Good Friday derbies

[Man of Kent 5,894]

Almost forgot it was Easter this weekend amid the crisis.

Sky are showing the 2003 Good Friday Derby in full at 1pm among six hours of derby viewing from 12pm on Arena https://www.skysports.com/watch/tv-guide/10-04-2020

On Saturday, a rerun of the Rob Burrow game amid six hours of Leeds Rhinos highlights, also on Arena from noon https://www.skysports.com/watch/tv-guide/11-04-2020

Edited April 7 by Man of Kent

[RL does what Sky says 1,953]

Rugby League in Oldham on Good Friday used to mean one thing .... The Standard Cup Final.

The local amateur final used to kick-off at Watesrheddings at 11am ... and although the match might have lasted 80 minutes, the day certainly didn't. Often the Oldham senior team were then playing away at either Rochdale or Swinton in the afternoon although all the local amateur clubs' headquarters were also open to provide several hours of after-match "entertainment" for those unwilling (or unable for whatever reason !!!) to get to the afternoon match.

This clip is from the 1987 final between Saddleworth Rangers and St.Anne's ... but apart from the actual rugby, just look at the crowd - the attendance that morning was 5,653.

Although the Standard Cup Final is still played every Easter it has now become another victim due to the demise of Watersheddings. The final is now played at the Oldham Rugby Union ground and although the local amateur clubs' HQs still make a full day of it, the attendance for last year's decider was about 700. ... although some RFL clubs might still be happy with that.

[Gooleboy 817]

Castleford and Featherstone had some great Easter Derby games, usually Good Friday or Easter Monday at Castleford with Featherstone's home game on Boxing Day. Great atmosphere at both grounds.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon 932]

This thread prompted me to look through Robert Gate's biography of Billy Boston.  I wanted to know whether there were other Easter local derbies for Wigan.  In short, there were, though - throughout Boston's cherry-and-white career - as far as I can see none were absolutely nailed on to take place like the matches on Good Friday against the Saints.

The most common Easter triple was Saints on Good Friday, Warrington on the Saturday and Salford on the Monday.  That said, other Lancashire sides sometimes got to play Wigan over that weekend, but, in Boston's time, virtually never a Yorkshire one.

[Keep The Faith 480]

Batley have played dewsbury good Friday 1993-1994 since properly then again in 1999 when both sides were in the same league  always evening kick off apart from 2017 

[bobbruce 2,384]

Great to have some rugby back on sky even if they are replays. 

[Tommygilf 3,839]

Supporting Leeds, Good Fridays have been a bit of a strange one really. Whilst the likes of Saints and Wigan, Hull and KR, Cas and Wakey have established rivalries, I don't feel, especially due to the demise of Bradford over the past 10/15 years, that we have that big rival derby game in SL for good Friday. Perhaps Salford, Warrington and Huddersfield are in the same boat. 

Its great to watch the other games though and its a fantastic advertisement for the sport!

[Man of Kent 5,894]

Why oh why oh why are Saints playing in black and amber?

[Tommygilf 3,839]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Why oh why oh why are Saints playing in black and amber?

In the sunshine too they must have been boiling

[bobbruce 2,384]

22 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Why oh why oh why are Saints playing in black and amber?

Most teams were using black away kits round then. 

[bobbruce 2,384]

Great Saints try by Hooper don’t remember him being that quick. 

[The 4 of Us 1,023]

Really don’t miss the Hemmings/Stevos commentary. Rather than focus on what was good they would seek to make controversy out of that which didn’t exist. 

[RugbyLeagueGeek 645]

5 minutes ago, The 4 of Us said:

Really don’t miss the Hemmings/Stevos commentary. Rather than focus on what was good they would seek to make controversy out of that which didn’t exist. 

I like Hemmings, but agree that Stevo's default setting was to be controversial and focusing on the negatives (errors, refereeing decisions etc) instead of the positives. Cracking game though.

[Hela Wigmen 512]

58 minutes ago, The 4 of Us said:

Really don’t miss the Hemmings/Stevos commentary. Rather than focus on what was good they would seek to make controversy out of that which didn’t exist. 

Been watching the 2004 Saints v Wigan game and all Stevo’s done is mention how many penalties should be given for high shots.

[Hela Wigmen 512]

2 hours ago, bobbruce said:

Great Saints try by Hooper don’t remember him being that quick. 

He was underrated, I feel. He played in some great Saints sides alongside some of the big names like Long, Sculthorpe, Cunningham etc but never really got the credit he deserved. I’d forgotten about the try you mentioned too but remember his pace closing Radlinski down at Cardiff in the 2004 Cup Final. 

[bobbruce 2,384]

30 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

He was underrated, I feel. He played in some great Saints sides alongside some of the big names like Long, Sculthorpe, Cunningham etc but never really got the credit he deserved. I’d forgotten about the try you mentioned too but remember his pace closing Radlinski down at Cardiff in the 2004 Cup Final. 

The one thing with Hooper he’s the type of player you’d love playing with. He did all the horrible jobs no one really likes doing. Like always being first to put pressure on the opposition kicker or being the first player to chase your own kick. 

[Davo5 3,664]

Sean Long sure got away with a lot of forward passes in those games.

[bobbruce 2,384]

30 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Sean Long sure got away with a lot of forward passes in those games.

There was definitely a bad one to Gleeson that was missed. 

[Whippet13 618]

Watched the Sts v Wigan game this evening. Noticeable is the lack of "professionalism" from the players, they seemed to be more interested in just playing rugby rather than the endless pigeon flapping and penalty milking we get now. Referee was awful, would get demoted these days. The commentary reminded me why I don't miss Eddie and Stevo at all. As for the match, a great game played at a fast pace throughout.

Edited April 10 by Whippet13

[Wollongong 170]

On 07/04/2020 at 22:39, Gooleboy said:

Castleford and Featherstone had some great Easter Derby games, usually Good Friday or Easter Monday at Castleford with Featherstone's home game on Boxing Day. Great atmosphere at both grounds.

When I first started watching Trinity we had regular holiday derbies with Fev and Leeds.... Boxing Day and Easter Monday was Leeds .... Good Friday and New Years Day was Fev Rovers.... 

was mostly fun apart from the 50 point shallocking we got at post office road once. 

[Adelaide Tiger 1,235]

18 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

I like Hemmings, but agree that Stevo's default setting was to be controversial and focusing on the negatives (errors, refereeing decisions etc) instead of the positives. Cracking game though.

Years ago during my role as a Presiding Officer at the Local Elections I got chatting with the relief caretaker at the school I was sited at.  The caretaker I think was called Stokes although I might be wrong on that.

He said he was a touch judge and had ran the line at SL games. I asked him if he had met Stevo.  He laughed and told me that on one occasion he gave a try and the ref agreed with him.  On the replay it showed - by one frame on the tv - that the try scorer had put his foot in touch.  Stevo pilloried him about the error on TV.

Weeks later the Caretaker ran the line at another televised game and all went well.  But afterwards he bumped into Stevo at the bar and questioned why Stevo had ‘bagged him’.  Stevo said his role on the commentary team was to be the controversial one, he then apologised to the Caretaker and bought him a pint.

[Man of Kent 5,894]

19 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

Really don’t miss the Hemmings/Stevos commentary. Rather than focus on what was good they would seek to make controversy out of that which didn’t exist. 

I’d take Hemmings & Stevo over the current Bill & Baz ‘n’ Tez & Captain Birdseye arrangement. 

[MrPosh 878]

The Easter programme on Sky was much like a banquet. 

There was a wonderful starter of Bradford v Leeds - often the biggest game of the weekend. 

But tradition meant Saints v Wigan was always the main course and it invariably delivered. 

Between the two, we'd go to Humberside for the fish course and on the Monday we'd get some tired puddings. 

[Hela Wigmen 512]

3 minutes ago, MrPosh said:

The Easter programme on Sky was much like a banquet. 

There was a wonderful starter of Bradford v Leeds - often the biggest game of the weekend. 

But tradition meant Saints v Wigan was always the main course and it invariably delivered. 

Between the two, we'd go to Humberside for the fish course and on the Monday we'd get some tired puddings. 

Monday’s games weren’t too bad, it was always the Friday games of the following round that were terrible. 

[MrPosh 878]

Just now, Hela Wigmen said:

Monday’s games weren’t too bad, it was always the Friday games of the following round that were terrible. 

I know, but it didn't suit my joke.