Newcastle Thunder Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Super League champions by 2030 is the headline target set by Newcastle Thunder on Friday afternoon, as the club unveiled an ambitious roadmap for the continued growth of the sport within the North East. Taking place two years out from the opening weekend of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, which will kick off with a spectacular opening ceremony, England’s opening game of the tournament and a further match at Kingston Park Stadium, Hosted at Newcastle Eagles impressive Community Arena, club chairman Mick Hogan addressed an audience of over 100 members of the region’s business, political and rugby league community to outline the strategy that will guide all efforts over the next decade. With the Dacia Magic Weekend returning to the city for two years from May 2020, and a total of five games in the men’s Rugby League World Cup taking place in the North East in 2021, the hosting of major events will form a talismanic cornerstone for the strategy. Bringing world-class action with the biggest names and prizes in the game on show, Newcastle’s hosting of games of this magnitude will allow rugby league to engage with an audience renowned for its appreciation of sport and create a whole new generation of fans. With rising gates at Kingston Park Stadium for Thunder home games, increased participation levels at grassroots clubs across the region and the Newcastle Rugby Foundation being named Championship and League 1 Foundation of the Year for a second time in three years, the continued development in these key areas will build on those high profile events. Announced at the event was an increased investment and commitment to develop the community game, the Thunder Community Project will shortly see a brand new member of staff join the team and work in developing the game in Teesside and the south of the region, home to one of the great success stories of recent years, Yarm Wolves. As well as this work, details of plans to establish women’s and wheelchair teams were also unveiled, with a showcase match of the latter taking place as part of the event. Bringing these two strands together is Newcastle Thunder itself, with the focus on establishing the team as a vibrant club that provides an outlet for the North East’s rugby league family to come together. After a hugely successful 2019 which saw the team make the end of season play-off final and finish the year with the most points scored across the campaign, the focus remains on gradual evolution and making positive steps in a sustainable and responsible way. With Simon Finnigan confirmed as head coach for 2020 key signings and retentions for the upcoming season will see the solid foundations of the last year built upon and maintain the upward trajectory that will enable Thunder to be crowned Super League champions by 2030. Following the event, Hogan said: “It is an exciting time for rugby league in the North East and with growing participation numbers, a new club in Newcastle Magpies and our wheelchair rugby league team. “With the sport continuing to grow in the region, we have developed taken the opportunity to give the Thunder and the legacy work around the 2021 World Cup a clear purpose and we will be providing more details on that in the near future.“ IMG_2005.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 I like the ambition. Newcastle are a credit and provide the blueprint for any developing club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooleboy Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Impressive stuff, good luck to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clogiron Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 I would seriously doubt that SL will be around in 2030 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellsy4HullFC Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 8 minutes ago, Clogiron said: I would seriously doubt that SL will be around in 2030 Why? It was around 10 years ago and 10 years before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hallucinating Goose Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Good luck Newcastle, hopefully see you in super league soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clogiron Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 And how much impact has it made on the general public in the last 20 years. The only players that such people are likley to know all come from before Super League, the game has gone backwards in the last 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newcastle Thunder Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 5 minutes ago, Clogiron said: And how much impact has it made on the general public in the last 20 years. The only players that such people are likley to know all come from before Super League, the game has gone backwards in the last 20 years. Do us a favour and keep this thread a positive one. you can post your negative stuff on another thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 19 hours ago, Clogiron said: And how much impact has it made on the general public in the last 20 years. The only players that such people are likley to know all come from before Super League, the game has gone backwards in the last 20 years. Why do so many RL fans live wallowing in self pity and misery? The OP’s article is fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Plow Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 That’s pretty ambitious but it’s great to see how much good work they’re doing in the north east. Now SL should sign a multi year contract to have Magic weekend at St James’ Park Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clogiron Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Good luck to Gateshead/Newcastle or whatever they call themselves at present, it's the game itself that have concerns about, maybe it's because anyone who has followed or involved with it for many years has seen so many lost opportunities, stuff ups and promised new beginnings fail that it is hard to be enthused when the latest set of clowns running it parade in the Kings new clothes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newcastle Thunder Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 39 minutes ago, Clogiron said: Good luck to Gateshead/Newcastle or whatever they call themselves at present, it's the game itself that have concerns about, maybe it's because anyone who has followed or involved with it for many years has seen so many lost opportunities, stuff ups and promised new beginnings fail that it is hard to be enthused when the latest set of clowns running it parade in the Kings new clothes Some live in the past, some look to the future we wake up every day feeling positive about the game and how it’s growing. when ever we get to the top it will be built upon solid foundations and a thriving community game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwalker71 Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Great stuff. Look forward to seeing Newcastle continue on their upward trajectory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gittinsfan Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 1 hour ago, Clogiron said: Good luck to Gateshead/Newcastle or whatever they call themselves at present, it's the game itself that have concerns about, maybe it's because anyone who has followed or involved with it for many years has seen so many lost opportunities, stuff ups and promised new beginnings fail that it is hard to be enthused when the latest set of clowns running it parade in the Kings new clothes Sorry but I think you have proved yourself to be the only clown on here. I can't think of anything else other than to congratulate them on their initiatives and wish them the very best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIWIT Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 I think it will be a very different-looking Super League by then, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUBRATS Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Good to see ambitious clubs , and within realistic timeframes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newcastle Thunder Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 A few more photos from the event with the launch of of our Wheelchair side who’s home will be the brand new 3,000 seater Newcastle Eagles community arena and plans announced to launch a woman’s side by 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2010 Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 The only leagues that produce most of the players for the professional game are based in the North West and Yorkshire. Hopefully the NE can become the next stronghold for the community game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clogiron Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 2 hours ago, gittinsfan said: Sorry but I think you have proved yourself to be the only clown on here. I can't think of anything else other than to congratulate them on their initiatives and wish them the very best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Good on them for publicly stating their ambition. It’s quite some target they’ve set for themselves, mind. I’d love to see them back in Super League and at Magic Weekend in their own city with a big section of supporters there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gittinsfan Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 31 minutes ago, Clogiron said: I must congratulate you on your eloquence.Sorry but I'm too old for Nursery school drawings. BYE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 Good ambition and makes a good eye catching headline but I’m not sure it’s much more than that tbh looking over a decade ahead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NERugbyDad Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 8 hours ago, Saint 1 said: Do you see a lot of crossover with rugby union players at youth level? Or are you in competition with them to an extent? From my experience, there is a lot of crossover with rugby union players at youth level in the NE, both my sons started off playing league but currently play both. My eldest son was playing u14s this past season and off the top of my head I can only think of one of his team mates who is not playing union over the winter. Then there is a team like Yarm who essential all play union for the same team as well so play together year round and it really shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newcastle Thunder Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 8 hours ago, Saint 1 said: It's great to read this level of ambition and your community-based approach. I do have a few questions though, more out of curiosity than anything. I saw about your SPARC festival and found it a really interesting idea. Do you have any plans to try other unconventional things? I'm thinking for instance weight-graded rugby. Do you see a lot of crossover with rugby union players at youth level? Or are you in competition with them to an extent? I've seen Newcastle players I think in the England u16s and u18s teams recently, is this a relatively new phenomenon? Have they started to feed through to the first team yet? Thanks in advance! For our SPARC festivals and development programme days we have split players up a number of different ways do give everyone the best possible challenges, for example we have split it up using hight, weight, speed, positions. from our point of view there is no competition with union and we actively promote playing both codes of rugby. Kids are now starting to play rugby league from 6 year old and it’s getting bigger year on year. our academy is in a very strong place and that’s reflected in the England academy call ups. And from last years academy 5 have been handed first team contracts for 2020 happy to answer any questions, keen them coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Deleted post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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