Thur 19th Sept: SL: Wigan Warriors v Salford Red Devils KO 20:00

[Bod]

4 minutes ago, tonyXIII said:

Blame Rowley for what?

The RFL and Sky brought this about. Rowley is entirely blameless. Would you have played your 1st team and risk losing your best player to injury just before the play-offs?

Simple answer then, get rid of the play off system. Next time Salford are going broke don't moan, because throwing games will never get supporters to pay for the price of a ticket.

[tonyXIII]

7 minutes ago, Dave T said:

That is what everyone else is doing though. Because playing RL is the business we're in.

But the season is more than one week and we have to make practical decisions to maximise our prospects for the future. For example, if Bevan French were coming back from injury, would Wigan pick him against Salford, or would they rest him?

[Dave T]

This is the peak of the season. This should be where everyone is focusing. It's just rubbish.

[tonyXIII]

5 minutes ago, Bod said:

Simple answer then, get rid of the play off system. Next time Salford are going broke don't moan, because throwing games will never get supporters to pay for the price of a ticket.

Why do we have play-offs?

Because the fixture list has loop fixture which make the season lop-sided? Or because clubs aren't willing to share the Sky money over 14 teams and do away with play-offs? There are no simple answers. We play the cards we are dealt. Rowley's decision was spot on.

[Dave T]

7 minutes ago, tonyXIII said:

 Rowley's decision was spot on.

I think this is a poor take.

What you are basically championing is Rd 27 becomes a reserve grade round.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Salford are only playing the hand dealt to them to be fair.

The league phase of our season is purely about awarding yourself the best possible advantage for the playoffs and Grand Final.

When you have a playoff system and a Grand Final then giving yourself the best chance of winning it is the priority.

We see this happen in other international sports that have a playoff system where no chances are taken with key players once a place in the playoffs is obtained.

 

Edited September 19 by Gerrumonside ref

[tonyXIII]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I think this is a poor take.

What you are basically championing is Rd 27 becomes a reserve grade round.

No. If Salford had had to win to make the play-offs, I would have expected Rowley to pick his strongest side. We didn't have to win, so we chose to rest our best players and give the youngsters a run. (There will be more of this when clubs have to limit the minutes played for player safety). Best get used to it.

[Worzel]

30 minutes ago, Bod said:

Simple answer then, get rid of the play off system. Next time Salford are going broke don't moan, because throwing games will never get supporters to pay for the price of a ticket.

The sooner unsustainable hollowed-out clubs like Salford and Huddersfield get back to their semi-pro capacity in the lower leagues, the better. Time to move on I think. 

[Championi]

And move on with.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

That is what everyone else is doing though. Because playing RL is the business we're in.

Is it really?

Not for me Dave, when points on a spreadsheet dictates what division one plays in and not the playing of Rugby League, sorry for that intrusion that is for another thread.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, north yorks trinity said:

I'd like the LLS to be a big deal and a much sought after trophy, but given that it clearly isn't, 

If it was an equal number of games home and away against the same opposition I would agree, but the league leaders contest is just too lop-sided, some clubs get easier fixtures than others with the loopy fixtures.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

If Sky hadn't switched this it would have been played a day nearer the play offs and Rowley would have done the same. He admitted in pre match interview he was resting players. Sky stupidly thought, important match, give it prominence, on an evening when they have no football,  straight after the Eng/Aus ODI,  and they can get viewers sticking with Sky for the evening.  Sky were let down,  though I doubt they really care either way.

What about Sky's logo "Always thinking about Rugby League" yeah right, it is just a cheap filler for them, and as you say I doubt they really care, that is why I believe that the next offer will be a further reduction from them, 'take it or leave it' and we will take it simply because whatever it is it will be our best offer.

[RayCee]

I think the claim that Salford threw a game isn't fair. Throwing a game means intentionally losing and Salford didn't do that. They fielded some less experienced players who tried to win but were comprehensively outplayed. That's not throwing a game.  

[ATLANTISMAN]

4 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

What about Sky's logo "Always thinking about Rugby League" yeah right, it is just a cheap filler for them, and as you say I doubt they really care, that is why I believe that the next offer will be a further reduction from them, 'take it or leave it' and we will take it simply because whatever it is it will be our best offer.

Sadly true 

[Exiled red]

A league with 12 teams, a playoff system and relegation decided on a spreadsheet. Who'd have thought there'd be lots of meaningless games.

[Segovia Carpet]

8 hours ago, Worzel said:

The sooner unsustainable hollowed-out clubs like Salford and Huddersfield get back to their semi-pro capacity in the lower leagues, the better. Time to move on I think. 

& I remember quite vividly not so long ago too when HKR fans arrived at Salford in a Taxi - a 4 seater one at that.

[bamfordsbeans]

This game sums up why Sky keep reducing payments to SL.

Poor night for the game.

[Worzel]

15 minutes ago, Segovia Carpet said:

& I remember quite vividly not so long ago too when HKR fans arrived at Salford in a Taxi - a 4 seater one at that.

Hull KR got more in our final few seasons in the 2nd division than Salford still get today. There’s levels in this game. Some clubs have a heritage, deeply embedded in their local community, creating a latent demand of people with an affinity for the team even if they’re not regulars, that enables crowds to grow when the team gets a bit better, and then some don’t. 

I don’t enjoy that. I’d rather Salford had a stronger base, because I love this sport. But there’s no denying that’s the reality. 

[Dave T]

8 hours ago, tonyXIII said:

No. If Salford had had to win to make the play-offs, I would have expected Rowley to pick his strongest side. We didn't have to win, so we chose to rest our best players and give the youngsters a run. (There will be more of this when clubs have to limit the minutes played for player safety). Best get used to it.

If Salford had secured their position and the game literally had no impact on their position, I could more understand your stance on this, but you still had a place to play for.

I'm afraid the attitude of celebrating harming the sport because it's good for your team is exactly what many criticisebthe NRL for when they make it hard to release players or refuse to support mid-season tests etc.

They are just protecting their clubs.

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Exiled red said:

A league with 12 teams, a playoff system and relegation decided on a spreadsheet. Who'd have thought there'd be lots of meaningless games.

This wasn't a meaningless game.

[Dave T]

7 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Is it really?

Not for me Dave, when points on a spreadsheet dictates what division one plays in and not the playing of Rugby League, sorry for that intrusion that is for another thread.

Yes. It is for another thread.

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, Exiled red said:

A league with 12 teams, a playoff system and relegation decided on a spreadsheet. Who'd have thought there'd be lots of meaningless games.

Who'd have thought it? A rugby league game was played so some people complained.

There was a pure and simple issue: why was there a short notice change in the schedule with no apology or explanation. I have heard the crowd given as 15,000 and can only think it would have been higher on the original date. Can't speak for the Sky viewing figures. 

It's not the end of the world and it's not indication, evidence or proof of anything else 

[HawkMan]

Folk seem fixated on the issue of Sky switching the game being the cause of Salford's selection because of a shorter turn around. Rowley said his selection was to rest players for the play offs.  Bringing the game forward meant more time between this game and the play offs. Maybe , just maybe Sky brought it forward to showcase the game, get eyeballs on the LLS clinching game, but if any new eyeballs ventured to watch, they probably switched over well before the end.

[Worzel]

44 minutes ago, bamfordsbeans said:

This game sums up why Sky keep reducing payments to SL.

Poor night for the game.

This is precisely the issue about last night 

Wigan would always win this game, or at least 19 times out of 20, but we have a responsibility to the people who finance our sport to deliver the product they’ve paid us for. Bad faith actions like this do not make for great partnerships, and don’t get you increased TV rights.

People on here can witter on about IMG all they like, but it’s rugby league decision-makers who serially shoot this sport in the foot, time after time after time. 

[Harry Stottle]

41 minutes ago, Segovia Carpet said:

& I remember quite vividly not so long ago too when HKR fans arrived at Salford in a Taxi - a 4 seater one at that.

That was in the past Segovia, but now that supporters of some clubs have moved up a notch they consider themselves to be in the Elite because they are doing Good at the moment, but seemingly want to deny others the opportunity to emulate them.

Also they should remember in this temporary state they are enjoying, that they should be nice to the people they pass on the way up, for they will most likely pass them again on the way back down.

My club is doing well at the moment, but I have been on this roller coaster ride with them before of plenty ups and downs, and so wary of what the future may bring, take heed @Worzel if you were about in the 80's did you consider that not a great number of years later as a club you would be struggling both on and off the field, it could happen again.