Thaler was terrified of potentially having to overrule the on field ref's decision, so as soon as he saw Lineham brush Goodwin's leg he went straight to a final decision and disallowed it - even though the defensive markers weren't obstructed even in the slightest.

I hate this try/no try system we have, but it's not going anywhere because the sport is in such a shambles in this country that we STILL can't afford screens and video refs at every fixture.

genuine query around the rules here..... so each time we kicked high at saints left edge, they did a little 'wall of obstruction'... where a number of saints players came together quickly, so as to give protection to the person fielding the kick..... obviously a rehed move. So unless we have changed our rules, that's obstruction every single time.

When you watch the game back a few times, you can see it straight from the first kick... and it continued all the way through.

Awful awful decisions, perfectly good try disallowed, I can forgive the saints no try early on as in real time it loomed a clear bounce, but to disallow that has he slightly brushed the ball player, ridiculous. I literally do not know anyone who likes the try no try rule. Please feel free to comment if you do agree with it. This decision was clearly a case of backing the on field ref rather than giving the right decision.

Creamfields was on in Warrington . . .

Maube st helens and warrington should be asked to pay a bond next year?

Yes. What about Wigan and Hull for 2017? Bottom line is, sadly, Wembley no longer looks viable for the sport. Trouble is without it TV coverage and sponsorship would probably be lost for CC.

No, but Coote dropped his.

Hicks decision not to refer the Morgan Knowles try to the video referee was a massive decision. You'd be filthy if that happened in a regular game of rugby league, never mind a cup final.

I think it is viable. I just think we aren’t all pulling in the same direction as a sport to maximise the potential of the CC final.

We had amateur games on the same day for starters. That’s just crazy.

Time the sport and clubs at all levels from SL down to amateur junior clubs put their petty self-interest aside.

- Make the Cup Final a festival of RL. Hold the women’s final as a curtain raiser. Hold the wheelchair final at the arena on the same day.
- make it like a festival around the stadium. It needs all kinds of additional things to do like at the F1. Should be a big England/GB section with some players, big merchandise area, buy discounted tickets for the next home international. Have an area with some mini touch rugby games going on that only last 5/10 mins, any ability able to have a go. Sell tickets for next year’s final, big discount if you buy there and then. Have those inflatable passing and challenge things. It can’t be beyond the impossible to get one of those screen/game things that mimicks a golf shot or football penalty and have it as you taking a conversion. Have an amateur/community section where you can sign up for full contact, touch rugby or masters rugby in your local area. You get the gist of it.
- I’d set up a “neutral zone” an area of the ground specifically for neutrals. Encourage them to come in their own clubs shirts and make a big deal out of it. Maybe do some kind of rewards for the SL/Champ/L1/Amateur club with the most people there.
- Crucially, make every club in the country, be it SL, Championship or amateur, a ticketing agent for the event. They get back a % of every ticket they sell and are actively encouraged to organise trips from their club. Any pro club that doesn’t sell a certain amount of tickets then forgoes a certain amount of central funding.
- the RFL to arrange travel and accommodation discounts
- the pro clubs and the RFL to act as a central hub where you can buy tickets, travel and accommodation all in one place.

On top of that I liked an idea I heard a while back on the 5 life podcast about turning the Cup into a Champions League style format rather than a straight knockout. It would enable games to be included on the season ticket up until the quarter final round at least.
I’m also tempted by maybe making the quarters and semis 2 legs but not sure on that, only a thought.

I don't like mocking players when they have a bad game, but this made me snort tea out of my nose laughing

Did they even go up to get their medal? Like any sporting team usually does? Did the Beeb miss filming that or are Saints that entitled and up themselves they think they're beyond that?

Absolutely correct!

The culture of a sport is the biggest thing it has. The Challenge Cup Final at Wembley is one of the biggest parts of our culture.

The Challenge Cup Final remains at Wembley. It’s the RFL that needs to pull their fingers out in getting the place filled.

New date! Get this played away from a Bank Holiday and outside the football season.

Get in contact with all pro-clubs, part time clubs and all amateur clubs from all over the country and have a system in place that they know they can use every year to book coaches and buy tickets.

The issue is, that alongside the Grand Final, Magic Weekend and Big Bash, the CC Final is no longer the sole RL focal showpiece it once was.

The introduction of the former have reduced the appeal and affordability of the latter.

Crowds haven't been great for years club wembley tickets were including in the crowd figures before when it wasn't used now people are using it leading to empty seats in the stadium.