FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!

   WWW.RLFANS.COM • View topic - Smith to Leigh
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach13498
JoinedServiceReputation
Jun 25 200618 years11th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
28th Mar 24 23:5226th Mar 24 22:45LINK
Milestone Posts
10000
15000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Forum21

Re: Smith to Leigh : Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:05 pm  
He is spot on. We have been dull and uninspiring and games have become about seeing how long you can keep someone from playing the ball and get away with it. Biff / confrontations have been eliminated. Wingers are rated more for their kick return than speed and illusiveness. No wonder Sky haven't bothered to refresh their coverage in 10 years and crowds are falling. I've given up Sky Sports as I don't watch any games other than Warrington and the Grand Final.

Having said that I was hoping he would go to another club and take the following with him:

Agar, Jack Hughes, King Brothers, Patton, Jon Clarke and our entire scouting team. Basically all those not making the grade.
RankPostsTeam
Club Coach3967
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 09 200420 years61st
OnlineLast PostLast Page
26th Mar 24 08:5429th Mar 24 07:34LINK
Milestone Posts
2500
5000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Signature
Darlings of Super League

Re: Smith to Leigh : Fri Sep 15, 2017 4:58 am  
Wirefan wrote:
He is right. I've not been interested last few years. Don't know what it is precisely but for me, as a sport, we don't do ourselves any favours at all.

We are a pantomime sport. Everything from Wolves Giants Warriors etc., to Sky's robot coverage, the presentation of which hasn't been invested in for years. Then we have the likes of Barrie McDermott and Eddie Hemmings thinking theyre comedians during the game. And everything in between. It's so old school its bordering retro.

We are also obsessed with growing the sport out of the NW heathland seemingly to try and prove ourselves to the outside world (guess what, no one's watching). We've abandoned historic clubs like Bradford in favour of ridiculous pipe dreams like Toronto which clearly aren't sustainable long term.

RL needs rebranding, professionalising, and needs to throughly reassess its goals. Sky also needs to assist in doing the same.


You made a lot of sensible points, followed by advocating a retreat to the heartlands which is a surefire recipe for killing our game. Bradford haven't been abandoned by anyone: they have had a series of owners all incapable of spending less than they bring in. The RFL even bought their ground for them ffs.

Meanwhile unsustainable Toronto get bigger crowds after less than twelve months existence than Salford, Widnes, Leigh, Wakefield or Huddersfield, five clubs with more than 600 years' collective experience in RL. Toronto will need to bring through some of their own players for sure, but I fancy they will bring more through than Salford, who can't be arsed to even run an academy.

I do agree the game is in a malaise. The current structure doesn't inspire people to turn up, the commercial element of most clubs and the RFL is a joke, and the RFL seem to have all but given up on international RL ( which for me is the key to increasing the game's visibility). We are also blighted with a fanbase within the game with a pathological impulse to see the negative in everything and to say everything is a joke if it isn't done like it was in 1975.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
International Board Member4712No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 26 200222 years299th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
27th May 21 21:569th May 21 11:01LINK
Milestone Posts
2500
5000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Warrington

Re: Smith to Leigh : Fri Sep 15, 2017 7:51 am  
I just don't see, long term anyway and once the novelty wears off, Toronto being sustainable as a SL team. In fact I think it's ridiculous to have a domestic-international league. Catalan and Toulouse are about bearable but bringing in teams from across the Atlantic is a joke, regardless of their initial success. It's also another home game with no atmosphere for SL clubs.

RL doesn't have an international presence and never will have. It just isn't strong enough. It's not even strong enough in the heartlands. The best we can hope for is a return to a british and Irish lions type offering but even then we'll do something to ruin it. Like marketing it as some kind of WWE event.

Bradford may not have been abandoned but in fact the RL buying their ground has been more a hindrance not a blessing. I do agree their owners are to blame but to see a club with some 15000 fans to languish in the lower tiers isn't acceptable to me. The RFLs recent sanctions have made it impossible for them to rebuild. Just my opinion.

We also missed a trick at the end of the last world cup. It was marketed really well, was successful in attracting fans to all games and gerenally was a success. The RFL then did sod all to keep the momentum going.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach9621
JoinedServiceReputation
Jul 06 200915 years101st
OnlineLast PostLast Page
26th Mar 24 11:3923rd Feb 24 20:57LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Somewhere under the salary cap

Re: Smith to Leigh : Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:03 am  
While Smith is absolutely correct, you cant have a man with that view of the game running a top club.

saying that he has been feeling like this for years just makes it even worse..... he should have been removed years ago... NO, infact he should have walked away years ago when he knew his interest in RL was on the slide.

Now we are left with a side, that needs a massive rebuild, that could take years..... lazy recruitment, lazy coaching, poor motivation and terrible player-coach relations all coming home to roost.

leaves a sour taste this article...
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach3726
JoinedServiceReputation
Oct 31 200518 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
25th Jan 21 11:2511th Jan 21 13:58LINK
Milestone Posts
2500
5000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Northamptonshire
Signature
Waiting for the 2021 RLWC

Re: Smith to Leigh : Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:14 am  
Wirefan wrote:
I just don't see, long term anyway and once the novelty wears off, Toronto being sustainable as a SL team. In fact I think it's ridiculous to have a domestic-international league. Catalan and Toulouse are about bearable but bringing in teams from across the Atlantic is a joke, regardless of their initial success. It's also another home game with no atmosphere for SL clubs.

RL doesn't have an international presence and never will have. It just isn't strong enough. It's not even strong enough in the heartlands. The best we can hope for is a return to a british and Irish lions type offering but even then we'll do something to ruin it. Like marketing it as some kind of WWE event.

Bradford may not have been abandoned but in fact the RL buying their ground has been more a hindrance not a blessing. I do agree their owners are to blame but to see a club with some 15000 fans to languish in the lower tiers isn't acceptable to me. The RFLs recent sanctions have made it impossible for them to rebuild. Just my opinion.

We also missed a trick at the end of the last world cup. It was marketed really well, was successful in attracting fans to all games and gerenally was a success. The RFL then did sod all to keep the momentum going.


Sport is becoming global so I see no reason why the 'Toronto model' cannot work. As for 'no atmosphere' sports like NFL in USa and to a great extent NRL do not enjoy big 'away' attendances.

What we do need is a completely new management team at the RFL. I think Roger Draper ( providing he's given a budget and sticks to it ) is the sort of character who can think big. RL DOES have an international tradition focused around GB v Aus test matches (not unlike cricket in that regard) and, though we ballsed up the opportunity to seize the name, we did have the first Rugby World Cup. You are right about the way we wasted a big opportunity at the end of the last one ( but that's my point about the RFL management ). Bradford had poor attendances for years - really SuperLeague was an aberration over their long-term record - and, in the end, overspent, as did Wigan in the 1980s. That the RFL bought Odsal may have proved a hindrance to their chances of a quick revival but, had they not done so, the club would not exist at all, now.

Union has increased in popularity by making the game more like rugby league (blind eyes to technical offences in play, reinterpreting the rules about releasing the ball when tackled to allow for 'placing' the ball, behind you for a team mate to pick up ) and by building on their 'establishment' base in the corporate sector. It's not an easy thing for smaller, established clubs to accept, but, to expand, direct investment by the governing body is necessary. In Aus, NRL competes with AFL in a parallel with RL v RU in UK ( RU meaning little there). Establishing Melbourne Storm in AFL heartlands took lots of investment, and (despite the club's later issues over salary cap offences) it has been a success. Could not have happened if NRL had stayed with a 'heartlands only' approach.

Get rid of big Nig and move on.
RankPostsTeam
International Star342No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Aug 16 201212 yearsN/A
OnlineLast PostLast Page
26th Jun 19 21:5722nd Jun 19 15:39LINK
Milestone Posts
250
500
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: Smith to Leigh : Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:28 pm  
morleys_deckchair wrote:
While Smith is absolutely correct, you cant have a man with that view of the game running a top club.

saying that he has been feeling like this for years just makes it even worse..... he should have been removed years ago... NO, infact he should have walked away years ago when he knew his interest in RL was on the slide.

Now we are left with a side, that needs a massive rebuild, that could take years..... lazy recruitment, lazy coaching, poor motivation and terrible player-coach relations all coming home to roost.

leaves a sour taste this article...

Spot on this MD. Why wasn't this lack of enthusiasm spotted by the board etc?
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Club Captain4422
JoinedServiceReputation
Jul 17 20159 years13th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
28th Mar 24 22:2828th Mar 24 14:44LINK
Milestone Posts
2500
5000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Sitting on the naughty step
Signature
Just my opinions unless it's a FACT, in which case it's a fact.

Re: Smith to Leigh : Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:48 pm  
Maybe now is time for a strategic review of our game, to encompass expansion, innovation, rules to return the game to the top as far as excitement and joy to watch is concerned. TS is saying what a lot of fans have been saying...our game is becoming boring BECAUSE boring tactics are rewarded. Something needs to be done.
Personally the idea that the way forward is to shut up shop and stick with the heartland is anathema. We should be pushing all out to make our sport national, if that means extra support for London and Birmingham etc then so be it. How can someone in Toronto start from scratch so successfully with all the additional problems of being trans Atlantic when we can't manage to build a successful London team is a very sad indictment.
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach5372
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 15 200618 years107th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
27th Mar 24 14:5027th Mar 24 14:43LINK
Milestone Posts
5000
10000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
newton-le-willows

Re: Smith to Leigh : Fri Sep 15, 2017 6:32 pm  
Is it because a tv promoter has actually brought a new sport to the public. What sky did over here was just hijack our sport to ingratiate themselves with the viewing public & to sell their tv packages ,changing the format of our game as they went along. Once our pilot scheme was deemed a success they devoured every other sport to promote their tv network.
Previous

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Douglas Black, Gazwire, Smiffy27, wirecation and 289 guests

REPLY

Subject: 
Message:
   
Please note using apple style emoji's can result in posting failures.
Use the FULL EDITOR to better format content or upload images, be notified of replies etc...

Return to Warrington Wolves


RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
4m
Rd 6 I Cas A
Broadacres
122
7m
New Super League shirts in time for Christmas
Deadcowboys1
116
10m
The Good Friday Derby Massacre
Yippee try y
144
11m
York - 14th April
Khlav Kalash
14
24m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
56015
24m
Smith - should he stay or should he go
The Cooke Re
360
25m
Game - Song Titles
Boss Hog
34294
38m
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Jason65
1935
46m
Ky Rodwell
PopTart
111
Recent
TV games not Wire
just_browny
2866
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
49s
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Jason65
1935
56s
Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4
Jack Burton
8703
59s
Smith - should he stay or should he go
The Cooke Re
360
1m
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Wanderer
17
1m
2024 Southstandercom Prediction Competition Week 6
rhinosTY
36
1m
TV Games - Not Hull
Chris71
1385
1m
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Smiffy27
18
1m
Fevround 2
Trojan Horse
91
1m
New Super League shirts in time for Christmas
Deadcowboys1
116
2m
Smith out ASAP
Backwoodsman
138
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Another Tigers Defeat As Rhinos Go Level Top
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
York - 14th April
Khlav Kalash
14
TODAY
Stats article
Sir Gregory
5
TODAY
21 man Squads - Devils v Leopards
Cokey
4
TODAY
Squad for Catalan
Smiffy27
17
TODAY
The Wigan Way - New Podcast - Chairman Special
Jukesays
1
TODAY
Dons v Swinton Lions 30 June 2024
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Squad for Sheffield
AdamH
1
TODAY
London Away
Fartown58
1
TODAY
The Bulls away
terry silver
9
TODAY
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Smiffy27
18
TODAY
Saints a
Brick with e
24
TODAY
Leon Ruan signs on loan
Jemmo
2
TODAY
Wardle
Jo Jumbuck
3
TODAY
Huddersfield - Home
Fartown58
6
TODAY
Max Wood on loan to Bradford 2 weeks
rubber ducki
7
TODAY
Jake Wardle 5 Year deal
Zig
22
TODAY
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
PopTart
27
TODAY
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangements
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
Another Tigers Defeat As Rhino..
156
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangeme..
574
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Fin..
699
Easy Does It For The Dragons A..
593
Warrington Demolish London For..
696
Leigh Leopards Beat Plucky Fea..
747
Saints Triumph Over Disappoint..
729
Easy Win for the Wolves Over L..
967
Dragons Condemn Castleford To ..
936
Leigh Leopards Secure First Po..
1080
St Helens Tame The Rhinos To W..
1050
Wigan Warriors Come From Behin..
1121
Betfred Championship and Leagu..
1094
2024 Challenge Cup Sixth Round..
3882
Featherstone Win Extra Time Cu..
1211
POSTSONLINEREGISTRATIONSRECORD
19.57M +13,320 80,00114,103
LOGIN HERE
or REGISTER for more features!.

When you register you get access to the live match scores, live match chat and you can post in the discussions on the forums.
RLFANS Match Centre
 TODAY
National Rugby League 2024-R4
 FT
Hover 
Souths
20-16
Canterbury
09:05
Brisbane
v
NQL Cowboys
Mens Super League XXVIII-R6
12:30
Hull KR
v
Hull FC
Championship 2024-R2
14:00
Widnes
v
Swinton
Mens Super League XXVIII-R6
15:00
St.Helens
v
Wigan
Championship 2024-R2
15:00
Whitehaven
v
Barrow
17:00
Dewsbury
v
Batley
18:00
Featherstone
v
Wakefield
League One 2024-R2
19:30
Hunslet
v
Keighley
Championship 2024-R2
19:30
Bradford
v
Halifax
19:30
Doncaster
v
Sheffield
 TOMORROW
Mens Super League XXVIII-R6
15:00
Warrington
v
Catalans
 Fri 5th Apr
Mens Super League XXVIII-R7
20:00
Leeds
v
Warrington
 Sun 14th Apr
Challenge Cup 2024-R7
16:30
St.Helens
v
Warrington
 Sat 20th Apr
Mens Super League XXVIII-R8
15:00
Warrington
v
Leigh
 Sat 27th Apr
Mens Super League XXVIII-R9
15:00
Salford
v
Warrington
 Sat 17th Aug 2024
Mens Super League XXVIII-R22
18:00
Warrington
v
Leeds
ALL SCORES PROVIDED BY RLFANS.COM (SETTINGS)
Matches on TV
Fri 29th Mar
SL
12:30
Hull KR-Hull FC
SL
15:00
St.Helens-Wigan
Sat 30th Mar
SL
15:00
Warrington-Catalans
SL
17:30
Salford-Leigh
Sun 31st Mar
SL
15:00
LondonB-Huddersfield
L1
15:00
Oldham-Rochdale
Thu 4th Apr
SL
20:00
Leigh-Wigan
Fri 5th Apr
SL
20:00
Castleford-Salford
SL
20:00
Hull KR-LondonB
SL
20:00
Leeds-Warrington
Sat 6th Apr
SL
15:00
Hull FC-Huddersfield
SL
17:30
Catalans-St.Helens
Sat 13th Apr
CC2024
17:00
Hull KR-Leigh
Sun 14th Apr
CC2024
16:30
St.Helens-Warrington
Fri 19th Apr
SL
20:00
Leeds-Huddersfield
SL
20:00
St.Helens-Hull FC
SL
20:00
Wigan-Castleford
Sat 20th Apr
SL
15:00
Warrington-Leigh
SL
17:30
Catalans-Hull KR
Sun 21st Apr
SL
15:00
LondonB-Salford
Fri 29th Mar
NRL
LIVE
Souths20-16Canterbury
Thu 28th Mar
SL 6 Castleford6-26Leeds
NRL 4 Sydney16-22Penrith
Sun 24th Mar
CC2024 6 Halifax4-40Catalans
NRL 3 Parramatta28-24Manly
NRL 3 Newcastle14-12Melbourne
L1 1 Cornwall16-40Crusaders
L1 1 Keighley58-16Workington
L1 1 Midlands70-16Newcastle
L1 1 Rochdale24-26Hunslet
WOMCC2024 2 FeatherstoneW38-6Shef W
WOMCC2024 2 BarrowW18-20WiganW
WOMCC2024 2 LonB W6-24Wire W
WOMCC2024 2 HKR Wom0-90LeedsW
WOMCC2024 2 Lei L W6-36Hudds W
Sat 23rd Mar
CC2024 6 Batley14-28Castleford
CC2024 6 Huddersfield50-6Hull FC
CC2024 6 Leigh26-14Featherstone
CC2024 6 Warrington42-0LondonB
NRL 3 Canterbury32-0Gold Coast
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Mens Betfred Super League XXVIII ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Warrington 5 156 58 98 8
Wigan 4 144 54 90 8
St.Helens 5 118 40 78 8
Catalans 5 126 54 72 8
Leeds 6 108 88 20 8
Hull KR 5 98 63 35 6
 
Salford 5 95 96 -1 6
Huddersfield 5 94 98 -4 4
Leigh 4 82 54 28 2
Hull FC 5 54 162 -108 2
Castleford 6 62 204 -142 0
LondonB 5 54 220 -166 0
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Betfred Championship 2024 ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Widnes 1 44 8 36 2
Wakefield 1 42 12 30 2
Doncaster 1 36 20 16 2
Halifax 1 24 10 14 2
Featherstone 1 24 20 4 2
Sheffield 1 24 22 2 2
 
Whitehaven 1 18 16 2 2
Toulouse 1 22 24 -2 0
Swinton 1 16 18 -2 0
Batley 1 20 24 -4 0
Dewsbury 1 10 24 -14 0
York 1 20 36 -16 0
Bradford 1 12 42 -30 0
Barrow 1 8 44 -36 0
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
4m
Rd 6 I Cas A
Broadacres
122
7m
New Super League shirts in time for Christmas
Deadcowboys1
116
10m
The Good Friday Derby Massacre
Yippee try y
144
11m
York - 14th April
Khlav Kalash
14
24m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
56015
24m
Smith - should he stay or should he go
The Cooke Re
360
25m
Game - Song Titles
Boss Hog
34294
38m
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Jason65
1935
46m
Ky Rodwell
PopTart
111
Recent
TV games not Wire
just_browny
2866
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
49s
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Jason65
1935
56s
Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4
Jack Burton
8703
59s
Smith - should he stay or should he go
The Cooke Re
360
1m
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Wanderer
17
1m
2024 Southstandercom Prediction Competition Week 6
rhinosTY
36
1m
TV Games - Not Hull
Chris71
1385
1m
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Smiffy27
18
1m
Fevround 2
Trojan Horse
91
1m
New Super League shirts in time for Christmas
Deadcowboys1
116
2m
Smith out ASAP
Backwoodsman
138
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Another Tigers Defeat As Rhinos Go Level Top
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
York - 14th April
Khlav Kalash
14
TODAY
Stats article
Sir Gregory
5
TODAY
21 man Squads - Devils v Leopards
Cokey
4
TODAY
Squad for Catalan
Smiffy27
17
TODAY
The Wigan Way - New Podcast - Chairman Special
Jukesays
1
TODAY
Dons v Swinton Lions 30 June 2024
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Squad for Sheffield
AdamH
1
TODAY
London Away
Fartown58
1
TODAY
The Bulls away
terry silver
9
TODAY
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Smiffy27
18
TODAY
Saints a
Brick with e
24
TODAY
Leon Ruan signs on loan
Jemmo
2
TODAY
Wardle
Jo Jumbuck
3
TODAY
Huddersfield - Home
Fartown58
6
TODAY
Max Wood on loan to Bradford 2 weeks
rubber ducki
7
TODAY
Jake Wardle 5 Year deal
Zig
22
TODAY
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
PopTart
27
TODAY
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangements
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
Another Tigers Defeat As Rhino..
156
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangeme..
574
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Fin..
699
Easy Does It For The Dragons A..
593
Warrington Demolish London For..
696
Leigh Leopards Beat Plucky Fea..
747
Saints Triumph Over Disappoint..
729
Easy Win for the Wolves Over L..
967
Dragons Condemn Castleford To ..
936
Leigh Leopards Secure First Po..
1080
St Helens Tame The Rhinos To W..
1050
Wigan Warriors Come From Behin..
1121
Betfred Championship and Leagu..
1094
2024 Challenge Cup Sixth Round..
3882
Featherstone Win Extra Time Cu..
1211


Visit the RLFANS.COM SHOP
for more merchandise!