Rugby League Thread

[leedswolf]

Super League set for major six again and play the ball rule changes

Exclusive: A raft of significant rule changes are coming to Super League in 2024.

www.examinerlive.co.uk

 

[leedswolf]

Club Statement: Stadium Update - Salford Red Devils

Club Managing Director, Paul King, has issued the below update on the current situation surrounding the Salford Stadium. Since we first spoke out publicly on the Stadium situation, we have been eager to keep our supporters informed and provide updates on the full picture as appropriately and as...

salfordreddevils.net

 

[ROVERT47]

Just seen that Clarkie is stepping down from commentating next season after 23 years, I remember watching him play.

 

[leedswolf]

RFL confirm departure of Head of Match officials Steve Ganson

Ganson has held the role since 2016.

www.hulldailymail.co.uk

 

[leedswolf]

Sky Sports are set to share the rights to the 2024 season with a free to air broadcaster which will be one of BBC and Channel 4.

An agreement is expected very soon between RL Commercial and the new broadcasters who will have rights to about 10 games this year like last.

There is also a need to agree a TV deal with a broadcaster for the Championship and the four Challenge Cup ties that Premier Sports and Viaplay Sports covered over 2022 and 2023.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

That is really good news for rugby league with club union absolutely tucked behind pay walls (oh I pine for rugby special with Nigel Starmer Smith when I was growing up).

Could be excellent news for garnering interest.

Both codes are available on free to air* here but NRL is the behemoth and Union doesn’t get much look in

*Im going to revise that actually. The World Cup was on Stan in Union with Wallabies games available for free for general giggle value. NRL is blanket coverage on of the three big channels (7, 9, or 10, I genuinely can’t remember which).


The rugby championship union stuff is definitely tucked away in QLD which has more of a union history than NSW or Victoria where league is dominant

 

[leedswolf]

Club RU in NSW was dire compared to the standard in the UK. Not too sure about the quality these days as I watch very little RU now.

IIRC the main comp is 'Super Rugby' (a franchise based system) which involves the elite players?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

nods sagely

NSW have the Waratahs. Brumbies play out of Canberra. QLD reds play out of Brisbane. Think there are a few more now as SA teams have started playing European teams. I think Fiji have a full team now

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I could well go and check quality at Suncorp as tickets are shall we say readily available. I would imagine it’s nowhere near bath v Leicester. Let alone Leinster v Toulouse.

If I flew the trench for Blues v Crusaders I bet that would be very special though. Must get over to NZ this year if I can.

 

[Tredman]

That is really good news for rugby league with club union absolutely tucked behind pay walls (oh I pine for rugby special with Nigel Starmer Smith when I was growing up).

Could be excellent news for garnering interest.

Both codes are available on free to air* here but NRL is the behemoth and Union doesn’t get much look in

*Im going to revise that actually. The World Cup was on Stan in Union with Wallabies games available for free for general giggle value. NRL is blanket coverage on of the three big channels (7, 9, or 10, I genuinely can’t remember which).


The rugby championship union stuff is definitely tucked away in QLD which has more of a union history than NSW or Victoria where league is dominant

Club union is often on Channel 4 and 5.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

That’s great! It’s a change in the last years I must have missed before I left

 

[Tredman]

Doesn’t seem a huge consistency to it though, other than the champions cup is always on 4

 

[leedswolf]

New quota rule allows Super League clubs to sign fresh pool of overseas players

Exclusive: A new ruling is set to be introduced which will allow clubs to easier tap into the New South Wales and Queensland Cup player market.

www.hulldailymail.co.uk

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Intriguing. Those competitions are second tier directly below NRL. Toowoomba has a Queensland Cup side. Standard is high with some terrific players

 

[leedswolf]

I agree, the standard and player quality is high, but will increased aaccess to Aussie talent have a negative impact on our Academy prospects? Great deal for the Aussie fringe players.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Quite possibly. When I watched Papua New Guinea Hunters who play in the Queensland cup they seemed to have plenty of players who would be more than good enough to block local academy prospects.

I’m also interested to see the NRL reaction as most of those clubs act as training grounds and are affiliated with the NRL giants. They might not be happy if super league hoovers up their talent conveyor belt.

 

[leedswolf]

Catalan version, not St George Illawara.

 

[leedswolf]

I’m also interested to see the NRL reaction as most of those clubs act as training grounds and are affiliated with the NRL giants. They might not be happy if super league hoovers up their talent conveyor belt.

Short term benefit for Super League. I would've thought the deal would be more beneficial to the NRL. Gives those fringe players first grade experience in a good competition.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Oh yes. But they are a 24 hour flight away rather than available for immediate call up like currently.

 

[leedswolf]

Oh yes. But they are a 24 hour flight away rather than available for immediate call up like currently.

The NSW and QLD cups have sufficient rosters tbf and can draw down on their feeder clubs in the lower leagues. The hot prospects will be ring fenced by their parent NRL clubs.