Seriously, what are you going on about?

Yes, it is that easy. I'm not talking about Paul Gallen going online & looking on booking.com as soon as the final whistle has gone. But yes, a member of staff at the club could quite easily book their travel and accommodation the day after the final.

How long does it take you to book a trip? It's not difficult.

This won't stop excuses being made. It'll still be an issue for which ever team travels. If SL lose then people will say we play too many games over here. If a team like Wigan last year are missing several first teamers through injury that will be mentioned as not their strongest team so not a true indicator.

Exactly, the current International calendar shoehorned into late October/November is the main reason that you can't hold the WC at seasons end, that was recognised a few pages back on the thread.

Well, yes you're right. I don't think anyone has said that there's a perfect time for the game to be played, and each option has it's own benefits and flaws. I just think that playing at seasons end is more beneficial and less flawed than playing it now.

The benefit that's keeps getting mentioned is that it would be the two GF winning lineups playing each other. I just think there's a massive question mark on whether that would actually happen though especially for an NRL team coming over here. I think they would leave a lot of first teamers at home to recover from a long season.

Although The RFL are not known for their clever thinking and forward planning, I dont think that we should be talking about the next WCC but, we should certainly be looking further down the line and working out what is best for the sport, TV and media exposure for these events and as a season opener (well, just about), it just loses any impact.
In some ways it's similar to the Charity Shield in football.
Everyone turns up and watches the game but, nobody really gives a toss, as the bigger games are still to come.
As I say, it depends what we want from the event.
If it really is thae big one ie. the best club(s) from each hemisphere trying to decide the best club side in the world, there should be a build up to the game and it should be bigger than the grand final.
Whether that is how we want it to be "sold", is another question but, really, it should be a huge event.
If not, we're just money spinning. Not neccesarily a bad thing but, are we really getting the best out of the event ?

That's a good point. Which sports have a major, respected trophy up for grabs at the start of a season.

If the venue is known in advance, reserve 2 hotel and training facilities nearby and then draw lots for which club gets which.
All you need to know in advance is where the game will be staged, it's not difficult ???

The whole point is advance planning of the game, the rest just drops into place.

The major down side is for overseas fans wanting to attend. That could be somewhat more difficult.

But the venue won't be known in advance, with 3 weeks to go they will be four possible locations, maybe even Catalans.

Play it at a neutral venue, then it can be known from day 1.

There only needs to be 2 venues, maybe only 1.
If we know that the game is going to be played in the UK, choose a venue in advance and do the same if it's in Aus.
It doesnt have to be at Headinley if Leeds win Super League or at The DW if Wigan win, just a top venue that can be sold tickets can be sold for all year round, obviously reserving sufficient numbers for "home" fans, just as we do for the GF or CC final.
If there was ambition and desire, the game (World Club Final) could be played at a sold out Wembley as a double header, with the 2 Cup Final winners playing first.

That would make it an event for both neutrals and club supporters alike.
It would beat playing in front of 18/20,000 at a "Northern" stadium.

The WCC is a glorified friendly awkwardly positioned after the start of our season and before theirs.

People are saying two weeks is enough time but I have to say one week is enough.

Book a neutral venue in advance like another poster has suggested and there's no problem.

Exactly. it would be incredibly easy to plan. Apparently we have all these stadiums like St James' Park or the Etihad wanting the magic weekend, in australia States are desperate for RL games being staged in their stadiums.

In 2018 the internationals are likely to be in the Northern Hemisphere so we book St James' Park for the 23rd of October, block book a hotel, and ring up qantas or BA and say "hello, NRL here, we need to book flights for the NRL GF winners and the Australia RL squad on the 10th of October. Be about 100 people in total" and they say "of course, flying people places is how we make money, we will reserve you 100 seats on this flight, let us know as and when who it is"

the one good thing the WCC had going for it was having a good crowd (compared to regular season) and even that was dwindling.....so let's go to somewhere like St James Park and get nowhere near the same crowd.