Rugby League World - Feedback Thread

[John Drake]

RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD - ISSUE 456 (APRIL 2019)
READ IT ONLINE NOW AT WWW.TOTALRL.COM/RLW - ALSO IN SHOPS FRI 29 MARCH - ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

It has been a traumatic few weeks for Widnes Vikings and we’ve got the fascinating behind the scenes story of how the club was saved from disaster as our lead feature in this month’s Rugby League World. 
Also, former Vikings coach Denis Betts tells us about his return to the game at Newcastle Thunder.
On the field, we’ve selected Teams of the Month for the Betfred Super League, Championship and League 1 plus a Combined XIII for the famous Five Towns area. See if you agree with our selections!
Are we about to see an explosion in Rugby League activity in North America? We talk to the people behind audacious bids to establish new clubs in New York and Ottawa and ask clubs and players in the Championship and League 1 for their thoughts on the potential impact on the domestic game.
Saints’ Fijian international Kevin Naiqama steps up to answer your questions in our latest Quickfire Q & A and Luke Gale files his second exclusive column for RLW charting his road to recovery.
We have a detailed club-by-club preview of the new Women’s Super League season which kicks off on 7th April.
We’ve compiled an entertaining Top 10 of Rugby League’s celebrity supporters and if it’s history you’re after, we look back to a little-remembered Rugby League international at Wembley Stadium where France shocked England in 1949.
West Wales Raiders player Ryan Shallish tells us how he hasn’t allowed deafness hold him back from pursuing a professional Rugby League career and we also chat to several former Hemel Stags players who have moved onwards and upwards since the club’s departure from League 1.
At grassroots level, we profile Rochdale Mayfield, a club with a proven track record of providing a pathway into the professional game for ambitious players.
On the NRL scene, we talk to Herbie Farnworth, a young Brit aiming to make his mark with Brisbane Broncos.
On the international stage we’ve got stories from the Netherlands, USA and Lithuania plus our regular coverage from France and Wales.
All this and plenty more in another packed issue.
 

[John Drake]

In shops today, folks.

Rush out and buy, read, and report back.

Please be constructive!

Thanks.

[Dave T]

Sorry to start off like this John, as a subscriber I am pretty happy with the mag these days, but jeez, that cover is ugly!

I think for this month only we should reverse the traditional game and should be hiding this mag behind the Yawnion ones for a change!

[chuffer]

34 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Sorry to start off like this John, as a subscriber I am pretty happy with the mag these days, but jeez, that cover is ugly!

I think for this month only we should reverse the traditional game and should be hiding this mag behind the Yawnion ones for a change!

I think you're being a bit harsh on the Super League ladies there Dave, the one in the Bradford top is alright

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Sorry to start off like this John, as a subscriber I am pretty happy with the mag these days, but jeez, that cover is ugly!

I think for this month only we should reverse the traditional game and should be hiding this mag behind the Yawnion ones for a change!

Experimental covers are always a risk. 

Some folk like 'em, some folk won't.

When you're 456 issues old, it isn't easy coming up with something new and interesting!

http://www.totalrl.com/rugby-league-world-covers/

[fighting irish]

It tickled me that Dave T hides the union mags behind the RLW on the shelves, because I do that, making sure punters see ours first. 

I loved the magazine this month, loads of stuff about the growth areas (which is what i'm particularly interested in), but its always a good read.

Keep up the great work, especially the stuff about global growth.

 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Not a fan of the cover. Looks like someone’s GCSE homework, but then again, I think that’s being kind to GCSE homework. 

I also question the term “Mega Women’s Super League Preview” when it’s shoved at the bottom of the cover, covering maybe a sixth of the page, and in an area of the cover that is not going to be seen by people in a newsagents, unless the magazine is laid flat and with nothing on top of it. 

 

[John Drake]

14 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Not a fan of the cover. Looks like someone’s GCSE homework, but then again, I think that’s being kind to GCSE homework. 

I also question the term “Mega Women’s Super League Preview” when it’s shoved at the bottom of the cover, covering maybe a sixth of the page, and in an area of the cover that is not going to be seen by people in a newsagents, unless the magazine is laid flat and with nothing on top of it. 

 

Nothing constructive to add, as usual.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Nothing constructive to add, as usual.

You don’t understand this asking for criticism thing, do you? 

Some heads poorly super imposed onto some body’s isn’t going to make me, a RL fan, buy this and I’m your market. 

And the placement for the Women’s Super League stuff is poor. Simple as. Magazines are stood up in shops, that won’t be visible. 

[Irish Saint]

Excellent on the Widnes saga, particularly after reading  about the euphoria of their survival one turns the page to the headline "left to rot" . That part of the saga just as important.

 

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

You don’t understand this asking for criticism thing, do you? 

Constructive criticism is always welcomed.

Your contribution wasn't constructive. It was a cheap insult.

That is not appreciated.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Constructive criticism is always welcomed.

Your contribution wasn't constructive. It was a cheap insult.

That is not appreciated.

It wasn’t an insult. It was an opinion. It looks cheap and doesn’t look at all good, it might be the look you’re going for. Good luck if it is. 

Placement was also poor. 

[Matt Shaw]

Hey guys, Matt Shaw here. John needs to tell me how to change my username. 

Thanks for the feedback, it's appreciated. 

Mr Clothesoff, thanks to you too. I've seen plenty of your 'feedback' over the months, you give me a good laugh. 

On a serious note, there are 22 features in the mag this month (I think), and we've allocated the Women's SL preview not only a space on the cover but the second largest area on it. While you make a valid point on newsagents and placement, I think the fact the Women rightfully take such a prominent space should be seen as good news, not negative, but you're entitled to your opinion. 

Thanks for reading guys, I'll try post a bit more moving forward. Please keep your feedback coming on both RLW and Back Chat, it's appreciated. 

[Number 16]

GoT cover rubbish, one of the worst, and there's been loads of competition  over the years.

WSL pages, of little real interest to me in London, but good, healthy coverage. 

I'm not into player interviews and Q&A type stuff. Each to his own. 

Too many 'fillers' like the dull random league and various team of the month which could be condensed to 1 page...

The America & Widnes articles were decent. 

As ever the grassroots and international pages stole the show for me. 

What I'd like to see...

More on the history of our sport, and I mean further back than the 80s, which is where the mag usually stops! Dare i say it, but Mike Latham's column in Forty20 ticks that box.

Also, and though I'm not one for lists in the mag, I'd love it if you resurrected the two page worldwide results round up that was dropped many moons ago. There's so much going on around the globe now, that a one stop shop for results and tables may interest plenty.

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, Number 16 said:

GoT cover rubbish, one of the worst, and there's been loads of competition  over the years.

WSL pages, of little real interest to me in London, but good, healthy coverage. 

I'm not into player interviews and Q&A type stuff. Each to his own. 

Too many 'fillers' like the dull random league and various team of the month which could be condensed to 1 page...

The America & Widnes articles were decent. 

As ever the grassroots and international pages stole the show for me. 

What I'd like to see...

More on the history of our sport, and I mean further back than the 80s, which is where the mag usually stops! Dare i say it, but Mike Latham's column in Forty20 ticks that box.

Also, and though I'm not one for lists in the mag, I'd love it if you resurrected the two page worldwide results round up that was dropped many moons ago. There's so much going on around the globe now, that a one stop shop for results and tables may interest plenty.

Now that is what I call constructive feedback.

Told us what you liked, told us what you didn't like, and told us what you'd like to see in future.

Thank you, much appreciated.

[John Drake]

18 hours ago, Matt Shaw said:

Hey guys, Matt Shaw here. John needs to tell me how to change my username. 

Your wish is my command...

[RayCee]

The North American Takeover headline. Is that a contributed article from Parky?

[bird]

Great article by Juan Jose Jasso. Thats a character.

[iffleyox]

20 hours ago, Number 16 said:

GoT cover rubbish, one of the worst, and there's been loads of competition  over the years.

WSL pages, of little real interest to me in London, but good, healthy coverage. 

I'm not into player interviews and Q&A type stuff. Each to his own. 

Too many 'fillers' like the dull random league and various team of the month which could be condensed to 1 page...

The America & Widnes articles were decent. 

As ever the grassroots and international pages stole the show for me. 

What I'd like to see...

More on the history of our sport, and I mean further back than the 80s, which is where the mag usually stops! Dare i say it, but Mike Latham's column in Forty20 ticks that box.

Also, and though I'm not one for lists in the mag, I'd love it if you resurrected the two page worldwide results round up that was dropped many moons ago. There's so much going on around the globe now, that a one stop shop for results and tables may interest plenty.

Hi John, potentially a bit of a cop-out post but for the record (just in case you need "weight of argument" at TRL towers) I agree with pretty much every word of this, although I enjoyed the WSL stuff.

[Sparse Attendance]

On 4/2/2019 at 4:50 PM, fighting irish said:

It tickled me that Dave T hides the union mags behind the RLW on the shelves, because I do that, making sure punters see ours first. 

I loved the magazine this month, loads of stuff about the growth areas (which is what i'm particularly interested in), but its always a good read.

Keep up the great work, especially the stuff about global growth.

 

I do that as well. 

[Oxford]

There were a number of articles that were great but the one aboout the French beating England at Wembley was top of the pile.