Sat 12th Feb: SL: Toulouse Olympique v Huddersfield Giants KO 20:00 (SKY)

[meast]

10 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Hello Everyone,

Just back from the match (Match aside) I feel really sorry for Toulouse as the covid rules put the dampers on what should have been a great opening night.

No pre or aftermath reception and no food or drink in the stadium awful killed the entire event stone dead IMHO lucky if it was 3500 there (Don't know what was announced) the whole evening was flat as a pancake after 10 mins of the second half cold tired and starving we left and drove back to Spain.

Lucky for the Dragons that the restrictions are being lifted next Wednesday so looking forward to the match on Saturday.

Goodnight 

Paul

We said the same, what should have been a celebration and a great event was very flat.

It felt like a low key pre season game, we were late getting to the ground and although we were aware of the lack of refreshments etc we expected a buzzing, atmospheric, busy ground, and we were disappointed to find a 2/3rds empty, fairly quiet stadium.

The band were entertaining, the locals were friendly, and despite the few Giants fans trying to get behind their team, it all just felt really flat and disappointing.

As for the game, after a nervy first quarter the Giants turned it on and could have won by a lot more, Toulouse looked out of ideas and energy around the hour mark.

Still, I'm glad that I was part of history and I've now witnessed my team in their first games against both French teams, Toulouse isn't a bad city either!

[binosh]

1 hour ago, Davo5 said:

Nah,he’s just a troll.

Nope, not a troll, just won’t get pushed around on here by people like Davo9 just for having a differing opinion.

Last year I made a comment about people jumping in the “Toulouse are saviours of Super League” bandwagon, funnily enough Davo was the first one to try and shoot me down. When I said they would just be another Leigh/London/Toronto

See if you can find the thread I can’t, many posters saying unsubstantiated things like Toulouse are miles better for SL than Leigh and Featherstone because-

They have more money, will do better on the pitch, are a better commercial proposition, have loads of huge sponsors waiting in the wings, they are a better away day than another north of England team, Sky will prefer them due to their demographic footprint, will easily have 10000 fans per home game, amongst many others.

Well what we have actually found is quite the opposite and all the people who made comments about me being a bitter Leigh fan have disappeared.

Toulouse are not the magical golden goose you thought they would be, unless Sky have said different and offered the game and extra 20 million a year??

What we have found out is that Leigh V Fev on a bog of a pitch on a Monday night still nearly pulls in as many viewers as a SL sky game.

The game needs a Massive restructure otherwise it goes down the pan and teams like Leigh & Featherstone are as valuable as any other team.

[bobbruce]

15 minutes ago, binosh said:

Nope, not a troll, just won’t get pushed around on here by people like Davo9 just for having a differing opinion.

Last year I made a comment about people jumping in the “Toulouse are saviours of Super League” bandwagon, funnily enough Davo was the first one to try and shoot me down. When I said they would just be another Leigh/London/Toronto

See if you can find the thread I can’t, many posters saying unsubstantiated things like Toulouse are miles better for SL than Leigh and Featherstone because-

They have more money, will do better on the pitch, are a better commercial proposition, have loads of huge sponsors waiting in the wings, they are a better away day than another north of England team, Sky will prefer them due to their demographic footprint, will easily have 10000 fans per home game, amongst many others.

Well what we have actually found is quite the opposite and all the people who made comments about me being a bitter Leigh fan have disappeared.

Toulouse are not the magical golden goose you thought they would be, unless Sky have said different and offered the game and extra 20 million a year??

What we have found out is that Leigh V Fev on a bog of a pitch on a Monday night still nearly pulls in as many viewers as a SL sky game.

The game needs a Massive restructure otherwise it goes down the pan and teams like Leigh & Featherstone are as valuable as any other team.

Apart from Toulouse who you think are less valuable. 

[Davo5]

16 minutes ago, binosh said:

Nope, not a troll, just won’t get pushed around on here by people like Davo9 just for having a differing opinion.

Last year I made a comment about people jumping in the “Toulouse are saviours of Super League” bandwagon, funnily enough Davo was the first one to try and shoot me down. When I said they would just be another Leigh/London/Toronto

See if you can find the thread I can’t, many posters saying unsubstantiated things like Toulouse are miles better for SL than Leigh and Featherstone because-

They have more money, will do better on the pitch, are a better commercial proposition, have loads of huge sponsors waiting in the wings, they are a better away day than another north of England team, Sky will prefer them due to their demographic footprint, will easily have 10000 fans per home game, amongst many others.

Well what we have actually found is quite the opposite and all the people who made comments about me being a bitter Leigh fan have disappeared.

Toulouse are not the magical golden goose you thought they would be, unless Sky have said different and offered the game and extra 20 million a year??

What we have found out is that Leigh V Fev on a bog of a pitch on a Monday night still nearly pulls in as many viewers as a SL sky game.

The game needs a Massive restructure otherwise it goes down the pan and teams like Leigh & Featherstone are as valuable as any other team.

I can’t speak for davo9 but I like the majority of posters never stated Toulouse are the saviours of Superleague,maybe that’s the reason you can’t find those posts.

[binosh]

6 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

Apart from Toulouse who you think are less valuable. 

Nice try.

I didn’t say Toulouse were less valuable I said any team coming up is going to struggle unless the structure changes. Toulouse offer no more than any other team.

[GUBRATS]

34 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

I can’t speak for davo9 but I like the majority of posters never stated Toulouse are the saviours of Superleague,maybe that’s the reason you can’t find those posts.

There's stated and implied , many have done the latter , as they did for Toronto 

It isn't looking good for Toulouse 

[Davo5]

10 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

There's stated and implied , many have done the latter , as they did for Toronto 

It isn't looking good for Toulouse 

Nah that’s just a stick some supporters of heartland Championship teams like to use to beat other clubs with.

Your right it doesn’t,quality reinforcements are needed but like your own club financial impediments enforced by Superleague is contributing to the problem.

[Ant]

I'm not sure any promoted team stands a candle in hells chance of staying up

By the time promotion is secured, there are no real quality players left to sign, you have just a few months to recruit and prepare for the top flight and it's an almost guaranteed certainty that relegation becons.

Any promoted team should get the three year exemption just as Catalan did, without that- p&r is nothing more than a sham to make sure the same clubs win SL, and struggling clubs can't build.

Bring back licencing in fact, just do it better.

 

 

Anyway, record week 1 for the Giants, in a game where half those polled thought we'd lose isn't a bad start.

[Bob8]

8 minutes ago, Ant said:

I'm not sure any promoted team stands a candle in hells chance of staying up

By the time promotion is secured, there are no real quality players left to sign, you have just a few months to recruit and prepare for the top flight and it's an almost guaranteed certainty that relegation becons.

Any promoted team should get the three year exemption just as Catalan did, without that- p&r is nothing more than a sham to make sure the same clubs win SL, and struggling clubs can't build.

Bring back licencing in fact, just do it better.

Anyway, record week 1 for the Giants, in a game where half those polled thought we'd lose isn't a bad start.

I agree it would be better.

It would still be too many places for not enough candidates and a rather arbitary cut-off.

[Ant]

Currently any team winning promotion is relying on a collapse by an existing SL club of epic proportions so I think pretty much anything is better than a system that currently goes 

"You won promotion, good luck, lol"

 

 

 

[Scubby]

22 minutes ago, Ant said:

I'm not sure any promoted team stands a candle in hells chance of staying up

By the time promotion is secured, there are no real quality players left to sign, you have just a few months to recruit and prepare for the top flight and it's an almost guaranteed certainty that relegation becons.

Any promoted team should get the three year exemption just as Catalan did, without that- p&r is nothing more than a sham to make sure the same clubs win SL, and struggling clubs can't build.

Bring back licencing in fact, just do it better.

 

 

Anyway, record week 1 for the Giants, in a game where half those polled thought we'd lose isn't a bad start.

Interesting thing about Watson is that he seems to expect success. It's not excuses driven or smug. Huddersfield look a strong prospect this season. Getting Levi is a masterstroke - he is perfect for SL. If he stays fit he is going to drive the team towards the top 6.

[Ant]

8 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Interesting thing about Watson is that he seems to expect success. It's not excuses driven or smug. Huddersfield look a strong prospect this season. Getting Levi is a masterstroke - he is perfect for SL. If he stays fit he is going to drive the team towards the top 6.

Agreed. Since Anderson we have had the unmitigated disaster of Stone - who combined with the 888 format set us back years. Woolford began to rebuild, but maybe didn't get it right and maybe didn't get the luck on the injury front 

Watson has been given a long term project, and money so green shoots are showing 

Any pundit that thought the Giants would be smashing it last season needs sacking (Sky, I'm looking at you). Huuuuge turnover of playing staff, brand new coach, root and branch overhaul of the club at best means mid table. Throw in covid, more ridiculous injuries and a marquee player who plays for himself and not the team, it was never going to be a great season (and everyone's golden child, HKR, only won one more game than the Giants)

Tl:Dr

I'm expecting better things from the Giants this season, top 6. I'll reserve judgement on top 4 (which I don't think will look like those same pundits suggest)

[Damien]

20 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Interesting thing about Watson is that he seems to expect success. It's not excuses driven or smug. Huddersfield look a strong prospect this season. Getting Levi is a masterstroke - he is perfect for SL. If he stays fit he is going to drive the team towards the top 6.

I do like listening to Watson. He speaks very well and I think he'd make a great pundit.

[Bobby123]

Hey Ho! Welcome to the SL

[bobbruce]

2 hours ago, Davo5 said:

I can’t speak for davo9 but I like the majority of posters never stated Toulouse are the saviours of Superleague,maybe that’s the reason you can’t find those posts.

Is he your older brother. 

[Snowys Backside]

Where’s Sir Kev ?

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, Davo5 said:

Nah that’s just a stick some supporters of heartland Championship teams like to use to beat other clubs with.

Your right it doesn’t,quality reinforcements are needed but like your own club financial impediments enforced by Superleague is contributing to the problem.

So I have seen it mentioned many times by many different posters the anger and frustration that TO have these financial impediments enforced by SL, but no one has qualified why it is being done that way, was it a condition of their entry to SL, have at some point in time they have agreed to it, I honestly can't imagine they have just had it imposed on them for the start of this season, but saying that I wouldn't put anything past those who run SL the very same people who were quietly sat in the background pulling Mr Elstone's strings and letting him take all the flack, just think about it if Elstone was still in office, he would be being crucified for it on these pages.

[Davo5]

21 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

Is he your older brother. 

Possibly or more likely a figment of his imagination like the rest of his post.

[Davo5]

5 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

So I have seen it mentioned many times by many different posters the anger and frustration that TO have these financial impediments enforced by SL, but no one has qualified why it is being done that way, was it a condition of their entry to SL, have at some point in time they have agreed to it, I honestly can't imagine they have just had it imposed on them for the start of this season, but saying that I wouldn't put anything past those who run SL the very same people who were quietly sat in the background pulling Mr Elstone's strings and letting him take all the flack, just think about it if Elstone was still in office, he would be being crucified for it on these pages.

Whichever it is,the simple fact that Superleague are imposing such impediments on promoted clubs who already face a huge hurdle to stay in the league is embarrassing & pathetic.

[Harry Stottle]

13 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Whichever it is,the simple fact that Superleague are imposing such impediments on promoted clubs who already face a huge hurdle to stay in the league is embarrassing & pathetic.

Agreed, but can you not see the similarities that is happening both now and during Elstone's period in office, where are the 'Fun Boy Three' of the 3 big west of the Pennine club's who unveiled Elstone to the Rugby League World, they are conspicuous by their absence in explaining why TO have to pay other SL club's travel expenses, let's say they are keeping their heads down with no one else to heap the blame on.

[Davo5]

5 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Agreed, but can you not see the similarities that is happening both now and during Elstone's period in office, where are the 'Fun Boy Three' of the 3 big west of the Pennine club's who unveiled Elstone to the Rugby League World, they are conspicuous by their absence in explaining why TO have to pay other SL club's travel expenses, let's say they are keeping their heads down with no one else to heap the blame on.

Elstone was only ever an expensive puppet of ALL the Superleague clubs so the self interest is bound to continue now he’s gone.

[JT RL]

The gap up to Superleague is a wide one, too big for most (all) clubs to take in one stride (without an external benefactors). Having said that, there is only enough resource for 8 or 10 top league teams.

All Championship clubs can be a match for a Superleague one, say 5 or 6 games a league .. so, why not arrange the league like that

 

Then when a team like TO, Leigh or Fetherstone, host one like Huddersfield or Hull … it,s going to be one heck of n event

[JonM]

1 hour ago, Snowys Backside said:

Where’s Sir Kev ?

Busy editing his old posts I imagine.

[Ant]

Having said that, there is only enough resource for 8 or 10 top league teams

This is, frankly, absolutely rubbish.

There is plenty of resource but it's overly concentrated and for "bottom" teams to collect the grains that remain needs more time than they are currently given 

 

[idrewthehaggis]

6 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Could I just throw in the two games against a very weakened Saints team, London could only play what was in front on them, but had Saints not had been so benevolent in those games then London would not have made the end of season 4 club dogfight, I think we would have heard a lot more about it if one of the other 3 club's had suffered relegation, as it happened nothing needed to said.

London, despite the Saints games, were exceptionally unlucky to be relegated that season. 

In essence, it took the very last game doe them to go down, bdeed Hull KR just missed a bullet that day.

For a different scenario could have happened.

Back at the Magic Weekend, it was only the stumbling butter finger of Olpherts that handed KR a win at Anfield and come the last game SRD and the Robins were only separated by an extra time Golden Point drop kick.

We would have had the slightly uncomfortable pleasure of twice ditching KR into tier two that Friday. Leeds or Wigan an eternal joy, but not yer fellow minnows.

As for the shapeshifting restrictions on Tox13, then rigged isn't it all.