Hopping Mad

Or programmes. Are York done with programmes now, Simon? I did ask but they haven't replied.

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Goole Vikings won't have a programme, of any description, for their home debut, on March 16, against North Wales Crusaders, in the 1895 Cup. To my query, they responded: "As a fledgling club currently, and only part time, we haven’t considered programmes due to our efforts being channelled elsewhere in setting up the club and ensuring we get to our first home game with everything in order." Which rather suggests there might not be any programmes at Goole in 2025.

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Keighley Cougars confirm nothing - neither individual printed match programme nor printed monthly magazine - will be available at tomorrow's (2/2) Challenge Cup second round tie with York Knights.

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There seems, still, to be interest in this topic, so we'll have another go. Start by copying over a Warrington update from Neil_Ormston: It seems Warrington are ending 105 years of tradition, and will no longer be produced a programme (of any sort) - their excuse is the sales / downloads of the electronic version does not warrant the effort, and they will instead invest the resource in producing more online articles for their website. I've raised by objections in the strongest terms, and have again offered to produce 'The Unofficial Programme' as I did in 2021 when in the post-Covid season they didn't produce anything. I've asked them to consider whether they would support to make it 'official' - I would produce all the content, they would just need to promote it, either with a link of their website for people to download, or by printing a few hundred copies off in the office on the day of the game and sticking them out in the ground. I'm not holding my breath... I'll post back later if and when I know more, and with details of anyone who wants to be adding to the distribution list if I do start this up again.

Keighley confirm nothing available at tomorrow's (2/2) cup-tie with York. Leeds did a printed programme (£3) for Ash Handley's testimonial game (26/1) against Wigan.

That was my first thought.

Tamworth play in the FA Trophy. They aren't eligible for the Vase. As a Football League club (I know, it's still hard to believe), Bromley cannot play in either the Trophy or the Vase. A problem for rugby league, when you have an 'all in' knockout competition, is the gap - widening, year on year? - in playing standards between professional, semi-professional and amateur players. Let's face it, there are gaps in quality even within each of those tiers.

York Acorn-Hull FC @ POR, Featherstone, February 8 (2.0). £15, concessions a tenner, U16s free.

Is that Halifax switch confirmed? Comment from the club on Fax's socials suggested it would be played at The Shay. Only issue was the date.

Agreed. It does seem pointless. Hard to imagine fans of either club being overly keen on trailing to Featherstone or Doncaster.

Goole have switched the Wakefield tie to Belle Vue, ostensibly because of the redevelopment work going on at the VPG.

West Hull v St Helens will be at Craven Park, Hull, on Saturday, February 8 (2pm). The Hull Daily Mail is suggesting York Acorn-Hull FC, also on Saturday, February 8 (2pm), will be at either POR, Featherstone, or Doncaster's Eco-Power Stadium. The RFL has deemed Acorn's Thanet Road ground unsuitable. Owing to a York City FC fixture, York's LNER Community Stadium is unavailable.

PA Media (the Press Association, as was), specifically the sport department at its Howden Northern HQ, is the BBC's third party sport data provider. PA won't spend a penny if it can get away with a farthing. Result: its data supply - and much else besides - is seriously lacking.

Statement today on West Hull's socials: There has been a lot of interest in our game [with St Helens], unfortunately, it's still not 100% on the venue as there are a lot of rules and regulations been put in place. We are applying to hold it at West Hull and hopefully will be allowed. If not, Hull KR have kindly offered to host us and the other option is to reverse the fixture. If we can’t hold it at Johnny Whiteley Park, we will look at what is best for the club.

FT Sheffield Eagles 62-0 West Bowling

Curtis Sport will be producing a printed programme for Midlands Hurricanes this season (as they did in 2024). Siddal Challenge Cup issue was £3.

Seen enough of the RN-Workington game, I'm afraid. Farcical conditions, and what looks like being a runaway win. Not exactly compelling viewing.

1,252 Dewsbury Moor-Dewsbury. It was announced, shortly before the end.

Off to Mount Pleasant, Batley (for the first time in several years), to watch the Dewsbury Moor Maroons-Dewsbury Rams Challenge Cup second round tie (25/1). Finished 6-50 (0-32 HT). £15 admission, £3 for a 20-page programme, teamsheets free, 1,252 attended. As a contest, disappointingly done and dusted after just 12 minutes, when the League One semi-professionals led 18-0. Best spell for the NCL's Moor was the five minutes or so immediately after half-time, during which Jack Clarkson touched down off a spilled bomb and, from wide on the left, Gregory Colbridge converted. Rams scored six tries (four converted) in the first half, when they were playing down the Mount's slope, and three (all converted) in the second. Two apiece for stand-off Dan Coates and second row Joe Summers. Scrum-half Jacob Hookem scored a try and kicked the seven conversions. Moor conceded far too many penalties and, in the second half, had prop Aaron James (66) and loose forward Bradley Adams (76) sin binned for tackles the ref didn't like the look of. Not much of a game, to be honest (certainly, for a neutral). The teams were clearly short on matchplay at the start of their seasons. A heavy, disintegrating pitch didn't help. Guy on the gate told me Batley offered the best deal for staging the tie. He said the RFL took exception, at Moor's ground, to the 100-yard walk from dressing rooms to pitch and to the size of the dugouts (four seats not enough).

FT Whitehaven 24-12 Swinton

1,252 (announced) at Dewsbury Moor-Dewsbury Rams.

York Acorn are doing a printed programme (£3, with admission) for Saturday's second round tie with Oulton Raiders. For their tie with Dewsbury Rams, at Batley, Dewsbury Moor Maroons will have a £3 printed programme (on top of £15 admission therefore assume the design/content etc boat is being pushed out).