A World Cup Year? Rugby League 2021

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

More heartbreak for Keighley as Doncaster come from behind and win it with a long kick after the hooter.

https://twitter.com/TheRFL/status/1444690910651031555?s=19

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

It really feels like something positive is happening in French Rugby League right now.

This week's BBC RL podcast was mostly on this very topic, it all sounded really positive.

[ad hoc]

NRL is expanding to 17 teams
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...lubs-hear-case

17 seems like a silly number, but it's always felt odd that Brisbane only has one NRL team, so this at least goes some way to redressing that imbalance. I've been to Redcliffe (it's where you set off to got whale watching in Brisbane, and it is also the home of Bee Gees Way, a street dedicated to the popular falsetto beat combo, who grew up there.)

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Bringing Redcliffe into the competition is a result of all sorts of machinations around TV rights, and it is telling that Lachlan Murdoch was the key decision maker. Queensland was under represented in the competition and this does redress the balance a bit. The next move is likely to be the readmittance of a Perth team, but they are treading carefully there and are cautious about diluting the talent too much.

Back home, Saints win the Grand Final, in probably the only time I would have been ok with them losing it (but it does keep the Catalans destiny story rolling on another year), Town have won the League 1 play off, Saints have added the Women's title in front of an encouraging 4,295 at Headingley, and any minute now Toulouse and Fev face off in the slightly less than £1 million pound game.

[Etienne]

Were you there Walt Flanagans Dog ? I was there with Mrs Etienne, her dad and a friend of theirs - sitting just in front of the VIPs. My father in law was telling Ellery Hanley he was the greatest ever (I didn't shout out that 10 minutes earlier he'd been saying that about Martin Offiah). Was hoping for a Catalan win, but Saints were the better side throughout.

[Tony C]

Catalans didn’t get the rub of the green when it came to key decisions, though.

[Etienne]

There was the play the ball with a few minutes left that looked very harsh, but I thought the refereeing was pretty equal. Catalan could easily have had a yellow for a high tackle in the first half (on Roby, I think) Both sides consistently tackled pretty high.

[Tony C]

When watching live on tv I instinctively agreed with Jonathan Davies that the Makinson high shot in the corner should have resulted in a penalty try. Catalans were also denied momentum at a crucial time in the game when Coote was bizarrely allowed to get away with fielding a penalty with his foot clearly in touch. The play the ball, as you say, was harsh as several players had not technically completed a play the ball throughout the game but the ref seemed happy to let them go. To then ping Catalans for one in such a vital moment was extraordinary.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Were you there Walt Flanagans Dog ? I was there with Mrs Etienne, her dad and a friend of theirs - sitting just in front of the VIPs. My father in law was telling Ellery Hanley he was the greatest ever (I didn't shout out that 10 minutes earlier he'd been saying that about Martin Offiah). Was hoping for a Catalan win, but Saints were the better side throughout.

No I've been in London this weekend, I got a ballot place in the Royal Parks Half so had already cleared the weekend for that, but could have just have happily gone to Old Trafford last night and Workington this afternoon.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

(Oh and for casual viewers of the thread, Toulouse won promotion to Super League, which in practice is a much bigger deal for the game in France than a Catalans win last night would have been).

[ad hoc]

Have Catalans repented since they hired Folau and made it clear they didn't give a shit about the controversy? Because I'm a little surprised at how many people wanted them to win

[Etienne]

They also didn't take the knee (unlike Saints).

[Tony C]

Have Catalans repented since they hired Folau and made it clear they didn't give a shit about the controversy? Because I'm a little surprised at how many people wanted them to win

Joel Tomkins being in their team would be another reason not to shed too many tears for them.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

NRL is expanding to 17 teams
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...lubs-hear-case

17 seems like a silly number, but it's always felt odd that Brisbane only has one NRL team, so this at least goes some way to redressing that imbalance. I've been to Redcliffe (it's where you set off to got whale watching in Brisbane, and it is also the home of Bee Gees Way, a street dedicated to the popular falsetto beat combo, who grew up there.)

This has been officially announced, except they are just going to be called "The Dolphins" rather than "Redcliffe Dolphins".

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

The club that would have been Ottawa Aces, playing in League One next season, will now be based in Cornwall. It's a good job Barrow and Town got promoted, if they were playing them they'd have to set off soon.

[Benjm]

I just bought tickets for the 2022 Challenge Cup Final. £25 is good value to see the final and visit the Spurs stadium even if it turns out to be as a neutral.