Millenium Magic Weekend...Super League XIV. Round 12.

toomevara

FIXTURES - All at Murrayfield. All on Sky.


Saturday 2nd May

Salford City Reds v Harlequins RL. KO 15:00
Wakefield Wildcats v Bradford Bulls. KO 17:00
Wigan Warriors v St. Helens. KO 19:00

Sunday 3rd May

Huddersfield Giants v Celtic Crusaders. KO 12:30
Hull FC v Castleford Tigers. KO 14:45
Catalans Dragons v Leeds Rhinos. KO 17:00
Warrington Wolves v Hull Kingston Rovers. KO 19:00

So it's Millenium Magic weekend,Have to admit I've got my doubts about the concept. Last year's was great in terms of the rugby, but the complete lack of support by the WRU was really evident. The SRU has really gotten on board this year and hopefully it'll be a better affair...

Some great games in prospect and all on Sky (there goes the relationship). Wakefield V The Bulls and Wigan V Saints should be interesting to say the least and I'm nuthin' but worried about Catalans V Leeds....

Stev_o

The name is pretty misleading :P

I guess Magic Murray Weekend would end up a disaster, with thousands of old folk turning up thinking it's magic pensioner.

amacachi

Salford City Reds
Bradford Bulls
St. Helens
Huddersfield Giants
Hull FC
Leeds Rhinos
Warrington Wolves

Should've been ****in flying out for this this morning, Christ I wish I'd booked accomodation earlier.

WakeyTyke

amacachi wrote: »

Salford City Reds
Bradford Bulls
St. Helens
Huddersfield Giants
Hull FC
Leeds Rhinos
Warrington Wolves

Should've been ****in flying out for this this morning, Christ I wish I'd booked accomodation earlier.

If the lack of available accomodation is anything go by there should be a great crowd at Murrayfield. It seems I am one of the lucky ones to have a room. Expecting to see some great rugby games and hoping (predicting) that Wakey can get back to winning ways against the Bulls.

amacachi

WakeyTyke wrote: »

If the lack of available accomodation is anything go by there should be a great crowd at Murrayfield. It seems I am one of the lucky ones to have a room. Expecting to see some great rugby games and hoping (predicting) that Wakey can get back to winning ways against the Bulls.

Aye, the rooms all seemed to go in the space of about two weeks. Sure I won't make the same mistake next year. I'm just hoping I get to see more than one game over the weekend.:)
Should be a few crackers. I can't see Crusaders beating Huddersfield this weekend, would be nice to see them break their streak at Murrayfield.

amacachi

Wow that's a disappointing crowd in for the first match.

Stev_o

Curse of MuarryField i guess same for both codes sadly. Good start for Quins.

amacachi

Stev_o wrote: »

Curse of MuarryField i guess same for both codes sadly. Good start for Quins.

Good start now for Salford now. :P Knew I wouldn't get peace to ****ing watch this.:mad: Probably only going to see the last match tonight.

Stev_o

Good try by Myler, is he related to Northampton's Stephen Myler?

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

Good try by Myler, is he related to Northampton's Stephen Myler?

Think they're brothers...Stephen used to play for Salford too, but Paul Grayson persuaded him to switch codes..Most RL folk reckon Richie will be the future England SH. Wigan have already tried to poach him, but McCrae set them away with a flea in their ear.

DigiDec

Good win for Bradford, Wigan doing very well too.

Paul Tergat

Bradford win 2 in a row :eek:

Whats happened to Saints?

DigiDec

Saints look tired, but you can never write them off.

toomevara

Good days rugby yesterday. Disappointed with the crowd. Saints seem to be in the same mid-season slump as the rhinos (both teams look dis-interested and low on energy) while the bulls and Wigan are on a nice upward trend. Enjoyed both those games, but thought Wigan's display was particularly good...must say though, without taking anything away from them I haven't seen a Saints team look so rudderless in a long time...

DigiDec

and here's to a good day today too!!

toomevara

Christ the Giants v Crusaders game was bloody woeful...they're looking less and less like a SL team as the season progresses...Widnes and Halifax appear increasingly justified in their assertion that either of them would have been a far better addition to the competition...

amacachi

toomevara wrote: »

Christ the Giants v Crusaders game was bloody woeful...they're looking less and less like a SL team as the season progresses...Widnes and Halifax appear increasingly justified in their assertion that either of them would have been a far better addition to the competition...

Yep, getting harder and harder to keep patience. They really need a match against Saints or Leeds soon to get that first win under their belts. :P

toomevara

Great first forty from Leeds, possibly their best half this season...but fell away badly in the third quarter....still trying to do too much, looking for the million dollar ball, but I suppose back on the horse, but still too erratic and mentally fragile for my liking...like what Buderus brings to the party and McGuire and Burrow seem to be clicking. but we allowed the Catalans back in the game and they finished by far the stronger team...

I'm glad they're not involved in the challenge cup next weekend they could do with a rest...!

WakeyTyke

Had a great day, Saturday, at Murrayfield (despite Wakey losing to the Bulls). The attendance was given at just under 30,000 which probably seemed high to TV viewers but fans were coming and going all the time, often there seemed as many fans outside the stadium as in. A lot of fans, strangely, only watched their team then went, though Edinburgh is a great city to hold it in.

I think the match selection shouldn't be decided until into the season rather than before it. Huddersfield - Crusader's was clearly always going to be a walk-over and wouldn't have encouraged too many neutral fans to go see it. Hopefully Wires v KR will be a close match.

amacachi

WakeyTyke wrote: »

Had a great day, Saturday, at Murrayfield (despite Wakey losing to the Bulls). The attendance was given at just under 30,000 which probably seemed high to TV viewers but fans were coming and going all the time, often there seemed as many fans outside the stadium as in. A lot of fans, strangely, only watched their team then went, though Edinburgh is a great city to hold it in.

I think the match selection shouldn't be decided until into the season rather than before it. Huddersfield - Crusader's was clearly always going to be a walk-over and wouldn't have encouraged too many neutral fans to go see it. Hopefully Wires v KR will be a close match.

I'd've gone to every match.

Where you in the city for the Saturday night?

WakeyTyke

Was booked into stay at the Apex European which was only 15 minute walk to and from the ground but they moved me to the Apex City in the centre of town, great location but was closed off to traffic Sunday morning for a 10km race.

Stev_o

HKR and Warrington match was brilliant a real seesaw struggle between the sides though you could argue that some of the tackling was woeful. But was a great way to finish the weekend!

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

HKR and Warrington match was brilliant a real seesaw struggle between the sides though you could argue that some of the tackling was woeful. But was a great way to finish the weekend!

Fabulous game, what about Galea?Two beautiful tries...though Wire were really good especially given that they were missing so many key player. Smith's done a job for them.

Great weekend's rugby (Crusaders/Giants excepted). Hopefully next year I'll get up there myself. Absolutely love Edinburgh, a much better location than Cardiff....

Dozen Wicked Words

I'm going to try and go next year. My brother went both years of Millenium Magic and rubbed it in.

I would def want to stay for all the games.

I'm a Quins RL fan, so they always stick us on first.


I would still have a little bit of hope for the Crusaders, the Dragons were woeful their first season (ok, not quite as woeful) and look at them last year.

I'm hopefully going to see a Quins game when I go to UK next month. Hopefully catch them on a good week. Fingers crossed when the soccer season ends a few more might turn up at the stoop.

toomevara

dooferoaks wrote: »

I'm hopefully going to see a Quins game when I go to UK next month. Hopefully catch them on a good week. Fingers crossed when the soccer season ends a few more might turn up at the stoop.

great stuff, ,love the stoop, brilliant ground and really impressed with Quins this season...not least the drubbing you handed out to us a Headingley recently...sigh....

Agree with you re: giving the crusaders time, its just to me 'Fax and Widnes were far better placed to make the leap and make abetter contribution to the game...

Dozen Wicked Words

Dead right about Widnes and Halifax, and looking at some of the other games from National League the infrastructure is there in more than those two. Think the Skolars might need to wait a bit more though!

I suppose I am a bit worried about them giving up on expansion cos we still dont get the crowds we should. My worry would be if they dump the Crusaders, we would be next. (My biggest worry actually, second only to someone poaching our coach)

Catalans has proved a success, and a what a great trip that is!

Salford would be on shaky ground too, decidedly average team and average crowds.

Oh and didn't like to gloat about our win at Headingley, still in shock we did it to be honest.

toomevara

dooferoaks wrote: »

Dead right about Widnes and Halifax

I think if the RFL were really bold, they'd allow both those teams into the SL in two seasons' time. The facilities in widnes for example are far superior to those in say Cas or Bradford, never mind the Crusaders. they've a great History of RL. Halifax have won every game in div 1 this year and are so far ahead that two of their MP's have made a plea to the RFL to be allowed into Super League!

Catalans has proved a success, and a what a great trip that is!

Yep, and thinking back to all the doomsayers and naysayers, it makes me smile, and how about Toulouse Olympique? Going great guns...you want to see RL take off in France like a rocket? Get toulouse into the SL..imagine that Derby?

Salford would be on shaky ground too, decidedly average team and average crowds.

Reckon Salford will come good, watching them play, they're just there...with Myler (pound for pound, the best SH in the SL) running the show, once they shore up their defensive deficits and get to playing/being competitive for a full 80 rather than 60-65....they'll be alright.

Oh and didn't like to gloat about our win at Headingley, still in shock we did it to be honest.

Thanks for sparing me blushes, but Quins put in a storming performance that night and were great value for the win, just wish they're were more Quins fans there in the flesh to see it...

toomevara

The RFL have released a survey for the Magic Weekend;

http://www.sportswise.info/surveys/magic/magic.htm

Have your say if you fancy it.

Dozen Wicked Words

toomevara wrote: »

The RFL have released a survey for the Magic Weekend;

http://www.sportswise.info/surveys/magic/magic.htm

Have your say if you fancy it.

Filled it, I suggested the RFL offering cheap package deals from Ireland to encourage me to go! Well, God loves a try-er!

toomevara

dooferoaks wrote: »

Filled it, I suggested the RFL offering cheap package deals from Ireland to encourage me to go! Well, God loves a try-er!

Filled it in too, suggested that after next years MM in murrayfield, they hit Lansdowne...I know the chief exec of the RFL is actively considering it...

amacachi

toomevara wrote: »

Filled it in too, suggested that after next years MM in murrayfield, they hit Lansdowne...I know the chief exec of the RFL is actively considering it...

Surely they wouldn't dream of it, the backlash from the fans would be huge.

couerdelion

The fans would be in uproar if it was held at Landsdowne.

Yes it could encourage the game in Ireland but the cost of hotels / drink over here is sky high compared to Edinburgh / Cardiff.

That doesn't include the cost of travelling, a family of four could get from Leeds to Edinburgh on a full tank of petrol ~ £50 ish. it would cost them a damn site more to include a ferry journey.

A lot more needs to be done to raise the profile of the game over here so that a core of local fans would be present.

France would be more viable if held on Spring bank Holiday (better weather) and designated camping sites were available. That way the travel costs could be offset against the accommodation cost.

Just my $0.02.

Stev_o

Just looking at Boot's n All and they were highlighting Bird in the Catalans Leeds match. How on earth was he picked i mean bloody hell he looked like a cripple or a lad who'd never played League in his life, had no legs and no clue in him!

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

Just looking at Boot's n All and they were highlighting Bird in the Catalans Leeds match. How on earth was he picked i mean bloody hell he looked like a cripple or a lad who'd never played League in his life, had no legs and no clue in him!

...and on a moral level he's just been convicted of sticking a glass in a a womans face in Oz..imo the guy shouldn't be anywhere near a feckin' rugby field (just Like Leon bloody price at Saints)....the RFL needs to get tough on this sort of thing...

Stev_o

toomevara wrote: »

...and on a moral level he's just been convicted of sticking a glass in a a womans face in Oz..imo the guy shouldn't be anywhere near a feckin' rugby field (just Like Leon bloody price at Saints)....the RFL needs to get tough on this sort of thing...

The clubs would be up in arms if the RFL banned people for situations like that though, they'v spent thousands on development, training and transfers and would pretty much go ballistic if they were then told that that player would be subsequently banned.

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

The clubs would be up in arms if the RFL banned people for situations like that though, they'v spent thousands on development, training and transfers and would pretty much go ballistic if they were then told that that player would be subsequently banned.

Got to disagree Stev_o. There's got, got, got to be a zero tolerance approach to this kind of activity by players. That's definitely the general consensus over here among the fan base, and Danny Lockwood, the editor of League Weekly, has written a brilliant article this week which has really put the cat among the pigeons, effectively accusing Saints and the RFL of moral cowardice over the issue..

In Pryce's case this is his second conviction in court for a violent assault.This guy has a major problem and has brought the game into disrepute, totally unacceptable. All professional RL players should be left in no doubt that if they are convicted in a court of law for assault/violence, their contract will be cancelled.....

amacachi

Stev_o wrote: »

Just looking at Boot's n All and they were highlighting Bird in the Catalans Leeds match. How on earth was he picked i mean bloody hell he looked like a cripple or a lad who'd never played League in his life, had no legs and no clue in him!

Christ above, missed the match the other day and just caught Boots n All, can't believe he was left on the pitch as long as he was.

toomevara wrote: »

...and on a moral level he's just been convicted of sticking a glass in a a womans face in Oz..imo the guy shouldn't be anywhere near a feckin' rugby field (just Like Leon bloody price at Saints)....the RFL needs to get tough on this sort of thing...

Did Bird get any disciplinary action taken against him in Australia?

toomevara

amacachi wrote: »

Did Bird get any disciplinary action taken against him in Australia?

Bird is quite a piece of work, his team Cronulla Sharks, unlike the Catalans, had some balls and immediately suspended him when the case broke...(they take a much more robust and honourable attitude to this sort of thing in the NRL, but then they've learned the hard way that they've got to)

To further compound his crime he did everything he could to weasel out of it, even asking a mate how he felt about taking the fall for him, real honourable stuff. His primary concern was keeping it out of the media and Bird appears never to have displayed a moments remorse for the fact that he stuck a glass in his girlfriend's face....a very unsavoury character, and the fact that Catalans only response to his conviction was to desperately scramble about trying to get him a visa shows the current state of ethics and morality in the game..victory is all...

Interestingly, because of his conviction, he wouldn't get a visa to play for a UK club, but because the French don't seem to mind admitting a man with a conviction for an exceptionally violent assault on a woman, he gets to play in super league. Its a disgrace,plain and simple.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24234137-2,00.html

Dozen Wicked Words

toomevara wrote: »

Bird is quite a piece of work, his team Cronulla Sharks, unlike the Catalans, had some balls and immediately suspended him when the case broke...(they take a much more robust and honourable attitude to this sort of thing in the NRL, but then they've learned the hard way that they've got to)

To further compound his crime he did everything he could to weasel out of it, even asking a mate how he felt about taking the fall for him, real honourable stuff. His primary concern was keeping it out of the media and Bird appears never to have displayed a moments remorse for the fact that he stuck a glass in his girlfriend's face....a very unsavoury character, and the fact that Catalans only response to his conviction was to desperately scramble about trying to get him a visa shows the current state of ethics and morality in the game..victory is all...

Interestingly, because of his conviction, he wouldn't get a visa to play for a UK club, but because the French don't seem to mind admitting a man with a conviction for an exceptionally violent assault on a woman, he gets to play in super league. Its a disgrace,plain and simple.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24234137-2,00.html

The man appears to be a wholly unpleasant human being but to be fair to the Catalan dragons, they just signed a player the Bradford Bulls couldn't get (because of, as you say, UK immigration). I don't agree with the french teams decision, but an English club had no problem trying to sign him either.

toomevara

dooferoaks wrote: »

but an English club had no problem trying to sign him either.

Absolutely, which is why, imo, if a player gets a conviction for assault an automatic playing ban should apply. Preferably two years, across the board. It's a sad indictment of the moral vacuum a the heart of many clubs that they'd be happy to have an individual like Bird represent their club, town and fans. I mean really, what are Catalans on? A woman beating, violent thug is what we're all about? He represents our club ethos? Where do you start?

Were, for example Leeds to take on a guy like Bird, I would have serious issues, and would struggle to continue to support them.

WakeyTyke

toomevara wrote: »

Absolutely, which is why, imo, if a player gets a conviction for assault an automatic playing ban should apply. Preferably two years, across the board. It's a sad indictment of the moral vacuum a the heart of many clubs that they'd be happy to have an individual like Bird represent their club, town and fans. I mean really, what are Catalans on? A woman beating, violent thug is what we're all about? He represents our club ethos? Where do you start?

Were, for example Leeds to take on a guy like Bird, I would have serious issues, and would struggle to continue to support them.

The question arises - what if Bird gets a jail sentence on June 22nd? Surely the RFL would then have to take a stand on the issue, as clearly Catalan has zero morals on this.

Also would British authorities allow a convicted criminal in to 'work' in the UK? This could all turn very embarrassing and awkward for a sport that prides its 'family' ethos.

Dozen Wicked Words

WakeyTyke wrote: »

Also would British authorities allow a convicted criminal in to 'work' in the UK? This could all turn very embarrassing and awkward for a sport that prides its 'family' ethos.

Unfortunately it will be down to the RFL, The British Government allowed Mike Tyson, a convicted Rapist into the country. The authorities will do nothing about Bird but turn a blind eye.