Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Mon Oct 07, 2013 10:15 pm  

I don't agree with McManus on everything, and Lenegan is a pie, but I would always choose them over Nigel Wood if it came to making decisions in the best interests of the sport.

Since Richard Lewis lost focus in 2007/8 and moved on, the RFL has slipped from being a dynamic, money-generating, force for good in our game, to being a shambolic waste of space chucking out random gimmicks and making terrible decisions, of which the Stobart sponsorship was just the most high profile. Too many decisions seem to be largely taken either on a whim, or at the behest of badly-run lower-half-of-the-table sides who happen to have Wood's ear.

If Lenegan and McManus make common cause, especially if they can get Warrington, Huddersfield and Leeds on board, then we may well get some direction again.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Tue Oct 08, 2013 7:07 am  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

I don't agree with McManus on everything, and Lenegan is a pie, but I would always choose them over Nigel Wood if it came to making decisions in the best interests of the sport.

Since Richard Lewis lost focus in 2007/8 and moved on, the RFL has slipped from being a dynamic, money-generating, force for good in our game, to being a shambolic waste of space chucking out random gimmicks and making terrible decisions, of which the Stobart sponsorship was just the most high profile. Too many decisions seem to be largely taken either on a whim, or at the behest of badly-run lower-half-of-the-table sides who happen to have Wood's ear.

If Lenegan and McManus make common cause, especially if they can get Warrington, Huddersfield and Leeds on board, then we may well get some direction again.

I've got no doubt that people like Mcmanus and Lenagan are much better equipped to run the sport than Nigel Wood. However, I'm not convinced that a clubs' revolt will necessarily lead to good governance.

As I understand it, many of the more ridiculous decisions of the last few years have been voted for by the clubs anyway. The cutting of the academies is a perfect example. The big, progressive clubs will have voted against it, but there is always a majority of clubs who will see the opportunity to save some cash before considering what is best for the game. IIRC the scrapping of the u20s was actually done against an RFL recommendation.

So how will the clubs running the game change things? There may be some more commercial expertise, and there may be a chance for the bigger clubs to put their case more forcefully, but ultimately we'll still be at the mercy of the majority vote when it comes to decision making.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Tue Oct 08, 2013 8:28 am  

Dux wrote:

I've got no doubt that people like Mcmanus and Lenagan are much better equipped to run the sport than Nigel Wood. However, I'm not convinced that this will necessarily lead to good governance.

As I understand it, many of the more ridiculous decisions of the last few years have been voted for by the clubs anyway. The cutting of the academies is a perfect example. The big, progressive clubs will have voted against it, but there is always a majority of clubs who will see the opportunity to save some cash before considering what is best for the game. IIRC the scrapping of the u20s was actually done against an RFL recommendation.

So how will the clubs running the game change things? There may be some more commercial expertise, and there may be a chance for the bigger clubs to put their case more forcefully, but ultimately we'll still be at the mercy of the majority vote when it comes to decision making.

I'm inclined to agree. Clubs will always vote for what good for them at the time and not (I don't think) what's good for the sport long term.

That doesn't mean that a vote of no confidence from the clubs should not be valid. Its telling that, bar leeds, the clubs with the more comprehensive (and expensive) set ups are all on that list.

British Rugby League is losing ground to both Rugby Union and the NRL. We're constantly under sold and our qualities under exploited.
The SL sponsorship is the crowning joke. First we give it away for a dozen van adverts and now we have nothing. We turn down sponsor ship from a bookies because its not the image we want for the sport, only for Sky to stick a SkyBet advert in front of our programmes!?
We get treated like bitches by sky with them moving our programmes around (not to mention a cut price TV deal when compared to RUs BT deal)and we're seemily marginalised by the Beeb at times, too.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:44 pm  

Ever since BT sport started I have wondered if they would go for league and try and get a "All the Rugby" thing going.

Certainly wouldnt do any harm to have some pressure on Sky to improve the deal.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:48 pm  

Whilst generally agreeing with most points on here , I am deeply suspicious when Chairmen of high profile clubs tell us how best the game should be run . they may well be running successful business models , but it would be very dangerous and a little niave to believe that the good of the game is the only motive at play with the likes of Moran , Lenaghan , Hetherington et al .

The days of Maurice Lindsay are a constant reminder of what can happen when self interest becomes all consuming .

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Tue Oct 08, 2013 7:17 pm  

London are in the mix as are both Hull clubs, Huddersfield, Wigan, Saints and Warrington. Leeds nor Wakefield will be with them due to the Hetherington influence.
The majority of clubs vote for things which are the lower clubs plus Leeds and formally HullFC. Pearson has taken over at HullFC so he's in the mix too.
I think they are looking at creating a separate brand for improved marketing the game with better prize money, similar to the soccer Premier League and Union's Premiership.
That has to be better than what's happening now!
There's also the principle I think that SKY money is for televising Super League and the RFL are looking to re-distribute the SKY money from the two clubs being lost into the Championship. SL clubs are now in revolt against this.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:12 am  

St pete wrote:

Crazy thing is, this double winning team with great culture only finished one place above us in the league table.

League means nothing. Anyway with half a brain can see that. Huddersfield are nowhere near the best team and came top, this was proven in the playoffs when they were beaten by both Wigan and Wire.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:13 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

I think we used to have that mentality, when we were winning things. But we won't see that mentality under Brown. He's far too casual.

The black and white of it is your players just aren't good enough.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:15 am  

No1 Saint wrote:

We obviously need to learn to target key opposition players with dangerous tackles with the intention of making sure they leave the field thus disrupting the oppositions flow.

That aside you have a point re intensity and aggression, the majority of the season our pack especially had neither.

How pathetic. Wigan do the double, and you have to look for anything to criticise the club. Just have it that Wigan won both comps worth winning with a young predominately Wigan team and you did nothing this season.

Stop being so soft.

Re: One thing we MUST learn from Wigan : Wed Oct 09, 2013 3:26 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

League means nothing. Anyway with half a brain can see that. Huddersfield are nowhere near the best team and came top, this was proven in the playoffs when they were beaten by both Wigan and Wire.

But it meant something last year tho ?

Hasn't Wane constantly banged on how he wants to finish top ?

All we heard last year is how Wigan was the best team in the super league ("the real " champions") because you finished top, yet this year the team that finished 4th is the best team ?