Wigan v Penrith World Club challenge at the JJB

[George Watt]

17 minutes ago, philipw said:

Would that not have been in Brisbane, rather than London?  

Silly me! I was at the match too!

[del capo]

3 minutes ago, George Watt said:

Silly me! I was at the match too!

Looking at the line ups of those two sides the average spectator would have thought he was watching teams from a different planet. 400k prize money as well.  And all the hype ! What a showman that little Mo  - no need for IMG with people like him around...........

[Exiled Wiganer]

This will be the first WCC since we bought the ground, so I expect we will play it at home. The sense I get is that these games are largely the responsibility of the 2 teams involved (happy to be proven wrong), and everything I have seen and heard suggests that Wigan are now as well run and resourced (the latter being a matter of public record) as we have ever been and so I back us to make a great success of it. 
 

I am hugely looking forward to it, especially as these games (and the international games) give us the perfect chance to demonstrate that we have a superb competition with superb athletes and put the NRLers = gods back in their box for a while. 
 

More broadly, I would be delighted for this to be part of a structured and coordinated club and international calendar, and for the game to choose larger venues (noting that 25k will be a historically excellent crowd for this) as a matter of course, with the proviso that the game develops the skills to capitalise on it.
 

Having watched Widnes beat Canberra in the best ever WCC at Old Trafford, we have aimed high in the past…

[phiggins]

10 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

This will be the first WCC since we bought the ground, so I expect we will play it at home. The sense I get is that these games are largely the responsibility of the 2 teams involved (happy to be proven wrong), and everything I have seen and heard suggests that Wigan are now as well run and resourced (the latter being a matter of public record) as we have ever been and so I back us to make a great success of it. 
 

I am hugely looking forward to it, especially as these games (and the international games) give us the perfect chance to demonstrate that we have a superb competition with superb athletes and put the NRLers = gods back in their box for a while. 
 

More broadly, I would be delighted for this to be part of a structured and coordinated club and international calendar, and for the game to choose larger venues (noting that 25k will be a historically excellent crowd for this) as a matter of course, with the proviso that the game develops the skills to capitalise on it.
 

Having watched Widnes beat Canberra in the best ever WCC at Old Trafford, we have aimed high in the past…

Have Wigan Warriors bought the ground? Or does the same individual own the ground, football and rugby club. (Honestly don't know, but thought it was the latter)

[graveyard johnny]

5 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

 

Having watched Widnes beat Canberra in the best ever WCC at Old Trafford, we have aimed high in the past…

that's just it - the past - look at those great names on both sides team sheets on a wed nite - the game was allowed to flow too - you weren't spending your money back then gambling on a stop start pedantic penalty fest ruined by over zealous kill joys - great days that made the turnstiles click - glad I was there 

[Dunbar]

44 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Having watched Widnes beat Canberra in the best ever WCC at Old Trafford, we have aimed high in the past…

There were just under 31,000 at that game (you and I were both there it seems).

I would argue that 25,000 for Wigan in their own ground is a better option than 31,000 in a hired ground.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Dunbar

[graveyard johnny]

25 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

There were just under 31,000 at that game (you and I were both there it seems).

I would argue that 25,000 for Wigan in their own ground is a better option than 31,000 in a hired ground.

and also better for the local economy in Wigan 

[Dunbar]

24 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

and also better for the local economy in Wigan 

We also need to send a message to the Southern Hemisphere. 

The reason why Aussies and Kiwis wanted to play in the UK and why they were desperate to make the tours was playing in front of the British fans.

With Samoa not bothering next year, let's show everyone down under what it looks like to play in front of a packed stadium full of passionate fans. Show them an atmosphere that cannot be matched.

We need to show the rest of the world how special our Rugby League is.

[Leyther_Matt]

5 hours ago, phiggins said:

Have Wigan Warriors bought the ground? Or does the same individual own the ground, football and rugby club. (Honestly don't know, but thought it was the latter)

It’s absolutely the latter  

[WN83]

Yeah, the same bloke owns the lot now, which is great and it certainly feels like the rugby club has more of an equal share of things. The clubs are working closer together than at any point I can remember and that can only be positive. The last lot who owned the football club were fools, which was as clear as day as soon as they started playing to the loud minority of Latics fans who wanted them to show who was boss. Savvy operators would not have done that and it was of littke surprise to see them make an absolute pigs ear of things. I support both clubs and I’m delighted they’re gone and we now have a successful Wiganer overseeing the lot. 
 

[Sports Prophet]

17 hours ago, FearTheVee said:

It's a damn site better than where Penrith played it I'd suggest.

Much better.

16 hours ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

Yeah, I don't remember much of this rhetoric last year when it was played at 22,500 capacity BlueBet stadium in Penrith? With a crowd of around 13,000 - not because of the game, but because it doesn't even have a roof and belted it down with tropical/biblical amounts of rain. 

It should have been played at Parra Stadium.

16 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Who? 

Facetious a little, yes. But the Australian players really are not well known over here. Certainly not as star power in themselves 

they are known to the rugby league public. A few curious others would jump in too no doubt, but there should be enough RL fans to fill 40k seats for a big event.

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

they are known to the rugby league public. A few curious others would jump in too no doubt, but there should be enough RL fans to fill 40k seats for a big event.

Are they?

People do know the NRL and most of the clubs in it, but most of the players just aren't known here. 

This could sell in the numbers you suggest, but not because of the star attraction of the individual players in the given NRL team. That alone may add hundreds at best.

[JM2010]

3 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Are they?

People do know the NRL and most of the clubs in it, but most of the players just aren't known here. 

This could sell in the numbers you suggest, but not because of the star attraction of the individual players in the given NRL team. That alone may add hundreds at best.

I think I could get a lot of people to come along and watch the WCC. It could easily be sold as a big event 

[northamptoncougar]

A big event 

I’m not a Wigan fan

I hate the Aussies 

I’m going 

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, JM2010 said:

I think I could get a lot of people to come along and watch the WCC. It could easily be sold as a big event 

Agreed, Leeds used to get around 30k plus at Elland road at this fixture, and even got 20k capacity crowds at Headingley when they decided to downsize.

It is a big event for sure.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

19 hours ago, Dunbar said:

We also need to send a message to the Southern Hemisphere. 

The reason why Aussies and Kiwis wanted to play in the UK and why they were desperate to make the tours was playing in front of the British fans.

With Samoa not bothering next year, let's show everyone down under what it looks like to play in front of a packed stadium full of passionate fans. Show them an atmosphere that cannot be matched.

We need to show the rest of the world how special our Rugby League is.

We do need to show them I agree 

I'm beginning to think even another go at expanding the WCC would be a better option than internationals

 

[sweaty craiq]

The now and then comparison is simple. In 87 37000 plus packed into Central Park from all over the place supporting British RL v the Cons. can we unite again for the games future?

[Human Punk]

25K isn't a bad size for a stadium. I've no doubt that we could sell more tickets than that, but on balance having it in Wigan would seem to be more fitting.

Should be a great night.

[Gomersall]

 

[Jparrish]

I know people may cry out for the Etihad and there's certainly an argument for it,but could it realisticly be booked during the season at 3 months notice ? 

A sell out crowd in Wigan will look great on TV and ease the financial stress of hosting at least. 

 

Ps I'll be cheering n Wigan from down under

[Yorky]

Great news that this is taking place. After what St Helens did last year its a great chance for Wigan to show the Aussies to continue to show what the superleague has got.

Great event to kick off the season 

[WN83]

Really looking forward to it. It’ll be some challenge but you never know. Keeping everything crossed we face no further injury problems, especially in the prop/loose forward areas with Cooper and Havard already ruled out. It’ll be such a vital area for us to try and compete in, up against Fisher-Harris, Leota and Yeo. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

The Jar Jar Binks will be rocking.

Saints have shown they can be beaten.

Don’t drop the baton, Wigan

[Harry Stottle]

10 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

The Jar Jar Binks will be rocking.

Saints have shown they can be beaten.

Don’t drop the baton, Wigan

If Penrith did not give Saints the respect they deserved last year, I am sure that will not happen this time around I think they will prepare for this as though it is a GF, but the timing of the game does surprise me somewhat, last season saints had the luxury of playing a game the previous week to the game with Pentith, considering this game is the weekend of SL Round 2 all the SL teams will be playing the previous weekend, will they have a "warm up game" which could be considered good preparation?

Edited December 1, 2023 by Harry Stottle

[Gerrumonside ref]

4 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

If Penrith did not give Saints the respect they deserved last year, I am sure that will not happen this time around I think they will prepare for this as though it is a GF, but the timing of the game does surprise me somewhat, last season saints had the luxury of playing a game the previous week to the game with Pentith, considering this game is the weekend of SL Round 2 all the SL teams will be playing the previous weekend, will they have a "warm up game" which could be considered good preparation?

Yes, I agree Harry it would be great if they turned this into a mini tour with a warm up game.

To take this one stage further I would like to see more games between NRL and the cream of Super League.

Not a ridiculous overbloated thing like previously which was embarrassing, but maybe the top two or three once every four years in a non World Cup cycle.

Who knows it could mean Leigh down under fighting for a big prize against their elite.

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref