Rugby League Questions for 2021

[Chris22]

It's a big year for the sport this year, especially with a new TV deal coming up and a home World Cup. I've put together a few key questions facing the sport in 2021!

1. Can St Helens go three in a row?
2. How will Leigh cope in Super League?
3. Will we see a new Super League winner?
4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)?
5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year?
6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship?
7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year?
8. Will England finally win the World Cup?
9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year?
10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport?
11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year?
12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward?

I've answered some of these questions in my blogpost (here if anyone's interested!). What do you think? Or are there any other key questions I've missed?

[Oxford]

2 hours ago, Chris22 said:

 

1. Can St Helens go three in a row? Hope not!
2. How will Leigh cope in Super League? They'll compete.
3. Will we see a new Super League winner? Yes.
4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)? Okay.
5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year? Nah!
6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship? They'll be great!
7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year? More disappointment, most likely.
8. Will England finally win the World Cup? Mmmmm.
9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year? Late Spring.
10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport? Probably & it will make life even more difficult.
11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year? Would you?
12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward? Fantastic while it's on and allowed to disappear without a legacy like all the others.

Good game this!

 

 

[Griff]

When did Fev move to Calderdale ?

[Chris22]

44 minutes ago, Griff said:

When did Fev move to Calderdale ?

FFS! I'd like to blame a new year hangover but can't, now edited

[Eddie]

4 hours ago, Chris22 said:

It's a big year for the sport this year, especially with a new TV deal coming up and a home World Cup. I've put together a few key questions facing the sport in 2021!

1. Can St Helens go three in a row?
2. How will Leigh cope in Super League?
3. Will we see a new Super League winner?
4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)?
5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year?
6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship?
7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year?
8. Will England finally win the World Cup?
9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year?
10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport?
11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year?
12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward?

I've answered some of these questions in my blogpost (here if anyone's interested!). What do you think? Or are there any other key questions I've missed?

1. It’s us or  

2. 11th or 12th (with Wakey) 

3. no

4. very well, especially Watson

5. Yes, Toulouse

6. mid table

7. Barrow and Town up, Whitehaven down with oldham

8. no

9. May

10. Yes, massive financial pressures. 
11. no

12. small term boost with the RFL and SL incapable of capitalising on it. 

[Oldbear]

6 hours ago, Chris22 said:

It's a big year for the sport this year, especially with a new TV deal coming up and a home World Cup. I've put together a few key questions facing the sport in 2021!

1. Can St Helens go three in a row?
2. How will Leigh cope in Super League?
3. Will we see a new Super League winner?
4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)?
5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year?
6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship?
7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year?
8. Will England finally win the World Cup?
9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year?
10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport?
11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year?
12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward?

I've answered some of these questions in my blogpost (here if anyone's interested!). What do you think? Or are there any other key questions I've missed?

1. Hope not for the sake of the game, but wouldn’t be surprised to see it

2. Competitive enough to scare Wakey and Hull KR

3. I want to say yes but suspect if not Saints again it will be Wigan

4. They will all have their ups and downs, hopefully their clubs fans get behind them, Hodgson will have the toughest task as FC fans are demanding and he works for Pearson.

5. No, assuming there is a full Championship season I think Toulouse will fall short in the final, losing to Fev, then the fun will start!

6. 7th or 8th would do for me.

7. Again assuming there is a Championship and L1, I have a feeling Workington could be the team to take the headlines here, winning L1. I will be hoping for a Workington/Barrow double promotion though.

8. Sadly no, maybe make the final though

9. May

10. Who knows? Money is going to be tight post COVID, the next couple of years could be very tough.

11. Not a hope in hell’s chance, RL in Canada is finished I’m afraid, apart from a handful of expats like me no one really cares, the only focus for locals is when will the Canadian NHL teams be allowed to actually play in Canada in front of fans and will the Toronto Raptors and Blue Jays be forced to play entire seasons in the USA. Currently any form of live sport with fans in Canada is looking uncertain for this year, the big sports at least have their TV deals to soften things, however pretty bad news for the CFL and other more minor sports.

12. Same as usual, a few weeks of promise, then lost opportunities as we fail to build on any progress made, hopefully it makes the sport a bit of money though.

[Toby Chopra]

7 hours ago, Chris22 said:

It's a big year for the sport this year, especially with a new TV deal coming up and a home World Cup. I've put together a few key questions facing the sport in 2021!

1. Can St Helens go three in a row? 
2. How will Leigh cope in Super League?
3. Will we see a new Super League winner?
4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)?
5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year?
6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship?
7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year?
8. Will England finally win the World Cup?
9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year?
10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport?
11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year?
12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward?

I've answered some of these questions in my blogpost (here if anyone's interested!). What do you think? Or are there any other key questions I've missed?

1. They'll get to GF, then who knows. 

2. They'll fight to the last like London, but go down. 

3. No

4. Mid table for all three, with Hull, Hudds, Salford in that order. 

5. Yes, it will be London and Toulouse battling for the title. 

6. Relegation battle

7. Dunno! 

8. I really wish I could say yes...

9. Not before June in most places, which will be a huge financial problem. 

10. Yes, but it will be smaller, particularly for Championship clubs, which will compound the hit from point 9. All clubs should survive, IF they manage the transition properly, but that's a big IF. 

11. No. 

12. Overall, I think the World Cup will have a decent impact on the public consciousness, and I expect some good ratings on the BBC for England. But we've been there before and not made the most of it, so.... 

[LeeF]

7 hours ago, Chris22 said:

It's a big year for the sport this year, especially with a new TV deal coming up and a home World Cup. I've put together a few key questions facing the sport in 2021!

1. Can St Helens go three in a row?
2. How will Leigh cope in Super League?
3. Will we see a new Super League winner?
4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)?
5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year?
6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship?
7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year?
8. Will England finally win the World Cup?
9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year?
10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport?
11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year?
12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward?

I've answered some of these questions in my blogpost (here if anyone's interested!). What do you think? Or are there any other key questions I've missed?

Yes but might not 

They will struggle & will ultimately end up in last place despite causing a few upsets. They may not be relegated though....

No

Will do ok: will flatter to deceive & will struggle respectively

Yes - ultimately 2 will be promoted

They will be struggle

Little change. Barrow may go up but Town won’t. Haven will remain in the Championship but only just

They will lose it in the last 5 minutes

After Easter.

Yes. Another restructure will result

No

It will be an enormous success but somehow it won’t be fully capitalised upon

 

[Oldbear]

Does everyone not find it depressing that of the responses so far we all feel that the World Cup will represent yet another lost opportunity for the game? In which case what could the RFL do to try to minimize a repeat? Does the governing body , having worked hard to put on a World Cup, just breathe a collective sigh of relief when it’s all over, and think the job is done for another 4 years, or is there any form of strategic planning to ensure the tournament leaves a legacy? If there is no thought to what happens after the tournament then why is this so?

[Northern Eel]

On 01/01/2021 at 13:00, Chris22 said:

It's a big year for the sport this year, especially with a new TV deal coming up and a home World Cup. I've put together a few key questions facing the sport in 2021!

1. Can St Helens go three in a row? They can, but there are so many variables this year that could see them pipped.
2. How will Leigh cope in Super League? They will start off well and fade away.
3. Will we see a new Super League winner? Yes.
4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)? I think they will all finish above Leigh. 
5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year? Not if Super League Clubs have any say.
6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship? I think they will be solid, with a top-half finish.
7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year? Cumbria needs to look forward and not backwards, embracing the same approaches as York and Newcastle. Good people need some good luck to do this too.
8. Will England finally win the World Cup? Do you know what, I think they will. 
9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year? April
10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport? Yes - Super League will take every penny they can and we will still be left with no Championship games on telly. 
11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year? I'd like to think so, but there are many who would not want that.
12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward? It could be massive - it all depends on how we whip up the frenzy post-covid.

I've answered some of these questions in my blogpost (here if anyone's interested!). What do you think? Or are there any other key questions I've missed?