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Feels like RL turned a corner....


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RL has had a few ‘tricky’ years recently- but at long last it feels we are getting more things right than not.

Exciting times ahead.

Is it just me or do we all feel tad more positive?

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54 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Definitely. Think we’ll look back on the Super League coup as the turning point. 

History will judge it as the expansion into Toronto that moved the pegs, and then of course NY and Ottawa.

It the vaunted 'Toronto Effect' at work yet once again.

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24 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

History will judge it as the expansion into Toronto that moved the pegs, and then of course NY and Ottawa.

It's the vaunted 'Toronto Effect' at work yet once again.

If you run with the pack you're always in the hunt!

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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RL in the Northern Hemisphere can only truly turn a corner when the next TV deal is done. 

It needs to be a deal which can kick start the growth we need.

One weekend of good attendances doesn’t cover a multitude of bad decision over many years, all that’s happened is the best supported clubs have mostly played at home over one weekend. 

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33 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

History will judge it as the expansion into Toronto that moved the pegs, and then of course NY and Ottawa.

It the vaunted 'Toronto Effect' at work yet once again.

Too early to say. Was Wood defenestrated because of Toronto? Extremely doubtful

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56 minutes ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Yep, we've turned a corner and almost certainly run straight into a brick wall (don't forget that Rimmer's driving).

Nah, Elstone's at the wheel and Eric Perez has progrmmed the SatNav, so we'll be there in no time, but hang on to your hats!

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Cdd said:

RL in the Northern Hemisphere can only truly turn a corner when the next TV deal is done. 

It needs to be a deal which can kick start the growth we need.

One weekend of good attendances doesn’t cover a multitude of bad decision over many years, all that’s happened is the best supported clubs have mostly played at home over one weekend. 

I agree.  It will turn a corner when 1st choice quality NRL players travel the other way to all the first choice British players going to Australia.  The first step will be when (if) we get a lucrative tv deal. 

Any sort of deal from the BBC might be helpful but we are a very poor relation and are not regarded nationally never mind internationally.

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4 hours ago, Cdd said:

RL in the Northern Hemisphere can only truly turn a corner when the next TV deal is done. 

It needs to be a deal which can kick start the growth we need.

One weekend of good attendances doesn’t cover a multitude of bad decision over many years, all that’s happened is the best supported clubs have mostly played at home over one weekend. 

Not just one weekend.....

Transparent promotion

Reduction in subs

Attendances across the board

1895 Cup

competitive SL

Championship

New York

York

Stop clocks

London no pushovers

 

Got to start somewhere

 

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The 

35 minutes ago, Pie tries said:

Not just one weekend.....

Transparent promotion

Reduction in subs

Attendances across the board

1895 Cup

competitive SL

Championship

New York

York

Stop clocks

London no pushovers

 

Got to start somewhere

 

Would add:

Quality of rugby seems better, Ottowa/NY getting voted through so categorically on principle, departure of Barwick, improved MOS system (gets vastly more publicity now), Bradford continuing on the up, Widnes takeover and recovery from near oblivion, Wakefield buying their ground back, some genuinely talented NRL players in SL who are here through genuine choice, Tolouse continuing to build and Nou Camp.

Still some significant downsides though:

1895 final scheduling is mad, Internationals remain a shambles, Catalans forced to pay to defend their cup title, recent upsurge in players milking penalties/whingeing and Rimmer is still on board.

Overall though, I am more optimistic about the game than say a year ago.

People complain Elstone hasn't done much, but SL is a better product on the pitch in my opinion and I think a lot of his focus is long term, which is exactly as it should be.

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2 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

The 

Would add:

Quality of rugby seems better, Ottowa/NY getting voted through so categorically on principle, departure of Barwick, improved MOS system (gets vastly more publicity now), Bradford continuing on the up, Widnes takeover and recovery from near oblivion, Wakefield buying their ground back, some genuinely talented NRL players in SL who are here through genuine choice, Tolouse continuing to build and Nou Camp.

Still some significant downsides though:

1895 final scheduling is mad, Internationals remain a shambles, Catalans forced to pay to defend their cup title, recent upsurge in players milking penalties/whingeing and Rimmer is still on board.

Overall though, I am more optimistic about the game than say a year ago.

People complain Elstone hasn't done much, but SL is a better product on the pitch in my opinion and I think a lot of his focus is long term, which is exactly as it should be.

Exactly.....keep the good news coming !

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8 hours ago, Oxford said:

Nah, Elstone's at the wheel and Eric Perez has progrmmed the SatNav, so we'll be there in no time, but hang on to your hats!

In case you haven't noticed, Elstone's idea is to try recreating the game's situation of the early 1990s.  It would have gone under then if not for Sky and the SL money.

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20 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

People complain Elstone hasn't done much, but SL is a better product on the pitch in my opinion and I think a lot of his focus is long term, which is exactly as it should be.

People complain.

17 hours ago, Pie tries said:

Exactly.....keep the good news coming !

Agreed!

16 hours ago, Big Picture said:

In case you haven't noticed, Elstone's idea is to try recreating the game's situation of the early 1990s.  It would have gone under then if not for Sky and the SL money.

I'm not sure that's the case what evidence do you have?

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Oxford said:

I'm not sure that's the case what evidence do you have?

Elstone's idea of wanting to recreate the scenario of the early 1990s when the likes of Martin Offiah and Jonathan Davies gave RL household names thanks to the BBC coverage of cup matches and Internationals has been mentioned in a few reports. Re the game's precarious financial state in that era, I recently saw an eye-opening account of that somewhere, I'll try to find it in between getting Easter dinner ready for my kids and I.  The account mentioned that Sky's initial offer was just 50 million £ and somehow Maurice Lindsay negotiated them up to 87 million £, I can't imagine how he swung that in the circumstances.

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18 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Elstone's idea of wanting to recreate the scenario of the early 1990s when the likes of Martin Offiah and Jonathan Davies gave RL household names thanks to the BBC coverage of cup matches and Internationals has been mentioned in a few reports.

It is true that they were household names and working on that kind of basis is not harking back but a goal we should all share for our brilliant athletes.

Being on the Beeb helped to some extent there's no doubt about that but that came with a heavy price tag, poorer and poorer coverage and very often portrayed in an essentially comic way.

Jiffy was a household name even before he became an all gold!

Mo played the cards very well at that time when the real prize for Rupert was control of the NRL (ARL)

Although he may use 1990's images, I'm absolutely convinced he'll be utilising 21st centruy ways and means to get us there.

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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I feel the game is fizzing at the moment, the crowd figures from yesterday confirm it (for me). I just hope it carries on. Next big test (event) is the Catalans v Wigan game, which could be huge. Why on earth we haven't got any mid-season internationals to look forward to, I don't know. I'd love to see Wales v Jamaica (at least). 

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41 minutes ago, Oxford said:

It is true that they were household names and working on that kind of basis is not harking back but a goal we should all share for our brilliant athletes.

Being on the Beeb helped to some extent there's no doubt about that but that came with a heavy price tag, poorer and poorer coverage and very often portrayed in an essentially comic way.

Jiffy was a household name even before he became an all gold!

Mo played the cards very well at that time when the real prize for Rupert was control of the NRL (ARL)

Although he may use 1990's images, I'm absolutely convinced he'll be utilising 21st centruy ways and means to get us there.

The problem is, the game today doesn't have a foundation on which it could achieve that.

Without the RU converts who were brought over back then, it's likely that players like Shaun Edwards and Garry Schofield would never have been household names at all.  However the game today can't afford to bring such already-well-known players over, they can get more money in RU now.

Yes the BBC coverage certainly was a double-edged benefit.  In addition to low fees they paid and the at times poor commentary, many of the early round cup matches were played in dumpy stadiums which likely made a poor impression on viewers and reinforced the idea that RL is just a small northern game for northerners.

Breaking that stereotype down is absolutely necessary for the game's future as a pro sport in the northern hemisphere now that the sort of matches seen in the Champions League and UEFA League are seen as standard fare by sports followers in the UK.  Elstone's idea of recreating what once was isn't going to do it though.

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14 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

The problem is, the game today doesn't have a foundation on which it could achieve that.

Without the RU converts who were brought over back then, it's like that players like Shaun Edwards and Garry Schofield would never have been household names at all.  However the game today can't afford to bring such already-well-known players over, they can get more money in RU now.

Yes the BBC coverage certainly was a double-edged benefit.  In addition to low fees they paid and the at times poor commentary, many of the early round cup matches were played in dumpy stadiums which likely made a poor impression on viewers and reinforced the idea that RL is just a small northern game for northerners.

Breaking that stereotype down is absolutely necessary for the game's future as a pro sport in the northern hemisphere now that the sort of matches seen in the Champions League and UEFA League are seen as standard fare by sports followers in the UK.  Elstone's idea of recreating what once was isn't going to do it though.

I'm not sure the conversions were as important as you make them out, a couple of moments extra coverage if we  were lucky and although some Welsh people may have tuned in to see Jiffy the audience was based on the qualities of the game against all the odds,

You accurately assess Aunty's role and many glassy eyed older fans tend to forget how bad things were and how much they complained and cried out for better and more deserving coverage.

I still don't think Elstone is trying to recreate  the 1990's and I do believe he has long term goals, but time will tell.

Comparing TGG with other sports and finding it wanting is a pessimistic and counter productive way of seeing things. I personally think what I see in SL is the superior product and far better than anything else on offer and I want everyone to share in the good luck.

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, Oxford said:

I'm not sure the conversions were as important as you make them out, a couple of moments extra coverage if we  were lucky and although some Welsh people may have tuned in to see Jiffy the audience was based on the qualities of the game against all the odds,

You accurately assess Aunty's role and many glassy eyed older fans tend to forget how bad things were and how much they complained and cried out for better and more deserving coverage.

I still don't think Elstone is trying to recreate  the 1990's and I do believe he has long term goals, but time will tell.

Comparing TGG with other sports and finding it wanting is a pessimistic and counter productive way of seeing things. I personally think what I see in SL is the superior product and far better than anything else on offer and I want everyone to share in the good luck.

Have you ever heard of Supertramp ?

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23 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

The 

Would add:

Quality of rugby seems better, Ottowa/NY getting voted through so categorically on principle, departure of Barwick, improved MOS system (gets vastly more publicity now), Bradford continuing on the up, Widnes takeover and recovery from near oblivion, Wakefield buying their ground back, some genuinely talented NRL players in SL who are here through genuine choice, Tolouse continuing to build and Nou Camp.

Still some significant downsides though:

1895 final scheduling is mad, Internationals remain a shambles, Catalans forced to pay to defend their cup title, recent upsurge in players milking penalties/whingeing and Rimmer is still on board.

Overall though, I am more optimistic about the game than say a year ago.

People complain Elstone hasn't done much, but SL is a better product on the pitch in my opinion and I think a lot of his focus is long term, which is exactly as it should be.

Would add. The rescue of Keighley and Leigh, with competitive sides.

Far fewer one sided walk overs in Championship and League 1. Even WWR have improved.

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From afar I have enjoyed the Super League season far more than previous years. The contests seem predominantly closer (televised ones at least) and in turn the crowd noise seems louder. 

I was watching the Sharks v Penrith game the other night. It was almost a silent affair. The crowds in Australia really need to learn how to engage with the game. The Australian clubs have long lost their hostility towards the away team. 

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On 20/04/2019 at 10:38, Pie tries said:

RL has had a few ‘tricky’ years recently- but at long last it feels we are getting more things right than not.

Exciting times ahead.

Is it just me or do we all feel tad more positive?

The existential angst years seem to have been from 1895 to about 2019 thus far

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