Hopping Mad

I couldn't agree more.

Just watched the recorded highlights. An eye-popping second half capitulation.

There's a tribute to Dennis, who also played for Doncaster and Hunslet, in the Yorkshire Evening Post... https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/hunslet-and-castleford-tigers-mourn-loss-wembley-hero-dennis-hartley-996975

By coincidence, I'm reading this book at the moment. According to the introduction, Mike Brocken watched the club during its 'City' (rather than 'Stanley') era, albeit only in the Sixties. On page 104, there is an image of the match programme for City's game against the Australia tourists on October 10th, 1956. It was the tour opener. Curran is listed at No 2 (maybe a different Curran if he's on the wing?) for the Knotty Ash Stadium fixture (neither Anfield nor Goodison Park were available). The match was played on a Wednesday afternoon. A 4,712 crowd produced receipts of £595. The Aussies won 40-12. Interestingly, Mike states, on page 110: "...throughout the 1950s Liverpool-born players [at City] were practically nonexistent". Was the former Sefton RU Curran an exception? Also, on P109, there's a City team picture from the late 1950s. Not all the players are identified. Might the ex-Sefton RU Curran be one of the 'mystery men'? Mike (Dr Mike Brocken) is a senior lecturer in music at Liverpool Hope University. Might be an idea to contact him directly via https://www.hope.ac.uk

If we're recommending books, I recently bought, read and enjoyed Mike Brocken's Liverpool City RLFC, Rugby League in a Football City (London League Publications, £16.95, ISBN 978-1903659-40-3). Apologies if this has been flagged up earlier in the thread. I watched a bit of Huyton then Runcorn Highfield while studying at Liverpool University. Mike revealed quite a few things I didn't know about.

Thanks for posting. I hadn't seen this before. Some interesting interviews with spectators, the positive, upbeat content of which seemed to take the Beeb's Tony Gubba completely by surprise. I see the piece is introduced by Bob Wilson. Recalling that historic time, in The Fulham Dream, Rugby League Tackles London (ISBN 0-9526064-9-6), Fulham chairman Harold Genders wrote: "The only sore point of the whole weekend, which annoyed me considerably, was that Bob Wilson, the former Arsenal goalkeeper and self-styled sports expert, was of the opinion that rugby league would never take off in London. I detected a note of concern. Maybe his hallowed game of football felt threatened. In any event, what did he know about rugby league or, for that matter, the Fulham venture? Yet he was prepared to dismiss it in one remark. I have always maintained that football can live together with rugby league, and that London is large enough for both of us. His statement, to me at least, appeared to have a touch of small-mindedness."

Sounds like pre-1982.

My wife, who watches rugby league only occasionally, turned to me during one of GB's few and feeble forays into the NZ 25 and said: "They don't really know what to do, do they."

Thank goodness that's over. Poor.

Can see the Kiwis getting 50 here. The odds must be shortening on a PNG win next weekend.

Damage limitation now?

Well, this isn't worth getting up early to watch.

What, no 'we will follow the Wolfpack, over land and sea...'

Do you know what form these January test events will take, Gav?

That's been switched from Sharlston Rovers, then?