Time to think outside the box

[Walter sobchak]

How about opening the 2019 super league season in France with a double header including the 2018 challenge cup winners Catalan dragons and the 2018 super league grandfinal winners in say the parc des princes stadium Paris or the stade velodrome Marseille??

 

[jim_57]

I'd go with a Catalans, Toulouse & Elite 1 triple header every year as an 'event' for the French.

Start at Toulouse FC's stadium (35k).

• 3pm - Elite 1 - (Previous Season's) LD Cup winners V Grand Final winners.
• 5pm - Toulouse V English club
• 7pm - Catalans V English club

 

[Walter sobchak]

I'd go with a Catalans, Toulouse & Elite 1 triple header every year as an 'event' for the French.

Start at Toulouse FC's stadium (35k).

• 3pm - Elite 1 - (Previous Season's) LD Cup winners V Grand Final winners.
• 5pm - Toulouse V English club
• 7pm - Catalans V English club

I can go with that. Either way RL needs to somehow capitalize on the dragons cup success in France by staging some sort of event next season.

 

[NRLMad]

Agreed - how do you get it to happen?

 

[Teddyboy]

Lets not forget Cumbria and Newcastle Thunder need to tap into the Hartlepool market ?

 

[Walter sobchak]

Lets not forget Cumbria and Newcastle Thunder need to tap into the Hartlepool market ?

What’s so special about Hartlepool?

Also Hartlepool is on the opposite side of the coast to the west Cumbrian and barrow side.

 

[deluded pom?]

Lets not forget Cumbria and Newcastle Thunder need to tap into the Hartlepool market ?

 

[Pommy]

Lets not forget Cumbria and Newcastle Thunder need to tap into the Hartlepool market ?

Why Hartlepool? Why not Middlesbrough or Sunderland? And why Cumbria, Barrow, Whitehaven and Workington will all be further away than hull, Leeds etc.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Ideally Newcastle thunder should be targeting areas like Hartlepool, Darlington, teeside and Sunderland etc by running summer camps and coaching clinics in the local primary and secondary schools.

 

[deluded pom?]

Let Newcastle concentrate on Newcastle and the immediate surrounding area for the time being.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Let Newcastle concentrate on Newcastle and the immediate surrounding area for the time being.

Tyneside and Northumberland should obviously take priority when it comes to the funding of development at grassroots level but it’s also good to spread your wings and be inclusive. The north east is a big place with large settlements and catchment areas. Grassroots development is key for the thunder both in the short term and long term.

 

[Teddyboy]

Ideally Newcastle thunder should be targeting areas like Hartlepool, Darlington, teeside and Sunderland etc by running summer camps and coaching clinics in the local primary and secondary schools.

Yes Hartlepool is a very working class area and has many Rugby Union clubs and also West Hartlepool used be in the top flight of Rugby Union before the game became pro but now it's in limbo.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Yes Hartlepool is a very working class area and has many Rugby Union clubs and also West Hartlepool used be in the top flight of Rugby Union before the game became pro but now it's in limbo.

Never understood why they were called “west Hartlepool.” lol

Would love to see RL take root at junior and amateur level in the north east but as always it comes down to money unfortunately.

 

[deluded pom?]

Tyneside and Northumberland should obviously take priority when it comes to the funding of development at grassroots level but it’s also good to spread your wings and be inclusive. The north east is a big place with large settlements and catchment areas. Grassroots development is key for the thunder both in the short term and long term.

It’s also dangerous to spread limited resources too thinly.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

IF Toulouse get in, an Olympique/Catalans double header in either Bordeaux or Montpellier would be a great way of getting league into the media a bit, whilst remaining within reach of existing fans.

 

[StadiumXIII]

I'd go with a Catalans, Toulouse & Elite 1 triple header every year as an 'event' for the French.

Start at Toulouse FC's stadium (35k).

• 3pm - Elite 1 - (Previous Season's) LD Cup winners V Grand Final winners.
• 5pm - Toulouse V English club
• 7pm - Catalans V English club

Would be good for French RL. An American club needs to get started ASAP to build a rivalry with Toronto especially on the back of losing the 2025 WC.

 

[Pommy]

Would be good for French RL. An American club needs to get started ASAP to build a rivalry with Toronto especially on the back of losing the 2025 WC.

Is that confirmed now?

 

[Teddyboy]

Never understood why they were called “west Hartlepool.” lol

Would love to see RL take root at junior and amateur level in the north east but as always it comes down to money unfortunately.

The local derbies between West's and Hartlepool Rovers used to pull in good crowds.

 

[Walter sobchak]

The local derbies between West's and Hartlepool Rovers used to pull in good crowds.

West Hartlepool were always in and around the 1st division in the early 90’s along with Orrell, London Scottish and London Welsh until it all went professional in 1995.

 

[Teddyboy]

West Hartlepool were always in and around the 1st division in the early 90’s along with Orrell, London Scottish and London Welsh until it all went professional in 1995.

Yeah but I could of never worked out what level was Rovers maybe like a division 3 North side maybe.
Shame they didn't go to Rugby League in the first place as could of been like another coastal area like Hull.