WCC in doubt?

[Fly-By-TheWire]

38 minutes ago, Hopie said:

that's how time works

Quantum physicists might argue that point with you

[Futtocks]

11 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Warrington and Strom will be champions 

Seeing as Strom died over a decade ago, I can see Warrington putting up a plucky performance in defeat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond 

[Sports Prophet]

14 hours ago, John m said:

Never quite understood it TBH.

why would a American sports fan bet on a sport he’s never heard of let alone has in depth knowledge about the teams and current form etc.

Don’t underestimate the addictive needs of many online sports gamblers.

[Sports Prophet]

9 hours ago, Fly-By-TheWire said:

I hope you're right, but as a Warrington fan I'd worry that the WCC would be a disruption to the next league campaign.   I'd value a repeat win of Super League (or even the Challenge Cup for that matter) way above the WCC.   The WCC is something nice to claim when you have a few Super League titles under your belt.   It doesn't really mean that much when you want to join the club of recent multiple-title winners.

And there you have it in the words of a British RL fan. “I’d value a repeat win of Super League (or even the Challenge Cup for that matter) way above the WCC”.

You would not be alone FBTW. This has much to do with the profile of the game itself though. Should Warrington win the SL GF and a week or two later was the WCC at a sold out Manchester City or Lang Park like it had been for the previous 10 seasons, I would hazard a guess your preference may change.

But as it is, I am ambivalent to the WCC. I would like to see the game get the billing, profile and crowd it deserves, but unless it’s moved to the curtain closer of the world club game professionally, then I have little regard for it as the pre-season exhibition it is and similarly to yourself, I would much prefer the Sharks winning the NRL title as that is the bigger achievement.

Edited September 30 by Sports Prophet

[Hopie]

12 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

And there you have it in the words of a British RL fan. “I’d value a repeat win of Super League (or even the Challenge Cup for that matter) way above the WCC”.

You would not be alone FBTW. This has much to do with the profile of the game itself though. Should Warrington win the SL GF and a week or two later was the WCC at a sold out Manchester City or Lang Park like it had been for the previous 10 seasons, I would hazard a guess your preference may change.

But as it is, I am ambivalent to the WCC. I would like to see the game get the billing, profile and crowd it deserves, but unless it’s moved to the curtain closer of the world club game professionally, then I have little regard for it as the pre-season exhibition it is and similarly to yourself, I would much prefer the Sharks winning the NRL title as that is the bigger achievement.

Another potential pillar of the season undermined by the NRL and its member clubs.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

11 hours ago, Click said:

Again... That isn't how the WCC works though, is it.

The WCC played this year was for the 2023 season, it has nothing to do with the other trophies Wigan won this year.

Not really. 

If that were the case, they'd be the same squads. They are squads registered for the following season. 

Qualifying for an event the previous season does not make it a continuation of the season. Otherwise the Champions' League makes football a2-year season (and don't mention the Club World Cup).

[StandOffHalf]

12 hours ago, Phil said:

At a risk of not happening because the aussies lose it regularly 

When the double movement try was awarded I thought to myself that the WCC probably wouldn't happen in 2025.

[Fly-By-TheWire]

It would be great if there could be a mid season WCC of all NRL and Super League sides instead of the loop fixtures, once the Vegas experiment comes to an end. The loss in local revenue could be made up for by holding the competition in the Middle East, paid for by the Dubai or Qatari state.   SL sides might not fare well but I’d enjoy watching it on TV, and the SL players would be better for the experience no doubt. 

[sam4731]

6 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

And there you have it in the words of a British RL fan. “I’d value a repeat win of Super League (or even the Challenge Cup for that matter) way above the WCC”.

You would not be alone FBTW. This has much to do with the profile of the game itself though. Should Warrington win the SL GF and a week or two later was the WCC at a sold out Manchester City or Lang Park like it had been for the previous 10 seasons, I would hazard a guess your preference may change.

But as it is, I am ambivalent to the WCC. I would like to see the game get the billing, profile and crowd it deserves, but unless it’s moved to the curtain closer of the world club game professionally, then I have little regard for it as the pre-season exhibition it is and similarly to yourself, I would much prefer the Sharks winning the NRL title as that is the bigger achievement.

I've said for a long time, the problem, in terms of generating excitement and interest is that it's not a tournament. It's very difficult to generate interest in a one off match (Super Cup, Community Shield etc). I know people will point to 1997 and say a tournament doesn't work but there is a middle ground.

3 week comp. Winner of each GF gets a bye to the semis. Next 2 in the league from each comp play in eliminators to face them.

I know people will point to scheduling but if there were 2 willing parties to make it happen, it easily could. 

But there isn't.

[Sports Prophet]

6 hours ago, Hopie said:

Another potential pillar of the season undermined by the NRL and its member clubs.

Not really when the proposal is set to undermine the NRL of its priorities. 

But sure, if you think the failure of the WCC to become a major spectacle is down to the NRL, then I won’t waste time arguing it with you. The NRL don’t take it seriously, but neither have any other partners historically executed the event to warrant the NRLs investment.

I think the WCC belongs at the end of the season as a true Champion v Champion event. Easier said than done though with a lot to consider.

[Dave T]

What the WCC needs right now is just a set place in the calendar and some focus on getting long term partners interested. Having this charade every year harms it, and like internationals it becomes difficult to get long term sponsors for events that may not even happen.

The biggest hope we had around this was for those couple of years where we 'expanded' to include two or three games. I'm not really sure what they were thinking with that, it felt like there should have been a plan to make it a 4, 6, 8 team tournament, and the crowds and results were good in England, but then just faded away.

This is a perfect game for playing in marquee grounds and cities.

[Damien]

29 minutes ago, Dave T said:

What the WCC needs right now is just a set place in the calendar and some focus on getting long term partners interested. Having this charade every year harms it, and like internationals it becomes difficult to get long term sponsors for events that may not even happen.

The biggest hope we had around this was for those couple of years where we 'expanded' to include two or three games. I'm not really sure what they were thinking with that, it felt like there should have been a plan to make it a 4, 6, 8 team tournament, and the crowds and results were good in England, but then just faded away.

This is a perfect game for playing in marquee grounds and cities.

I was never really a fan of that concept, a couple of friendlies tagged on was never going to work and would always make the games meaningless. When tying down the Aussies to one game is difficult enough a couple of friendlies was never going to cut it. I know this wasn't what you was advocating to do.

I think just a set place in the calendar and a bit of effort on the Australian side would make such a difference.

[Dave T]

13 minutes ago, Damien said:

I was never really a fan of that concept, a couple of friendlies tagged on was never going to work and would always make the games meaningless. When tying down the Aussies to one game is difficult enough a couple of friendlies was never going to cut it. I know this wasn't what you was advocating to do.

I think just a set place in the calendar and a bit of effort on the Australian side would make such a difference.

I think the extra couple of games had to be a means to an end - showing logistically it can work and that there is a market (and games would be competitive). It did all of those things- but then was forgotten about!

I do wonder whether with a little better alignment we could do better with some pre-season tournaments bother her and there. Not unlike the way football does pre season tournaments in America and Asia.

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

I think the extra couple of games had to be a means to an end - showing logistically it can work and that there is a market (and games would be competitive). It did all of those things- but then was forgotten about!

I do wonder whether with a little better alignment we could do better with some pre-season tournaments bother her and there. Not unlike the way football does pre season tournaments in America and Asia.

I just have no idea what people in their tens of thousands see in watching a summer tour soccer match with half the best players missing. But, I assume they do well financially from them.

[Hopie]

17 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Not really when the proposal is set to undermine the NRL of its priorities. 

But sure, if you think the failure of the WCC to become a major spectacle is down to the NRL, then I won’t waste time arguing it with you. The NRL don’t take it seriously, but neither have any other partners historically executed the event to warrant the NRLs investment.

I think the WCC belongs at the end of the season as a true Champion v Champion event. Easier said than done though with a lot to consider.

There are things in this hemisphere that could have been done differently, but as ever that doesn't excuse the things that the NRL has done, you admit some of them yourself, so there is no argument for you to use any time on.

[Exiled Wiganer]

The issue is always the same - to make this a sure thing we need the NRL and RFL to make it compulsory to play it. I think it is a wonderful event, and cherish every win by an NH side. If I were running the RFL I would work hard on getting the NRL on board, and sell sell sell the concept.

I think that Wigan and Warrington’s decision to play in Vegas - and I have seen absolutely zero justification for it from Wigan’s perspective (we are giving up a home game for this) - inevitably undermined the chance of a WCC, as by the time this was announced they were 2 of the 3 teams most likely to take part. I think their decision is a disgrace insofar as it jeopardises an important part of the NH season. 

[sam4731]

One piece of the WCC not happening next year complete. Hopefully Rovers stuff Wigan next week.

[N2022]

On 01/10/2024 at 11:56, Sports Prophet said:

I just have no idea what people in their tens of thousands see in watching a summer tour soccer match with half the best players missing. But, I assume they do well financially from them.

The point there is that these games are nearly always now taken to the States or Asia, and the many TV-grown fans there want their once-a-year or even rarer chance to see their team and any household names who are playing. I think those who are sufficiently into it probably buy into it even with an ecpectation/understanding that some of the biggest stars might not be there, or might be there for photos, perhaps warm up, without playing a part in the match.

[Dave T]

Has it been confirmed that Wigan wouldn't travel to Penrith and Vegas?

I think if an SL club refuses to do whatever is needed to get this game on then we can never take the moral high ground over the Aussies around this game.

The schedule would be intense, but it is doable.

[Whippet13]

15 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Has it been confirmed that Wigan wouldn't travel to Penrith and Vegas?

I think if an SL club refuses to do whatever is needed to get this game on then we can never take the moral high ground over the Aussies around this game.

The schedule would be intense, but it is doable.

I cannot see Penrith agreeing to playing a tough game v Wigan the week before Vegas.

As with the NRL teams this year, they will want to be in the US a full week before the Vegas game to fully prepare.

Unfortunately for Warrington, this means it'll be a fresh and fit Wigan team they face in Vegas.

[WN83]

14 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Has it been confirmed that Wigan wouldn't travel to Penrith and Vegas?

I think if an SL club refuses to do whatever is needed to get this game on then we can never take the moral high ground over the Aussies around this game.

The schedule would be intense, but it is doable.

Not that I know of. I think Wigan would do everything they could to get the game on tbh but we'll see next week if they need to. It would be a real shame if it didn't go ahead, regardless of who is playing Penrith. 

[Dave T]

16 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

I cannot see Penrith agreeing to playing a tough game v Wigan the week before Vegas.

As with the NRL teams this year, they will want to be in the US a full week before the Vegas game to fully prepare.

Unfortunately for Warrington, this means it'll be a fresh and fit Wigan team they face in Vegas.

The suggested date is two weeks before Vegas

[eal]

WCC was sadly always going to go the way of the dodo once Vegas became entrenched.

[sam4731]

47 minutes ago, eal said:

WCC was sadly always going to go the way of the dodo once Vegas became entrenched.

Something has always going to be the final nail in the coffin of the WCC, yet it finds a way to survive.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Every year the WCC is discussed about being cancelled, It's how we promote the game (lol)

I have a feeling the game will be played in Penrith.