The biggest local derby

[Spidey]

 

[Cw25]

For me personally it is Oldham v Rochdale. But elsewhere the fiercest seems to be the Hull derby. Then Saints v Wigan. I remember the Swinton v Salford one. They were special, At the Willows and even more so, Station road.

[RigbyLuger]

I love it when the media fill space with this tedious discussion.

[Jughead]

Saints and Wigan have (by my count, at least) contested six Challenge Cup Finals, a Regal Trophy Final, four Premiership Finals, a Championship Final, a Charity Shield Final, a Floodlit Trophy Final, three Lancashire Cup Finals and four Grand Finals. That’s without the semi-finals and regular season games across multiple competitions between the two so for sheer consistency, I can’t see beyond that. 

Leeds v Bradford feels like a loss to the sport though. At that particular period during the late 90’s to mid 00’s, it was must watch with some great players, big crowds and some good rugby on show. I don’t know if that rivalry will have it that good again. The Hull derby has certainly had its moments in the past fifteen or so years and it’s certainly a big game, I like how it’s ebbed and flowed and at different points, one has been the more prominent force in that city but I think if they were both competing for trophies or in the play-offs, it would reach new heights.

I’ve always fancied attending a Whitehaven v Workington game, they always seem really well attended and there’s a fair bit of rivalry there. 

[The storm]

4 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

Getting bored with this subject getting dragged up every so often. Even so, when it comes down to it, only the Hull Derby can produce such bitterness displayed so regularly on this forum by the odd poster.

Who would that be

[Scubby]

2 hours ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Everybody seems to be calling today's clash of Les Dracs and TOXIII a derby - even the Catalan club's website - and I understand why.  It's interesting to note, however, that the distance by road between the two is about twelve miles more than the journey for the away team when the Wire play Hull KR.

Can factors other than distance be taken into account when defining a 'derby'?  In a French context, I think of something like Carcassonne -v- Limoux as a derby.  I think I am right in saying they are about fifteen miles apart.

It is nothing compared to the Brisbane and the NQ Cowboys derby -  800+ miles and 15 hours by car.

[doc]

Always prefer Widnes Warrington derby, especially when it was at Wilderspool.  Obviously in the Championship we have Leigh. No disrespect, but it ain't the same.

[headtackle]

Saints v Wigan without a doubt

perm any of Saints, Wigan, Wire and back in the day Widnes and would get some tasty games 

[Old Frightful]

4 hours ago, The storm said:

Who would that be

That's a quite interesting question...how's your guesswork?

[Niels]

I think the Hull derby because this is the only one where both sides are actually from the same city.

Also they are both well supported and well matched. 

Personally my favourite is Batley v Dewsbury.

I also enjoyed Bramley v Leeds when Bramley were briefly in the first division. 

[meast]

Growing up the only big game apart from the cup finals I wanted to watch were Wigan v St Helens, they very rarely disappointed.

Even now, despite the fixture being diluted by seemingly playing each other 12 times, they still evoke past memories.

The Hull games have never done that for me really, Leeds v Bradford had the odd decent game but Wigan v Saints is the big one for me.

[Anita Bath]

And Michael Ennis on Fox even refers to it as a ‘local’ derby. He obviously failed geography at school…its as ‘local’ as wigan v warsaw.

[Anita Bath]

12 hours ago, Cw25 said:

For me personally it is Oldham v Rochdale. But elsewhere the fiercest seems to be the Hull derby. Then Saints v Wigan. I remember the Swinton v Salford one. They were special, At the Willows and even more so, Station road.

Yes, unlike an egg….you cannot beat the A627(M) classico.  Another sell out for easter weekend!

Send them home with their roughyeds between their legs hornets. Lets show them who is king in cotton country. 

Who is everyones second favourite team?…thats right …..whoever is playing oldham.

[Tommygilf]

The Hull Derby has the venom in it; both on the pitch and in the stands. Its one game where, regardless of League position or form, both sides seem to turn up 9 times out of 10 to create a good game.

Saints and Wigan is big because it is usually between 2 teams at the top of the table. It is obviously not friendly, but unlike Hull it feels more of a professional rivalry because of the status of both teams. Its a marquee fixture every season.

I was only young when it was at its pomp, but Leeds vs Bradford was still something to behold. For Leeds, it was good to have an "equivalent" local rival. As with so many things you don't appreciate what you have till its gone. Hull FC have sort of grown into that role for Leeds, but its not the same. Cas of course is a big game, but as a derby it isn't a rivalry of equals. Wakey and Huddersfield are usually good games but don't have the venom I would associate with those big derbies.

[Harry Stottle]

Not counting shared pitches in our game for completely different venues is there any closer than Leigh Miners and Leigh East approx 250 yards between the clubs.

[Harry Stottle]

Not counting shared pitches in our game for completely different venues are there any closer than Leigh Miners and Leigh East approx 250 yards between the clubs.

OK not professional, but interesting to know of any that are closer. 

 

[Barley Mow]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Not counting shared pitches in our game for completely different venues is there any closer than Leigh Miners and Leigh East approx 250 yards between the clubs.

Hunslet Parkside and Hunslet Warriors are about 200 yards apart as the crow flies.

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, Barley Mow said:

Hunslet Parkside and Hunslet Warriors are about 200 yards apart as the crow flies.

On mixing the pro and amatuer set ups, Leigh East at their old ground and Leigh Centurions were no more than 50 yards.

[Harry Stottle]

34 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

For Leeds, it was good to have an "equivalent" local rival

They still have a couple Tommy, albeit not at the same dizzy heights, anyway see what Monday brings if you can keep the charge up following last night.

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

They still have a couple Tommy, albeit not at the same dizzy heights, anyway see what Monday brings if you can keep the charge up following last night.

In terms of competitiveness on the field, yeah fine Cas have been better than us (except in the games that count) for much of the past decade.

But as a rivalry, it is built on small town vs city, chip on the shoulder, haves vs the have nots etc. stuff. Thats great, but it does mean that for Leeds its a game you just don't want to lose, whereas for Cas its their Cup Final which isn't as embarrassing to lose. The lopsided nature is a great part of it, but it means fundamentally its not a rivalry of equals like Saints vs Wigan or Batley vs Dewsbury.

In that sense, its the most intense of most of Leeds' West Yorkshire derbies which all, bar Bradford, play on the same tropes for the rivalry. To return to the original point, Bradford were then, and Hull are to a lesser extent now, a break from that.

[Harry Stottle]

3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

In terms of competitiveness on the field, yeah fine Cas have been better than us (except in the games that count) for much of the past decade.

But as a rivalry, it is built on small town vs city, chip on the shoulder, haves vs the have nots etc. stuff. Thats great, but it does mean that for Leeds its a game you just don't want to lose, whereas for Cas its their Cup Final which isn't as embarrassing to lose. The lopsided nature is a great part of it, but it means fundamentally its not a rivalry of equals like Saints vs Wigan or Batley vs Dewsbury.

In that sense, its the most intense of most of Leeds' West Yorkshire derbies which all, bar Bradford, play on the same tropes for the rivalry. To return to the original point, Bradford were then, and Hull are to a lesser extent now, a break from that.

Sounds very much like you are getting your excuse in early for Monday?

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Sounds very much like you are getting your excuse in early for Monday?

I expect us to lose, we're pretty rubbish at the moment and they are at home. 

[White Chevron on Blue]

The biggest Derby tag will always be transient as the fortunes of clubs ebb and flow. However I read that the Earl of Derby's family confirmed that the original concept of the local Derby was made by the late Earl of Derby and attributed to the Saints and Wigan matches. How often do we fail to maximise the marketing potential of our heritage ? A prime example being the Rugby League World Cup , pre dating the RU one. Our RFL president Clare Balding is descended from the Earls of Derby and perhaps if a plan was implemented could be willing to help enlighten the public as to  the roots of the historic origins of the local Derby rivalries . Could those 2 great clubs maximise the potential of this heritage to elevate their Derbies into national events ?

 

[Bigboff]

2 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

 whereas for Cas its their Cup Final which isn't as embarrassing to lose. 

 

Don't talk wet....Wakefield are insignificant to cas....just guaranteed 4 points for us every year.

Leeds has and always be our "final".

[Tommygilf]

32 minutes ago, Bigboff said:

Don't talk wet....Wakefield are insignificant to cas....just guaranteed 4 points for us every year.

Leeds has and always be our "final".

That's exactly what I was saying.