Club Call

[hindle xiii]

I know it's now if's and but's but if Wigan had beaten Leeds there would've been very little chance of any of this supposed sentiment anyway.

[bewareshadows]

With all due respect, the last game at KR is now lacking the prestige that it deserved. Given that Wigan won in our last meeting at the ground, you would have thought that they may have wanted to right the wrong and close the old ground in style. Obviously not.

Given the reverse decision, do you think Wigan would have done anything different?

I would have loved a Wigan Saints derby,

but if wigan had lost the last game at central park but had the reverse decision, I think they would have also said stuff, history lets take Huddersfield.

Same for Leeds too.

Besides Saints built up the Cas game as the last game, just so that there would not be the emotion of this being the last game.

If Wigan take comfort in winning the last Wigan Saints derby at Knowsley road, thats fine.

I take comfort from the 75 - 0 at knowsley road.

Besides there has been a rumour on here that Boxing day maybe on.

My big surprise was that we did not pick Wire.

[giwildgo]

Obviously not, as the most consisent side over the season, why would Saints pick you?

No sentiment in the decision, maybe they'd like a crack at you in the final providing both you and them win, a far bigger stage to put one over you

Or maybe they are hoping that we can prevent their bogey team from making the final?

At the end of the day as an RL fan, not just a Wigan fan, I'm disappointed, I thought Saints were the type of club that wouldn't lie down on a Wigan defeat in the final derby at their ground and would want to set the record straight. Maybe the risk of a final game defeat was too much?!?

Personally wouldn't fancy choosing Huddersfield on current form - last night proved that the win at the DW a few weeks ago was no fluke.

[hindle xiii]

Saints did exactly what they earned the right to do, choose. They chose who they wanted.

Fearing the wrath of Hanners, etc. here but are Wigan fans lashing out because they've got Leeds, who have found a way to win when it mattered. Now, for clarification, I want Wigan to beat Leeds, and subsequently win at Old Trafford. But this sissy Saints business seems desperate.

[giwildgo]

Given the reverse decision, do you think Wigan would have done anything different?

I would have loved a Wigan Saints derby,

but if wigan had lost the last game at central park but had the reverse decision, I think they would have also said stuff, history lets take Huddersfield.

Same for Leeds too.

I would have hoped that Wigan would have taken the opposite decision - the big attraction was the derby and that would have shown that they mean business, instead they just handed Huddersfield a huge bit of motivation to turn them over.

[bewareshadows]

Well there's going to be quite a bit of biff in the Leeds Wigan game me thinks. Especially with Leeds missing a guy to make breaks in open play.

A tough hard slog up the middle will be the call of the day from Leeds.

But I still expect to see Wigan haul their asses over the winning line in the end.

2 points from richards being the difference.

[bewareshadows]

I would have hoped that Wigan would have taken the opposite decision - the big attraction was the derby and that would have shown that they mean business, instead they just handed Huddersfield a huge bit of motivation to turn them over.

Well we can all hope but this is the day and age of business men running the game, so the romance was never going to happen, instead a calculation of the odds.

[Carnie's Cover]

The revenue created getting to the GF must surely outway a last ding dong with Wigan?

no game is a forgone conculsion (where is wendall by the way?) you take what is possibly an easier option. Hudds is that.

Hudds final was last night in my opinion. Saints will beat them comfortably. leeds vs Wigan will be awesome with Wigan winning (I hope) and a Saints vs Wigan final, the way it should be.

Edited September 19, 2010 by Carnie's Cover

[giwildgo]

Saints did exactly what they earned the right to do, choose. They chose who they wanted.

Yes they did, but in making a choice they are not exempt from criticism. If the idea was to always pick the lowest ranked club - what it the point? Saints had the chance to create a moment of history in the game and passed it up.

Fearing the wrath of Hanners, etc. here but are Wigan fans lashing out because they've got Leeds, who have found a way to win when it mattered. Now, for clarification, I want Wigan to beat Leeds, and subsequently win at Old Trafford. But this sissy Saints business seems desperate.

In playing terms as a Wigan fan there is no real preference on who we played at the next stage. Both are very good sides that will be difficult to beat, both have key injuries and both have been beaten by us away from home this season.

My disappointment is entirely at the loss of an significant occasion for the game which the last competitive fixture at KR being a derby would undoubtedly have been, as opposed to the repetition of a Leeds / Wigan fixture for the fifth occasion this year, including twice in the playoffs, and a forgettable Saints v Huddersfield fixture.

Edited September 19, 2010 by giwildgo

[giwildgo]

Well we can all hope but this is the day and age of business men running the game, so the romance was never going to happen, instead a calculation of the odds.

And its a sad day that it has come to this. Sport is about competition, not taking what you consider the easy option - otherwise why have a Clubcall at all?

[Lee]

and a forgettable Saints v Huddersfield fixture.

Save me a few quid going then

[hindle xiii]

My disappointment is entirely at the loss of an significant occasion for the game which the last competitive fixture at KR being a derby would undoubtedly have been, as opposed to the repetition of a Leeds / Wigan fixture for the fifth occasion this year, including twice in the playoffs, and a forgettable Saints v Huddersfield fixture.

I agree, as a neutral I'd want a Saints v Wigan and Leeds v Giants, both for the derby, Knowsley Road sentiment and a guarantee a Yorkshire side in the Grand Final to really ###### some people off. But I fully understand why they made that choice, and I now look forward to Leeds being dicked even more than some derby from over the hill!

[giwildgo]

Save me a few quid going then

Its on Sky - do what most fans seem to be doing in the playoffs.

Like I said, no disrespect, but Saints v Huddersfield is just another fixture. I hope you win, I hope its a good game - but the last game at Knowsley Road will never be viewed in the same regard as Wigan v Saints to close Central Park - the way it should be done.

[hindle xiii]

Save me a few quid going then

Yeah right, like you go to games!

[hindle xiii]

... but the last game at Knowsley Road will never be viewed in the same regard as Wigan v Saints to close Central Park - the way it should be done.

That wasn't decided by a play-off though, was it?

[BD92]

With all due respect, the last game at KR is now lacking the prestige that it deserved. Given that Wigan won in our last meeting at the ground, you would have thought that they may have wanted to right the wrong and close the old ground in style. Obviously not.

Showing no respect at all, you mean

The last game at Knowsley road is likely to be a sell out wether your team are there or not. Your teams final match at Knowsley Road ended in a victory and the history books will reflect this ad infinitum. We have no wrong to right and we close the "old ground" with dignity. So much more than if your team were present at the final match.

[giwildgo]

Showing no respect at all, you mean

The last game at Knowsley road is likely to be a sell out wether your team are there or not. Your teams final match at Knowsley Road ended in a victory and the history books will reflect this ad infinitum. We have no wrong to right and we close the "old ground" with dignity. So much more than if your team were present at the final match.

Why because you expect to win, whereas if Wigan were there you would lose?

[Hannibal]

Saints did exactly what they earned the right to do, choose. They chose who they wanted.

Fearing the wrath of Hanners, etc. here but are Wigan fans lashing out because they've got Leeds, who have found a way to win when it mattered. Now, for clarification, I want Wigan to beat Leeds, and subsequently win at Old Trafford. But this sissy Saints business seems desperate.

Nothing to do with that mate.

If the team with the choice is always going to pick the lowest ranked team, then you may as well scrap the Club call now.

It is doing no-one any good, and in many ways it is an embarrassment to a great game.

Get rid of it.

[BD92]

1)Or maybe they are hoping that we can prevent their bogey team from making the final?

2) At the end of the day as an RL fan, not just a Wigan fan, I'm disappointed, I thought Saints were the type of club that wouldn't lie down on a Wigan defeat in the final derby at their ground and would want to set the record straight. Maybe the risk of a final game defeat was too much?!?

3) Personally wouldn't fancy choosing Huddersfield on current form - last night proved that the win at the DW a few weeks ago was no fluke.

1) Yes you can right your wrong.

2) We at risk of a greater humiliation then ever (in your eyes) surely.

3) Personally I don't agree with club call, I think the game should follow due process and adopt the original fixture format for the play-offs and which team would have had the honour had that process been followed ? Yes, Huddersfield.

1895

Prior to the formation of the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895 (this later took the name of the Rugby Football League in the early 1920's) the Huddersfield Club had an active and honourable life of around thirty years as part of the English Rugby Union. It was obvious that a split was going to happen and by August the final plans were being made. On Thursday 29th August the meeting at the George Hotel, Huddersfield was held and Rugby League was born.

Qualifying semi for the 2010 Grand Final at Old Trafford, should prove to be a historic event really, one way or another.

[BD92]

Hear Hear Hanners.

Edited September 19, 2010 by BD92

[hindle xiii]

Nothing to do with that mate.

If the team with the choice is always going to pick the lowest ranked team, then you may as well scrap the Club call now.

It is doing no-one any good, and in many ways it is an embarrassment to a great game.

Get rid of it.

But if things had 'gone to plan' and it was the top 4, it'd be trickier to pin who Saints would choose. If it had gone even more to plan and Wigan were to choose from Warrington and Leeds, that would be harder still.

I'd wait for further Club Calls to see if lowest ranked is picked, then look at scrapping it.

[BD92]

But if things had 'gone to plan' and it was the top 4, it'd be trickier to pin who Saints would choose. If it had gone even more to plan and Wigan were to choose from Warrington and Leeds, that would be harder still.

I'd wait for further Club Calls to see if lowest ranked is picked, then look at scrapping it.

It didn't "go to plan" and its a crappy gimmicky idea so lets get rid of it.