An Ashes Tour Itinerary For A New Era

[The Partisan]

For something outside the box....

Week day order being Saturday to Friday 

• Game 1 v Qld Country Origin in Townsville (Wk 1 - Saturday night)
• Game 2 v NSW Country Origin in Coffs Harbour (Wk 1 - Thurs eve)
• Game 3 v Australia 1st Test in Brisbane (Wk 2 - Friday)
• Game 4 v Oceana Invitational in Western Sydney (Wk 3 - Wed eve)
• Game 5 v Australia 2nd Test in Melbourne (Wk 4 - Friday)
• Game 6 v Australia 3rd Test in Sydney (Wk 5 - Friday)

 

Notes;

• Both Country Origin squads to have fringe Test players involved.
• Saturday night game in Townsville to allow for wider NQ attendance 
• Option to make it a North Qld Origin team to attract more local interest.
• Thursday night game in Coffs Harbour to allow GB suitable recovery and travel time. Late week game also allows for potential 'long weekend' attendees in a coastal location.
• Oceana Invitational to include Kiwis and Kumuls.
• Two weeks between Tests 1 and 2
• One week between Tests 2 and 3

Let the constructive (or destructive ) criticism begin

[Gomersall]

18 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

What non-English players have been important (or even just involved) in past Ashes series?

I obviously remember Jonathan Davies being brilliant in the 1st test in 1994, but he went off injured in that match and didn't play again that series.

I know that he also came on during the 3rd test in 1990.

I'm also not counting players like Iestyn Harris, who I consider to be English really, despite him playing for Wales. Likewise Keiron Cunningham.

I want proper Welsh or Scottish born players.

John Devereaux and Alan Bateman played for GB in that era as did Mark Jones.

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

36 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

John Devereaux and Alan Bateman played for GB in that era as did Mark Jones.

Plus Alan Tait and Hugh Waddell from Scotland around that era as well!

[Gomersall]

6 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

Plus Alan Tait and Hugh Waddell from Scotland around that era as well!

and Paul Moriarty too.

[Dave T]

16 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

So are we neglecting that history a bit if we play an Ashes series as England instead of GB? Or does it not matter that much anymore, because most of it is quite a long time ago. Even Phil Ford and Jonathan Davies is 30 plus years ago.

I think it's quite sad, but I don't think it matters, and that's probably an outcome of us always doing things half hearted. 

We've played ashes before as England but with Welsh players and so on. We've had GB controversy with Ireland. 

I think people overstate the case for both GB Lions or England depending on their preference. I don't think it particularly matters tbh. 

Even in those days people remember so fondly in the late 80s and early 90s the GB team was generally made of blokes from Yorkshire and "Lancashire" with the odd exception like Phil Ford, JD, Hugh Waddell, Jon Devereux, Alan Tait etc. 

I miss the RU converts a lot, particularly The Welsh players, but they were not prominent in the history of GB RL even when we were signing loads of them. 

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

33 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I miss the RU converts a lot, particularly The Welsh players, but they were not prominent in the history of GB RL even when we were signing loads of them. 

To be fair, Jim Sullivan, Billy Boston, Clive Sullivan, Lewis Jones and Gus Risman are all RL Hall-of-Famers, and all contributed significantly for GB .

[Sports Prophet]

3 hours ago, Gomersall said:

I’d post a picture but I don’t know how to shrink them down to the size of a postage stamp. No mention of Ashes here either. Do only matches where the programme (notice the 2 ms and an e?) mentions it’s an Ashes Test count?

https://rugbyreplay.co.uk/Australia-v-Great-Britain-3rd-Test-1958-Rugby-League-Programme

No, I am not denying it was an Ashes, it probably was, I’m just saying that other programme doesn’t confirm it. It’s a moot point with no real significance to this thread anyway.

[Hopie]

On 18/04/2024 at 09:22, marklaspalmas said:

Come on, I can't be the only one.

Burleigh Bears.

Will no-one think of the Burleigh Bears?

They are ready!

[Sports Prophet]

The more I think about it, the more I feel England need three or four warm up fixtures not just for their own benefit, but to warm up the RL public to the series.

Warm up fixtures will give the media some stories to build on leading into the first test, which should have effect on ticket sales.

Going into a three test series cold, with no warm up would be akin to making a movie and then opening at the cinemas without any previews, media releases, trailers, actor/director interviews etc

[Dave T]

One thing that I do think is going to be challenging for the sport is the potential realisation that this format isn't that attractive any more. And I don't necessarily mean that the individual tests won't do well themselves, but more that an Ashes tour was far far more than the three tests. 

It really was the long format tour that was attractive. Seeing midweek games against lesser teams, some you'd never heard of in unique locations, watching some of the fringe players earn their place in the Test team. 

Playing three tests will be nice and all, but just like that last GB tour, it'll pass by without much fanfare and be lacklustre. 

[marklaspalmas]

11 hours ago, Hopie said:

They are ready!

Tough day at the office for wide bay.

20 odd tries, that.

[Anita Bath]

And a 400km trip home.  

[Sports Prophet]

11 hours ago, Dave T said:

One thing that I do think is going to be challenging for the sport is the potential realisation that this format isn't that attractive any more. And I don't necessarily mean that the individual tests won't do well themselves, but more that an Ashes tour was far far more than the three tests. 

It really was the long format tour that was attractive. Seeing midweek games against lesser teams, some you'd never heard of in unique locations, watching some of the fringe players earn their place in the Test team. 

Playing three tests will be nice and all, but just like that last GB tour, it'll pass by without much fanfare and be lacklustre. 

This lends itself to my theory.

I don’t have the confidence that the “story title” alone of a three test RL series against England will have the Aussie public flooding the entry gates. There needs a lot more build up.

[stookie]

On 28/04/2024 at 17:24, Dave T said:

One thing that I do think is going to be challenging for the sport is the potential realisation that this format isn't that attractive any more. And I don't necessarily mean that the individual tests won't do well themselves, but more that an Ashes tour was far far more than the three tests. 

It really was the long format tour that was attractive. Seeing midweek games against lesser teams, some you'd never heard of in unique locations, watching some of the fringe players earn their place in the Test team. 

Playing three tests will be nice and all, but just like that last GB tour, it'll pass by without much fanfare and be lacklustre. 

Even just considering the three tests, I am not especially interested in this whole endeavour. I'll watch on TV, or at least record and watch later as it'll probably be Saturday nights. I might consider going to a Sydney test if the prices are reasonable, but I just can't get invested too much. It's a little strange, I should be hyped for it, but it just feels like 3 test series are from a time long ago. Worse, with more than 2 or 3 teams FINALLY competitive at the top level, it feels selfish and destructive to focus on just 2 teams for a year's worth of internationals.

I think we are similar Dave in this regard, but I curse whoever decided to scrap the 4 nations, they were great tournaments and it would be so amazing to bring them back properly.

[Hopie]

33 minutes ago, stookie said:

 it feels selfish and destructive to focus on just 2 teams for a year's worth of internationals.

If only international teams played more than 3 or 4 games a year eh?

[stookie]

21 minutes ago, Hopie said:

If only international teams played more than 3 or 4 games a year eh?

Meh, I'm not convinced. I understand in the Northern hemisphere it's a solution to improving the situation for the game, but in Aus, NZ etc the club game is so strong, I think it would be backwards to harm that.

For me, 1 international window is fine, teams mostly playing 3 to 4 games, and occasionally a big tournament like the WC where it's more like 6 games max.

[BristolDevonCharlie]

On 28/04/2024 at 08:24, Dave T said:

Playing three tests will be nice and all, but just like that last GB tour, it'll pass by without much fanfare and be lacklustre. 

Agreed, unless somehow England win the series, and then Australia will come up north in 2028 looking for revenge and the great sporting rivalry we are losing (/may have already lost) could be rekindled.

Lord knows how minute the  chances are of that happening, and they will need to channel some World Club Challenge vibes, but fingers firmly crossed. 

We shall see...

Edited April 29 by BristolDevonCharlie