IT IS a moment to savour when any monthly title reaches its 500th issue, but when one that focuses on what many still deem a minority sport in this country does it, it is something a bit special.
So forgive us for being a little self-indulgent this month as we mark that exact milestone with a look back at how we’ve reached it.
It might be my name that is listed as editor as we reach this special issue, but I simply wouldn’t be in a position to hold this role if it wasn’t for each and every one of my predecessors that have taken the helm over the last 48 years.
Harry Edgar, Graham Clay, Tony Hannan, Tim Butcher, Richard de la Riviere, John Drake (on more than one occasion), Gareth Walker, Joe Whitley, Doug Thomson, Matthew Shaw and Alex Davis have all played a vital role in getting this magazine to where it is today, as have all the regular and one-off contributors who have added value with their words, thoughts and opinions on all areas of the game.
I looked back through many of our previous 499 issues when trying how best to mark this landmark edition and one thing that became evidently clear was that while each editor had their own ideas and made their own mark on this title, the one thing they all had in common was a desire to showcase our game in the best way possible and give the readers a fun, yet informative, magazine to be proud of.
Some features have come and gone, some were more successful than others and some could be reprinted in full and still be relevant, with talk of financial problems, league restructures and off-field organisation not just recent gripes.
You can see examples of this across the pages that follow as we take a nostalgic look back over our history, and that of the game as a whole.
Over the years it has also been clear that many concepts have been introduced into the game, few perhaps with more success than Magic Weekend.
Whether the showcase event has been played at Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool, Edinburgh or Manchester, the carnival atmosphere created has always been the same. Fans of all clubs mixing together, enjoying a few drinks and, in most cases, marvelling at the show of rugby league on offer.
That is something this sport does better than most and something that everyone involved should be extremely proud of.
I must admit I was concerned that moving the event to Leeds this year might have been the final nail in its coffin, as I wrote on this page in issue 492. It wasn’t just me though – many others had similar reservations over the switch of venue.
But after attending day one at Elland Road, I drove home happy to admit that I was wrong.
Yes, overall crowds may have been down, which could have been different had the fixtures fallen slightly differently, but the smaller stadium meant the fewer numbers were barely noticeable. And with Elland Road being a more compact stadium the cheers from the crowd sounded as loud as ever.
There is no doubt we were treated to three great games on the Saturday and although Wigan against St Helens was billed by most as the blockbuster clash of the day, the real highlight for me was London Broncos beating Hull FC.
There was something very rugby league about everyone other than the Hull FC supporters in the stadium for the opening match cheering London on throughout and celebrating their every try like it had been scored by their own team.
A huge amount of respect needs to be given to the Broncos this year. The IMG ratings system virtually saw them relegated before the season had even started, but their heads have never dropped, they have never felt sorry for themselves and they have performed to their very best every week.
If IMG gave out points for this sort of attitude, surely they wouldn’t be heading for an immediate return to the Championship.
Obligations with our sister title League Express meant I couldn’t attend on the Sunday, and while the crowd was down, again probably to do with the fixtures on offer, fans seemed just as enthused for three more entertaining games.
With rumours already circulating as to where Magic Weekend will be held next year, with Dublin, Nottingham and a return to Newcastle or Cardiff among the suggestions, it’s clear that Leeds 2024 wasn’t the death knell many feared it would be.
Maybe it has been a reminder that it’s not the venue that makes the weekend ‘Magic’, but simply rugby league.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 500 (September 2024)
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