Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 2:15 pm  

It's certainly been the craziest of crazy seasons for these two clubs.
At the outset, both will have had genuine aspirations for making the 4 and Leigh possibly expecting to have another shot at SL.
Ultimately, the rapid rise up the table by everyone's "favourite" expansion club, Toronto, "stole" one of the coveted top 4 spots, with London taking the other and then the brown stuff started to fly.
It's certainly a sad state of affairs when one or both clubs will struggle to field a 17 man squad and it has to be asked how this could have been avoided this season and then to make damn sure that it cant happen again.
As for the game itself, just how much appetite is there for a tight hard fought final, when both sides are down to (and probably have less than) the bare bones of a squad.
Fev will probably win the game but, there are far more important issues to sort out, both for the sport and the 2 clubs involved.

Lets hope that we get a decent game between 2 very proud RL clubs.

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 2:19 pm  

Imagine the scenario were Leigh are forced to take the field with 9 men (against Featherstone's 11, let's say). The winner of the game would be the team that managed to keep at least 9 men on the pitch. If a Leigh player got injured in the first 5 minutes the game would have to be abandoned. Surely the RFL has a duty to avoid this type of scenario and let common sense prevail. It was a tinpot trophy to start with, so would it really be the end of the world if the game was not played?

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 2:38 pm  

The RFL have definitely 'put the boot in' on this occasion. Thanks very much !

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:01 pm  

Budgiezilla wrote:

The RFL have definitely 'put the boot in' on this occasion. Thanks very much !

How is it the RFL’s fault? The position Leigh Centurions are in is solely down to Mr Beaumont

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:06 pm  

I remember when Bradford Northern were really scratching around for players and had a Challenge Cup Semi-Final to play against Wigan. We played the odd young man that was never seen before or since but we raised a team. And what's more we were right in with a shout of winning it up until the last 5 minutes, eventually going down 71-10.

I do think for player welfare there should be a simple rule of 15 players turning up or it doesn't get played. It's a hard enough sport as it is for the brave lads that play it, without them having to risk injury slogging their guts out without the full compliment of men.

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:08 pm  

The Phantom Horseman wrote: To date, no investors have expressed an interest in the Club https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/blog/2018/10/0 ... enturions/ The above from the Leigh statement highlights why expansion is so vital for the game. Leigh have a decent passionate following for a Championship club, yet nobody has even shown an interest in taking them over. Why is that the case? IMO it’s because millionaires are not interested in owning a small town Rugby League club. Rugby League must expand to survive.

The Phantom Horseman wrote: To date, no investors have expressed an interest in the Club https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/blog/2018/10/0 ... enturions/ The above from the Leigh statement highlights why expansion is so vital for the game. Leigh have a decent passionate following for a Championship club, yet nobody has even shown an interest in taking them over. Why is that the case? IMO it’s because millionaires are not interested in owning a small town Rugby League club. Rugby League must expand to survive.

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:10 pm  

Pumpetypump wrote:

And what's more we were right in with a shout of winning it up until the last 5 minutes, eventually going down 71-10.

You were in with a shout of winning and then lost by 61 points. That must have been some last 5 minutes.

[Bullseye]

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:14 pm  

Whoosh

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:15 pm  

Sir Kevin Sinfield wrote:

You were in with a shout of winning and then lost by 61 points. That must have been some last 5 minutes.

If you recall, the early 90s was the era of the 61 point try. It was 10 all until late on. I may have wiped some of the trauma from my mind but I reckon that's what it was.

Re: Championship Final - Featherstone vs Leigh : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:20 pm  

Sir Kevin Sinfield wrote:

How is it the RFL’s fault? The position Leigh Centurions are in is solely down to Mr Beaumont

I was asking 'genuine supporters' of our game, not YOU !
To other RLFANS members who aren't a constant 'pain in the bum'.
"The RFL could have assisted in the matter, allowing BOTH sides to sign up amateurs for this 'pointless' plate final...whoever it's fault it is."
In the statement the club issued, the club has medical proof that we currently have eight players out injured. (obviously you have not read it)