Hull Kingston Rovers forward Jason Netherton believes the time has come to switch the Magic Weekend from the Etihad Stadium after this season, claiming the game needs to be exposed in fresh areas in order for it to grow.
The home of Manchester City will stage the extravaganza for the third straight year this weekend, but Netherton believes the event should now move to places such as Liverpool and Newcastle in order to draw in new audiences.
He said in his Hull Daily Mail column: “I love the Magic Weekend concept with all the teams playing at the same venue over the two days in a carnival of Rugby League.
“My only wish is that it was moved around so that other cities could get involved. Places like Anfield or Goodison Park in Liverpool or St James Park in Newcastle would be ideal venues for the weekend, and would also spread the word of Rugby League around the country without forcing the traditional fans to travel too far for the games.”
The Robins lock horns with bitter rivals Hull FC at Magic Weekend 2014, with Hull KR looking to make it two derby wins in a row following their dramatic 21-20 victory over the Black and Whites during the Easter period. Earlier this week, FC captain Gareth Ellis stoked the flames by stating facing the Robins is the perfect clash to remedy their stuttering form.
Do you agree with Netherton? Get involved with the debate over whether to move Magic Weekend on social media – we are running a special feature on this topic tomorrow only on TotalRL.com.
