Challenge Cup 2025

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

We're at home against Barrow, if the odds pan out.

Think you meant Crosfields #UpTheSoap

[Tommygilf]

Some of those matches could be bloodbaths

[Archie Gordon]

3 community clubs playing SL oppo does seem as if the pendulum has swung too far. This may need a tweak for 2026. That said, I am sure full-strength SL teams won't be on display.

[Hopie]

I always thought community clubs had to beat a semi pro team to get in the draw with super dooper teams for safety reasons, were they kept apart before for some other reason or did it get forgotten in the revamp?

[The Blues Ox]

Ergh Catalans at home if we get through the next round. Worst possible SL team to draw at home.

[Barley Mow]

1 minute ago, Archie Gordon said:

3 community clubs playing SL oppo does seem as if the pendulum has swung too far. This may need a tweak for 2026. That said, I am sure full-strength SL teams won't be on display.

I was thinking the same - I agree with SL clubs entering at the round of 32, but they should have played another round to reduce the amateur clubs before SL clubs enter.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Seems strange that they've taken a good idea (seeding the SL clubs) and ruined it by not doing the same the previous round (seeding the Championship clubs) to prevent this wide a gap!

That said, I'm sure everyone will fancy their chances against Hull still

[Impartial Observer]

Rl fans; the cc needs changing and sl clubs should come in earlier

Same rl fans; there is going to be some blowouts with community playing sl. Needs a rethink.

[dkw]

16 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Some of those matches could be bloodbaths

Don't worry mate, Workington will play the reserves to give Leigh a chance probably. 

[ricky]

York vs KR yes please

[Barley Mow]

4 minutes ago, ricky said:

York vs KR yes please

That would be them playing each other twice within a fortnight - they have a pre-season game against each other in Amsterdam at the end of this month.

[ricky]

Just now, Barley Mow said:

That would be them playing each other twice within a fortnight - they have a pre-season game against each other in Amsterdam at the end of this month.

I can only get to one of them, though.....

[Wellsy4HullFC]

6 minutes ago, ricky said:

York vs KR yes please

Strong possibility of York Acorn v Hull FC too.

Some have suggested a double header, but surely with an 8k capacity and only being up the road from Hull, there's a good chance of getting more than that over 2 days?

[Padge]

42 minutes ago, Impartial Observer said:

Rl fans; the cc needs changing and sl clubs should come in earlier

Same rl fans; there is going to be some blowouts with community playing sl. Needs a rethink.

In 2003 Simms Cross played Wigan at the JJB and were in the lead for a while.

 

[Ainley Top]

1 hour ago, The Blues Ox said:

Ergh Catalans at home if we get through the next round. Worst possible SL team to draw at home.

Again!

[Mumby Magic]

2 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Ergh Catalans at home if we get through the next round. Worst possible SL team to draw at home.

Why?

[Simon Hall]

17 minutes ago, Mumby Magic said:

Why?

tHey dOnT brINg anY fANs

[Phil]

37 minutes ago, Simon Hall said:

tHey dOnT brINg anY fANs

Well Fax need to get off their a**E and market the wotsit out of this game 

[Simon Hall]

2 minutes ago, Phil said:

Well Fax need to get off their a**E and market the wotsit out of this game 

Exactly. York did really well marketing the game against Catalan in 2018 and got a decent crowd, Halifax have a chance to do the same. They’ve got a French international playing for them so get Louis Jouffret involved, make something of the game and get people interested rather than just hoping for away fans. 

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, Mumby Magic said:

Why?

No chance of winning and lose money on the tie someting the club really can't afford to do. 

[The Blues Ox]

19 minutes ago, Phil said:

Well Fax need to get off their a**E and market the wotsit out of this game 

What is the selling point for the game that is going to get more than 1k people to turn up? Yeah they could give a load of freebies to the community clubs like they do to get numbers up but they need people willing to pay coming through the gates. Its doubtful the club will drop entry price which makes it an even tougher sell.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

12 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

What is the selling point for the game that is going to get more than 1k people to turn up? Yeah they could give a load of freebies to the community clubs like they do to get numbers up but they need people willing to pay coming through the gates. Its doubtful the club will drop entry price which makes it an even tougher sell.

Local club playing European giants?

[Wellsy4HullFC]

2 hours ago, Padge said:

In 2003 Simms Cross played Wigan at the JJB and were in the lead for a while.

 

Is that the one they got a drop goal in straight away then a penalty after but ended up losing 80odd-3?

Edited January 14 by Wellsy4HullFC

[JonT]

14 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

What is the selling point for the game that is going to get more than 1k people to turn up? Yeah they could give a load of freebies to the community clubs like they do to get numbers up but they need people willing to pay coming through the gates. Its doubtful the club will drop entry price which makes it an even tougher sell.

Plenty more than 1000 here. Full priced tickets and loads of one-off knights shirts sold. 

 

 

[The Blues Ox]

3 minutes ago, JonT said:

Plenty more than 1000 here. Full priced tickets and loads of one-off knights shirts sold. 

 

 

We had 1800 against them last season. How does a club that is in a downward spiral improve on that this season? There is no feel good factor or buzz around Fax like there was around York.

That may be another factor as they really can't use last seasons game to advertise anything. Why not come and watch your team get spanked by a team that most people in the area have either never hear of or just have no affiliation with them at all.

Edited January 14 by The Blues Ox