Hurricanes Hit the Road

[yipyee]

20 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

If I've pointed that out it was inadvertently, I wasn't trying to say that at all

It might be that some have comparable facilities to Midlands this year, but they plan to be in the main stadium next year. Which of our amateur clubs have L1 standard facilities?

I don't have a strong opinion either way on whether community clubs become semi-pro, but I'm not aware of any that are unhappy with the current situation. Most seem to be content in their current role and accepting that the semi-pro clubs play a different role to them in the sport.

This is a major difference between us and union - their semi-pro clubs were all recreational until pretty recently and don't have a history of being set up for spectator entertainment in the way most semi-pro RL clubs do.

Most semi-pro RL clubs have the same history as our full-time SL clubs and until recently played the same roll - they were regularly among the elite of the game.

Although the gap to SL may now be greater, this means those semi-pro clubs are still geared towards being spectator entertainment in a way that semi-pro union clubs aren't and even many full-time union clubs weren't until the last few decades.

Agree with this, 

The difference is in our sport is that the semi pro clubs that didn't go pro got left behind when the top semi pro clubs went fully pro.

In terms of top amateur clubs they can get attendances greater than league1 attendances and the set ups and training schedules are very similar.

Its always amused me that a sport born out of wanting to pay players a match fee stop clubs paying a match fee in the lower levels whilst a sport that wanted to stop clubs paying a match fee pay match fees at all levels. 

[Hopping Mad]

1 hour ago, Davo5 said:

You’d think he’d want to watch the game after paying admission,did he go into the bar & toilets to make sure his count was accurate ?

Oh, come on. It ain't difficult to do a headcount when a couple of hundred are present.

You think he missed a few thousand?

Edited June 7, 2023 by Hopping Mad

[Hemel Rugby League]

36 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Ar you the actual Hemel Rugby League or someone who's chosen that name? Either way this is an incredibly simplistic view. If the clubs you mention had the millions required to own their own facilities I'm pretty sure they'd have them. Fair play to Hemel for owning their own facility but that's not practical for every club. There's some great people involved in the club but I'd hardly hold up Hemel as some shining light either BTW. 

The point is that Hemel always put some of their money into facilities and some into the pockets of players (in League 1 days). The other development area League 1 clubs put not a penny into facilities and are now homeless.

Hemel had the foresight to  get out of League 1 well before the RFL/IMG abolishes that competition.

Hemel's ground that they own is now valued at just a little less than £1m - and despite having football clubs queuing up to use it, community RL remains the dominant sport.

They arrived at a green field site in 1981 and slowly built the existing Pennine Way Sports Stadium with all its ancillary commercial operations under its control.

Long, committed years which clubs today seem reluctant to do.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by Hemel Rugby League

[Jeff Stein]

Would this be the Hemel who couldn't raise a team in either the southern conference or the regional league last year?

[Davo5]

7 hours ago, Hopping Mad said:

Oh, come on. It ain't difficult to do a headcount when a couple of hundred are present.

You think he missed a few thousand?

I bet you 2 have some really “interesting” nights out.

[OriginalMrC]

8 hours ago, Jeff Stein said:

Would this be the Hemel who couldn't raise a team in either the southern conference or the regional league last year?

There's a saying I've heard about people in glass houses and all that. 

I fully respect everything Hemel have achieved but find it odd that someone from the club is taking pot shots at other expansion clubs when they know only too well how hard it is to grow the game outside the heartlands. 

[idrewthehaggis]

Just after quitting rugby to be a "mature" student, I meet a fella in a Derby RL top at a chippie at the junction of Abbey and Burton Road. The lad was from Cas I think and I took the chance to ask him about his shirt. He told me that there was a burgeoning RL community in the east Midlands still reeling from Uncle Mo's collapsing of Nottingham some years before. 

I declined the opportunity to try it (sadly), picked up our respective fish suppers and departed.

So for me it makes complete sense for Midland to branch out.

People need to understand the perspective. This is League One in front of a few hundred if that. More fellas will be having a pie at Pride Park at half time most Saturdays (even against lofty opponents like erm Stevenage haha)than there.

Maybe it will revive RL there, maybe not. 

Maybe fish supper fella will greet you. I hope so.

[RP London]

On 07/06/2023 at 23:43, Hemel Rugby League said:

The point is that Hemel always put some of their money into facilities and some into the pockets of players (in League 1 days). The other development area League 1 clubs put not a penny into facilities and are now homeless.

Hemel had the foresight to  get out of League 1 well before the RFL/IMG abolishes that competition.

Hemel's ground that they own is now valued at just a little less than £1m - and despite having football clubs queuing up to use it, community RL remains the dominant sport.

They arrived at a green field site in 1981 and slowly built the existing Pennine Way Sports Stadium with all its ancillary commercial operations under its control.

Long, committed years which clubs today seem reluctant to do.

 

 

 

 

 

to be fair things were very different in 1981 than they are now.. many "green field sites" that could potentially hold a Rugby club are exceedingly expensive or, in the case of a few I know in and around Sheffield, are being held on to by people who think they will be able to build on them in the not too distant.. times change sadly. 

renting is not ideal, no club would say it was from Super League to the lowest league, but you dont often have a choice in the matter. 

[bobbruce]

On 06/06/2023 at 09:08, Barley Mow said:

Where on earth did that come from?

Midlands Hurricanes seem to be doing good work and I'm supportive of that.

The Alexander Stadium will be a prestigious home for them - I'm not a fan of athletics stadiums for RL and it's likely to be too big for them, but I think it's great that they have such an opportunity.

I'm just interested to know why the RFL aren't enforcing the L1 ground requirements.

I agree that as a regional club there is a strong argument to 'spread the word'. But as a pro club (as you point out) this shouldn't be at a field and clubhouse type set up you get in the amateur game - that really doesn't shout (semi-) professional.

What are the league 1 ground requirements. 

[Barley Mow]

14 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

What are the league 1 ground requirements. 

They used to be available on the RFL website (I last looked at them about a year ago). They don't seem to be publicly available any more - but are referred to in the 2023 version of the RFL's operational rules, along with how to apply for dispensation if you don't meet them, etc - so they must still exist.

From memory, last time I looked League 1 needed a capacity of at least 1,500 with 200 permanent seats. There were requirements for floodlighting, directors and sponsors specific seating, disabled accessible seating, changing room requirements, match officials' facilities, medical facilities, etc.

I wish I'd thought to download a copy of them now.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 06/06/2023 at 11:01, OriginalMrC said:

 

However, I would love to be a fly on the wall when the Hunslet fans turn up for the game. They've always been known to be gracious and not at all critical of the host teams surroundings

 

They particularly slag off Skolars!

[Gomersall]

 

[Anita Bath]

I can feel an expansion to Derby coming on!

[JM2010]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

I can feel an expansion to Derby coming on!

Would be good sometime in the future. Would like to see lots more community clubs in the Midlands over the next few years to underpin any expansion. 
Nottingham and Derby are big enough to accommodate 10 + community clubs each. 

[Eddie]

13 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

Would be good sometime in the future. Would like to see lots more community clubs in the Midlands over the next few years to underpin any expansion. 
Nottingham and Derby are big enough to accommodate 10 + community clubs each. 

Trouble is there’s nobody to start, run or fund them. 

[Anita Bath]

Northampton anyone?

[RP London]

11 hours ago, Eddie said:

Trouble is there’s nobody to start, run or fund them. 

nail and head.. 

DOs anyone?

[Gomersall]

 

[Hemel Rugby League]

Watched the video of the Match posted by Gomersall and can't see where the 547 spectators are. Looks more like 47 at a routine Midlands community RL game. Can anyone at the match offer any comments?

 

[RP London]

8 hours ago, Hemel Rugby League said:

Watched the video of the Match posted by Gomersall and can't see where the 547 spectators are. Looks more like 47 at a routine Midlands community RL game. Can anyone at the match offer any comments?

 

at a guess, like many matches with a camera, probably in the "stand" where the camera is... 

why we cannot put cameras on the empty sides to look towards the crowd is beyond me but its done at all levels. 

[del capo]

On 14/06/2023 at 10:34, Barley Mow said:

They used to be available on the RFL website (I last looked at them about a year ago). They don't seem to be publicly available any more - but are referred to in the 2023 version of the RFL's operational rules, along with how to apply for dispensation if you don't meet them, etc - so they must still exist.

From memory, last time I looked League 1 needed a capacity of at least 1,500 with 200 permanent seats. There were requirements for floodlighting, directors and sponsors specific seating, disabled accessible seating, changing room requirements, match officials' facilities, medical facilities, etc.

I wish I'd thought to download a copy of them now.

Page 380 onwards in the 2023 Tier 1-3 Operational Rules covers  what you have been looking for on Standard Facilities.

Makes  for interesting reading and presumably would need checking / permission from RFL for on the road games.

The Operational Rules also provide for  a promotion block on any team not having high enough facilities Standards to match the next level ...........

[del capo]

On 07/06/2023 at 23:20, yipyee said:

Agree with this, 

The difference is in our sport is that the semi pro clubs that didn't go pro got left behind when the top semi pro clubs went fully pro.

In terms of top amateur clubs they can get attendances greater than league1 attendances and the set ups and training schedules are very similar.

Its always amused me that a sport born out of wanting to pay players a match fee stop clubs paying a match fee in the lower levels whilst a sport that wanted to stop clubs paying a match fee pay match fees at all levels. 

Only the NCL prevent the paying of players. This is primarily to protect the member clubs from potential financial problems seen all too often elsewhere. Dual registration is also denied.  The Management though  will be visiting at least that second point soon.

As far as I understand it all other Community playing Leagues under the direct control of the RFL  are ' Open ' in the sense that dual registration is permitted and there seems to be no actual proscription on paying an individual. Could be wrong though.

As an aside I heard this weekend of a Tier  EIGHT  RU club  ( Lancs and Cheshire Admin ) desperate to sign a scrum half for £100 a game. Such is the effect of a League system on what used to be 'posh boys ' saturday afternoon fun.....

[south yorkshire]

On 05/06/2023 at 23:55, Barley Mow said:

Sorry to put a downer on this, but how do Midlands get away with playing their matches at sub-standard venues?

Last year they played at a ground that is essentially a recreational union club, on the basis that it was just for one year and they were moving to the Alexander Stadium.

This year they're at the training venue for the Alexander Stadium because the main facility isn't ready yet. There doesn't seem to be any stands, just ground level standing and a marquee with obstructed views.

They're now planning on taking this match on the road, but to another recreational union club - essentially a field with a clubhouse.

These are the kind of places that our amateur clubs play.

We haven't done away with ground requirements for League 1 because North Wales were refused permission to play a match on a 4G at Eirias Park because of the requirements.

sheffield did it for years

[OriginalMrC]

17 hours ago, Hemel Rugby League said:

Watched the video of the Match posted by Gomersall and can't see where the 547 spectators are. Looks more like 47 at a routine Midlands community RL game. Can anyone at the match offer any comments?

 

I had a mate who went and he counted the crowd. They were all hidden from view behind the camera. You are correct to be suspicious about the number quoted as it was actually 546. 

I pine for the halycon days at Hemel in league 1 when both teams, physios, ball boys and referee were counted in the attendance figures and it still didn't break 3 figures

[del capo]

1 hour ago, OriginalMrC said:

I had a mate who went and he counted the crowd. They were all hidden from view behind the camera. You are correct to be suspicious about the number quoted as it was actually 546. 

I pine for the halycon days at Hemel in league 1 when both teams, physios, ball boys and referee were counted in the attendance figures and it still didn't break 3 figures

Your mate obviously forgot to count himself......

By the way Derby RFC facilities are well up to L1 standards.