Agree with this but also was the concept of Magic Weekend to take it to venues to sell the sport. Going the same place all the time will get boring but there are people that go to Benidorm 25 years on the trot for holiday.

I've nothing against Benidorm, it's not for me personally as I do like a change of scene, travel broadens the mind is a good maxim IMO.

BUT to be fair to Benidorm, they seem to know their market and try to give their punters what they want, cheap beer and accommodation. Newcastle's hospitality sector on the other hand....So much so, you'd probably be able to weekend cheaper on the Costa Blanca.

Was not singling out Benidorm particularly, my point being seeing different venues is nice. Granted it maybe a poor choice sometimes but that’s part of traveling. I just think people get comfortable if it’s something that was nice so will just keep going. In fairness I think Newcastle was/is as good a venue as Cardiff. I just think with this concept it should go to other places. Dublin would be a good call.

The "spreading the game" argument is a little weak for the North East and it's a real shame. Newcastle / Gateshead was once a development area and then had it's own SL club in 1999 called "Gateshead Thunder" they finished 1999 above us coached by McRae. Anyone remember them?

Following season it merged with Hull Sharks, changed it's name to Hull FC and played it's home games in Hull...

Of course now we have the Newcastle Thunder who started again in 2001.

Apologies for going slightly off topic here, but Wires71's point leads me to one of my real RL irritations - that the present Hull FC seem to have had the merger wiped from their memory by the Men in Black. The present Hull FC has existed since 1999, when - as Wires71 rightly states - Hull Sharks merged with Gateshead Thunder to create a NEW club called Hull FC (i.e., NOT the same as the former Hull FC). The new club was even given a payment of £1.25m by the RFL to pay off creditors of both Hull Sharks and Gateshead Thunder. But the present Hull FC claim to have been founded in 1865, and won six Championships and five Challenge Cups. Their club badge even has 'Est. 1865' on it, for God's sake! It should actually say 'Est. 1999', and their achievements should be zero Championships and three Challenge Cups. They are living a lie and it just annoys me!