No, I'm proposing that the NRL champions should no longer be allowed to play a warm-up match against a SL side before the WCC, a rule which used to be in place until Harlequins were for some reason given an exemption two years ago.

I don't know what Hull KR have to do with anything or what point you are trying to make, but you're a clown if you can't differentiate between pre-season friendlies and a meaningless fixture in the middle of the Super League season which involves disrupting the fixture list for two clubs. There would be no issue if the game was played pre-season, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're being purposefully obtuse because I can't believe anyone would miss the point so explicitly.

The SL champions earn the right to play against the NRL champions by winning the league, to have them then also play another SL club who have not earned the right seems a bit silly. If the NRL champions want a warm up game then there are plenty of teams they can play without disrupting the SL season. To be honest I think the WCC format needs a massive overhaul, but that's beside the point. What does this game achieve for Harlequins RL, why do they agree to play it every year when most clubs complain about an already crowded fixture list? Could you imagine Blackpool postponing a Premier League fixture in order to play a friendly against Barcelona? The whole excercise makes no sense whichever way you look at it, hopefully the new coach will do the right thing and have the fixture removed.

Disagree. In 2009, the first time this was tried, the RFL paid for all the marketing and promotion and made a slight pofit from the game. They paid TNT as well as other organisations to promote the game and the result was a gate nearing 7,000 people. Given Quins RL average is 3,200 odd, then 3k and change turned up to watch the game, then it's safe to assume that 3,800 or so people turned up to the game that would not normally visit the stoop. The trick is in identifying these people and communicating with them...... the Mistake was Quins RL not collecting data and following up on this...............something that belongs in a different thread.
The Warm up game is designed to give the crims a chance to warm up......and for quins RL to try to attract fans from the transient bar staff population in London. The touring side would need a warm up game and given that there are more Aussies in London than anywhere else, that's why the game is v Quins RL.

I agree, the WCC needs an overhaul, but as it stands, the warm up game in London is a good idea as it serves 2 purposes.....even if one isn't properly managed.

But the Australian expats clearly know Quins RL exist and are clearly not interested in watching them. I don't think taking details would have achieved anything really, you can't force people to go, it may have led to a slight increase in attendance but so would any competent marketing scheme. I do not see what the game can achieve that warrants disrupting the SL calendar. Apart from anything else, Quins RL/London Broncos have been targeting the expat population pretty much since their inception and it has categorically failed for years. Australian expats are no more likely to become fans than anyone else, and the amount of effort invested in trying to attract this small group to games is one of the reasons the London club have been such a failure for so many years.

Couple of points
Firstly, the club have failed to target anyone, let alone aussies and that is why crowds are low.
Secondly, two lads that were 9yrs old when sl started are making long journeys this winter. 1 is off to the 4 nations to play for england...the other is off to play for ST Helens..........maybe not fast enough for some but londons sl team are not a failure by any means other than attendances.

Wouldn't bother me if we don't have this warm-up fixture next year but I do hope that our team gets some proper pre-season games.

PS Club, don't bother negotiating a fixture against the Welsh Aussies. Had enough of them this year.

I enjoyed the match last year and I hope we get a game against the Dragons.

You don't need to preach to me, I'm probably the biggest expansionist on this forum. You've still failed to explain what the game against the NRL champions achieves other than inconveniencing everyone.

Its not that complicated. A game against the NRL champions is an opportunity to promote regular season games. We need more fans and this is a chance to attract some.

Spot on. London is a potentially huge market and everything must be done to attract supporters. Anyone who says Harlequins doesn't deserve this fixture is missing the point. It's not a question of deserving the fixture, it's about expanding the game down south.

Now begone those who worship at the alter of Onan.

edited

Can you explain to me how exactly this match is supposed to expand the game? Attracting 3k Aussies to a one-off match is not expansion. It's a waste of time. The Australian ex-pats are not interested in regularly watching Harlequins RL, otherwise they would do so, they clearly know the club exists. Every match should be seen as an opportunity to attract supporters, London is a potentially huge market that has had SL rugby for 15 years and adding a meaningless extra fixture isn't going to achieve anything, certainly not at the cost of disrupting the season for two clubs. It smacks of desperation from people who don't have a clue what they are doing.

Promote the games to who? A bunch of Australian ex-pats who have demonstrated time and time again that they are not interested? What the club needs is to increase the core fan base, not get a bunch of people in for a one off game who are not likely to ever come again.

No they don't. I went to the Walkabout a couple of years back when Manly were in town for the warm up game........the few aussies that rolled up for a drink were amazed to see the team there, asked why they were there and were stunned to hear there was a pro RL team in London. This is nobody's fault other than Quins RL, but if you think about it, London is a pretty big place and the cost of marketing does prevent the club from total blanket campaigns.
The point of the warm up game being played in London is to attempt to raise the profile of the game in the south east.....a task that becomes more difficult as the years go by as the press have no interest, radio even less and TNT want to charge a fortune for space.
I see your point when it comes to there being 2 games of the regular season moved, but in the greater scheme of things, it is a small price to pay for trying to get some coverage of the game in the south east......
If you want to moan about disrupted games, I suggest you have a word with the RFL, Crusaders and nobby who had our game in Wales moved to accommodate the BBC and their Challenge Cup coverage.....that was a travesty. Or even Sly TV moving the only game they ever moved in France.....because "Quins don't bring many fans"...so it won't inconvenience many....

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 16w1a.html Dragons scared to face the mighty Quins?

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 16w1a.html Dragons scared to face the mighty Quins?