Re: Wire matc makes no sense! : Wed May 30, 2012 3:50 pm  

pie eater and proud of it wrote:

So, Jonny Foreigner does it and we have to follow suit ?

That's a bit of a bold statement to make when the foundation of the modern game is pretty much based on innovations from Jonny Foreigner e.g.

Limited tackles
Specialist coaching teams
Fitness techniques and conditioning
Using computers to evaluate player performance
Use of weights to improve fitness standards
Use of video as a coaching device
Players' fitness scientifically tested
Professionalism
Salary cap
Video replay
Sports marketing

I'm sure people can name more and that's without being specific about the innovations Australians have made e.g. organising half backs, 40/20, attacking full back, half backs at hooker, planned moves, defensive tactics.

Re: Wire matc makes no sense! : Wed May 30, 2012 5:08 pm  

With the decline of Challenge Cup attendances why not be brave and stage the quarter finals at Ethiad Stadium, 2 matches per day? or both semi finals on one day?

The idea of Magic was good originally, people liked the idea of a weekend away, but who is going to stay in Manchester when most teams are an hour or so away, Saturday the gap between games was far too long meaning supporters did not hang around.

With the RFL currently any small sign of success they will hang on it and I bet the deal has already been drawn up for three years! the weather this year was superb, would a wet weekend in Manchester be as attractive and the story that has been Spun about the success of the sponsored trucks, yes the photographs looked good with so many people waiting for autographs, but the Stobart Fan Club had all been contacted and how many of them went into the stadium? very very few!

Re: Wire matc makes no sense! : Wed May 30, 2012 6:47 pm  

It was my first magic weekend and i loved it! Great atmosphere, great fans, (mostly) great games, great weather, It's all good in the hood!

Re: Wire matc makes no sense! : Wed May 30, 2012 7:16 pm  

Saint Simon wrote:

It was my first magic weekend and i loved it! Great atmosphere, great fans, (mostly) great games, great weather, It's all good in the hood!

It was my first magic weekend too i went with my son and daughter we all enjoyed the day and loved it all for £15 quid a bargain great fans ,great chatting with other fans and some excellent games but disappointed at saints , the RFL are looking at staging it permanently at the eithad hopefully build on the event so we can get full a house on both days .

Re: Wire matc makes no sense! : Thu May 31, 2012 12:00 am  

St pete wrote:

I agree, it's a strange idea to play it in Manchester if we are trying to spread the word of rugby league. We have teams surrounding Manchester with the likes of Salford, oldham, Rochdale etc and even saints, Wigan, Warrington and Widnes are only 20/30 mins away.

Living in Manchester I'd still class this as an expansion area! It's a football city (and probably always will be) and the lack of knowledge of rugby league considering all the teams you've listed is appalling. I tell people I'm interested in rugby league and no one has a clue about the difference between league and union, or which teams play it.

Staging it at Manchester gives people who don't normally go, and don't know much about it a chance to try it out relatively cheaply, see a few games and get a taste of it in a "festival" style environment and the good thing is, with so many teams on their doorstep they could then choose to go to their local team and watch it again live if they enjoyed it (paying money back into RFL and clubs rather than just someone in Edinburgh just boosting Sky's viewing figures and profits).

If the game is played down in Cardiff, up in Edinburgh or Newcastle, which local there would then decide to continue watching live rugby league? Chances are their closest teams are hours away and would they travel that distance in the hope that they enjoy a regular game as much as a full weekend where there's events staged etc? I wouldn't have thought so. Far easier for someone from Manchester to get dragged along by their mates, or take the kids for a family day out to get along and watch a game and then think "oh I'll nip over to Salford/Barton/Irlam or Oldham or Rochdale to start supporting my local(ish) team.

Re: Wire matc makes no sense! : Thu May 31, 2012 7:19 pm  

St pete wrote:

It's unfair that some teams get a guaranteed two points every year because they play the "lesser" teams. It should be done fair so it won't have a unfair disadvantage in the league.

If Warrington pip Wigan for top spot by two points this year and we beat Wigan today (no chance lol) then I think the pies have been hard done by as Warrington had two points basically given to them.

this lesser team of Widnes....is that the same team that beat Wigan a few weeks ago?

If Wigan lose by 2...it might actually be down to the fact they treated Widnes with no respect and gambled in putting the kids out....they obviously chose the wrong game to do that.

What they should have done is pick their strongest 15 against Widnes...and then put the kids out against your lot.