Quote: DaveO "The league structure is a problem but it will only be so if the clubs treat it in a way that disrespects the league. As I said in my previous postThat would be true if Wane was playing a computer game called "SL Championship manager" or something where the only person he had to please was himself.
Meanwhile back in the real world sport is supposed to be about entertainment and the fans want entertaining.
[/i
2011 was a successful season as we won the cup so I am not sure of your point here. Dropping off was not good but not many teams have done the double.
Our own player drain started after the cup win with Joel leaving and I think it culminated at the end of last season with just too many of quality having gone since then.
I also think this comment from Orrell lad is very trueThe turnover of players has to stop, all the excitement of being Champions is being eroded.[/i
If we win either major trophy fans will to a degree forget the bad games but that doesn't mean they won't view next season selectively in terms of games to watch'"
I think in the Madge/Wane era some of the best and most entertaining rugby we've played was around this time 2 years ago (beating Sts in cup and Magic, 50 on Leeds at Headingley etc), but ultimately we were beaten by Leeds in both semis and ended up with nowt apart from LLS, it's not a case of disrespecting the league, it's been proven that peaking at the right time and not going hell for leather in the weekly rounds is the correct tactic under this current system. Do you think Leeds fans would swap the recent 5th place finishes for the GFs and CCFs they've been in? The system is the major problem and thankfully it's being changed to one that actually rewards finishing higher in the league.
I completely agree with you and Orrell Lad about the player drain, I wish we were still watching a team that had Sam and Joel, Hansen, Mossop in, and I've been less than impressed with some of our recruitment over the last few seasons, and yes this has resulted in a drop in the average attendance and ST holders. I, personally, now just have a Loyal 18 membership and pick and choose games, this is down to a combination of work commitments and waining interest in the weekly rounds. Hopefully a 12 team league will lead to fewer games of the standard of Friday night and a greater emphasis on playing well week-in, week-out.