Re: Rumours thread. : Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:19 pm  

St pete wrote:

I prey to god the RFL knock saints request back.

Well, assuming your contact at Saints hasn't fed you disinformation, that means it's Wigan. There is no other team that would brag about it for years from now or that would be worse than losing to Leeds in our first match. It can only be Wigan. If it was Wigan then it would make sense. I prefer Warrington though if we are going to go big. We have unfinished business with Warrington. We didn't get the chance to restart the clock on our total and utter domination of them.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:26 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Well, assuming your contact at Saints hasn't fed you disinformation, that means it's Wigan. There is no other team that would brag about it for years from now or that would be worse than losing to Leeds in our first match. It can only be Wigan. If it was Wigan then it would make sense. I prefer Warrington though if we are going to go big. We have unfinished business with Warrington. We didn't get the chance to restart the clock on our total and utter domination of them.

EM talked about how he was looking forward to the Good Friday game against Wigan last week so I doubt it's them-looks like it could be Warrington.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:29 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Well, assuming your contact at Saints hasn't fed you disinformation, that means it's Wigan. There is no other team that would brag about it for years from now or that would be worse than losing to Leeds in our first match. It can only be Wigan. If it was Wigan then it would make sense. I prefer Warrington though if we are going to go big. We have unfinished business with Warrington. We didn't get the chance to restart the clock on our total and utter domination of them.

It's not very often I'm wrong with my "inside" stuff as you'll know.

It's not Wigan we've asked to play.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:30 pm  

Tuco wrote:

EM talked about how he was looking forward to the Good Friday game against Wigan last week so I doubt it's them-looks like it could be Warrington.

That's true; he did. I'm not worried about anyone else. So all's good for me! Just so long as it's not Wigan.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sun Oct 30, 2011 9:26 am  

It would make sense to play against the biggest club in the area, and I'm sure if we did, Warrington would bring loads of fans to the opening game. Win win situation.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sun Oct 30, 2011 11:57 am  

It would make sense to me to be playing somebody like Catalans, Salford or maybe Widnes because I'd expect to fill out the place against Warrington later in the season. The season opener at our place should be full to capacity irrespective of who we play so by having Wire or another high flyer would be a bit of a waste when we could use to the game to bolster a normally less-marketable fixture.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:03 pm  

McClennan wrote:

It would make sense to me to be playing somebody like Catalans, Salford or maybe Widnes because I'd expect to fill out the place against Warrington later in the season. The season opener at our place should be full to capacity irrespective of who we play so by having Wire or another high flyer would be a bit of a waste when we could use to the game to bolster a normally less-marketable fixture.

Been saying this for a while.
Id have Cas,last league match at K.R first at new gaff,they play good rugby and would be a good spectacle for the newbies.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:13 pm  

McClennan wrote:

It would make sense to me to be playing somebody like Catalans, Salford or maybe Widnes because I'd expect to fill out the place against Warrington later in the season. The season opener at our place should be full to capacity irrespective of who we play so by having Wire or another high flyer would be a bit of a waste when we could use to the game to bolster a normally less-marketable fixture.

Needless to say, I disagree with you on this!

Our first full league game needs marketing well. We need to make a big splash and you only do that with a big club. In the absence of a big club, Warrington would do the job nicely. They will bring loads of fans and will create a great atmosphere at the stadium but it won't be quite as nerve wracking in terms of the result as it would be if the team we were playing was Wigan. Warrington would be ideal for shouting about our stadium to the world.

We could have a couple of friendlies with other Superleague clubs to work on our combinations in the post Jammer era, friendlies to which say only season ticket holders were invited, to secure our health and safety certificate and test out our service partners ready for the big splash at the start of the season.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:33 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Our first full league game needs marketing well. We need to make a big splash and you only do that with a big club. In the absence of a big club, Warrington would do the job nicely. They will bring loads of fans and will create a great atmosphere at the stadium but it won't be quite as nerve wracking in terms of the result as it would be if the team we were playing was Wigan. Warrington would be ideal for shouting about our stadium to the world.

What would happen if we lost that opening fixture? How would it impact on future attendances if we put a lot of marketing into the game only for us to fall flat on our faces?

Don Brennan wrote:

Been saying this for a while.
Id have Cas,last league match at K.R first at new gaff,they play good rugby and would be a good spectacle for the newbies.

Cas are a good shout especially with Millward in charge as well. Hot potato stuff. That said I think I've talked myself into going with Widnes because we need a win in our first game to build some momentum with supporters. I don't think we can afford to lose the opening game and Castleford, Catalans and probably even Salford could surprise The S. Widnes is our best bet and I suspect that's who we've asked for seeing as we were playing at their place for a year too.

Re: Rumours thread. : Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:48 pm  

McClennan wrote:

What would happen if we lost that opening fixture? How would it impact on future attendances if we put a lot of marketing into the game only for us to fall flat on our faces?

Cas are a good shout especially with Millward in charge as well. Hot potato stuff. That said I think I've talked myself into going with Widnes because we need a win in our first game to build some momentum with supporters. I don't think we can afford to lose the opening game and Castleford, Catalans and probably even Salford could surprise The S. Widnes is our best bet and I suspect that's who we've asked for seeing as we were playing at their place for a year too.

I'm pretty much in agreement with this.

Widnes although theoretically a far weaker team than Catalan would be a bigger draw. As its a local derby.

Widnes fans themselves will be pumped up for SL and will be wanting to come out in force early doors.

If we played Widnes later in the season after they have lost 10 on the bounce and been thoroughly smashed by team after team, then their fans will be much less enthusiastic on travelling to the new Saints stadium. Similarly Saints fans themselves will then also view it as an unappealing fixture.

There is also the not inconsequential matter that our first game may also carry a reduced official capacity. Possibly only 13k. Especially if we have not met the requirements of obtaining a full safety certificate, through getting sufficient fans through the gate in a pre season friendly/openday.

Sky however may want a rematch between the champions and runners up.