WCC news

[East Coast Tiger]

please do...for 30mins

I had to do it for several days.


Refer to previous references to northern England visit.

 

[deluded pom?]

Warrington named least cultural town in Britain

Not a problem we have in Hull any more Bursting with culture we are.

 

[deluded pom?]

I know it was so funny.

It was marked down for having no canals in it.
After someone pointed out the sankey, Bridgewater and Manchester ship canal the author of the report admitted it may have a few flaws in it!

Hull used to appear in a book as the crappest place in Britain to live. When challenged the "author" had to admit he'd never actually been to Hull. Southern, middle class wankers.

 

[Travitoh]

Hull used to appear in a book as the crappest place in Britain to live. When challenged the "author" had to admit he'd never actually been to Hull. Southern, middle class wankers.

Good night out in Hull, i had a few big ones there

 

[Foreign Legion]

Manchester: A bid by Wigan players to have next year's World Club Challenge against Cronulla played at Southern Cross Stadium is set to be defeated by contractual red tape.

Several of the Super League club's stars told Fairfax Media following the 12-6 grand final triumph over Warrington at Old Trafford on Saturday they would prefer the 2017 world title bout be played in Sydney.

'Close to the worst day of my life': Kurt Gidley on losing his first premiership decider. Photo: Michael Steele
"Going over there, I think we've got a pre-season camp," winger Lewis Tierney said. "They're not telling us, we're not asking questions. Going over to Australia and playing against the most skilful and best teams is going to be big boost for us.

"We normally go to Florida … I'd rather go there (Australia), it will be bloody awful over here."

Five-eighth George Williams added: "I've heard Cronulla want to come over here and we want to go over there. If they come here in February it's probably snowing and two degrees and they probably won't like that."

However, Wigan owner Ian Lenagan said last week the Super League champions were contractually obliged to play the game in England. Wigan could have travelled had they lost, playing an NRL club in the expanded World Club Series.

Given that beaten NRL grand finalists Melbourne do not want to play in the World Club Series, Warrington might struggle to find a suitable and profitable opponent even if they offer to visit Australia.

Man of the match Liam Farrell said: "An Australia trip would be nice but if they were to come here I wouldn't mind either.

"But the main thing is when we do play them, we have to put in a better performance than we have the last few years because it's not acceptable.

"If we want to compare ourselves to the NRL, at the moment we're not at that standard. Somehow, we have to bridge that gap."

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rug...club-challenge-in-sydney-20161008-gry225.html

 

[rabbitohs95]

God I hope they come over here. My mate is a Sharks tragic and I've been following Wigan for a few years. I regret not going to the game where they played Eastsat the SFS. Would also be a great chance to nab some merch.

 

[Burns]

Fairfax and News Corp reporting that none of the NRL top 8 teams want to participate in WCC despite a $400,000 payment. They cite it as pointless and a glorified trial match.

 

[adamkungl]

If you put it at the same time as trial matches it will be seen as one, deservedly so.

Just more proof that it should be played in October, 1 week before the international tournament begins, in the same host country.

 

[roughyedspud]

Fairfax and News Corp reporting that none of the NRL top 8 teams want to participate in WCC despite a $400,000 payment. They cite it as pointless and a glorified trial match.

Which is exactly what many of us said when they expanded...the other 2 games are pointless...

It needs scrapping,it needs to go back to one game,champs v champs,and rebuilding the WCC brand...

Then in a few years expand it properly as i outlined earlier in the thread.

 

[adamkungl]

Needs meaning, money, and timing.

Timing: If you play it alongside trial matches it will be seen as one. If you play it between Grand finals and major internationals, it will be seen as one of those. And we get squads at peak performance with the same players who won the thing.

Money: It's already got decent coin attached to it - but scrap the other 2 as a failed experiment and put all the focus on the big one. Bring in the neutrals and play it at a major venue. Have the RFL+NRL stump up the cash and divide the profits among themselves and the participating teams.

Meaning: Treat it as a major event and it will be seen as one. Everything ties into this - the timing, the money, the venue, the quality of squads, the way it's marketed. Make it our Superbowl.

 

[Valheru]

If you put it at the same time as trial matches it will be seen as one, deservedly so.

Just more proof that it should be played in October, 1 week before the international tournament begins, in the same host country.

Exactly

Everyone would travel for it then and a fair rotation of hosting would be created.

It's obvious.

 

[Frank Discussion]

The Sharks are going on a team trip to Vegas anyway. They are together and ready to travel. Playing it now is far better than in the trial window.

 

[roughyedspud]

The problem in playing it now is the losing team will blame it on being on the drink after winning the NRL or ESL..

 

[siv]

Needs meaning, money, and timing.

Timing: If you play it alongside trial matches it will be seen as one. If you play it between Grand finals and major internationals, it will be seen as one of those. And we get squads at peak performance with the same players who won the thing.

Money: It's already got decent coin attached to it - but scrap the other 2 as a failed experiment and put all the focus on the big one. Bring in the neutrals and play it at a major venue. Have the RFL+NRL stump up the cash and divide the profits among themselves and the participating teams.

Meaning: Treat it as a major event and it will be seen as one. Everything ties into this - the timing, the money, the venue, the quality of squads, the way it's marketed. Make it our Superbowl.

Should be played pre Oct 31

My prefered date is 3rd weekend in October on a Friday night

 

[RL The greatest game]

It should be a one off game between the Grand Final winners played at a neutral venue overseas, ie, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai. Places with large ex pat communities and money areas.

 

[siv]

Well Melbourne have now formally declined

As have the other 6 Top 8 teams

So is that the end for the World Club Series ?

 

[roughyedspud]

Forget dubai,hongkong,singapore ffs..


Theres areas in the our own "RL" world we need to develop.. perth,florida,cardiff under the roof,vancouver under a roof..

Ive harboured a idea for a few years now about starting the RL season with a RL carnival,a 3day weekend event to showcase our sport to the world..

Friday night - the WCC game
Sat & sun - world 9s

This could find a home in perth..or vancouvers BC place which has a retractable roof

That should be the plan imo

 

[Foreign Legion]

Seven of the top eight clubs in the NRL are uninterested in playing in next year's World Club Series, according to reports inAustralia.

Wigan will take on Cronulla in the World Club Challenge, while runners up Melbourne are expected to face Warrington.

But according to the Daily Telegraph, the Storm do not want to travel to the UK for the match.

The rest of the six teams who made the NRL finals - Canberra, North Queensland, Brisbane, Penrith, Canterbury and the Gold Coast - are all reportedly not keen to fill the spot.

Details of the 2017 World Club Series, which three matches this year, have yet to be announced.

http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_23787-nrl-clubs-brush-world-club-series.html

 

[CC_Roosters]

On the one hand its understandable as the other 2 matches don't offer any silverware and are rightly viewed as friendlies. If it had more of a structured feel with 6-8 clubs involved with appearance fees + prize money + silverware then it may appeal more NRL clubs. The other point of view is that its a familiar story from the NRL clubs for anything that smells of development or going out of one's way to promote the game. Strange thing is with this one they are turning down money!

Tend to agree with spud, the other matches have detracted a bit from the concept in the past 2 years, they should re-focus on the WCC only and look at a more formal tournament down the line. A first step to evolve it may be to have the grand finalists from each comp play each other- winner v runner up to qualify for the world club challenge final. Yes i understand this means NRL clubs often playing each other in the final for the trophy but so be it, as its the first step in giving the tournament integrity imo. I would have a single host for the 3 games, rotating between hemispheres. Monies could be broken down as follows:

Semi final appearance fee- $250k + gate %
WCC final appearance fee- $250k + gate %
WCC final winners prize- $250k + gate %

If there is the appetite and coin for further expansion of the concept the next step would be an 8 team knockout.

 

[adamkungl]

I don't think there should be a tournament until there are more pro leagues to enter. A potential replay of grand finalists weeks later cheapens the victory.