Quite honestly, I couldn't give a flying feck what James Graham thinks. For me it is the highlight of the season. All the Rugby League teams congregate together to create a good atmosphere. It may not be a Cup Final, but for the smaller clubs it is, and for that reason it creates a great buzz. 7 Rugby games in one weekend on the TV - Superb! To be there, it's even better.

I cannot wait for Saturday, this is my Christmas.

Totally agree, which is why moving it away from Cardiff was a c0ck up of epic proportions.

The local contingent was growing (decent following on both days from Celtic fans, even before the SL licence was awarded if I recall), it was superbly placed for RL fans to share a few beers and a bit of banter.


Edinburgh means beer tents outside the ground. Meh.

We should have kept the CC in Cardiff, but understand the commitment to Wembley.

There's no excuse for moving the Magic weekend though, and I'd be very surprised if attendances this weekend didn't back that up.

Edinburgh is a far nicer city IMO, and Cardiff after two years of exactly the same thing was feeling a little stale. I think this event possibly needs to be rotated on a two year basis. Maybe back to Cardiff in a couple of years.

The stadium is less that 2.5m from the city centre, so a quick bus journey gets you into all the pubs and restaurants. I certanly don't see it as a 'c0ck up of epic proportions'.

I wouldn't have bothered going to Cardiff again, whereas I am really excited about this weekend.

In Cardiff, Game A finishes and there's time for a quick scoot to a pub to share a couple of beers with a great crowd. Back in time for the majority of Game B. If the second half isn't so great, shoot out again for a mingle, before Game C.

At Murrayfield? Forget it, when you're in your in.

They moved it from Cardiff just as it was starting to take root, both for travelling fans and more importantly local fans. There's a huge potential for RL in South Wales and if you've been to one of these weekends, or one of the CC finals there, it's hard to ignore. It's epitomised by a local bloke offering to buy the Saints shirt off my back (clearly, the internet hasn't made the Valleys yet!) but there needs to be some stability to allow the event to develop.

We could move it every two years - Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin, Barcelona, Birmingham etc etc. It would hardly register an interest locally.

Or we could give it a home, and build on the foundations already laid in Cardiff.

Of course Edinburgh are expecting to get a return on investment, what is the problem with that?

Cardiff did try to keep it. Edinburgh put a better bid in for the event though, so not sure what your point is?



OK then – if the X amount of £ from this event goes to development of Super League, that is £X that doesn’t need to be found from other sources. That money would be invested in SL anyway, but the fact it comes from the Magic Weekend means that money from other sources can be used to fund development in other areas.

NL clubs got free tickets in Round 3 I believe – Barrow possibly could have sold more to their own fans, but they didn’t have to, they had the money guaranteed by the RFL before the game. I didn’t notice them complaining too vociferously.



No – it’s an extra game. If it wasn’t happening in Edinburgh we would only have 26 games, not 27. Clubs still get 13 home games, regardless of this weekend. If clubs are so precariously financed that they cannot afford to go 3 weeks without a home game, then they are in serious trouble, and shouldn’t be complaining about the way that the RFL runs its business.

isnt that the idea of Celtic Crusaders?

To be quite honest I dont give a flying s**t about the Aussies all I care about is a successful British competition and a fully fit International side when we come to the Tri Nations. The Aussies dont give a flying toss about us and its about time we should them the same!

I like the fact Graham has spoken up on this and that it is in the media. The more column inches the better for RL.

He is entitled to say he feels the Easter weekend is too much - he has been personally affected. And he is constructive in his criticism in saying that Cumbria could use some development. Good on the man.

its only appeared in the RL media and on the RL blogs.



you are right - he has been personally affected





he has offered nothing constructive about how this development should happen, how it will be funded and what the benefits of developing in Cumbria are compared to other regions.

Fully agree.

Cant take these events seriously with a quarter full stadium and a fixed fixture.

Wrong. I read it in the Mirror today.



Yes, I am right. He was there. He must be knackered to speak out like that, and given physical the demands of the modern game.




You may be right about this if you were there when he said it. However, I doubt you can pick it up from the soundbite-sized reports of what he said. Nevertheless, my point is that it doesn't sound like he is just moaning about Magic weekend, but offering an alternate view on development of the game. My position is that this is healthy both as part of the expansion debate and for giving column inches to RL. I don't necessarily agree with his points, but they are as valid as the next man's and I like to hear Saints players views on things.

The rags are full of 'soccer player thinks this', 'this manager said that', blah blah, blah.

its his job!!!!! its not as if its a sudden innovation to play two games at Easter, he knew what was involved when he decided to become a pro rugby player. You cant take the good parts and perks of a great job without having to take the tough parts too.


I heard the interview on the radio too. He has offered no proper alternative, other than "it’s a waste of time – we should do stuff in Cumbria instead". Its like me saying "lets have a Super League team on the moon" without actually suggesting how or why...its a pointless suggestion, and doesn’t really stimulate debate about whatever his main point may have been.



If he believes that Cumbria is a good development area, there is nothing stopping him outlining his beliefs in any number of media outlets – and I would be very interested in hearing his thoughts and views on the subject, along with any other players’ views on the issue.

By doing it in the week before a major event he just comes across as whinging because he can’t be bothered to go to Scotland.