I think the Magic Weekend COULD have been a good idea IF it had been used properly. There should have been a four year published schedule moving around the country.

i.e. Cardiff, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Dublin. (or any other appropriate cities)

Let the fans know in good time and they could save up, get hotels booked etc.

I like that idea RG, and gave you a tick..

The Man for the post is, Thierry Alibert, first task is to launch a French speaking regime, all Refs to learn and understand the French language, Now that would be real progress.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.


The first thing the new guy has to do is let the officials know that the constant errors won't be tolerated and that the likes of Ganson, Thaler, Silverwood and Bentham are not above reffing in the Championship if their performances warrant it. Everyone makes mistakes there's no doubting that but the lack of consistency is criminal at times.

We also need to stop the 20+ penalties a game and let the game flow.

The main reason I think it is a poor concept is that I think anything outside of the league, CC and play-offs need to be representative matches of some kind. The part of the game that needs most attention is the representative side of it. There seems very little ambition there and these days we even ensure the games will be poorly attended compared to the recent past by staging them in places like the DW. With this area of the game crying our for a bit of TLC the last thing you need is Wood (and I am certain it was him who was prime mover) dreaming up ideas like the magic weekend.

He was equally batty when at Halifax and came up with some bizarre ideas such as point for the team in the lead at half time. You can see club call has his name written all over it based on his past thinking. This kind of tinkering is gimmickry dressed up as policy and IMO the magic concept is the biggest bit of gimmickry of the lot when energies would have been better spent elsewhere.

This. The standard of refereeing in this country has only gone one way since Cummins took charge.

One of the trade papers was informing us that Leeds Carnegie had told the referees to find alternative accomodation. LC no longer sponsor the C Cup so they've given the refs the boot from their premisies. Not before time.
I never liked the idea of the Leeds Carnegie Match Officials being so close to the Leeds Carnegie Rhinos who of course play out of the Leeds Carnegie Stadium.

As for the Magic Weekend, it should be taken from SL so we have 26 games not 27 and it is a normal league. Magic should be transferred to the C Cup at the last 16 stage.
14 SL clubs to enter the C Cup at the last 16 with 2 from the Championship for the Magic Weekend. Eight games over two days in a truly knock out competition. That would sell out without discounting tickets.

Whilst I fully agree with the first part - A full round of CCup matches to replace the current skewing of the league - I completely disagree with the rest.

Why should you guarantee ONLY 2 teams from the entire rest of the competition beneath Superleague?

SL clubs should enter at last 32, and whoever is left in the final 16, be it 14 SL + 2 Champ or 0 SL + 16 Champ gets to play on the weekend.

Finally, make the announcemnt of which day each team plays as soon as the draw is done, but don't announce the play order.
If possible, announce which game is to commence 20m to 1hr before each kick-off, to maximise the crowds across each day.

Jamie Peacock has tweeted....

'Word is... Nick Fozzard is to take over Stu Cummings old job and is to legalise shou/charge, the stiff arm, scrum fisticuffs n spleening'

not to mention lifting the knees when running in...

I've heard Stevie Wonder & David Blunkett (+dog) are front runners for the job.

They've got the two sky matches this weekend.

I heard that Nigel Wood had the barnstorming idea to hold open auditions around the country to fill the post and call it 'Ref-Factor'.

He's planning to have an entirely un-biased judging panel of Gary Hetherington, Gary Schofield & Barrie Mac, and contestants through to bootcamp will get to stay in luxury at Stevo & Eddie's 2up-2down bachelor pad in Dewsbury before heading to the final held at Red Hall.

He claims this will further help to cement RL's reputation as the most innovative sport in the world.

you forgot to mention that all contestants have to live within a 3 mile radius of Headingly to avoid unnecessary travelling to work

at last