I agree that the top level should be based on skill and athleticism, but it shouldn't be done in a way that portrays RL as purely a sport for the big and the strong, because I have a suspicion that doing so does us something of a disservice. Rob Burrow is one of the most decorated players in the British game, and one of the very few that sound remotely eloquant with a camera in their face, but he's also someone who completely bucks that "only the big and the strong survive" narrative. If we want to attract more of the Rob Burrow type of player and less of the gurning, knuckledragging meat head type of players, I'd suggest that approach needs to change.



That's kind of my point. By softly introducing the contact elements of the sport, you make it easier for players of all sizes, strengths and skillsets to learn at the same pace, and for them to only experience the contact elements when there is less of a disparity in their physical development. That helps to encourage the players that aren't bigger or stronger, it creates a more reassuring environment for the parents, and it promotes skills development.



I agree. I know that RL, when played correctly, is a safe sport and as safe as any other contact sport. But we can't stick our heads in the sand to the conversation that is going on around contact sports and in particular, head injuries.

Broken arms and legs won't frighten most reasonable parents - most accept that you are as likely to suffer one of those as you are riding a bike or playing in the park. But head injuries? That's a different conversation entirely and one that we as a sport may have to adapt to.



Then that's down to the clubs to address. There are twelve full-time clubs in Super League, which means there are at least 12 people in Super League with the words "media", "marketing" or "Public Relations" in their job title. What on earth are they doing all day?



I don't dispute that is an issue, but new media and new ways for kids to fill their time have always emerged. I remember being a kid and hearing that the PlayStation 1 would be the death of youth sports and kids going outside.

And if there is an audience on a new form of media that we want to reach, then the obvious answer is to go to that media. If the kids are watching YouTube, let's make an RL game look like the place to be on a Friday night / Sunday afternoon and use pester-power to our advantage. You can reach an audience very cheaply on YouTube, and you can also focus your content on a very targeted demographic. So if, for example, Wakefield wanted to reach a mass of people of a certain age group in the Wakefield district with some content on YouTube that challenged perceptions of the sport and the club, it could do so very easily.

But oh, what's this? The rlWakefield Trinity Official YouTube channelrl hasn't been updated in seven months. SEVEN months, and not a single piece of content on one of the biggest media channels in the world, and one where supposedly our next generation of supporters and players are hanging out because they just spend their life on tablets and smartphones.

And this is why, whether it involves Jonny Vegas or not, it's not just about "an advert". It's about an end-to-end marketing and promotional approach where we set objectives, get the product right, and where we actually carry it through.

The RFL actually does some good work in this regard. It's digital content is better than anything that any of the clubs produce, and I've seen some of the development work behind the OURLEAGUE scheme; it's impressive - the sort of thing that if the RFU did it, we'd be asking "why isn't the RFL doing this?". But where the whole stack of cards falls down is the week-to-week promotion of the game, and who that week-to-week promotion reaches, because that absolutely falls on the clubs. They're the primary point of consumption, they're the ones who are (or should be) most actively engaging with their communities, they're the embodiment of the 'image' that we portray, and they're the ones who have the biggest influence on the product.

It should be a mix of both.
Tag/Tough massively improve passing and evasion skills and improve speed in all aspects of the game.
Regarding contact, it's a difficult one.
All RL players need to be able to tackle and players need to enjoy the contact side of the game.
However, when junior teams have a "beast" (early developer), the can become the focus of all the attacking play and these guys are difficult for the smaller players to deal with.
Although it would weaken the year that the should be playing in, maybe these players should be "moved up" a year and tested against players that are better equipped to deal with them. Maybe put a size limit on age group games (this will never happen but, you know where I'm coming from).
In cricket, which is a totally different sport with different physical needs, young players are advanced based on ability and it has little to do with age group.
Junior players, regularly play senior cricket, when they are ready nad apart from embarrassing a few adults and probably introducing them to the "social" side of things a little early, it works very well.

You need to keep up.

Since the introduction of Trinity TV (around 7 months ago) you have to subscribe to see the Trinity games and other media stuff so, the you tube channel is redundant and the Trinity fans have far more to keep themselves entertained on cold winter nights.

Perhaps they should do both but, clearly, they are wanting to steer people towards their subscription service.

Have you considered that Trinity may have better marketing people than you and maybe, just maybe, they have this one about right.
Having launched a subscription TV channel, it may not be in their interests to put all of their content on a zero revenue you tube site.

Once they have a decent number of subscriptions, then it may be wise to do both but, right now, they need to channel everyone towards TRinity TV, maybe you should try it, instead of yet more cheap shots at Trinity.

This thread is not about Wakefield anyway but, YOU chose to take a pot shot.
Back on topic though, Trinity will have plenty of sparkle this season and at least in some parts of the RL world the game is on the up

Increased crowds (albeit from a very low starting point, improved stability on and off the field, some of the most exciting youngsters coming through and improved league standing.
Plenty still to do but, definitely going in the right direction.

I've got no idea who is running the marketing at Wakefield. I've made some observations, and that's that. If Wakefield are making a success of their subscription service, then all power to them. My suggestion is about reaching and engaging new audiences - something which you said was difficult in the YouTube / tablet era, and I've highlighted one way in which this could be tackled. If the intention of Wakefiled at this present time isn't about new audiences but instead, monetising the ones they have, then that's their decision.


I'm not taking a cheap pot-shot at Wakefield in the slightest. My argument is that the clubs carry the biggest burden for marketing the sport, and I highlighted the activity of your club as I figured this would be the most relatable. There are examples of bad or lazy marketing at all clubs - including the one I support.