English Super League 2014 English Superleague discussion thread

[robbieando]

Yeah, I've always liked the idea of there being some more continental involvement. I've always thought Amsterdam Arena would be a great venue, along with the Stade de France. Magic Weekend would probably be the pick for Amsterdam, but if they surveyed the fans, I suppose any of the Big Three events could work.

Amsterdam Arena would be great one as would Stade Roi Baudouin for the Magic Weekend as well. Wouldn't use Hampden Park over Ibrox in Glasgow after comparing how both have gone hosting Union events. Also look at Lille.

I also think the new Etihad will look "grander," for a grand final than Old Trafford. I know Old Trafford will still be bigger, but to me it feels like an intense club ground rather than a "grand final stadium."

Old Trafford has the tradition but Etihad will have more flexibility moving forward.

I hope in the near future they can capitalise on the Dragons and take a big game into Barçalona one day. I can see a bright future for RL really. There's no reason they can't shift their showpieces around a bit, so long as they consult the fans first. The only ground I hope they never use again is Twickenham, I don't see the point in that at all; especially if those European stadia are only a train ride away.

Dragons should play in Barcalona I agree. But I think they should look at the new Stadium in Nice and maybe also Marseille. As for Twickenham that was due to Wembley being rebuilt.

I love the idea of a big RL final at the Stade de France! That would be incroyable!

Its a great ground to watch an event from.

 

[chibimatty]

Yeah, I thought they missed the boat a bit during the Wembley-less years, I reckon Amsterdam and Paris could have been used back then instead of Twickenham. I've always thought they should look into combining the Trophée Lord Derby into the Paris fixture, if they ever take a final/weekend there.

The Lille one was a bit of a surprise, I didn't know the ground was over 50000.

You know it's funny actually, forgot about a Magic Weekend in Dublin!

 

[robbieando]

Yeah, I thought they missed the boat a bit during the Wembley-less years, I reckon Amsterdam and Paris could have been used back then instead of Twickenham. I've always thought they should look into combining the Trophée Lord Derby into the Paris fixture, if they ever take a final/weekend there.

My guess is that they wanted to make the temp move as easy as possible year by year. Hence Twickenham, Cardiff and Edinburgh for the Cup Final.

The Lille one was a bit of a surprise, I didn't know the ground was over 50000.

The Top 14 played their Semi Finals on back to back day their this year and got full houses on both days with a Paris team and 3 teams from the South. I would look at how the Top 14 and English Premiership do things in moving games for one offs/European matches. Stade Francais and Racing Metro play 3 games a year including their matches against each other at the Stade de France, Racing have taken games to Stade Roi Baudouin and Nice and Marseille host matches.

Twickenham is host the Big Game on the 27th of December between Harlequins and one of the finalists from the year before and Wembley hosts the London Double Header to open the season.

You know it's funny actually, forgot about a Magic Weekend in Dublin!

Would be the ideal city followed by Cardiff the Amsterdam for the Magic Weekend. Paris would be interesting depending on the timing.

So a no to moving the Cup Final from Wembley but a yes to playing the Semi's as a Double Header at say Wigan's DW Stadium (depending on who is in the Semi's), Super League Grand Final to stay in the Heartland but move to Etihad Stadium once the redevelopment there is complete, look to have the Dragons play in Barcelona once a year, and move a game around the South of France in places like Marseille and Nice with the ultimate goal being Paris hosting the Magic Weekend at Stade de France. In line with Paris hosting Magic Weekend it would move around Glasgow (Ibrox), Lille (Stade Pierre-Mauroy), Amsterdam (Amsterdam Arena), Brussels (Stade Roi Baudouin), Dublin (Aviva Stadium), Edinburgh (Murrayfield Stadium) and Cardiff (Cardiff City Stadium or Millennium Stadium). So 8 cities for the Magic Weekend with one venue considered the home venue and getting it every 3 years and then the others in their order.

 

[chibimatty]

Yeah sounds like a proposal that could be sent to the RFL.

 

[moto748]

Some interesting ideas. Anyway, back on the pitch...

Castleford hardly gave Widnes a kick, with a thoroughly professional performance to earn them the Final tie against Leeds Rhinos. So, a Yorkshire derby, for once, in the Cup Final. Everyone outside Leeds will be cheering the Tigers on. . Having seen them beat Wigan twice this season, I have the highest regard for Darryl Powell and his team. It struck me today that they are the Penrith of the Superleague: no superstars, but a terrific team ethic where everyone knows what they are doing, and do it very well. And, of course, being still well placed in the table, the double is still a possibility within their reach.

 

[Aucklander]

Caught a bit of the Saints v Warrington game moto and saw that horrid injury to Simon Grix. Hope he's ok.

 

[moto748]

Yeah, that didn't look good, did it? He's had some tough luck with injuries, I do rate him and his brother.

Saw cracking game on Friday at Wigan beating the Rhinos (albeit without Burrow and McGuire) convincingly. 20000 crowd and a great atmosphere.

 

[chibimatty]

Love watching Rob Burrow, the new millennium ZipZip Man!

 

[moto748]

First play-off: Wigan 57 Huddersfield 4

As you'd imagine, Huddersfield were pretty poor, but Wigan were just awesome, in a best-of-season performance; ten tries and nine different scorers, with Joe Burgess, Josh Charnley, Matty Smith and Melbourne-bound Blake Green all outstanding. Solid and resilient in defence, and sharp and inventive in attack, pretty much the perfect package.

Now a week off, and then just 80 minutes from Old Trafford!

Tomorrow night, in what should be an entertaining and competitive game, Saints take on Castleford.