1st v 2nd has always been the Thursday game since sky started showing national league games.

The Fev v Batley game would have given an unfair advantage to other sides had Batley lost. That for me is the reason that Gatehead, Batley and Leigh all played at the same time. As knowing results leaves games open to potential manipulation. Such as Fev winning by 13 would mean that haven could lose by 12 and still take fifth while allowing Leigh to remain in the league. So more was riding on those games.

You can't have it both ways. Of course sky are going to choose the games that are best. They don't want to show doncaster every week do they. You can either have just super league on sky or super league and the championship leagues as well. It's in our interests to still be shown as the moment we're dropped from tv, we'll be forgotten by everyone but the fans in this league. Meaning rugby and the super league dream will most definitely be over, period!

Sky
The others couldnt run a bath.

For the last televised game at Craven Park (Widnes game) Sky provided floodlights on cranes, they were pretty good, a lot better than the grounds lights, and before someone says it, they couldnt be worse! Good to hear plenty of you are coming over, will be a cracking match, may the best team win ( BARROW!!) !

I'll be getting the train up to Barra', how far is the station from the ground anyone?

Craven Park is about a 10 minute stroll from the station, or if you end up in the Furness Railway pub a bit longer! Somebody will point you in the right direction.

Just having a moan earlier cos I can't get to the game on thurs.Just annoys me that the RFL seem to bend over backwards to accommodate sky and their schedules and to ell with those of us who travel all over the country and abroad to support our teams.I know the reason why the Fev/Batley match wasn't changed and I agree with the stand made by the two clubs and just wish more teams would do the same.I might feel different if we were in SL and a televised match put money in the coffers but do a load of free tickets really do much for the Championship clubs.

Thursday is just a terrible night to have a rugby match. Not only can it be an horrendous 4 day turnaround for some teams, especially unfair if the other team has had a week's rest, but for us fans it means having an hangover at work on Friday, not to mention the rushing around to get there on the Thursday.

Why can't they slot these matches in on a Saturday night? Looking at last Saturday's SKY Sports programme schedule we had International soccer on SS1 (fair enough), Tennis on SS2 (jeez), that weird WWE wrestling on SS3 (now you really have to be brain dead if you enjoy that stuff) and Golf on SSXTRA ... who watches blokes tapping little balls in little holes for gods sake?

So instead of giving 2 of the 3 relegation threatened teams an advantage, they forced Barrow to play a crucial match with just 2 full day's rest. Had Barrow not clinched the bonus point vs Sheff, that would have given a huge advantage to Fax - in that they would have know exactly what they had to do to finish top.

Also, had we played Sheff on the originally fixtured Sunday with a weeks' rest, we could very well have won the game which may have meant that Sheff finished 4th and not 3rd.

I'm not bleating, just stating that having Sky matches on a Thursday can end up affecting the whole league table. As they televise 2 SL games a week, why don't they play the weekly Championship game on a Fri/Sat/Sun when SL isn't being covered.

As much as i can see your point, the barrow game had a lesser impact on the league. Before you start let me explain. Had Barrow won, drawn or lost by 12 then the league was over. However Sheffield had to win to try and better their position. Anything else was out of their hands really. They had to go for the win, bonus at worse. So it was a logical game. Any of the three relegation clubs would not be mathmatically safe no matter what the result. Therefore the it left other teams to manipulate results in their favour. I'm not saying they would but in the general spirit of the game you can't offer an advantage in the case.

Yes Barrow were unfortunately drawn a short week, but so have many other clubs this year so you can't use that as an excuse. Although i would say that monday/thursday games are a little bit too much. If sky wanted that game they should have asked Barrow to either play on the sunday or the friday before.

Sadly the five fixtures for the final weekend would offer an advantage to any other team so it was always going to cause someone an issue. As it is, sheffield won and you got the league so it went ok anyway. Which is probably the best result in skys eyes. As they got to see the minor league champions crowned.

Maybe Halifax v Toulouse could have been the better game to have on as it probably had the least impact, but sky didn't want that one i guess.

So they probably should have played them all on Thursday so sky could show one and then everyone wouldn't be happy!

It would have been better on a saturday but i'm guessing it's to do with the cameras being in Scotland for football, at the england cricket match and the two rugby union games on sunday. Not to mention the ones at the super league games.

Probably the same people who watch F1 -Boxing -Athletics-Cricket- and all other sporting events. Sports fans.

SKY won't come to the Shay, Because the ground staff will not let them paint the pitch.

does anybody know how much barrow are going to be charging as dont wanna miss this game and really looking forward 2 going

So its Norton on saturday, Salford tuesday and Barrow thursday. I can't believe the government only give me £55 quid a week dole money, how do they expect me to survive?

Anyone thought about balloons, banners, everyone in blue and white etc?