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Phil W

Coach
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Everything posted by Phil W

  1. It would be our training and playing base but the main emphasis on tonight was getting an idea on what fans thought, was this an idea we can get behind. Keith Christie was very clear, a very small group of people have had ten days to pull something together, it won't be perfect and we can talk about other stuff like facilities but none of that matters if we don't have money to go forward. My view stands that we have a group of people who care and are working hard behind the scenes to try and keep rugby league alive in the region. No big bold claims tonight, just people wanting a sustainable rugby league club. Those present seemed comfortable with that.
  2. We have a fans meeting at Newcastle Thunder tomorrow night to hopefully agree what we need to do to save things up here. Given our name's on the letter from the other day, hopefully we get a good turnout and some optimism to give the League One clubs on Wednesday.
  3. See below from Mick Hogan. If anyone has any ideas or wants to show support then use the email address.
  4. Thanks for the support. Given we know very little at the moment, personally I'm happy to have the chance of a meeting and a chance to keep rugby league alive at this level in the north east. The statement put out by the club is sensible and makes no promises or big statements just gives a chance.
  5. As I've said above that's the bit I don't understand. There was some good work done yet I don't understand why years of hard work was allowed to be pulled without us fans at least trying. Something earlier to say I'm pulling my investment if a way forward isn't found then that's that. But we haven't been given that chance.
  6. I've taken some time to take things in and still am to be honest. At the moment I'm kind of angry because there wasn't a chance given for anything to happen. It's just been we're withdrawing funding and we'll not be around. Don't get me wrong given the amount of funding put in they're completely within their right to do that. But the bit that hurts is we weren't given a chance, even a small window to come up with something or a way of trying to get funding so that we could at least go down fighting. Feel for everyone who has lost jobs. Like I say it's not sitting right with me at all and have already said if there's anything I can do to bring things back in whatever guise I will get involved. In my head it can't just end how it has without something being tried.
  7. People probably know but I'm a Thunder season ticket holder and desperately hoping the rumours I've seen in the last half hour or so aren't true. As with every club, there's people involved currently who care massively for rugby league and Thunder. Would be gutted for everyone.
  8. There was an update posted by the club in July about the academy from next season https://www.thunderrugby.com/article/737/newcastle-thunder-academy-update- my guess is that those changes leave a place for Leigh to take over a traditional academy slot in the RFL structure.
  9. Thought I may aswell start something here. In terms of player movement the following have left Alex Young: Sydney Roosters Brad Gallagher, Jack Johnson, Jay Chapelhow: Oldham Jack Miller: Keighley Robert Tuliatu: Avignon Have heard a rumour of Mitch Clark to Sheffield. The only signing of sorts is Matty Rolls through the academy on a contract that will allow him to train more with the first team. Think that's as much as we have at the moment.
  10. I'm an expansionist so this will probably go down like a lead balloon with others but here we go. I'd hope London are working very closely with IMG to work out how they can tap into the London market. Could IMG sound out investment?
  11. Guessing you're a Leigh fan as to be fair you can't fault what Leigh have done this season. In terms of Sam Fender he's a big name Geordie singer. That's kind of my point if we take games to London, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool or wherever it's not a rugby league audience we're trying to appeal to it's locals. Rugby league fans will turn up to watch their teams we know that and fair play to them. But locals in London and Newcastle especially aren't going to turn up just because Leeds are playing Wigan, it means nothing to them. But if it's a big event with a big act and we as a sport can serve up a good day that's how you go from 40,000 on a Magic Saturday to towards 50,000. I used to have a season ticket at Gloucester in rugby union and completely get your hardcore fans are turning up for the rugby, used to have to turn up over an hour before kick off to get a good spot in The Shed. I'd watch the teams warm up, discuss exactly as you say. But sport across the board is changing apart from Premier League football. There has to be more to a Super League, Championship, League One, International or Challenge Cup game than just the rugby, it has to be an event especially outside of the heartlands.
  12. I suspect that they'll only care about the money side of things. I'm not going to say I know a lot about these things. But if it's a case that clubs are relying on ticket sales for internationals and the grand final then they should be fuming with RFL Commercial. As a sport we shouldn't be relying on who the finalists are too have a massive impact on attendance. Other than football major finals the likes of cricket and rugby union finals are made up of a lot of neutrals going for a day out. Does RFL Commercial do enough to attract neutrals through clubs? My guess is no. I bought tickets for the World Cup last year and can't remember seeing anything about tickets for the internationals, so where casual sports fans bought tickets for that are we using the customer database to engage with fans who bought tickets? There doesn't seem to be any joined up thinking. Finally sometimes with major events now the focus is less on the sport on the pitch but the entertainment factor around the event as a whole. What's the fan experience like? Who's the big act playing? Get these things out months in advance! If Sam Fender played at Magic Weekend in Newcastle straight away you create more ticket sales and not from rugby league fans. The other thing is should the clubs be relying on these big games selling out? Maybe anything extra made gets put into grassroots etc.
  13. This is a Super League semi final and the picture quality is dreadful. Sky moan about there being a lack of interest in rugby league. Well you've put it on mix with dreadful picture quality. It's nearly like they're not bothered. From my point of view this isn't good enough from Sky.
  14. Well according to Mick Gledhill it will be a nine team League One next season. I'm not surprised but am disappointed as think some will struggle.
  15. Brad's contract expired and he was on a full time deal. No doubt we would've liked to keep him but as a club we have to become more sustainable. You have a good one with Brad and he will go well for you guys.
  16. I'm all for suggestions but that would be wild as a Thunder fan! Us, York, Doncaster and Broncos could play for the East Coast mainline Cup. Maybe call the league Millwall (nobody likes us we don't care)!
  17. There's going to be a hell of a lot of in fighting over this. For the game as a whole 9 teams in league one isn't good. Who out of Thunder and Cornwall is doing that journey twice? That's before you get into the Challenge Cup. There has to be compromise somewhere and I don't think the clubs at the top end of the Championship will budge on this. Combining the league's makes most sense for numbers but the politics behind it is going to be very messy!
  18. Of course given Skolars leaving League One, Keighley being relegated doesn't necessarily mean they're relegated. It could yet be a combined league next season, they need to sort whatever is happening out asap!
  19. I get your point but it's also my biggest frustration. Regardless of what the NRL are doing we should be doing our own thing in the northern hemisphere including helping to grow the game. How can countries get better when there's no international rugby league really. There might be some big mismatches early doors but some form of northern hemisphere Six Nations style tournament with promotion and relegation in the calendar will start to attract more money into the game and interest. An annual tournament will start to put rugby league back on the map, bring sponsorship in and help re-build the game. It can benefit everyone by boosting attendances domestically and getting more people playing. Instead we choose to play made up teams and one off internationals. The Tonga series is a start but that should be a given in any season, the whole game needs serious mid-season internationals and we have to take the lead on this.
  20. Think that'll be the outpost expansion derby with us at Thunder!
  21. As far as i'm aware he's injured.
  22. That could be a logical way forward which to be honest I wouldn't be against. But that's easy for me to say supporting a Thunder team that's been relegated already. There won't be a perfect way forward but this is about damage limitation especially to the nine clubs left in League One. There's a much bigger picture to this than nine League One teams.
  23. It'd be very narrow minded of SL if true. I'm a keen expansionist and to lose any team is a blow as we need the game played everywhere and not just in the traditional areas. It boosts profile and benefits everyone.
  24. Obviously really disappointing news but at least Skolars aren't being completely lost. There does need to be something done about balancing leagues though. This season on my Thunder ticket I get 13 home games and now next season it's currently 8. Either have one league below Super League or restructure. Obviously if a restructure was to take place there would be at least one very unhappy club but the imbalance needs addressing.
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