Oxford

Go to be a Wolves' win on current form.

That's interesting I talk about it as the best game.

Dear Steve, I'm not sure what your point is here. The bit about France though correct is not why RL struggles in that country it's because the media joined in and apart from the odd blip doesn't even mention RL. The reason RL struggles here is that the media pretends we don't exist and are unimportant anyway. So to all intents and purposes we don't. The media although related to ru in so many ways is the biggest single issue that NHRL needs to address and always has been. Kick & Clap like the Tory Party doesn't even have to dirty their hands over this, the media does it all for them.

One of the reasons I got rid of WatchNRL was that attitudes like the ones expressed by Kent were just part and parcel of the whole NRL scene; he's neither unusual nor particularly radical. Apart from a few people who've expressed the need for more international games, you'd manage to count them using fingers and still have some to spare this has been the norm. What people like Kent say isn't embarassing but people agreeing with him on here is. And it seems to happen far too often judging by other threads. In general we agree we need more international games and to support people like Kent in any way is to make that less likely. Above all this is a simplistic and illogical argument because those with injuries can't all have been at the RLWC! Worst of all it's an easy argument to make as no one will bother to check it's validity or evidence to support it.

And far easier to market for that very reason, as is darts. I'm surprised this wasn't front and center in counter Hearn arguments. I have to say there's a bit in "The First Kangaroos" that mirrors this idea where the actor playing James Giltinan argues that Sport is best sold in individual combative packets and it's certainly not something RL has tried too often or with any real sense of purpose.

In one way that should suit RL because they've had to fight for the coverage for years. If they'd had any fight in them during this period that would have been perfect. Instead we've seen a sport almost grateful for what it recieves and even fans of this game saying that it gets what it deserves.

And Leigh lost momentum then as well. Once the new disciplinary arrangements were in place and meant people stayed on the pitch and fines became the order of the day we were always going to be embroiled in fairness and justice arguments. Although I agree that RL is better for being 13 v 13 the system of punishments beyond that should reflect the infringement.

Given that there was a time he appeared in and on anything and everything that wouldn't be too surprising. In fact given RL's derisable media presence I think I'll put Frank Bruno in as exhibit B.

The cool towns & cities argument is an empty thread unless you discount how seedy, run down and apart from London; lacking in investment every urban area is in the UK. I have lived in Brum, Leicester and Northampton and no there's absolutely nothing cooler about them than Hull except in the minds of people who are prejudiced and full of snobbery about one dump rather than another or the people who take those prejudices and snob values on board like they're written in stone. It's grim up north isn't true it just suits some to say so! The argument about naming players does have some traction but mostly because the same people who've spread the above have seen to it TGG has, more or less disappeared from the UK media and conciousness. Most things fashionable or otherwise that have ceased to be part of the media enviroment in the way RL has have ceased to exist altogether.

The problems for RL and expansion are based within the sport itself. Too little money to get an expansion side off the ground and absolutely nothing to do with the existence of soccer or union in any particular area. The reason for the lack of that money in the sport are various ranging from self-interest among clubs, administrators and even fans. But .... The problem for RL and money is directly attributable to the media coverage it gets as well as the kind of coverage. This is the single most crucial issue because whether you're being Hearn obvious or fan desperate it's coverage that begets money and stars and money that makes coverage and characters. One thing it isn't about is grading systems. That would seem to be more about keeping the results of that self-interest alive and in place than anything else. There is no imaginary ceiling just a glass one with Made in London stamped for all to see. And I'm still waiting to see from IMG how it attacks this more than anything else it may or may not do.

Oh dear! you explained what you meant. Hearn's credentials for other sports have not been questioned as far as I recall. What the thread was mostly about was his utterances after being left at the alter. It was clear to the world and his wife that IMG had got what he wanted and he lumped things together and made silly statements along with some more chuffin' obvious stuff and we're supposed to take that seriously because he's done well with one sport that needed no help and another that was on the way up and wasn't ignored by large sections of the media. This is one of the reasons RL looks small because it spends time listening to spivs, malcontents and ne'erdowells. There is almost zero posters on here that couldn't have produced a better assessment of the real ills of RL than Eddie Hearn. But we'll give credence and airtime to the ramblings of a chancer like it's real, this isn't the apprentice ! And if he's as good as he obviously thinks he is and his credentials are so wonderful let him purchase an SL club and show us all how it's done!

No, of course, not but the appearances are for income, sport recognition market value and validity. I'm afraid I've no idea why you mentioned boxing and as I couldn't care less about that sport I don't think I want to know. And pointless going there.

And yet again we're guilty of confusing money with the other trappings of success, Missing the point that all these things, the markers are more related to visibilty of the sport and beyond that the personalities involved and their earning capacity. Our sport is only the best kept secret so are our characters and stars. The recent partnership with Channel 4 has gone some way to expose how and to what extent our sport has been kept hidden by some of our supposed partners. There's plenty of talk about other sports and the role of Hearn but until the Beeb are to have an RL captain on QoS, and our players are as likely to appear on The wheel as anyone else or our game & characters form part and parcel of the sports round up after the weekend events not only will we have failed but any partners we have will be just as much of a disaster as if we'd asked Del Boy to sort things out for us. And to be honest I looked at RL, I saw the suggestion of reunification with kick and clap and I viewed the posts and debates on Total and other forums and I thought this is going nowhere. All of it, is a sad dead end street.

In his spare time. I have said what I think of the darts production but alot of this focus on having stars seems to be music, booze and fist pumping, dancing girls and flags. On the whole people are easily pleased, and everything can seem far better than reality when you're drunk.

Yes of course he did, and discovered penicilin, cured the black death and designed the latest jet for the RAF.

I s'pose it could be a points decision 'arry. People onlt tend to use conspiracy theory framework as a poor method of dismissing arguments without taking the points on one by one. Given As out without certain clubs having to change anything about what they're doing would be exhibit A in the evidence bags that jiggery and pokery are a possibility at the very least.

These two things are not the same. I'd say that's fairly accurate though leaving out the role of booze leaves a bit to be desired by way of explanation with the crowd atmosphere. Your summation of the differences between eras/periods was a bit misguided and very often the household name of RL stars was dependent on them appearing elsewhere not playing RL. If RL wasn't a sport with an inferiority complex it has no right to we wouldn't even be having a silly conversation like this one. Hearn was not more right than wrong he was just more jilted than John.

Spot on redjohn no one needs the first Ofsted never mind another. IMG could have provided the list and said this is what's needed but I think certain clubs wanted the to provide assurances for those sides they felt brought more away fans etc. so this convoluted method of protection.

I think the assumption that americans would make good owners for RL organisations leaves a bit to be desired. Unless you just mean people so rich they wouldn't mind handing over their cash and then keep their noses out.

Well no, I didn't mean that Dovster, but thanks for asking. Can't agree with you here BP.

I think you just described every RL fan there.

Yes but they're divided angry etc assumptions. Yes because we're divided etc I think you've found the one thing everyone would love to agree on there.

When one league dominates a sport, it can destroy the international competitions, but does not have to and then came the NRL!

I'll take it that you've not read this thread much then.

Good job the dosh is good because that's the story for most of those with lost years on their career.