WCC - Leeds Rhinos v Melbourne Storm

[LeedsStorm]

Actually I regularly made the trip up the M62 and stood on the crumbling terrace away end with no cover (in Winter!) Aside from the new stand doesn't look like it has changed at all since back in my day.

You'll know there's limited room for expansion then, what with the international cricket stadium on one side and residential areas on the others. Not a problem, of course. As Leedsrhinos said, best way to spoil a good game is to play it in a stadium 30,000 seats too big. Monday night game at homebush is tragic

 

[Perth Red]

but were not talking about holding it at ANZ. Elland road drew 37k, 33K, 32.5K & 27.6K previously. That is 80%+ capacity. Seems stupid to lock fans out of a showcase game when a more suitable ground was available in the same city.

As for sorting out the delapidated Headingly, there is plenty of options for replacing the old stands and actually giving somewhere decent for away fans to stand out of the elements. For SL's richest club Headingly is becoming a joke.

 

[The Great Dane]

That's why they are the two benchmark clubs in the game IMO.

Surely you don't believe that Leeds is the second best team in the world. The benchmark for the English game yes, one of the benchmarks for the game as a whole no.

We'll see how Hetherington's efforts to expand the concept go, but this wont have harmed the proposals.

Personally I like the idea of a expanded WCC, but I don't think that the clubs will like it because it is just to much of a risk just before the start of the season.

They might go for it if there was a lot of prize money to be won like the Auckland 9s that has been suggested and the RFL moved it to the end of the season, but otherwise I can't see it happening, which is unfortunate.

 

[LeedsStorm]

but were not talking about holding it at ANZ. Elland road drew 37k, 33K, 32.5K & 27.6K previously. That is 80%+ capacity. Seems stupid to lock fans out of a showcase game when a more suitable ground was available in the same city.

As for sorting out the delapidated Headingly, there is plenty of options for replacing the old stands and actually giving somewhere decent for away fans to stand out of the elements. For SL's richest club Headingly is becoming a joke.

Away fans can stand where they like. As for the 'joke' of a stadium it rates 'A' standard according to the superleague licensing criteria. Planning permission is in place for an updated southstand but at present there is simply no call for it.

 

[Perth Red]

It was ok when rival clubs like St's and Wigan and Warrington and Hull were playing in dumps, face it you've been left behind by the other big clubs in terms of facilities for fans. Peering around a post and standing on uncovered crumbling terracing (I presume it was reopened after parts were closed off?) is not what you would expect of the richest club in England.

Time Hetherington got his hand in the coffers and paid for an upgrade.

 

[LeedsStorm]

Surely you don't believe that Leeds is the second best team in the world. The benchmark for the English game yes, one of the benchmarks for the game as a whole no.



Personally I like the idea of a expanded WCC, but I don't think that the clubs will like it because it is just to much of a risk just before the start of the season.

They might go for it if there was a lot of prize money to be won like the Auckland 9s that has been suggested and the RFL moved it to the end of the season, but otherwise I can't see it happening, which is unfortunate.

Yeah we get it. You don't rate Superleague. I said club. Leeds rugby.

 

[LeedsStorm]

It was ok when rival clubs like St's and Wigan and Warrington and Hull were playing in dumps, face it you've been left behind by the other big clubs in terms of facilities for fans. Peering around a post and standing on uncovered crumbling terracing (I presume it was reopened after parts were closed off?) is not what you would expect of the richest club in England.

Time Hetherington got his hand in the coffers and paid for an upgrade.

I was there on boxing day. Didn't see any crumbling. Happy for the club to invest in success rather than a soul-less all seater that you don't actually own and have to share with football teams

 

[The Great Dane]

Yeah we get it. You don't rate Superleague. I said club. Leeds rugby.

Quite the contrary, I do rate Super League, I just don't over rate it.

I very much enjoy the Super League and I probably watched more Warrington, Catalans and Leeds games than any other teams except the Raiders last year. I truly believe that the Super League is a good product and that many of the teams and players are very, very good and could and most probably would make it in the NRL (epically players like Ryan Hall and Sam Tomkins).

What I don't believe is that the quality of footy in the Super League is half as good as you pommies think it is and I come to this conclusion after watching a lot of Rugby League from both competitions. But in saying that there is the potential for English Rugby League to become the best Rugby League in the world, but it is not there yet.

I don't know if it is your patriotism or whatever, but I do know that the sooner that you lot except that things aren't fine and dandy and that you are lagging even further behind Australia then you are willing to except and that you are starting to Lag quite a ways behind New Zealand, the quicker you can fix the problems in your game and catch up and be competitive again.

 

[Clarke]

Only thing I found disappointing was playing at a ground that ltd the capacity. Didn't they get 30k+ at Elland rd in the past?

For all their money you would think they could modernise Headingly.

For mine it an iconic venue. I would hate to see the face changed drastically.

 

[LeedsStorm]

Quite the contrary, I do rate Super League, I just don't over rate it.

I very much enjoy the Super League and I probably watched more Warrington, Catalans and Leeds games than any other teams except the Raiders last year. I truly believe that the Super League is a good product and that many of the teams and players are very, very good and could and most probably would make it in the NRL (epically players like Ryan Hall and Sam Tomkins).

What I don't believe is that the quality of footy in the Super League is half as good as you pommies think it is and I come to this conclusion after watching a lot of Rugby League from both competitions. But in saying that there is the potential for English Rugby League to become the best Rugby League in the world, but it is not there yet.

I don't know if it is your patriotism or whatever, but I do know that the sooner that you lot except that things aren't fine and dandy and that you are lagging even further behind Australia then you are willing to except and that you are starting to Lag quite a ways behind New Zealand, the quicker you can fix the problems in your game and catch up and be competitive again.

Off he goes again . Benchmark CLUB my friend. There's more to a club than the team. I'm referring to the whole product. Coaching, youth set up, sports science, community involvement, facilities, marketing, innovation, R&D, business acumen.

 

[The Great Dane]

Off he goes again . Benchmark CLUB my friend. There's more to a club than the team. I'm referring to the whole product. Coaching, youth set up, sports science, community involvement, facilities, marketing, innovation, R&D, business acumen.

Off you go again ignoring what I am saying!

On to your benchmark club stuff, the Storm are not particularly well run as such and their community involvement isn't great either.

Leeds on the other hand are very well run, their sports science isn't the best in the world but it is still very good, there marketing seems to be good in Leeds but in other areas it does not seem to be great, I would suggest trying to take a couple of their home games on the road and trying to create new followings in new areas (which is very hard to do, but is worth it in the long run).

Though I am not certain on Leeds juniors setup it seems to be quite good but their youth development and player development is not great and needs to be worked on, the Storm are the opposite their juniors setup is a huge mess (more because of VRL then them but none the less it is a mess) but their player development is the best in the game, average players go to the Storm for a couple of seasons then become above average players and even on occasion star players by the time they leave.

If I had to pick two benchmark clubs they definitely would not be Leeds and Melbourne, though Leeds would probably be in the top 10 or so. The two I would pick would probably be South Sydney and Brisbane.

 

[LeedsStorm]

Off you go again ignoring what I am saying!

On to your benchmark club stuff, the Storm are not particularly well run as such and their community involvement isn't great either.

Leeds on the other hand are very well run, their sports science isn't the best in the world but it is still very good, there marketing seems to be good in Leeds but in other areas it does not seem to be great, I would suggest trying to take a couple of their home games on the road and trying to create new followings in new areas (which is very hard to do, but is worth it in the long run).

Though I am not certain on Leeds juniors setup it seems to be quite good but their youth development and player development is not great and needs to be worked on, the Storm are the opposite their juniors setup is a huge mess (more because of VRL then them but none the less it is a mess) but their player development is the best in the game, average players go to the Storm for a couple of seasons then become above average players and even on occasion star players by the time they leave.

If I had to pick two benchmark clubs they definitely would not be Leeds and Melbourne, though Leeds would probably be in the top 10 or so. The two I would pick would probably be South Sydney and Brisbane.

Ok. I'll start listening to what you are saying when you stop talking f*cking nonsense! :lol:

So a club that produces Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow, Danny Macguire, Jamie Jones Buchanan, Ryan Bailey, Carl Ablett, Matt Diskin, Kalum Watkins, Lee Smith, Mark Calderwood, Chev Walker and Ben Jones Bishop and on the basis of these players become the most successful in the superleague era, you regard as having poor youth development? The youth system is entirely responsible for their success you plum! :lol:

And forgive me for doubting the opinion of an Australian on the subject of sports science. Even I'm accredited, yet the likes of Dank get a gig in the NRL! Amateur hour my friend :lol:

 

[Perth Red]

Melbourne have an operating budget in the range of $20million, Leeds around $10million. I would hope Melbourne's set up is better!

 

[LeedsStorm]

Melbourne have an operating budget in the range of $20million, Leeds around $10million. I would hope Melbourne's set up is better!

Completely agree. Surely one of the reasons the franchise has been so successfull despite its location in the AFL heartland. Hence my comment regarding its benchmark status. Think I recall ol Gus Gould expressing the same sentiment on the footy show (pre salary cap scandal, mind :lol

 

[The Great Dane]

Melbourne have an operating budget in the range of $20million, Leeds around $10million. I would hope Melbourne's set up is better!

They spend their money on the wrong things, they need to spend more money on the grass roots and less on the first grade. They won't be as successful in the NRL for a while but they will set themselves up with a steady stream of juniors and fans (if they do it properly).

 

[newman]

They spend their money on the wrong things, they need to spend more money on the grass roots and less on the first grade. They won't be as successful in the NRL for a while but they will set themselves up with a steady stream of juniors and fans (if they do it properly).

They do, do they? They're the best club in the world. I think they are fine with how their money is spent.

 

[The Great Dane]

Ok. I'll start listening to what you are saying when you stop talking f*cking nonsense! :lol:

So a club that produces Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow, Danny Macguire, Jamie Jones Buchanan, Ryan Bailey, Carl Ablett, Matt Diskin, Kalum Watkins, Lee Smith, Mark Calderwood, Chev Walker and Ben Jones Bishop and on the basis of these players become the most successful in the superleague era, you regard as having poor youth development? The youth system is entirely responsible for their success you plum! :lol:

And forgive me for doubting the opinion of an Australian on the subject of sports science. Even I'm accredited, yet the likes of Dank get a gig in the NRL! Amateur hour my friend :lol:

A juniors system and youth development are two very different things!

A juniors system (or youth system as you call it) is a local RL competition(s) run by the club to expose kids to actually playing RL and to get them interested in RL, these operations often include school visits and the like.

Youth development is very different, youth development happens after a talent has been scouted in the juniors system and is being assessed as to whether or not the club is going to sign the player and is generally use to decide which players are good enough to make the clubs first grade team, which are not and which need more time in the juniors to develop their skills, often this includes training camps (sometimes invitational) were the player is exposed to what it takes to be an NRL/ESL player and is given the opportunity to learn skills that they may not otherwise get the opportunity to learn, other times and more commonly this is done through representative teams for specific age groups.

As I said Leeds seems to have a very good juniors system, but their youth development seems to be rushed for whatever reason.

Also I said that Leeds sports science was good, not bad so I don't know what you are complaining about, in fact if the Raiders had a sports science department half as good as Leeds we would be in a much better position then we are in at the moment.

 

[The Great Dane]

They do, do they? They're the best club in the world. I think they are fine with how their money is spent.

Your right they are fine, until the "Big Three" and Bellamy retire and they start to have trouble attracting new talent and start to go through a rough patch.

If they spent more of their money on their juniors they would have a better talent supply for when that rough patch comes and then their biggest problem will be retaining that talent not attracting it in the first place.

It would also help get more then one Victorian in the only Victorian team in the competition ;-).

 

[Perth Red]

I have to agree, I would have liked the ARLC put some caveats around the extra $4.2mill NRL grant that included a min spend on Jnrs and a closer link up with the VRL.

We have developed more Jnr talent out of WA than Victoria and they have the benefit of a NRL team and many millions of $'s funding

 

[The Great Dane]

I have to agree, I would have liked the ARLC put some caveats around the extra $4.2mill NRL grant that included a min spend on Jnrs and a closer link up with the VRL.

We have developed more Jnr talent out of WA than Victoria and they have the benefit of a NRL team and many millions of $'s funding

Exactly, it is kind of embarrassing that WA has had more success in this department then Victoria, considering the circumstances.