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The RFL & SL Working Party - the answer to our problems?


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Just now, Damien said:

As I said on the other thread there should be French representation. We are Super League Europe and French clubs are an important part of the game. Next season there may even be 2 of them in Super League. 

Considering it’s a whole game panel, I’d also like to see Championship/League One/Comminity reps also.

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15 minutes ago, dkw said:

Hetherington to lead it no doubt, which is good as he always shows he has the whole game at heart.....

 

 

Ha ha...oh man, I just couldn't keep a straight face typing that.

Gary Hetherington may well be the best hope the non-Super League game has. That may be a low bar, but beggars can't be choosers

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1 minute ago, dkw said:

In what way?

He was the single leading figure against Super League splitting away from the rest of the game in the first place. He's ran a lower division club. He's ran an expansion club. He currently runs a club who have the resources and general stature to not be as penny pinching as others have to be. He himself has stature in the game and with McManus of St Helens onside now he is reinforced in that position.

Put it this way, if it was Michael Carter and Adam Pearson instead, you could kiss goodbye to any but the smallest funding going below Super League, if any at all.

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‘The game has fielded strategic interest from several credible parties in recent months and the strategic group will consider how to make the most of these opportunities for the betterment of the sport in a coordinated way.’

That has to be financial, no? You could read ‘strategic interest’ as ‘lots of ideas from Degsy Beaumont’ but it then goes on to say ‘several credible parties’.

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1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

‘The game has fielded strategic interest from several credible parties in recent months and the strategic group will consider how to make the most of these opportunities for the betterment of the sport in a coordinated way.’

That has to be financial, no? You could read ‘strategic interest’ as ‘lots of ideas from Degsy Beaumont’ but it then goes on to say ‘several credible parties’.

Financial is broad though, with TV partners in there too for example.

I'd imagine PE firms have a fair amount of money floating about too at the moment (well those backed by good investments over the past 18 months). I think the above suggests that being selective over how any money is spent will be at the heart of this.

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You couldn’t make it up!

the very people who have presided over the decline of the sport are going to sit and discuss how they can #### It up even further (if that’s possible) 🤣🤣

why aren’t questions been asked by the pro clubs, how have they managed to allow the game to get to this point?

 Surely a vote of no confidence in the RFL and Community Board has to be considered

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I've just watched Fever Pitch on the BBC which documents the start of the Premier League. I was only 11 at the time but I never realised the doldrums football was in with poor facilities, no TV deal, lack of funding and declining crowds. It some ways it's was a perfect storm with Sky starting out but they took the risk to push something new and the rest is history. In some ways RL is there now, needing fresh impetuous. In my mind a working group needs people outside of the game to look at it, not those already heavily involved.

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6 minutes ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

I've just watched Fever Pitch on the BBC which documents the start of the Premier League. I was only 11 at the time but I never realised the doldrums football was in with poor facilities, no TV deal, lack of funding and declining crowds. It some ways it's was a perfect storm with Sky starting out but they took the risk to push something new and the rest is history. In some ways RL is there now, needing fresh impetuous. In my mind a working group needs people outside of the game to look at it, not those already heavily involved.

RL was there in the mid 90s. Sadly too much money was wasted and the regeneration of the game was limited to a handful of clubs who were generally near the top anyway.

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15 minutes ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

Fair point, perhaps it more accurate to say there again. 

Yeah its such a shame really. We had the golden goose and really did not kick on with it.

I don't know if the current TV market is in the same mood as in the 90s though sadly. Back then as pay TV was first starting, aggressive expansion was on the cards. They'd pay to support a sport/product. Now however, I get the sense they want the sport there ready now, or at least that they'll only pay what its worth at this moment.

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13 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

He was the single leading figure against Super League splitting away from the rest of the game in the first place. He's ran a lower division club. He's ran an expansion club. He currently runs a club who have the resources and general stature to not be as penny pinching as others have to be. He himself has stature in the game and with McManus of St Helens onside now he is reinforced in that position.

Put it this way, if it was Michael Carter and Adam Pearson instead, you could kiss goodbye to any but the smallest funding going below Super League, if any at all.

Your opinion of him is way more optimistic than mine, he's been involved in the top level if the sport for decades and has had a part to play in the mess we're in now, and I don't remember him ever saying anything about the clubs in the lower leagues.

I hope your right, but I highly doubt you are.

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I’m not sure on the detail but we need to save as many of our clubs as we can both heartland and expansion (if those terms are still relevant).

We need to keep them sustainable and community focused yes, but also with the possibility of dreaming a little dream of better days ahead and future investment that isn’t only central.  I’d like to see best practice being shared from top to bottom amongst the administration teams.

I would hope too there is a joined up strategy that looks to cash in on any publicity gained from the restarting of the postponed World Cup and using the England brand to shine a light on the sport generally.  

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Dave T said:

As fashionable as it is to bash SL clubs, there is no doubt that the 4 SL reps have done a great job with their clubs. Apart from Catalans I'm not sure I'd be clamouring for another club to be represented. 

And I’m sure they’ll do right by their respective clubs in this working party. I’m not convinced they’ll do right by all the clubs

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17 minutes ago, Spidey said:

And I’m sure they’ll do right by their respective clubs in this working party. I’m not convinced they’ll do right by all the clubs

I'm less cynical about people's motives, and ultimately this working party will only be able to make recommendations. 

I do believe that in the main people want the best for the game, they just have different ideas how to do it. 

I always point back to the many decisions that have been signed off that could absolutely be seen as going against the narrative of self interest. 

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I think you're a very nice person Dave. Personally I wouldn't trust McManus to watch my beer while I went for a ######, never mind come up a plan for the whole game.

I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

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21 hours ago, Mark S said:

Hopefully they will give Hetherington the wrong address for the first meeting. 

The Hetherington who said SL clubs breaking away wouldn't work and take the game backwards and voted against it. Maybe he deserves a chance to resolve the issues created by the owners who voted to breakaway.

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Having just watched back to back NRL finals games it is clear how the game must go,you need a competition where all the clubs over a small period of time can be at the top,where there are star recognisable players in every team,not the same year in year out,brave decisions are needed and you wont get that if those making them are full of self interest 

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13 minutes ago, Bulls2487 said:

The Hetherington who said SL clubs breaking away wouldn't work and take the game backwards and voted against it. Maybe he deserves a chance to resolve the issues created by the owners who voted to breakaway.

The issues facing the game all still existed before the breakaway.

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I read this piece yesterday and I must confess that my heart sank

Yet another Working Group set up by, and involving, the same old suspects - albeit it could have been worse, Michael Carter could have been on it!

Then you've got Ralph Rimmer spouting the same old meaningless drivel that he's famous for. 

No representation from clubs outside Super League, nobody from the Community, no input from people with a fresh perspective outside the sport

It all just feels so depressing

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10 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

I read this piece yesterday and I must confess that my heart sank

Yet another Working Group set up by, and involving, the same old suspects - albeit it could have been worse, Michael Carter could have been on it!

Then you've got Ralph Rimmer spouting the same old meaningless drivel that he's famous for. 

No representation from clubs outside Super League, nobody from the Community, no input from people with a fresh perspective outside the sport

It all just feels so depressing

I agree. The sport really needs fresh input to independently set out a path forward. Of course the sport can choose to follow that or not. I don't think the answers are going to come from the usual suspects who have been responsible for the poor decisions that have taken place over the last decade. Just on Rimmer I saw this on Twitter and its a good point:

 

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