We're better placed than I expected in the league. The cup defeat was disappointing, but, given our lack of squad depth, it would have been unrealistic to expect us to progress much further. We dont have the playing resources to compete in two competitions. We might benefit from a couple of spare weekends to keep the players reasonably fit.

It was Akbars consortium who had that plan, NOT Omar Khan !

I didn't think Cummins had the mental toughness or aura to carry this off. At the moment I would say I was about 80% wrong. Up to a couple of weeks ago I would have said I was 99% wrong. Looking at your fixture list you could conceivably lose every game until September, Salford & Widnes I would expect you to win but I doubt you will be red hot favourites for either. This will tell me just how wrong I was.

Even if they do lose every other game until September how will you know it was down to Cummins, or his perceived lack of mental toughness or "aura"?

I'd say your post is 82% with potential to be 99% by the end of September.

I just know these things, I am a surveyor.

Was it the Richmond Buildings lack of "aura" that caused that cladding to come off?

No, but it may give a pointer to (a) the lack of sponsorship funds in general and (b) the place of RL in the pecking order for such funds as are about.

For sure but it demands some explanation considering only football gets better viewing figures on Sky.
Similarly, I can't understand why Sky or the RFL allow numerous games on Friday night in direct competition with it's flagship weekly match.

Presumably the type of person who watches RL on Sky & the advertising revenue that attracts in comparison with Social Class AB who watch snorefests & waste their money on over-priced tat.



Presumably because Sky would have offered even less if the RFL tried to call all the shots.

There clearly are class and gender correlations between the audience and sponsorship/advertising but I don't think it explains why we don't have a sponsor at all. They sell the ad slots on Jeremy Kyle after all.

On the second point, I think there's a misunderstanding. One would think that Sky would stipulate that only the TV game is played Friday night and the RFL only too happy to oblige to keep the figures up. If Leeds/Wigan are at home and the SKY game is at Hull then that's 15-20k RL fans not watching the Hull game on Sky.

I think you miss an obvious point. Games can be recorded and watched at leisure later.

I don't think that's being realistic, rather the opposite.

The Challenge Cup QFs this year sees a 2/7 chance of getting a game against Sheffield or Widnes. It will NEVER be that easy to get within a game of Old Trafford.