I'm no fan of Super League or the RFL's version of Pinky 'n' Perky - Wood and Lewis. Rugby League itself via SL has become the plaything of people who have no idea of its history and value to the human beings who follow it. No sense of the unique yet shared (by what remains of RL's ruptured family) ethos they'd much prefer see dead and buried.
Consequently, my past affections for certain clubs have all but disappeared because of the disproportionate advantages they've accrued in taking the elitist pelf.
I have no respect for St Helens any more, have always seen The Wire ("Wolves" - sheesh) as tribal enemies and view Wigan as forever to be followed around by the stink of Maurice Lindsay - RL's and SL's manipulator general.
Of this weekend's semi-finals in a greatly devalued Challenge Cup (another gem of an achievement by Lindsay and all who followed him) I can't find a fair thing to say about any of the clubs involved.
But I've never wanted Warrington to win anything bar the odd game against Catalans and now Celtic Crusaders in recent years so hope for a Wigan victory. Of the other 2 clubs, because at least they didn't buy their way into SL via an old pals act between Lindsay, Caisley and Davy, I hope St Helens win.
Then I can at least dream of a classic RL Challenge Cup final based on the traditional values this great sport once had. For believe me, I sure won't be watching it later this month - if indeed that is when it takes place.
Cheers. Norton...

Good post that Norton, you share the same sentiments of many a Widnes fan. Personally I havent watched the challenge cup final since I think it was 2004 when Wigan played Stains. CBA with it in the slightest mate.

However I hope St Helens win it, as half of my family are from Thatto Heath, and the thought of them lot from other side of David lloyd centre winning it is horrible. Something I hope I never have to witness.

As for Wigan, got newt against their fans nowadays, in fact got a lot of time for them if anything, as their crowds are pretty good, and the fact I hate WAFC has something to do with it, but Stains over them any day.

My opinions on this have been made clear in the past but I do still have certain biases and my main bias in this challenge cup final four is that wire don't make the final in any way shape or form. I am sure they will understand.

Wigan or Saints, its all lancashire and uncle mo has gone so I don't really mind either way.

I struggle to understand how you dont want to even attemp to watch the pinnacle game of Rugby League.

Norton states that the reason behind himself not watching it is because he has fell out of love with that side of the game due to the RFL/Uncle mo etc. Is that a reason to not watch the final of the most prestigous prize (imo) of the greatest game on the planet

Ive been the last five Challenge cup finals and ive seen minibus's/coaches from Keighley, Whitehaven, Dewsbury and your good selves plenty of times.

As a Warrington fan, i really hope we can make the final but if the shoe was on the other foot and Widnes were in our position, I too would support the other three regardless of which clubs they are!!

Until you can comprehend many things including the following: the disgraceful treatment of my club at SL's inception and since; the farce of last year's "criteria" being preset to favour certain agendas, these even then hilariously being turned on their head through the selective re-interpretation of an already ludicrous logic where, for eg, not having a stadium to standard is discounted as a negative providing (if you're Salford and Celtic Crusaders) you can theorize about having one; that history doesn't count unless the RFL this time, can theorize about some club, some time building one (ironically because Widnes, say, have had over 100 years building theirs so it's only fair); that the idea a bloke from tennis is fit for purpose to run RL after being sacked from a similar position in his OWN sport (that non-elite game known as tennis) can only be preposterous, then you'll just merrily go along seeing Warrington win diddley-buck in a sport laughably run by people you couldn't make up.
The real disgrace covers 2 things: "rules" implemented in SL's early days yet subject to any interpretation by Lindsay, Caisley et al in order to make "special cases", then changed because of the predictable uproar that followed - these then subject to any interpretation the RFL felt like to make more special cases, cue uproar and so on ad infinitum: secondly and from this, the way bitterness has infested the game at a lower level, not just from earlier maltreatment, but as each club has polarized itself and its fans from all others such they bicker about who has the best case to be in SL, citing their own umpteen re-interpretations of past and current "rules", none of which have had, do, or will have any credibility anyway.
And guess what? Now SL clubs and fans are at each others' throats in the same ways because the relegation/promotion format has been terminated (disgusting) and several now see a certain date next year as a potential doomsday.
Not your club, mind, eh? You're alrighty so it's easy for you to talk of the Challenge Cup in glowing terms even if you deceive yourself in doing so. Celtic Crusaders, Catalans and a host of others will be fine too.
But that's the real rub; SL clubs and fans in the majority couldn't give a toss about the lower divisions or the clubs in them. So you can tell me as often as you like about how you care for RL, the game. Try doing it like I genuinely do despite the suffering of my own club - one of RL's most famous.

Oh dear i can see exactly where this is heading.

"Bloody hell thats deep. Good job i had some pro-plus handy"

Now you'll never sleep. If it still exists take a walk to the Hogey Wagon. Hm, if not, take a walk to where it once was anyway.


"In all seriousness, its obviously a subject that your passionate about so i respect your opinion"

Yep, I am, and my outrage endures because I'm convinced there are plenty who agree with me, including some from SL clubs. There needs to be a realization that the game is OURS; it always has been.
Cheers for the reply and acknowledgement in it.

I can understand people not wanting Wire to win (or Saints, Wigan or Hudds, as everybody has different reasons) but this post is just a load of bitter nonsense.

Surely the Challenge Cup is the one bit of RL that hasn't changed. It hasn;t been affected by licensing etc. I can understand Widnes fans being bitter about SL (until they get in there in a couple of years, and then everything will be forgotten), but I don;t really understand the attack on the cup.

I agree with that. I'm not sure where this guy has come from but we need people like him to understand moaning about things wont get us anywhere. Our club isn't moaning, we're putting together a club to be proud of.

It has been discussed many times, but look at the difference in attitude between Widnes and Leigh. Widnes (IMHO) had a genuine right to be disappointed, whereas Leigh seemed to have convinced themselves it was a stadium comp, yet the positivity from the Widnes club (in general) has won them a lot of supporters in their bid for SL.

Don't get me wrong, when you are in SL, I will want you to lose every game!

How ironic you seeing tradition in the Challenge Cup, which I didn't attack. Reread what I said. The only people who attacked its status were those who tossed it up in the air, faffed around with its long-standing format and banished it to a daft August conclusion. Lindsay and co. initially. Summer RL is no excuse for it.
What particularly galls me with folk like you is how you just can't grasp the plain fact change doesn't guarantee progress. If not it is simply change for change's sake. Like I've said, it's HOW you do it.