Celtic Crusaders

[The Electric Horseman]

Really looking forward to seeing how these guys go in NL2. I will certainly be supporting them in their bid to join Super League. How does everybody think the side will perform this season? They already have a good coach in John Dixon who use to be on the coaching staff at the Brisbane Broncos and former London Bronco Anthony Siebold will be Strength and Conditioning Coach. Some players of note that have signed include Micheal Ryan and Tony Duggan who played with Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. Half back Jace Van Dyke, former Captain Of the Canberra Raiders Premier League side and Damien Quinn from Wynnum Seagulls who was this years Qld Cup-leading pointscorer.

 

[westie]

van Dyke is a top player. Was awesome in Canberra's dominate '03 PL winning team.

 

[RLdan]

id love to see them do well, a place in sl in 2009 is a possibility

 

[LESStar58]

Where in the UK are this team from?

I personally would love to see Rugby League spread into Ireland...give em a few more years and bring the Dublin City Exiles in!

 

[obelix]

Where in the UK are this team from?

Bridgend, Wales:

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=300000.317963205&Y=200000.71797774&width=700&height=400&gride=290642.317963205&gridn=179797.71797774&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&zm=1&scale=2000000

 

[Spike]

Wouldn't be suprised if Seibold runs around with the team as well as being the conditioner

 

[JasonE]

I think they signed Matt Jobson as well.

 

[RLdan]

Where in the UK are this team from?

I personally would love to see Rugby League spread into Ireland...give em a few more years and bring the Dublin City Exiles in!

they're from bridgend,wales.

i think they should bring 1 more team from down south, somewhere around bristol or london would be good.

 

[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]

I think they signed Matt Jobson as well.

He should be a great buy for them

 

[Hugo Tantamount-Stirrup]

Although a Welsh SL team is desirable, it would have to be based either in Cardiff or Swansea, wouldn't it?

 

[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]

Why is League bigger in the south of wales as opposed to the north which is closer to "League Terriotry"?

 

[choc_soldier]

Their site: http://www.celtic-crusaders.com/

 

[GBT2]

Why is League bigger in the south of wales as opposed to the north which is closer to "League Terriotry"?

Because out of a total population of almost 3 million, over 2 million live in the south. And the south is where the industrial base (coal mining, iron and steel)was.

 

[LESStar58]

i think they should bring 1 more team from down south, somewhere around bristol or london would be good.

Given the recent plight of the London Broncos do you think thats really a good idea? Maybe the game needs time to devlop in a frontier area before expansion. Kinda like Melbourne in the NRL...

 

[LESStar58]

Although a Welsh SL team is desirable, it would have to be based either in Cardiff or Swansea, wouldn't it?

As their website says the Crusaders are the ONLy professional club in Wales...

Otherwise i tend to agree with you!

 

[elBandido]

As their website says the Crusaders are the ONLy professional club in Wales...

Otherwise i tend to agree with you!

IIRC the Welsh rugby union merged their clubs in to five regional teams based predominantly in Cardiff(Blues),Swansea(Ospreys),Lanelli(Scarlets),Newport(Gwent Dragons)and Bridgend(Celtic Warriors)

After a year they cut the Celtic Warriors and the pissed off fans/board decided to form a Rugby League team and rename them the Crusaders.The benefits are that they are the only pro Rugby team of either code in that area while a team in Swansea or Cardiff would have to compete with the established football and RU teams also the Celtic Crusaders name means they could play one off games anywhere in Wales.

 

[obelix]

The benefits are that they are the only pro Rugby team of either code in that area while a team in Swansea or Cardiff would have to compete with the established football and RU teams also the Celtic Crusaders name means they could play one off games anywhere in Wales.

Also that with Bridgend being more or less exactly between Cardiff and Swansea, they can draw RL supporters from both without ailenating either set of people (there's no love lost between Swansea and Cardiff) - it makes sense for the first RL team to start somewhere in between, giving it a big population to draw from without the aggro.

(Having said this, the Crusaders' badge is yellow cross on black - same as Cardiff City FC - don't know if this is significant, a Celtic thing or what though)

As for why League is bigger in the south of wales as opposed to the north - partly because of the Challenge Cup final being played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff for the last few years - but mainly because of the player drain from Union to League in the days before professional Union. Fans continued to follow the fortunes of their players, apparently coachloads of Welshmen followed Jonathan Davies to Widnes when he moved there.

Union in northern Wales loses out to soccer - mainly sides playing in the lower divisions on the English league, but also to Liverpool which is minutes from northern Wales.

 

[elBandido]

(Having said this, the Crusaders' badge is yellow cross on black - same as Cardiff City FC - don't know if this is significant, a Celtic thing or what though)

It's the flag of St David patron saint of Wales.

You make a good point about Bridgend's location around 15,000 Welsh people attended the last CC final in Cardiff they would be predominantly be only a short drive from the Crusaders.

 

[obelix]

Interesting snippet from the Celtic Crusaders' forum about their first season expectations - posted 24th November by someone who appears to be something to do with the running of the club:

The Crusaders are hoping for season ticket sales of 600 in year one and have budgeted for average gates of only 500 for home games. Early Bird Season Tickets sales and Gold Members indicate that these figures will be right at the lower end of expectations as everything is flying out... However, the truth of it all is that the club is already buzzing, the money keeps coming in and we haven't kicked a ball, announced a squad OR published any press releases yet. All that changes over the next couple of weeks.

The Crusaders are based in Bridgend but serve Wales and the Welsh people. On the road games will be played and North Wales will be at the top of our list of venues.

Looks like they're set for above average crowds in NL2, and the decision to play on-the-road games is one which took me by surprise but can only be good news for the game in Wales.

 

[elBandido]

The squad minus the Aussies and Kiwis

Squad:

David Owen Bridgend Blue Bulls
Paul Morgan Bridgend Blue Bulls, Wales RL (ENC)
Grant Epton Bridgend Blue Bulls, Wales A
Lenny Woodard Bridgend Blue Bulls, Wales RL (ENC)
Karl Hockin Bridgend Blue Bulls, Wales RL (ENC)
Carl Ellis Bridgend Blue Bulls, Wales A
Lloyd O’Connor Bridgend Blue Bulls, Wales A
Marcus Sainsbury Bridgend Blue Bulls, Wales A
Hywel Davies Bridgend Blue Bulls

Carl De Chenu Sheffield Eagles, Ireland RL (ENC)
Mark Burke Aberavon Fighting Irish, Wales A
Scott O’Kelly Aberavon Fighting Irish, Wales A
Dean Scully Aberavon Fighting Irish, Wales A
Lee Jones Aberavon Fighting Irish
Phil Cushion Ex Swinton, Aberavon Fighting Irish
David Sim Bristol Univ, Scotland RL (ENC)
Neil Davies Aberavon Fighting Irish, Wales RL (ENC)
Geraint Davies Aberavon Fighting Irish, Wales Students
Gareth Lewis Aberavon Fighting Irish

Academy:

Daniel Phillips Aberavon Fighting Irish, GB Amateur U’18’s
Oliver Hughes Cardiff Demons, GB Amateur U’18’s
Lee Williams Aberavon Fighting Irish, GB Amateur U’18’s
Gareth Moore Aberavon Fighting Irish

Excellent news signing all Celts and not taking the easy option of hiring English players, as Chief executive Chris O'Callahan says 'this is a Welsh based club for Welsh players' good on them.