not a concept im expecting hull to be taking part in for years!

it was merely a dig at leeds fans expecting to be a part of the series when the clearly dont deserve to be finishing 6th!

hetherington and the leeds players need to take it on the chin then, just because hetherington devised the format, he should have been aware that leeds may not qualify, he cant just move the goal post when he sees fit!

Leeds won't be involved, it's just a troll winding people up.

I hope the Giants do get to the WCC just to all the naysayers off

The John Smith's would get plenty in even if only to see an Aussie team

I don't think it would annoy anyone, afterall hudds did finish third.

I think a more apt word to describe the experience would be depressing. And embarassing.

Could I just ask one question, what is the point?

Surely the game between the G.F winners of both competitions is the only one of relevance, the other two matches – who cares.

People can’t even be bothered to attend the play-offs as it’s not part of the season ticket, why would, for instance, Warrington fans be bothered to watch their team play an undercooked Brisbane side?

A truly irrelevant concept, with the main event the only game that matters, with the added handicap of the Aussies still in pre-season, to even up the contest.

Are people that desperate to watch their team against Aussie opposition

There is no getting away from the fact that the format for next year is the WCC plus two friendlies and the teams taking part in the two friendlies won't be getting a trophy while one of the two in the WCC will. As it stands my team may well be one of those taking part (only if it is a Warrington v Catalan GF will we not take part in some capacity). If we do qualify but not as champions and have to play in one of the friendlies I will still be happy to attend. We will be playing friendlies anyway and the prospect of a friendly against an NRL club would be a bit more appealing than watching our second string or under-19s take on a semi pro outfit.

The format is what it is and it seems likely that the Aussies wouldn't go for a proper tournament so this was the compromise and is the first step to show them that a proper tournament would be worthwhile and financially viable. The video that was released alongside the announcement called it the World Club Series so maybe there is a plan to have all three results used to determine the winner of a further trophy for inter-competition bragging rights (that you could at least get media interest for). Maybe there isn't and it will just be a WCC and two friendlies and nothing else.

Either way like anything else in our sport we either support it and it continues and maybe grows like the GF concept or we whinge about it and call it rubbish and a waste of time and don't support it and it disappears like the roses matches. Only time will tell.

Well said I say bring it on and lets hope it stays and gets better every year

I hope they get it too, it would be hilarious.

Agree, thinking back didn't many Aussies think Origin wouldn't work either.

"Many Aussies' = self-centred Sydneysiders.

There are lots of Aussies who love the international side of the game, it's just that turnips like the head rugby league writer at Sydney's biggest paper and others like him actively talk down rugby league outside of Sydney.