Sun 24th Sept: The Betfred League One Promotion Final: Doncaster v North Wales Crusaders KO 15:00

[the old nine ole]

I note that Faraimo is included in the Dons squad ... as well as Fonua and Vete!!  

[tim2]

17 hours ago, sam4731 said:

Maybe the best solution to the Skolars dropping out next year would be to have a two conference second tier with 23 teams, Championship East (Yorkshire) and Championship West (Everyone else). By my reckoning, before any P&R took place (lots of variables), it would be a 12/11 split as long as you awkwardly shift Newcastle a bit to the West.

Not to a lot of people's taste but it seems like a fairly neat solution.

So, all the massive travel costs for the "West" group, then? Plus, the numbers don't work unless London or Newcastle is in the Yorkshire group. 

Yorkshire: Sheffield, Batley, Dewsbury,Wakefield, Bradford,Doncaster,Hunslet,Halifax,Keighley,York
"West": Swinton,Haven,Worky,Barrow,Newcastle,Oldham,Rochdale,Widnes,Midlands,Cornwall,Toulouse,London,N Wales

Apart from London, there's a massive disparity in standard. Maybe a position based split world be better. As it stands (ish):

Conference A: Wakefield,Sheffield,London,York,Widnes,Keighley,Dewsbury,Swinton,N Wales,Oldham,Rochdale,Cornwall
Conference B: Toulouse,Bradford,Halifax,Batley,Barrow,Whitehaven,Doncaster,Newcastle,Hunslet,Workington,Midlands

Play each other twice (20 or 22 games) then into phase 2 for top 6 and a separate tournament and cup for the bottom 5/6.

1,2,3 plays 4,5,6 from other half, points carried forward.

Top 2 meet for promotion (or semis then final). An option, certainly. Cornwall and Midlands would have to step up quite significantly. Alternatively, play each other once, then split to make Champ + League One, points carried forward.

[Rene_Artois]

3 hours ago, Jemmo said:

Just noticed on The Dons ticketting site that 2 sections have sold out, another section has 6 seats left. And the remaining are well over half sold.

I have never known us sell a section out, ever, let alone multiple. Should be a good atmosphere

Just had a look myself. About 900 tickets left in the sections open. If that's right it'll be about 3000 sold already. Hope I'm reading it right cos it'll be a hell of an atmosphere.

[SUPERSTUD]

1 hour ago, the old nine ole said:

I note that Faraimo is included in the Dons squad ... as well as Fonua and Vete!!  

Faraimo played for Hull rugby union team at Huddersfield last week. What a crazy situation if he is allowed to step straight into a promotion play off final without making a single appearance for Donny during the season. Doesn’t sit right with me.

[SUPERSTUD]

NWC have been brilliant during the play off’s and I would like to see them do it again. However my head says Doncaster at a canter. They have backloaded too much cash on the super league superstars to blow it now.

[weighman]

Faramino signed before deadline ,we have been waiting for his visa.

Our other wingers I understand are injured . Misi definitely picked up an injury at Hunslet.

[Rene_Artois]

26 minutes ago, weighman said:

Faramino signed before deadline ,we have been waiting for his visa.

Our other wingers I understand are injured . Misi definitely picked up an injury at Hunslet.

True Paul. I think playing Faraimo is a decision we've had to take. Hopefully playing outside Fonua it shouldn't be a negative one. He's working with a centre he's played with plenty of times.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

2 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

Just had a look myself. About 900 tickets left in the sections open. If that's right it'll be about 3000 sold already. Hope I'm reading it right cos it'll be a hell of an atmosphere.

I can give you one example of the sort of interest in this game, Rene A.  My mate from Norton (just north of Donny) hasn't attended an RL match since he and I went to Wembley to see my team, Les Dracs, beat the Wire in 2018.  However, earlier this week, chatting on the phone, he said that he was going on Sunday and taking his daughter and her two small boys along too.  I hope they manage to get in!

Clearly this is catching the local imagination.

[Rene_Artois]

12 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

I can give you one example of the sort of interest in this game, Rene A.  My mate from Norton (just north of Donny) hasn't attended an RL match since he and I went to Wembley to see my team, Les Dracs, beat the Wire in 2018.  However, earlier this week, chatting on the phone, he said that he was going on Sunday and taking his daughter and her two small boys along too.  I hope they manage to get in!

Clearly this is catching the local imagination.

That's great to know. Particularly since Norton is traditionally a Fev supporting village. I really hope we can capitalise on this. We need it. It's a great club that's really committed to local development in recent years in terms of schools and community clubs. This is a very important step for the development of RL as a whole in Doncaster.

Incidentally. Tell him to book his tickets online as they're unlikely to open more sections on the day.

Edited September 22, 2023 by Rene_Artois

[fearnowt]

Great to hear about the local interest in this game. It will be great to see a big crowd to reward the players of both sides who have worked so hard to get to this point.

There is more interest from our end as well, despite having to rely almost entirely on word of mouth. We don't get any media attention in North Wales, apart from one sports writer keeping us on the sports pages of the Wrexham Leader. Fair play to him, he's written something about us every day since the Oldham game. https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/sport/23804627.cru-coach-carl-wants-reward-crazy-passionate-fans/

I'm guessing we'll have about 300 fans at the game, making plenty of noise as usual. We've already exceeded our expectations for the season so no pressure on the team or the fans at all. Whatever the result, it's going to be a great occasion.

[Rene_Artois]

It is going to be a massive occasion and a great advert for 2 (relatively) non traditional clubs. I know we've been around for 70 odd years but the fact that we even still exist should be something non-heartland clubs should take heart from. It's never been easy but anything worth having never is.

[Rene_Artois]

Just to give my perspective on this game. I'm both excited and terrified in equal measure 

[Stirlin]

1 hour ago, Rene_Artois said:

Just to give my perspective on this game. I'm both excited and terrified in equal measure 

As it should be Rene.

[fearnowt]

Another little piece from our friend Shaun Davies in the Wrexham Leader tonight.

https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/sport/23804713.north-wales-crusaders-face-doncaster-showpiece-final/

[Rene_Artois]

https://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/article/1528/news-|-21-man-squad-named-for-promotion-final

[robt]

7 hours ago, weighman said:

Faramino signed before deadline ,we have been waiting for his visa.

Our other wingers I understand are injured . Misi definitely picked up an injury at Hunslet.

Wasn't it residence with Faraimo and the visa with Fonua? 

[Jemmo]

11 hours ago, robt said:

Wasn't it residence with Faraimo and the visa with Fonua? 

Yes, although the visa comes with the residency so it's arguably semantics 

[fearnowt]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/wales/66896299

[Futtocks]

 

[mozzauk]

Hope Donny win, and then we can get back to South Yorkshire Derby's and the South Yorkshire Cup, in the off season

Good Luck Donny  

[Hello]

Nothing at all against Doncaster, but come on the Cru! Would be great for the sport to have a Welsh presence back in the second tier.  Pob lwc Crusaders!!!

[fearnowt]

Just about to set off for the big game as per the normal away day ritual. Walk to Wetherspoons for a big breakfast, where some of our regular fans have the same thing in mind. Then walk up to the Turf pub, outside our original home ground, the Racecourse, for the bus to the game.

The usual ritual just like any other away game, but this isn't just any other away game. This time last year we didn't have a team coach, and there was a news blackout from the club as our CEO battled behind the scenes to persuade players to sign up for another year. Just 8 weeks ago at a rain soaked Rhyl rugby club we were losing 40-4 at half time against Cornwall. You would never have said in a month of Sundays that we would reach the promotion grand final but that half time was the turning point, and through the playoffs we have quite literally got here in a month of Sundays!

I don't like making predictions but I will say that I am very, very confident, but also realistic. I said before the Workington game that we we're all treating it as a cup final, we're just going to enjoy it whatever the result but on the other hand, you play in cup finals to win. This time it's for real!

I know that Doncaster will be brilliant hosts today, at what is easily the best venue for the occasion.

It's going to be a great day, bring it on!

[Fevrover]

3 minutes ago, fearnowt said:

Just about to set off for the big game as per the normal away day ritual. Walk to Wetherspoons for a big breakfast, where some of our regular fans have the same thing in mind. Then walk up to the Turf pub, outside our original home ground, the Racecourse, for the bus to the game.

The usual ritual just like any other away game, but this isn't just any other away game. This time last year we didn't have a team coach, and there was a news blackout from the club as our CEO battled behind the scenes to persuade players to sign up for another year. Just 8 weeks ago at a rain soaked Rhyl rugby club we were losing 40-4 at half time against Cornwall. You would never have said in a month of Sundays that we would reach the promotion grand final but that half time was the turning point, and through the playoffs we have quite literally got here in a month of Sundays!

I don't like making predictions but I will say that I am very, very confident, but also realistic. I said before the Workington game that we we're all treating it as a cup final, we're just going to enjoy it whatever the result but on the other hand, you play in cup finals to win. This time it's for real!

I know that Doncaster will be brilliant hosts today, at what is easily the best venue for the occasion.

It's going to be a great day, bring it on!

I should imagine most Yorkshire fans want Donny but i don't think anyone would begrudge Crusaders the win, hope its a good day and may the best team win.

[sam4731]

51 minutes ago, fearnowt said:

Just about to set off for the big game as per the normal away day ritual. Walk to Wetherspoons for a big breakfast, where some of our regular fans have the same thing in mind. Then walk up to the Turf pub, outside our original home ground, the Racecourse, for the bus to the game.

The usual ritual just like any other away game, but this isn't just any other away game. This time last year we didn't have a team coach, and there was a news blackout from the club as our CEO battled behind the scenes to persuade players to sign up for another year. Just 8 weeks ago at a rain soaked Rhyl rugby club we were losing 40-4 at half time against Cornwall. You would never have said in a month of Sundays that we would reach the promotion grand final but that half time was the turning point, and through the playoffs we have quite literally got here in a month of Sundays!

I don't like making predictions but I will say that I am very, very confident, but also realistic. I said before the Workington game that we we're all treating it as a cup final, we're just going to enjoy it whatever the result but on the other hand, you play in cup finals to win. This time it's for real!

I know that Doncaster will be brilliant hosts today, at what is easily the best venue for the occasion.

It's going to be a great day, bring it on!

I really hope Cru do it for you. Rugby League is about the fans and its about time you had your day in the sun.

[Gomersall]

Just a reminder that this match is live on the Sportsman YouTube channel.