Rugby League

[SLC001]

22,000 isn't bad but how long will Wigan be able to attract that number? There was a lot of rematch hype to launch the season and the sport needs to do that and I guess diversify, move into different geographical areas. I fear that the traditional northern game will go global but I am a dinosaur and accept that the sport, like rugby union, is struggling.
To answer a previous poster, Salford's B grading is understandable if you accept the grading system as fair and not a closed shop for the big clubs. They have just been taken over but their previous financial situation was poor and they had to have this year's tv revenue up front. The fan base is low and the potential market limited. I also feel that their ground, which they do not own, is quite small. Sad, because I want Salford to do well and recently they have been very successful, over achieving given their lowly status.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

To answer a previous poster, Salford's B grading is understandable if you accept the grading system as fair and not a closed shop for the big clubs. They have just been taken over but their previous financial situation was poor and they had to have this year's tv revenue up front. The fan base is low and the potential market limited. I also feel that their ground, which they do not own, is quite small. Sad, because I want Salford to do well and recently they have been very successful, over achieving given their lowly status.

Were Salford given an ultimatum to sell a number of their players? The stadium, I believe, is now owned by the local authority if I remember correctly.

 

[1D54]

Included in the 21,748 at Wigan last night were lots of freebies handed out to local kids. If it gets them involved watching Warriors it's no bad thing as long as they don't do it too often as it may very well p***off many people who have shelled out for season tickets.

 

[SLC001]

Were Salford given an ultimatum to sell a number of their players? The stadium, I believe, is now owned by the local authority if I remember correctly.

Yes. Salford will have to field a team of reserves for their first game of the season because of the sanctions imposed by the RFL. These should be lifted for the next game but the financial rescue package was too late to get RFL approval before the start of the season. The ultimatum should then be lifted but it's a bad look for the sport and not what grade A clubs should be bothered about.

 

[1D54]

You are surely not blaming the RFL for this mess? It is purely down to Rowley and Salford. This lot should be thrown out of SL. Remember the final round of games last season when they turned up at Wigan with a reserve squad and got hammered, they had choices that day and they have choices for the Saints game but would rather play the victims card yet again. They have been bailed out financially time and again by the RFL and still come back pleading poverty!! Dreadful club.

 

[SLC001]

You are surely not blaming the RFL for this mess? It is purely down to Rowley and Salford. This lot should be thrown out of SL. Remember the final round of games last season when they turned up at Wigan with a reserve squad and got hammered, they had choices that day and they have choices for the Saints game but would rather play the victims card yet again. They have been bailed out financially time and again by the RFL and still come back pleading poverty!! Dreadful club.

Ridiculous comment. No where did I criticise the RFL. Nor have I criticised Salford or attached blame. The decision to play reserves this weekend has been taken out of Salford's hands as until the takeover has been approved by the RFL, Salford have to comply with the RFL's "ultimatum". They have little choice. What they did last season at Wigan is irrelevant here, the circumstances entirely different.
Negative criticism of Rowley, and this is an opinion from an outsider, is unfair. Given his resources, as a coach he has worked wonders and I am surprised he is still there and that another club hasn't recruited him.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Wigan 0 Leigh 1 (AET)

Perfection! I've always blamed tries on defensive weakness so for the two sides to keep each other out was a great achievement.

Just a pity the powers that be spoiled the score line by insisting on golden point extra time instead of letting the 0-0 stand. Stopping drop goals is a little harder. I remember Keighley once had a full back called Brain Jefferson who would boot them over with monotonous regularity, probably why DGs were downgraded from 2 pts to 1.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Yes. Salford will have to field a team of reserves for their first game of the season because of the sanctions imposed by the RFL. These should be lifted for the next game but the financial rescue package was too late to get RFL approval before the start of the season. The ultimatum should then be lifted but it's a bad look for the sport and not what grade A clubs should be bothered about.

The half-time score looks very bad for Salford, if St Helens score as many points again in the second half.

EDIT....Final score

St Helens 82 ... Salford Reserves 0......

 

[Amos]

EDIT....Final score

St Helens 82 ... Salford Reserves 0......
[/QUOTE]
Went from one extreme to the other this weekend.Wakefield had a good win over Leeds,beating them by 14 points to 12.

 

[weepingwillowb]

Keith Macklin wrote a book called 'The Rugby League Game,' published in 1967, and one of the chapters was about a 0-0 draw between Liverpool City and a big club - Warrington? St Helens? - in the early 1960s. Anyone know who the other club was?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Keith Macklin wrote a book called 'The Rugby League Game,' published in 1967, and one of the chapters was about a 0-0 draw between Liverpool City and a big club - Warrington? St Helens? - in the early 1960s. Anyone know who the other club was?

Might just have been Rochdale Hornets RLFC. Liverpool City drew 0-0 there (Athletic Grounds, Rochdale) in March 1964. Suppose it depends on your definition of "big", although having said that, Rochdale were actually Lancashire Cup finalists shortly thereafter (1965-66 season) so not that long before the book was published.

 

[BeijingDave]

Wigan 0 Leigh 1 (AET)

Perfection! I've always blamed tries on defensive weakness so for the two sides to keep each other out was a great achievement.

Just a pity the powers that be spoiled the score line by insisting on golden point extra time instead of letting the 0-0 stand. Stopping drop goals is a little harder. I remember Keighley once had a full back called Brain Jefferson who would boot them over with monotonous regularity, probably why DGs were downgraded from 2 pts to 1.

Agree, this was a great game.

Reminded me of the lowest scoring game I have seen in person, which was when Wire lost 2-3 to Hull, back in 1990 (maybe 1991) - still one of the most thrilling games I have ever seen.

 

[weepingwillowb]

Might just have been Rochdale Hornets RLFC. Liverpool City drew 0-0 there (Athletic Grounds, Rochdale) in March 1964. Suppose it depends on your definition of "big", although having said that, Rochdale were actually Lancashire Cup finalists shortly thereafter (1965-66 season) so not that long before the book was published.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think it was a Liverpool City away match, but that the opponents may have been a South Lancashire club. Wish I still had the book.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think it was a Liverpool City away match, but that the opponents may have been a South Lancashire club. Wish I still had the book.

Me too! BTW, wasn't Rochdale still in Lancashire at the time?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Me too! BTW, wasn't Rochdale still in Lancashire at the time?

Talking of Lancashire, in the early 1950s, was there a rugby league team called Blackpool Borough that played at a high level?

 

[BeijingDave]

Talking of Lancashire, in the early 1950s, was there a rugby league team called Blackpool Borough that played at a high level?

Not really a 'high' level, they bounced around the bottom of the First Division and top of the Second Division until finally they left Blackpool in the late 80s.

Brian Bevan notably ended his career there, as did Billy Boston.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Talking of Lancashire, in the early 1950s, was there a rugby league team called Blackpool Borough that played at a high level?

Blackpool Borough played at various venues in Blackpool from 1954 to 1987, including the St. Annes Road Greyhound Stadium, Bloomfield Road and Borough Park. Had one season in the top flight (1979-80) but finished bottom with just five wins from their thirty games. After flitting around the North West in the years following, and with various re-namings, they had one more season back in Blackpool (1992-93), having by then been re-badged as Blackpool Gladiators, but lost their place in the RFL, and were relegated to the National Conference League, along with Chorley Borough and Nottingham City. They folded in 1997.


(Pic of Borough Park, Blackpool for the opening home game vs Salford in late August 1963. Source: Wikipedia. )

 

[Amos]

Not really a 'high' level, they bounced around the bottom of the First Division and top of the Second Division until finally they left Blackpool in the late 80s.

Brian Bevan notably ended his career there, as did Billy Boston.

Coached by Bob Eccles for a while too.

 

[weepingwillowb]

Me too! BTW, wasn't Rochdale still in Lancashire at the time?

The county boundary of Lancashire (and Yorkshire) changed in 1974. Before that, what's now Merseyside and Greater Manchester were in the county of Lancashire, as were Barrow, and Warrington.

 

[BeijingDave]

The county boundary of Lancashire (and Yorkshire) changed in 1974. Before that, what's now Merseyside and Greater Manchester were in the county of Lancashire, as were Barrow, and Warrington.

Except, curiously, Wilderspool was always in Cheshire, since the River Mersey was the boundary between Lancashire and Cheshire

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Betfred Super League

Leigh Leopards 24 ... Huddersfield Giants 10

Huddersfield shaded the first half 6-8, but Leigh put in a strong second-half performance to run out winners. Leigh won the try count 4 to 1 and have won their opening two fixtures.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Keith Macklin wrote a book called 'The Rugby League Game,' published in 1967, and one of the chapters was about a 0-0 draw between Liverpool City and a big club - Warrington? St Helens? - in the early 1960s. Anyone know who the other club was?

Have now perused a copy of the Keith Macklin book and am wondering whether the results of two separate matches have possibly been conflated here. The Liverpool City match featured was the one against title contenders Warrington, played in March 1954, with bottom-of-the-table Liverpool City, against all the odds, sensationally winning 5-2. Whereas the 0-0 'draw' that the author recounts in the book, was the scoreline after 80 minutes in the April 1956 Challenge Cup semi-final replay between Barrow and St. Helens, which Saints then went on to win 10-5 in extra time.

 

[weepingwillowb]

Have now perused a copy of the Keith Macklin book and am wondering whether the results of two separate matches have possibly been conflated here. The Liverpool City match featured was the one against title contenders Warrington, played in March 1954, with bottom-of-the-table Liverpool City, against all the odds, sensationally winning 5-2. Whereas the 0-0 'draw' that the author recounts in the book, was the scoreline after 80 minutes in the April 1956 Challenge Cup semi-final replay between Barrow and St. Helens, which Saints then went on to win 10-5 in extra time.

Great, thank you. My fault for all the confusion. I had a look online for a photo of the Knotty Ash Stadium, but none could be found.

The first rugby league ground I went to was Clarence Street (also known as Wigginton Road), York. I thought it was a great ground, mostly terracing, and went there several times. I didn't have a camera then, unfortunately.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Great, thank you. My fault for all the confusion. I had a look online for a photo of the Knotty Ash Stadium, but none could be found.

Couldn't find any photos of the Knotty Ash Stadium either, just the Alt Park ground in Huyton. Might just be some in "Liverpool City RLFC - Rugby league in a football city" by Mike Brocken (2008 book) but I've yet to track down a copy of same, although copies still seem to be available new, or second hand (the latter for less than a fiver).

 

[weepingwillowb]

Couldn't find any photos of the Knotty Ash Stadium either, just the Alt Park ground in Huyton. Might just be some in "Liverpool City RLFC - Rugby league in a football city" by Mike Brocken (2008 book) but I've yet to track down a copy of same, although copies still seem to be available new, or second hand (the latter for less than a fiver).

I found an aerial photo of the greyhound stadium where Liverpool Stanley had played at until 1950. It's on the 'Liverpool: Then and Now' Facebook page, but nothing about Liverpool City RLFC.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I found an aerial photo of the greyhound stadium where Liverpool Stanley had played at until 1950. It's on the 'Liverpool: Then and Now' Facebook page, but nothing about Liverpool City RLFC.

So that was the previous ground used up to around April 1950, so before the Club's move to the Mill Field (Knotty Ash) at the start of the 1950/51 season and the Club's subsequent 1951 renaming?

 

[weepingwillowb]

So that was the previous ground used up to around April 1950, so before the Club's move to the Mill Field (Knotty Ash) at the start of the 1950/51 season and the Club's subsequent 1951 renaming?

That's right.

 

[75A]

Last night in Las Vegas, Oz ladies 90 England ladies 4, oh dear

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Last night in Las Vegas, Oz ladies 90 England ladies 4, oh dear

The Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves game wasn't much better as a contest. Finished 48-24 but Wigan were 42-0 up at one point, before they took their foot off the gas in the closing stages to allow Warrington to score. Good goal kicking though, all twelve tries were converted, and quite a few of them from the touchline.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Last night in Las Vegas, Oz ladies 90 England ladies 4, oh dear

Not really a match between comparatives, as the Australian women's game if far more developed as a sport and consequently played at a much higher level in all respects.