Rugby League

[EDJOHNS]

The game has gone bonkers. Sorry, the prats running it have.
We have 2 players banned after last week while a guy, (Austin), who put 1 player in hospital and caused 3 punch ups gets off scot-free even after replays show him doing a flop tackle that the ref leg go and caused a try. Even though he 4 times grabbed a player around the throat. Even though he threw a punch more than once and connected.

But hey, Don't ask the ref why he has given a penalty against you. That will get you banned !!!!!!

[Darlo_Pete]

Wow Salford demolish Catalan in the South of France 14-46 and move into the last play-off place. Given their current form they are the dark horses for the play-offs.

[Darlo_Pete]

Look like last night's late win by Leeds over Huddersfield makes Wigan's fight for second place a lot easier. I'm working this week in Bolton, so planning to go to the Wigan v St. Helens game on Friday evening, should be a great game.

[Darlo_Pete]

Wow fantastic display by Wigan as they put St.Helens to the sword 30-10. We get revenge for Magic Weekend. Can't really see anybody getting to the Grand Final apart from Wigan and St.Helens.

[EDJOHNS]

Pete, before you start with the excuses we have 6 academy kids playing for KR today.
Oh yes, and still 14 first 17 squad players out injured.

[Darlo_Pete]

Well if you can't beat a second 13 you never will. Obviously we are resting our players before the serious matches start, although it will be interesting to see if we play a stronger team this coming weekend, to maintain our unbeaten home record against Catalan? I think we will as we get a week off the week after, a calculated gamble.

[EDJOHNS]

Well if you can't beat a second 13 you never will. Obviously we are resting our players before the serious matches start, although it will be interesting to see if we play a stronger team this coming weekend, to maintain our unbeaten home record against Catalan? I think we will as we get a week off the week after, a calculated gamble.

As soon as I saw OUR squad I knew it was going to be a reserve game.
Amongst the 6 academy players were also 6 who leave the club this summer having not been offered deals.
We actually did quite well until the last 5 minutes when you got 18 of your points unanswered. That in itself was annoying as until that point we at least stayed above Dull on points difference.
Next week is the city decider as we stand at 1-1 after the robbery of the Magic game.
Can't see anyone but Saints name on the end of season cup to go along with them being league champions.

[Darlo_Pete]

Massive game today between Leeds and Castleford, the winner will take all and get into the playoffs, the loser won't. My heart says Castleford will win and my head says Leeds will win.

[Darlo_Pete]

I can't see the 2 play-off games taking place on Saturday and Sunday due to the terrible news about the queen passing away. If they don't then that will be a big advantage to St.Helens & Wigan. As any midweek game will mean the successful play-off teams will have less recovery time before next weekend's games.

[Darlo_Pete]

Very surprisingly RL go against most other sports and the games will go ahead as planned this evening & on Sunday. In my opinion this is a bad decision certainly for tonight's game, which could have been moved to Sunday.

[Darlo_Pete]

Interesting to see that the two away sides won over the weekend in the SL play-offs. Wigan play Leeds at home on Friday evening and St.Helens play Salford on Saturday. I'm not sure who has the tougher game Wigan or St.Helens?

Interesting to see that Tony Smith has taken charge of Hull. Wonder what our resident Hull KR fan makes of that surprise move?

[EDJOHNS]

Interesting to see that the two away sides won over the weekend in the SL play-offs. Wigan play Leeds at home on Friday evening and St.Helens play Salford on Saturday. I'm not sure who has the tougher game Wigan or St.Helens?

Interesting to see that Tony Smith has taken charge of Hull. Wonder what our resident Hull KR fan makes of that surprise move?

Not a surprise mate. I was told on Sunday he was signing.
Unlike a lot of other fans I wish the guy good luck. The conspiracy theorists are having a field day, but I am told he knew nothing until last week. No reason not to believe that.
He came to us when we were struggling to get away from the mess of the middle 8's and though we seem to have gone back a bit this season in finishing 8th I do not see how anyone could argue that we would have been higher if we had not lost over 20 players at the same period to injury.
Unlike fans, to Tony it was a job, not a lifelong love. The Dullers have a damned good manager. I just hope they sign crap players, and get lots of injuries next season !!! (That last is a joke. NEVER would I want players injured).

[Darlo_Pete]

Well that didn't go according to plan. Clearly Bateman being sent off was a disaster for Wigan, but the writing on the wall clearly before the sending off. I think we lost it when Bevan French got injured in the first half. Anyway, well played Leeds. I'm routing for Salford and hoping they can also spring a shock tomorrow and beat St.Helens.

[comeondarlo]

Well that didn't go according to plan. Clearly Bateman being sent off was a disaster for Wigan, but the writing on the wall clearly before the sending off. I think we lost it when Bevan French got injured in the first half. Anyway, well played Leeds. I'm routing for Salford and hoping they can also spring a shock tomorrow and beat St.Helens.

Really, really proud of Leeds tonight, soaked up pressure in the first half and attacked well in the second.
Leeds were indisciplined early in the season but tonight their discipline was exemplary! I too hope Salford win tomorrow, Leeds only chance of winning in the final imho.

Quick word on Wigan, I thought they were throughly sportsman like all game, Batemans bad challenge was clearly mistimed and he/they took the red on the chin. Great to see a ‘better’ Wigan this season and such a pleasure after Cats antics last week

[Darlo_Pete]

Great news for Wigan and also the SL, as superstar Bevan French signs a new 2 year contract, with a further 2 year option. French is pure box office and RL can't afford toblose a player with his abilities.

[EDJOHNS]

Great news for Wigan and also the SL, as superstar Bevan French signs a new 2 year contract, with a further 2 year option. French is pure box office and RL can't afford toblose a player with his abilities.

Shame about the club he plays for but he is worth the entrance money just to see how clubs try to cope with his speed

[robsraiders]

Yesterdays final eventually led to a deserved win by Saints, I had written off Leeds after first 10 games or so, they did well to get to the final.
Onto the World Cup next month, I just cannot see beyond Australia, the NRL which I watch every week is so far ahead of the SL, going to some of the games, please prove me wrong England !

[Darlo_Pete]

Complete bonkers the RL decision to ban relegation for certain top teams in the SL. This is just not fair on the other teams in SL. I've no idea which teams they are proposing get this exemption, but I guess it will include St.Helens, Warrington, Leeds and Wigan. I think they should be addressing how ro close the gap between the Championship and the SL or you will end up with every promoted Championship side, getting relegated the following season. The gap between the Championship and SL is vast and this needs to be addressed before handing out relegation exemptions.

[EDJOHNS]

Complete bonkers the RL decision to ban relegation for certain top teams in the SL. This is just not fair on the other teams in SL. I've no idea which teams they are proposing get this exemption, but I guess it will include St.Helens, Warrington, Leeds and Wigan. I think they should be addressing how ro close the gap between the Championship and the SL or you will end up with every promoted Championship side, getting relegated the following season. The gap between the Championship and SL is vast and this needs to be addressed before handing out relegation exemptions.

As I understand things clubs will have to make a statement of intent, and then have 5 years to put it in place.
Taking KR as an example, we now own our own ground but I would expect we have to bring the South stand into play more and update the East and West stands. The North is fine.
I am aware that if that is all that is required we already have it in place.
Other clubs, Keithley, Workington, Batley etc who are all part-time and volunteer run can say they wish to stay at the level they are at. That means clubs like Newcastle, Featherstone etc who want to get to higher levels are not held back by clubs who do not want to "improve" but want to still play competitively.
If you look at clubs in football like Maidstone, Gretna, and a few others who are/were "1 man vanity projects" what is happening in RL becomes something less than as bad as it first sounds, as at least the game is looking to improve stadia and the game in general, but wanting to know how clubs are going to finance it.
I am still on the fence until we have more details. At the moment KR are the only club who have come out as 100% in favour, but that is Lakin speaking and I trust him as far as I can spit. (No, actually, nowhere near that far).

[EDJOHNS]

So they have gone nd done it !!!!!

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... A-pDhGH8Pc

[Darlo_Pete]

So they have gone nd done it !!!!!

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... A-pDhGH8Pc

Yeh in my view a very bad decision. This will just grow the gap between the so called big teams and the rest.

[EDJOHNS]

So they have gone nd done it !!!!!

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... A-pDhGH8Pc

Yeh in my view a very bad decision. This will just grow the gap between the so called big teams and the rest.

We still haven't got the details, but as it starts in 24 I would love it, I would really love it if 1 of the "big" sides has a bad year and gets relegated this coming season. Don't care which 1, Saints, Wigwam, or Leeds would be great but I think Warry may just pull it off and go down. As the rules are already in place for next year they could not "exempt them" if it happens.
Going to be problems in Hull. We all know they do not want 2 Hull clubs in SL and the barstewards nearly killed KR when they formed SL, but the shoe is sort of on the other foot now. We own our ground and have the plans and cash to bring the ground up to scratch, while FC have to leave the MKM after this season as they can't afford the rent and other costs any longer. Thank God we refused to move there when asked !!!!

[Darlo_Pete]

Great start for England yesterday, in what was expected too be a close game.

[EDJOHNS]

Great start for England yesterday, in what was expected too be a close game.

They actually started as Bookies' favourites. (I was quite happy about that).
The first half I thought was close. The second half was boring by the end.
I have seen lots of comments that magic should be moved because of the "problems". Gremlins can get into the works any time anywhere, and anyway, I went for the rugby, not a ruddy pop concert.

[Darlo_Pete]

I see the first SL fixtures have been announced and it also shows that the Magic Weekend returns to St James Park in early June. Great news for North East RL fans.

[EDJOHNS]

I see the first SL fixtures have been announced and it also shows that the Magic Weekend returns to St James Park in early June. Great news for North East RL fans.

Yes, and a bit of a shock and worry here in Hull as both sides play at home the first week Our game v Wigwam has been booked for Friday night live TV and then Dull play Cas on the Saturday. The "problem" may not seem obvious at first, but we have so many "split" families that go to both clubs home games and with a high unemployment level some may struggle to afford both games on the same weekend. I do hope this is a 1 off and we get to play on different weekends.

[EDJOHNS]

Just seen our fixture list.
There is going to be hell on. Every match is either Thursday or Friday night. Not 1 weekend game at home all season.
Wigwam was due to be our only Saturday game but with that being moved for TV !!!1
How can families take young kids to night matches when they have to be up for school the next day !

[EDJOHNS]

Watched my first wheelchair rugby league game last night.
Wales v USA.
Bloody hell, if you think the normal game is "ard" watch these guys go at each other.
In no way being any sort of "ist" when I say it was 1 of the best sporting events I have ever watched in all my 73 years.
More, please. Can't wait for tonight's match.

[Darlo_Pete]

Very disappointing result today for England. I didn't watch the game as I was watching Darlo and I didn't bother taping it as I thought we would win comfortably. A missed opportunity.

[Old Git]

Very disappointing result today for England. I didn't watch the game as I was watching Darlo and I didn't bother taping it as I thought we would win comfortably. A missed opportunity.

Oh Pete a really awful day for you. Thankfully most of us don’t give a toss about the egg chasers.