Rugby League 2024: Elland or Las Vegas

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Well if we're starting the 2024 threads....

Rugby League heads into 2024 with the gulf between the two hemispheres looking wider than ever.

The NRL, which currently has consortia queueing up for the right to enter its competition, is heading to Las Vegas for a season opening double header which is currently being promoted on the ground by some of the participating players, two of whom featured prominently on US network TV during the break in the Raiders game the other day. The southern hemisphere nations also have a multi-team end of season international tournament to look forward to.

The RFL is still coming to terms with the introduction of the grading system brought in by IMG, which has descended into squabbling between clubs, and has already produced presumably unintended consequences such as London ditching their Academy programme because there weren't enough grading points on offer to justify the outlay. Super League's showpiece event Magic Weekend, previously so successful that the Australians copied the idea (not something that often happens in League) has been sent to Elland Road to die, given one last year to buy IMG some time to think up some "exciting new concept" to replace it with (clue: rhymes with "mines"). Three clubs dropped out of the pro game in 2023, although one seems to have bounced back in, and in another development and a bit of light in the darkness, Carcassonne have signalled their intention to apply to join the league in 2025.

Lower division clubs don't start playing league fixtures until March, with cup games taking up the first few weeks of the season. The Challenge Cup kicks off in a month's time, and I've got my eye on Lowca's clash with Edinburgh, but it's not clear on where or when it will be played, so I'll probably have forgotten about it by the time it comes around.

On the plus side, this autumn/early winter saw an array of "emerging nations" internationals being played, with the Netherlands seeming particularly adept at getting games organised and played. Unfortunately a two game series between Kenya and Uganda this month was cancelled at short notice.

Still no confirmation on where the (now 2026) World Cup will be held, or who England will play at the end of 2024, Samoa still seeming understandably keen to avoid coming here.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

The terrestrial rights for Super League for the next three years have been taken up by the BBC, who will show 12 games per year on Saturday evenings on BBC2, including (at least I assume it's including, rather than in addition to) two play off games.

They will also show Wigan v Penrith in the World Club Challenge.

This is a bit of a shame because Channel 4's coverage was decent and it meant another interested broadcaster in the mix, and we need as many of those as possible. The problem with the terrestrial package (which will be the same for the BBC as it was for Channel 4) is that the games are sporadic and viewers don't build up a pattern of tuning in at the same time each week knowing they will see a game.

[Botswana Meat Commission]

It seems BBC outbid 4, who didn’t pay for their coverage. I did enjoy the punditry on 4 much more than Sky and BBC. I hope Jonathan Davies isn’t involved permanently, he clearly doesn’t watch any of the sport based on his musings when commentating.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Tonight's Challenge Cup draw puts Wath Brow in with a chance of being West Cumbria's only representatives in the Fourth Round.

Hammersmith drawing Wests is slightly suspicious but makes for a good event for London's RL scene.

[The Mighty Trin]

Siddal are looking to play their tie against Trin at their ground, which I wholeheartedly support, although it appears to be just a clubhouse and a railed off field so max 1,200 if they can pop in some temporary seats. Swap it to Belle Vue and I reckon they'd get 4,000 who just want to watch a game. Absolutely their choice, though.

[tee rex]

I've started reading Hope and Glory by Anthony Broxton, about rugby league in the 1980s. It brings back memories that have faded in the decades since, or stories that I missed at the time (one recurring theme is how little coverage there was of the sport in the south, major events not even reported in the London media).

Fulham was one story that did get headlines, and Broxton echoes my memory of it: widely presented as an approved alternative to soccer, not rugby union.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I've got that too, on the "books to read" shelf. Don't worry about giving away spoilers, I know how it will end.

[tee rex]

The book led me to watch the 1983 Challenge Cup final (spoiler, Featherstone win). Along with the obvious appeal of the story itself, it's a reminder of how limited old telly really was. Hull lose because of a head-butt and subsequent penalty, which you can see by pausing YouTube, but viewers at the time saw no replay, and must have been fuming at the (seeming) injustice of it if they supported the losers.

But the scrums, oh the scrums ... such a different game!

[The Mighty Trin]

Speaking of Fev, it turns out that Newcastle Thunder have decided to play their home game against Wakefield Trinity in that well-known Newcastle suburb of Featherstone. According to the club it is because 'it makes financial sense to have the game in the heartlands and they need all the help they can get'. Part of me expects a record win for Trin given the shambles that is Newcastle, but we´ll inevitably lose by a point...

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Speaking of Fev, it turns out that Newcastle Thunder have decided to play their home game against Wakefield Trinity in that well-known Newcastle suburb of Featherstone. According to the club it is because 'it makes financial sense to have the game in the heartlands and they need all the help they can get'. Part of me expects a record win for Trin given the shambles that is Newcastle, but we´ll inevitably lose by a point...

York set the bar last week at 114.

I'm sure the old Carlisle team played a home game at Featherstone back in the day, they used to train there in the days before they moved towards a more Cumbrian based squad.

[Uros Predic]

I'm weighing up whether to head to Widnes on Sunday to watch Doncaster in the Challenge Cup, but tickets are a fair bit steeper than expected at £22. Is that the norm for the second tier, or are Widnes trading on past reputation?

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

The on-the-day price for Workington in the third tier is £18, so that doesn't seem too bad in comparison.

[Uros Predic]

Yeah, after looking into it further Doncaster's home prices are £22 on the day, £18 in advance, so seems par for the course. I've obviously been spoilt by low-pricing at North Wales Crusaders the last couple of seasons.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Tonight's Challenge Cup draw puts Wath Brow in with a chance of being West Cumbria's only representatives in the Fourth Round.

Hammersmith drawing Wests is slightly suspicious but makes for a good event for London's RL scene.

And so it proved, in fact Wath Brow are the only surviving team from Cumbria as a whole, with Barrow also knocked out.

As well as Brow, other amateur clubs making it through were York Acorn (who put Cornwall out), Hunslet ARL and the aforementioned Hammersmith Hill Hoists.

[Uros Predic]

Went to Widnes after all, which was, for the large part, a closer game than the 50-16 scoreline suggests. Silly penalties cost Doncaster at both ends of the field, but they were still in it on 65 minutes when Watson Boas was within centimetres of bringing the scoreline back within 6 points (looked like he'd run the race onto a kick to touch down, but the ref ruled it a knock-on). Widnes went straight up the other end and scored and from then there was only one winner sadly.

More concerning for Doncaster were the two key players lost to injury; Misi Taulapapa with what looked a serious arm/shoulder injury, and Reece Lyne helped off with a knee or ankle problem. If everyone stays fit The Dons look like they could have enough about them to stay in the second tier, but it's a big 'if'.

Also, the fact that Widnes Vikings insist on playing 'Chelsea Dagger' over the PA at every opportunity, when Marvin Gaye's 'Can I Get A Witness' is right there is a crime for which there ought to be points deductions.

[Southport Zeb]

And so it proved, in fact Wath Brow are the only surviving team from Cumbria as a whole, with Barrow also knocked out.

As well as Brow, other amateur clubs making it through were York Acorn (who put Cornwall out), Hunslet ARL and the aforementioned Hammersmith Hill Hoists.

One amateur club are guaranteed to make the fifth round, with York Acorn being drawn against Wath Brow.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Well i never thought I would see the day when I could flick between three different live Super League games being shown live simultaneously, and to be honest I'm not sure what the point is, but here we are.

After a shaky start London have settled into at least not embarrassing themselves too much at Saints, and have just scored a very entertaining try.

[The Mighty Trin]

I am amazed that in the Cas v Wigan game that Wigan chap only got a yellow for head-dumping. And I really fucking hate Cas. The Cas sending off should surely have been both players off under the new rulings as well, although it felt like madness to send anyone off at all. Either way, it's great to have all the SL games live, but I wish they wouldn't show the scores in the other games.

[Gangster Octopus]

I really fucking hate Cas.

I'm watching you...

[The Mighty Trin]

Haha, it's only because you often beat us Gangster Octopus . Small town in Wakefield etc... I may have taken wine and be feeling bold...

[Tony C]

The Bradford/Widnes Challenge Cup tie is live on BBC iplayer on Sunday. As the Vikings have so far looked poor in the 1895 cup, have both their major forward signings already out for the season and the club’s new Head of Operations clashing with fans clamouring for his removal on social media it’s difficult to say I’m looking forward to it.

[sw2borshch]

Has Dave Woods jumped from the BBC to Sky?

I quite like him, but don't know enough about RL to know if he's any good.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

He has indeed. I liked him on the BBC RL podcast, although it could be a bit too matey with the co-hosts and the guests. Tanya Arnold has taken it over now.

[sw2borshch]

Yeah, it was the podcast that gave it away, Tanya mentioned it would be her and Kev Brown every week this season, but in a tone that suggested it really would be, rather than cycling between her, Dave and Matt Newsum like usual.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Brown freelances and last season was turning up on the TV coverage on four different channels, as well as the podcast and radio coverage.

Sky of course are covering every game live this season so need all the commentators they can get their hands on.