What's yours?
I'm going for Fev by eight, and Pies by ten.
Spelly.
Featherstone by 16, Huddersfield by 6
Fev by 6
Hudd by 2
Leigh
Wigan
Leigh by 10 Joey Mellor mom
Wigan by 14 Jai Field mom
Leigh
Huddersfield
Leigh and Wigan, both by 20+.
Leigh by 10 and Hudds by 4 for me (Hudds maybe me just hoping Wigan don't win..). Interesting to see Brand missing out due to the Ferguson signing. Maybe worth a loan enquiry for the rest of the season.
Just back from Tottenham. Superb state of the arts stadium, but still disappointed it wasn't at Wembley, and hope the final returns "home" next year.
Went with the Leythers on one of their coaches, and top fans they all were!
Bed now, as been up since 5.00am!
Spelly.
I was really disappointed in another CC Final with a shockingly low attendance Spelly. This is one of 2 showpiece events for domestic RL. It can't be a good look for RL in this country when someone new to the sport tunes in to watch this final and sees thousands of empty seats ? I've said it before and I'll say it again: The CC Final should be moved away from the capital because the venue, whether it's Wembley or a 62,850 football stadium is way too big. Times change and it's time the CC Final was played in the north where there is genuine interest in the game and where there is even a remote chance of a decent crowd.
I was really disappointed in another CC Final with a shockingly low attendance Spelly. This is one of 2 showpiece events for domestic RL. It can't be a good look for RL in this country when someone new to the sport tunes in to watch this final and sees thousands of empty seats ? I've said it before and I'll say it again: The CC Final should be moved away from the capital because the venue, whether it's Wembley or a 62,850 football stadium is way too big. Times change and it's time the CC Final was played in the north where there is genuine interest in the game and where there is even a remote chance of a decent crowd.
I agree that the empty seats don't look good, and I was talking to a Leyther on the way home, who had similar views to yours, but........
Would moving it up here help?
We can normally fill-ish OT for the GF (last year was an exception, as many Catalans fans, couldn't afford the expense of the trip) but.........
Where would you hold CC Cup Final, if you were the decision maker?
Another final at OT? The Etihad? Anfield? Goodison? All this side of the hills though, so would the Yorkies whinge?
Where else is a 50,000+ capacity stadium up here? St James' Park? But.......
"Magic" is there, so would fans fancy heading to the north east twice in the same campaign? It's not as far as the "Smoke" but it's still a fair distance.
A confession here, coz................
Wembley lover that I unashamedly am, and coz of the fact the number of empty seats (again) disappointed me, I was actually thinking of using my page in the Swinton programme to gauge people's feelings about where the showpiece should be staged, so...............
With what you've posted here, I will do that very thing!
My notes for the 'Ornits game in a couple of weeks are already done, and are with the programme compiler, as they're about the sponsored walk on that day www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/john-spellman but......
The article will be there for all to see, when he host Donny in July.
Would I swallow my selfish pride, if people thought moving it to the heartlands would help? Of course, I would, coz I want the best for the game I've had a love affair with for six decades!
How's that for an honest answer mate?
Spelly.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: The CC Final should be moved away from the capital because the venue, whether it's Wembley or a 62,850 football stadium is way too big. Times change and it's time the CC Final was played in the north where there is genuine interest in the game and where there is even a remote chance of a decent crowd.
We can't even sell 25000 tickets for a double semi final with four lots of fans in the same ground.
I was really disappointed in another CC Final with a shockingly low attendance Spelly. This is one of 2 showpiece events for domestic RL. It can't be a good look for RL in this country when someone new to the sport tunes in to watch this final and sees thousands of empty seats ? I've said it before and I'll say it again: The CC Final should be moved away from the capital because the venue, whether it's Wembley or a 62,850 football stadium is way too big. Times change and it's time the CC Final was played in the north where there is genuine interest in the game and where there is even a remote chance of a decent crowd.
I agree that the empty seats don't look good, and I was talking to a Leyther on the way home, who had similar views to yours, but........
Would moving it up here help?
We can normally fill-ish OT for the GF (last year was an exception, as many Catalans fans, couldn't afford the expense of the trip) but.........
Where would you hold CC Cup Final, if you were the decision maker?
Another final at OT? The Etihad? Anfield? Goodison? All this side of the hills though, so would the Yorkies whinge?
Where else is a 50,000+ capacity stadium up here? St James' Park? But.......
"Magic" is there, so would fans fancy heading to the north east twice in the same campaign? It's not as far as the "Smoke" but it's still a fair distance.
A confession here, coz................
Wembley lover that I unashamedly am, and coz of the fact the number of empty seats (again) disappointed me, I was actually thinking of using my page in the Swinton programme to gauge people's feelings about where the showpiece should be staged, so...............
With what you've posted here, I will do that very thing!
My notes for the 'Ornits game in a couple of weeks are already done, and are with the programme compiler, as they're about the sponsored walk on that day www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/john-spellman but......
The article will be there for all to see, when he host Donny in July.
Would I swallow my selfish pride, if people thought moving it to the heartlands would help? Of course, I would, coz I want the best for the game I've had a love affair with for six decades!
How's that for an honest answer mate?
Spelly.
I said it years ago.......The RL own Odsal, alongside sport England and Bradford LC they should look for investment and develop the ground
Host all the major finals there, test matches etc, develop it as a center of excellence for RL for all age groups and start bringing RL spectators money back into the game
The FA, Cricket, RU etc all have a home base, we do not, its location is central to the RL heartlands
It just needs someone who gets paid a fortune at the RL or SL to have a bit of foresight and put money back into the game instead of executives pockets
Surely on of the major problems these days is the over-egging of the Grand Finals. We chose to ape the NRL to the detriment of the other competitions, ignoring the differences in the hemisphere's history.
Of course the main counter attraction down under is the Origin series which isn't club based, attracting a different and more general clientele.
Then again our Championship GF gets even greater attention because it is the promotion decider. It is obviously attractive to the supporters of the clubs involved but virtually every game is on TV so casual spectators are not encouraged. TV brings money into the game but is a definite reducer of attendances.
Something completely different maybe. The NRL have just enjoyed their 'Indigenous Round' of games. Why don't we have an 'Originals' Round with clubs wearing their club's first strip. I have a vague recollection of it being tried before (any recollection Spelly?). Another shirt to sell!
Old surviving players could be persuaded to parade maybe - always interesting to see a once feared forward as a nice old chap!!!
@spelly I know how much your annual pilgrimage to the smoke means to you Spelly, but there are stadiums in the north west that have a decent capacity and are within easy reach of the majority of heartland supporters. Anfield or The Etihad for example. Or even Eland Rd which is about 40K. Ask 10,000 RL supporters where they would prefer to travel for the CC Final, London, or perhaps Liverpool, Manchester or Leeds and I think many would say the 3 northern locations. What about the new Everton stadium once it's built ? I think the CC Final would struggle to even fill any of those venues these days which is really sad. Somebody at the RFL needs to shake this competition up and re-vitalise it, because it's suffering a painful and slow death. That's a real shame because the history of the CC is unique and fantastic.