Rugby League

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EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Tue Mar 26, 2019 8:50 am

Agree Pete. Chance of promotion not good.
Same stupidity as football. Those that cause the problems walk away and the fans and whoever pick up the pieces suffer.
Always had a soft spot for Widnes. 2 reasons, they wore the same strip as Darlo and when KR ruled the roost they were the team we always had to beat.
I remember some real crackers back in my youth.
DBTS, I assume you want Saints to beat our reserves on Friday? You are about to witness the best travelling fans in RL numbers wise.

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don'tbuythesun
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Re: Rugby League

Post by don'tbuythesun » Tue Mar 26, 2019 10:34 am

The town has really come together over the Vikings. It's such a massive thing for them. When my lads were mascots at Feethams they wore Widnes socks.. only place I could get them! Wrong about Saints, I'm ambivalent but love underdogs. Good luck.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Wed Mar 27, 2019 5:19 pm

To be fair there isn't much else there apart from their Rugby League team!!

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don'tbuythesun
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Re: Rugby League

Post by don'tbuythesun » Wed Mar 27, 2019 10:11 pm

Ice rink, bowling alley, cinemas, some decent pubs, lovely river walks!

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:13 am

don'tbuythesun wrote:
Wed Mar 27, 2019 10:11 pm
Ice rink, bowling alley, cinemas, some decent pubs, lovely river walks!
Yes I'm sure it's beautiful, but there is no other sports club in any other sport for residents of Widnes to follow.

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don'tbuythesun
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Re: Rugby League

Post by don'tbuythesun » Thu Mar 28, 2019 9:43 am

Well, there's Widnes FC, Widnes RUFC and the ice hockey team Widnes Wild!

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Mar 28, 2019 11:24 am

Oh that'll get them going. So basically apart from the Rugby League team which is semi pro, they have nowt else to get excited about?

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robsraiders
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Re: Rugby League

Post by robsraiders » Thu Mar 28, 2019 6:34 pm

I expect Tigers to beat Leeds tonight, but must play better than last week!

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:10 pm

Hope they do as well, Leeds are pants at the moment, so an average performance by the Tigers should be more than enough.

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:53 pm

robsraiders wrote:
Thu Mar 28, 2019 6:34 pm
I expect Tigers to beat Leeds tonight, but must play better than last week!
Well that ain't started well !!!!!
C'mon Cas.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:55 pm

Yes off to a bad start, everybody beats Leeds these days.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Mar 28, 2019 9:41 pm

Oh dear Paul McShane what were you doing, you cost the Tigers 2 points. :roll:

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robsraiders
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Re: Rugby League

Post by robsraiders » Thu Mar 28, 2019 9:46 pm

We didnt deserve to win it but massive mistake not kicking drop goal even DP would have got that !

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Mar 28, 2019 10:46 pm

Yeh I'd hope McShane won't be allowed to do that next time.

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:39 am

That was the worst I have seen from Cas for a long long time. Not sure Powell has any idea how to put it right. Bad mistake by an experienced player at the end cost the win.
Hope Leeds play like that next week.
MOTM for 1 kick is a bad idea in my opinion. Thought 2 ex KR players were the stand outs for either side in Clarkson and Donaldson. Both made yards and Clarkie went over for a good try.

Please, please, please, don't let St's 50 us tonight. We have 3 back in the 19, but not sure they will all make the final 17 or play many minutes. Garbutt has had 2 weeks to get over his head but the other 2 will at best be light on training.
Just a 300 mile round trip on a Friday night. Bloody Sky !!!!! (I know we are not on but it is because of other clubs TV commitments as well).

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Sat Mar 30, 2019 8:53 am

Can't believe we came away fro St's gutted that we did not win.
Did not get off the bus and found ourselves 16-0 down after about 20 minutes, but were 18-16 in front by half time, and worth the lead. From 24-24 they got away at the end, but what was upsetting was that not once but 4 times we had either 4 on 2 or 3 on 1 overloads and went the other way.
Have to take heart from the way we played for next week, but again, what if?
Ps, more than ever confident it is Warry's year. A Dull supporting friend told me he now understands why I have been saying that.
3 good games tomorrow in SL I am off to Workington to watch Newcastle in the cup.

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don'tbuythesun
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Re: Rugby League

Post by don'tbuythesun » Sun Mar 31, 2019 12:06 am

After tea and a couple of pints in the glass House we entered Saints excellent new ground and after 10 minutes I wondered why we'd gone. But what a game and you were right Ed a small but very noisy hkr support!

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:51 am

220 on a Thursday or Friday night at the other end of the M62 a "Small" crowd. Had to laugh at that 1. We give part of our North stand,(The stand I sit in), to away fans. The only ones who even get into 3 figures on a Thursday and Friday are Leeds. Even the Dullers only managed 280 last season and that for a Friday night game with 4 miles to travel. (We were the first SL side to go to Toronto and took 350. Had a great 5 days and they have really taken to the game).
Had it been a Sunday it would have been over 1000,(even in the league below SL we were doing that),
Re the match, after 15 mins I was wondering why we went as well. Really hard to fathom from that start coming away upset we did not just lose, but threw it away. Spoke to a couple of St's fans as I went back to Tesco's for my car and they all said they were more than a little worried.
Still say Warry will win the league.

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don'tbuythesun
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Re: Rugby League

Post by don'tbuythesun » Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:52 pm

It wasn't a criticism of numbers, more surprise! Darlington away support very impressive at our level.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:37 pm

Wigan are on the up after thumping Catalan 42-0. It'll be interesting to see how we do at Castleford on Friday evening, bet the last thing they need is a rejuvenated Wigan.

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Mon Apr 01, 2019 8:01 am

don'tbuythesun wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:52 pm
It wasn't a criticism of numbers, more surprise! Darlington away support very impressive at our level.
The comment simply made me laugh because away fans are talked about so much in SL. The banter page in particular you would think some clubs take 1 million supporters to every game
Many fans do not want the likes of London, Catalans, and Toronto in SL and the grand reason for this is that "They don't bring any fans, so no money".
My simple response has always been that clubs should base spending on home support only and not rely on income from other club fans.
Of course, when St's play Warry or Wigan, plenty of the away fans travel as it is only 10-20 miles at most, but as I said earlier, being at the other end of the M62 does not encourage many to travel on Thursday and Friday night because of the problems on that road. Thankfully, when we play in that area I go down via the M6

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:22 am

It's interesting watching Toronto on the TV playing around the North of England, as they always have a good few fans at these games.

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don'tbuythesun
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Re: Rugby League

Post by don'tbuythesun » Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:07 pm

Don't know if it's the TV coverage but when (quite a while ago) I've seen Widnes at Warrington they filled the away end and at Castleford had a big travelling support.

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:52 pm

Darlo_Pete wrote:
Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:22 am
It's interesting watching Toronto on the TV playing around the North of England, as they always have a good few fans at these games.
Pete when we went over to Toronto last year they had about 10,500 in the ground. The whole thing is like an American football match, ie, Barbies in the car park, clowns and all the rest. Great days entertainment. The down side is that they are giving away 7,500 tickets to every game to try to increase interest. The only "fans" they have over here are a few ex pat Canadians and family of players and staff. They are playing double headers over here as "home games" as they can't use their place because of the weather. We had 7,600 at KR the other week for our game and free to stay for Toronto v Batley. Only 600 people stayed for the free game. Likewise they played a double header at Newcastle earlier in the season. 850 at the Newcastle game dropped to just over 100,(rough head count), for Toronto's game. It is IMPOSSIBLE to say if they will be long term successful, but for my part I take 2 weeks away for our game in France each year touring down and back. I will be happy to do the same over there if they survive.
That said, if they fail to get promoted this year I doubt they will, and even if they do "win" promotion, as club chairmen stand at the moment they will not be allowed in SL because the chairmen are insisting on a massive "fee" for them to join SL. Remember the RFL do not run SL now so they have little say in the matter.

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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:58 pm

don'tbuythesun wrote:
Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:07 pm
Don't know if it's the TV coverage but when (quite a while ago) I've seen Widnes at Warrington they filled the away end and at Castleford had a big travelling support.
As I said previously, Widnes-Warry is quite close and Widnes- Cas not to far,(about an hour and a half drive), unfortunately you have to add another hour and a half MINIMUM drive after Cas to get to Hull.
OK on Sundays, but not after work on a Thursday night.
In this country, apart from London, my own home ground is the furthest away from my home so believe me, I know all the pitfalls.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:54 pm

Great first half for Hull KR against the once mighty Leeds, as they are winning 31-10 after 43 minutes.

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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Apr 04, 2019 9:09 pm

Great win for HKR over Leeds. Looking forward to tomorrow's game for Zak Hardaker's return to Castleford.

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Fri Apr 05, 2019 12:57 am

I sit right behind the posts in the North stand, but with a few to go I get towards the car-park exit so I can get away before the crowd as it can take a bit of getting out of the city. I did not realise until I went down to ground level just how windy it was, and into our face second half. I think we played the wind a lot better than they did.
I was very confident pre game. I honestly believe if we get anywhere near our first 17 out we will be nudging top 5 at the end of the season. Sadly another what looked a bad shoulder injury tonight To Haraki. 1 back in the pack and 1 out !!!!! Cup game next week so hope he sits that out and is ready for Easter.
I can enjoy the rest of the weekends games now knowing our next big date is the second derby of the season at Dullers dump.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Rugby League

Post by Darlo_Pete » Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:20 am

I have never had the pleasure of going to your ground, it looks good on 3 sides, are there any plans to develop the open end in the future? Good luk against Hull.

EDJOHNS
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Re: Rugby League

Post by EDJOHNS » Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:24 am

The South stand is in full working order, much like the old open away stands at Leeds,Cas, Wakey and other of the old grounds.
It has only been open twice in the last 3 years. Both times when we played Hull. It holds 3000 people with ease. They sold 2,200 standing and 280 seats in the North this year. Every other club, (including Leeds as you could see last night), can easily be accommodated in the North. People who buy season passes for that half of the North are told pre buying that if a large number of away fans are expected they may be asked to move further along in the stand, but most times they just mingle with no problem.
That explained, we do have the plans approved by the council to redevelop the South end, there are just other things more important. We need 10,000 to break even and sadly since the club were refused a place in SL when it started and nearly went bust We rely heavily on the board to cover losses. (How Huddersfield etc survive I will never know).
We have had 2 men putting the cash in. Hudgill who runs a massive solicitors is chairman since he saved the club. Vice chair Rob Crosland just this week gave out the shock news he has left the club with immediate effect. We are told there will be no impact the next 2 years as Hudgie has covered the costs already, but we are looking for new investors. (We have heard a few times the good Dr is going to join us. This would be a very good time if he could finally break ties with Salford.
I was worried on my way home last night right from hitting the A1 I saw messages of a closure and wondered where I was going to be dragged to. All the way through Darlo town centre !!!! OK, you will not loose me there.
I have a spare season pass for both the stand and the Legends bar where I go for a meal pre match. If you ever fancy a Saturday or Sunday game let me know. I bypass Darlo on my way so not a problem.
Having posted that checked fixtures and we play Wigan on Sunday 9th June if you are interested. It would mean being picked up about 11 am and dropped at about 7pm. (That goes any 3pm kick off.

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