still remember it, couldn't believe my eyes. As a Wigan fan I wanted Leeds to win, so it was the highlight of a very disappointing afternoon. The semi that year was Wigan v Warrington at Maine Road when Joe Lydon popped over the longest drop goal I've ever seen. Around 60+ meters I think and was a world record at the time, it may still be.

A very quick look on Wiki tells me its a common American term for being laid off - pretty much what happens to federal workers when they periodically fail to pass a budget through Congress. Looks like it can be paid or unpaid, hopefully the former of the two based on the government's 80% contribution when that comes through.

RFL Executives have agreed to take pay cuts it seems: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/52050151 A number of other staff likely to be furloughed, which is just a posh word for laid off.

Too many to list over my 38 years of watching RL so I'll just mention the very first one who thrilled me as a kid, Henderson Gill.

It's going to hit the Premiership RU clubs as they already have far bigger debts to service than the SL clubs, plus the CVC private equity people will likely still want their full cut of revenue regardless (or defer it which generates future debt). The lower tier RU clubs are having their central funding slashed so they will be in strife as well. I doubt any top clubs will go under, too many rich backers and they have the support of "the system", but there are going to be cuts at all levels. As for the NRL proposals in the link a pay cut is the obvious solution, just by how much. Wouldn't surprise me if the Australian RLPA ask for a deferral rather than an actual pay cut. The top club/NRL officials should be under pressure to take similar pay cuts, I note Shane Richardson has resigned at Souths purely to save them money and is doing work for them voluntarily. The worst case scenario schedule shown starts in September and runs for 4 months, 3 months of that is in the previous closed season so they would presumably claw back a fair bit of income then, the key being survival until September. I also see it omits any international RL, purely shows NRL and SOO fixtures, so the Ashes are gone. On the off chance it survives the Australians certainly wont be running any warm up games (NZ and another) as was planned. Oh, and the title of this thread should be "NRL & RLPA in discussion to save the NRL" the game itself will continue regardless.

I don't know, but the NRL clubs have a lot further to fall than SL ones and will have comparatively massive contract liabilities so the risk is greater to them. He will be considered a marquee player in SL next year whatever happens and a top earner relative to his peers, in the NRL he may be considered a gamble few can afford. On the other hand he might be happy to go for a low wage as personal enjoyment ranks high in his priorities. That's a rare quality these days and best of luck to him if that's the case.

Due to the timing, no major event of interest to the UK public or likely world audience will be rescheduled and clash with the World Cup. The commercial sponsorship sell might be harder as there will be more more global events in the 21/22 financial year, but then again we are probably not looking at the same companies. The operating budget is secured via existing government funding so the scale of the competition is not in threat. I think that it will be a massive success.

Not sure many NRL clubs will be recruiting next season, unless he is willing to take a low pay deal. For them it'll primarily be about financial review, consolidation and recovery for a good year or two.

Excellent. Would be even better if there was a piece missing like in a real jigsaw.

Sounds very interesting. Have you engaged with the RlLF yet? and if so how supportive are they? 1 or 3 for the logo.

It was a time of RU clubs throwing around very big money to bring some professional experience into their sides, with very mixed success. The majority of that Wigan 7's team were from a RU background, that's a key reason they went to RU. Inga and Quinnell were ex-RU Internationals so would have gone regardless. Offiah wasn't exactly lost to the game, he was well past his prime when he returned to RU. Edward's was a veteran who played for England RU schoolboys and was interested in the pay packet, he would have taken up coaching tiddlywinks if the money had been right. Didn't Paul move to RU at his wife's insistence following an "incident" with a Bulls cheerleader? (Apolgies to HP if I have got that wrong). Robinson and Farrell were very big losses to the game. Also, they didn't all suddenly move straight after the 7's, took several years and plenty of others from RL moved across or returned to RU around that time so it's a bit selective picking on this ex-RU heavy group.

I agree no relegation is fair, 14 would be my ideal as it gives us a 27 game season which I have always preferred. Main reason I can see for no change from 12 happening is that any increase dilutes the Sky money and the SL clubs are going to want every penny they can get hold of. They could however opt for 13 and pilfer Toronto's share again.

Personally I find adverts all over the pitch irritating, it's bad enough the players are already plastered in them without having to navigate my eyes over multi-coloured grass as well. Exception being the in goal zones which I think the NRL tend to favour and works well. They are kind of "outside the normal pitch" but a key focus area. If there was profit in blanket pitch adverts they would be everywhere, there clearly is some benefit but it is selective. If it was an amazing concept soccer pitches would be covered in them, but they are not. I do like the 10m, 20m, 30m, 40m line markings though, you'd think there would be a simple marking material that would wash out with water for shared pitches.

Yeah, "currently not broadcasting" now.

Not me, programme started in slow motion then crashed.

Surely no more than unilaterally cancelling an international tournament in favour of a domestic one would do.

Wembley 1984 was my first cup final, I recall travelling down as with my dad on the Wembley special from Wigan, £10 fare and £4 for the ticket I think. We took corned beef sandwiches and a large flask of tea. It was only my 3rd or 4th game of RL and all I remember of it was Joe Lydon scoring those two scorching tries for Widnes and thinking "oooo, he's fast". Things got a lot better the next year with Brett Kenny on board and from that point onwards I lost all interest in football.

RL clubs will be eligible to apply for the loan money just announced. Stated as £330 billion, but there is no limited to the fund, the govt will borrow more if required. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-chancellor-government-loan-business-economy-rishi-sunak-a9407381.html

£330 Billion in loans have now been made available for UK businesses to pay rent and costs, including salaries. RL clubs will be eligible to take them, just like any other business.

One could just as easily praise the RFL for being open and honest in their approach for help. Virgin Atlantc have done the same thing in their public ask for £6bn to prop up the UK airline industry. We also do not know what is being asked for. If it is a loan then there is no loss to the treasury or impact on other services, since the UK has pretty much unlimited capability to borrow. Any loan would be offset as an asset againt National Debt so make no difference to the UK balance sheet. HMG would simply be the facilitator/guarantor of a low intetest loan to the RFL.