Rugby League news

First topic message reminder :

Gareth Ellis has said he will make a decision on which team he will join before the end of March , his agent has said they have had offers from several clubs but have narrowed it down to 4 teams ...while he did not mention which clubs they were they are believed to be Leeds , Hull FC , Huddersfield and Warrington .

Catalan Dragons have denied Hull KR permission to train on the Stade Gilbert Brutus pitch before saturdays Superleague game , rules state it is the home teams choice if they allow visiting teams to use their pitches or not . Catalans have told Rovers to train elsewhere which hasn't gone down well with them , odd decision from the Dragons as they usually allow all visiting teams to use their facilities .

Ryan Bailey has been given a 3 match ban and a £300 fine for pushing a match official during Leeds Rhinos game against Warrington Wolves , Brent Webb was also fined £300 and given a verbal warning for the same offence in the same incident . Warringtons Mickey Higham received a 2 match ban for a high tackle on Rob Burrow in the same game .

Bradfords Jarrod Sammut was given a 1 match ban for a dangerous tackle against Hull KR , Hull FC prop Mark O'Melley was also given a 1 match ban for a dangerous tackle in Hulls game against St Helens .

Former Wales rugby union international Andy Powell is returning to Welsh rugby as a dual-registered league player with Neath-based South Wales Scorpions.

tigerrobins wrote:

The Beast wrote:

tigerrobins wrote:Trouble is Kenny, the trouble they took in getting London into SL (they finnished 5th that season), and to keep them there. Plus the stupid idea that we need a club in the capital, and the idea that we need clubs out of the heartlands.  Just feel that they will be there.

To be honest, unless your a fan of Warrington, Leeds,Wigan,Leeds,Hull,Catalans, Saints, Huddersfield , I'd be worried.
Salford (especially now thanks to the doctor, Bradford due to Khan, Wakefield with there new ground I expect to be the safe, the rest could be in serious trouble.
The way I expect them to chose, is its the franchise thing again,  that will be the main thing to weather who stays/goes.

Am I missing something (ok else!!) BBC & Sky websites says 2 will be relegated with no exemption for London/Catalans, presumably a straight league position battle? Thereafter is is P&R so I can't see why it (relegation next year) would be on the basis of franchise?

Not sure about how they're going to work it out Beast, but P&R won't come in till 2015, as next season is when this round of licencing finnishes, so would expect it to be down to the licencing, and then start with P&R. Also because they haven't mentioned anything other than the 12 team thing (ie league structure, or that it is p&R etc), tends to make me think this is the way they will do it. Though I could be wrong, as has been known, regularly:D 

It certainly does not seem clear at the moment at least, perhaps they have not decided yet!!. Cheers for the info and reply.

Your not missing anything beast , like most things RL in the UK this is half baked

They should not of announced a change until everything was sorted , all this has done is cause more confusion and imo will put 2 if not more clubs out of business , as to try and avoid missing out clubs will spend money they don't have in the risk of getting a reprieve and staying in a 12 team SL .

We ( by that i mean SL / RFL ) haven't a clue , we put all our eggs in one basket ( Wigan , Warrington , St Helens , Leeds , Hull FC ....and to a lesser extent Catalans and Huddersfield ) and sod the rest ..... but that doesn't give us a strong game , it's the same teams every season in finals ( which is great if you support them but not a great advert for our game as a whole) .

The people at RFL and SL don't seem to understand that you need a even league were any team could win to make it interesting not just the same old same old .
Results over the last few seasons show that given full strength sides matches can be competitive and ' shocks ' can /have happened , but they shouldn't be ' shocks ' really in a competition were a salary cap is suppose to provide a even playing field .

I would actually be in favour of reducing the salary cap to level that all the teams can manage it ( but RFL would need to make sure it was stuck too or points would be deducted 10 points would stop it being abused ) .
I know the ' big teams ' would moan that they couldn't keep or bring in players but that's were academys would come in ...make the teams develop their own youngsters

we may lose some / a lot of players to the NRL but then i also think they could end up harming their own competition by bringing over UK players and not bringing throw their own talent ..so that would stop after a few seasons .

Surely a SL of 12 , 14 or 16 evenly matched teams is a more attractive product to a bigger audience then one were 3 or 4 teams always finish at the top ?

sorry rant over

Kenny wrote:sorry rant over

No need to apologise it is a great post (mine is below) and yes I agree the more competitive the better IMO. I do wonder if a more radical overhaul is needed before semi-pro becomes a reality for at least some, seeing the news that Wakefield have a winding up order against them makes me wonder if.............dare I say this.............mergers???

I know we are all dead against it however tough decisions may be the only answer fitting in with your comments? There are some key questions for me, such as why when SL has better viewing figures on Sky than Union SL receives less money? I live in a strong union area, the game however seems to have become slower, even some of the fans admit that a number of games are dire kicking contests but more people watch? Marketing I assume is the answer? I would not particularly want to watch Leicester Tigers who are approx. 6 miles from where I live but as a club damn me they are well run, a members club no single/group owners propping them up, former players heavily involved with the clubs best interests in mind, often (other than stadium development) in the red. I went in the club shop last year to buy vouchers (as a gift not for me I'll quickly add and I wore a Bulls shirt!) slick as bird s**t. Union might be slightly behind player talent wise but they are miles ahead off the pitch.

I think Sky have done wonders for our game , but they seem blinkered in their vision of how well things are going ... they go on about more people watching games ....about how good our league is ...about how much better our players are getting ... and also spend money on sometimes 6 + presenters /guest per match and those constant stats from Clarkey or Carney when it was so much better without them .

Imo there was much more passion if thats the right word in the screening of games when it was Eddie and Stevo years ago .... now i know things have to change but i don't think they have changed for the better it seems they are constantly being told to hype up the bigger teams even when they aren't playing well .
A couple of seasons ago i watched every game that was shown , now i watch KR games and the rest i can live without ....it's become a case of can i be bothered to watch all the nonsense .

Stop bigging up a product that needs sorting and sort it out first ! RL will never be as big as some sports in this country so stop trying to make out it is and concentrate on making it the best it can be rather then a hollow shell with no substance .

Hire someone who actually knows what they are doing to promote the league , sort out investment , sort out paying sponsers . Market the game properly , look at other sports it works !

My biggest problem with the SL  is there does not seem to be a long term plan , everything is a 2 - 3 year process that they just keep changing for another 2 - 3 process ........ has the RFL heard of stability ?

Get the clubs to develop their own players ( make it so each club must have so many players from their own academy in their squads ) , punish teams points wise for not doing it . Make each team name a 26 man squad at the start of the season ..from which say 8 - 10 must be own academy players/graduates .

A mate of mine keeps singing the praises of the good Dr at Salford pumping money into the game but he should still stick to the rules , yes it's good that he wants to invest some of his cash but for Salford to have solid foundation they can't buy everyone they need to bring players through as well .

Dual registration needs stopping or sorting out , it was suppose to benefit young players to gain experience not to get injured players fit or serve bans .

Bring back the U21 s or a proper reserves league , that way injured players can get fit playing in that .

The other thing that i think SL clubs should do more ( especially the 2 Hull clubs ) is look at the amatuer game for possible prospects .. we have 5 teams in the National Conference Premier league from our city ... it's an are area that should be looked at there are some good young kids playing in it .

Bradford Bulls

Adam Sidlow is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury

Salford have made a bid to sign Canterbury Bulldogs and New Zealand star Frank Pritchard.

The Reds' ambitious owner Marwan Koukash has confirmed an offer has been submitted for the 29-year-old back-row, who is close friends with Salford-bound St Helens forward Tony Puletua.

"We have made an offer to Pritchard and are waiting to hear back from him," Koukash told the Manchester Evening news. "We feel he would be a tremendous signing. He is a quality forward.

"We are looking to bring in two big second row forwards to bolster our squad."

Koukash is still trying to prise Rangi Chase from Castleford, having had an initial bid turned down last week.

Half-back Liam Foran has left Super League strugglers Salford City Reds after only six months.

There are some things I agree within both Kenny's & Beasts statements.

I do think that they should have come out and said the whole package (ie UN 2015, SL will be 12teams that will play this format, this will be decided by this way etc), I don't agree with 12 teams but that's life. But that's the RFL way, announce things piece mill. I also agree that we should be looking futher ahead, nd could we also stop changing the rules every season. What is worrying more, is that the RFL don't care about anything but SL. The championship &Barla is a mess, yet all the talk I've heard is about what to do with the 2.4 million. The 2 clubs that leave SL won't be getting.

Beast, that's always bee RU biggest point to me, whatever you say about the product, it's superbly run, the clubs are excellentLG run, and the adminstors care about the game (all of it) something RL cannot say the same.
Until we sort out were we are going, we are always going to have these problems, and until we stop this what's good for my club and change to what's good for RL we will keep running up cul der sacs, and then have to change.
I love Rovers, will always want them to do well, and will try to go when I can no matter what league they're in, I also love RL and want it to do the beat it can, why can't the people in charge want this, instead of SL only?

Also Kenny, there's a very strong rumour that duel registration will be stopped after this season.

Hull FC forward Ben Galea has announced his retirement with immediate effect.
The 34-year-old Australia second rower was planning to end his rugby league career at the end of the season, his 15th in the professional game.
But after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the Black and Whites' Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Catalan Dragons last Saturday, he has been forced to bring forward his retirement.



It is a shame his career has ended like this , i didn't agree with his choice to join FC obviously but he was a very good player for Rovers before that .

Good luck in whatever you end up doing Benny

Sean Long leaves Wigan. He was a round peg in a square hole for me at that club.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/416085/Long-departs-Wigan

Salford City Reds have released former Manly forward Vic Mauro by mutual consent and he returns to Australia after six months at Salford City Stadium.

Vic follows Liam Foran who left last week after a similar stint.

Castleford Tigers have parted company with props Steve Nash and Ben Davies by mutual consent.

St Helens' veteran forward Tony Puletua has confirmed he is leaving the Super League club after five seasons.

The former New Zealand international, who is set to feature for Samoa at the World Cup later this season, is out of contract at the end of the campaign.

However, following fresh reports he is set to sign a two-year contact with ambitious Salford Red Devils, as they will be known as next season, he has issued a response.

Puletua has thanks Saints' fans for all their support during his time in Lancashire while he is also sorry for the way the news has been broken.

"To all the Saints fans. Thank you so much for the support over the years here at this great club. It's been an honour!" the 34-year-old wrote on Twitter.

"I apologise about the announcement coming out in the papers before I said anything. It's not how I wanted it to happen."

Leeds Rhinos have confirmed the 'devastating' news that former head coach Graham Murray has died aged 58.

The Australian tactician suffered a heart attack earlier this year but had been on the road to recovery before suffering another attack.

Murray helped turn around the West Yorkshire giants' flagging fortunes after joining from the Hunter Mariners in 1998, before later coaching Sydney Roosters, North Queensland Cowboys and New South Wales,

He helped Leeds reach the inaugural Grand Final in 1998 which ultimately ended in defeat to Wigan Warriors, although a year later he guided the Rhinos to Challenge Cup success against the London Broncos at Wembley - their last cup triumph.

"It is devastating news and so sad to have lost Graham, who will be fondly remembered by all our fans, players and staff who knew him from his time with us," chief executive Gary Hetherington told the club's official website.
Professional

"He was very popular and so professional in everything he did. He was an outstanding coach and mentor and he cared about all aspects of Rugby League. The game has lost a great servant."

Former Rhino Barrie McDermott, who scored a try in the 99' final, commented, "Graham Murray had a huge influence on Leeds Rhinos in the late 90's but his legacy is everywhere.

"So many of the players he influenced are still here and contributing to the philosophy he cultivated. 'Always be a man of your word' was his best piece of advice. Thankyou from the past and future Rhinos and especially thanks for '99 one of the highest points of my career."

Leeds Rhinos will wear black arm bands as a mark of respect and will be requesting a minute's silence before kick-off in Thursday's Super League clash against the London Broncos.

Featherstone Rovers have appointed former Salford and Wigan coach Sean Long as football manager until the end of the season.

Kenny wrote:Featherstone Rovers have appointed former Salford and Wigan coach Sean Long as football manager until the end of the season.

I'm pleased about that. So must a lot of other fans of clubs. I'm glad Fev is not my club.

Marmite Longy

I believe Betts may have gone from widnes. Don't know if resigned or sacked though

The Daily Star is claiming Hull FC owner Adam Pearson will release coach Peter Gentle from his contract at the end of this season ( Gentle has 2 more years on his contract ) whether Hull win the Challenge Cup or not , Pearson is apparantly not happy with the league form this year and with Gentle's close friend Shaun McRea already leaving at the end of the season Pearson is said to be clearing the decks .

Hull FC have through a source denied these claims to the Hull Daily Mail

Anybody heard anything that londo may not be in Super League next year?This was on the BBC Sportsday page before

Featherstone are ready to take the place of London Broncos if they pull out of Super League next season.

The Broncos, whose lease at the Twickenham Stoop runs out this year, played their final home game last Saturday without making any reference to their home venue for 2014 and have yet to announce any signings for next year despite losing at least eight players from their current squad.

"Whilst not ideal, we can be ready to mix with the greats of rugby league," Rovers' majority shareholder Feisal Nahaboo says. "We certainly deserve it. We've won the league three years on a trot and this year's shield is in our hands. Statistics don't lie and it would be farcical if space became available and we weren't offered entry."

Apart from the fact that 8 players are leaving and non signed. From what I've heard, its 2 other things that could put them in jeopardy. 1) there favoured destination is the Hive (Barnet fc's new ground), but nothing has been finalized because that Capacity is 6000, so the RFL/SL would have to agree to it.
2) The owner has said that he will only continue to back them if they're in SL, so they're trying to find a way without him.

From what I've heard, if London do not appear in SL next year, the RFL would prefer to run with a 13 team comp.
Not sure how this would effect the new format in 2015, as you can't give them a year off than reinstate them the following year, as it opens up to many legal battles from the clubs relegated.

England half-back Rangi Chase hands in a transfer request at Castleford. A Castleford statement said: "The club will make no further comment at this time."

Wigan have taken up the option of extending coach Shaun Wanes contract for a further season

Widnes Vikings

Hep Cahill has accepted his two game ban for the high tackle on Warringtons Brett Hodgson and will miss the final games of the season

Super League side Widnes issue life-time bans to two fans who were involved in crowd trouble during the recent 72-10 defeat at Hull.

"The vast majority of our fans are a credit to the club and support us passionately both home and away," says Widnes chief executive James Rule.

"However, a small minority have brought the club into disrepute. We will not stand by and let this minority damage the good name and reputation of the Widnes Vikings."


Fair play. I wonder if more fans will face punishment after trouble against Warrington last week?

Been a few bits of trouble in crowds this season , Rovers banned 4 so called fans for a disturbance at Warrington and there was trouble at Wakefield and Widnes wasn't there ?

Huddersfield Giants prop Stuart Fielden has announced his retirement because of a knee infection.

The 33-year-old joined on a two-year deal before the start of the season but has made just nine league appearances.

No player in the Super League era has transferred for more than the fee of around £450,000 that Wigan paid Bradford for him in 2006.

The former Great Britain international will now join Paul Anderson's coaching staff.

"I said I came here to win things and that remains my aim. The club have been superb with me and this freak infection is just typical of the luck of I have had for a while now," Fielden, who missed 18 months of action towards the back end of his time with the Warriors, told the club website.

"We have explored every avenue possible and I have trained constantly to get back on the field but it's not going to be so I have to move on and work off the field to help us achieve."

Kenny wrote:Been a few bits of trouble in crowds this season , Rovers banned 4 so called fans for a disturbance at Warrington and there was trouble at Wakefield and Widnes wasn't there ?

Yeah, we don't like to see it in Rugby.

This has always been a game were you have friendly banter between fans. Shame that some tarnish that by taking things too far

Also the problem with these bans is that I think its just home games, they have no way of enforcing the ban at away games and thats were the problem has been

Melbourne Storm stand-off Brett Finch has announced his decision to retire at the end of the season.

The 32-year-old, a Challenge Cup winner with Wigan back in 2011, is in his second spell with the Storm and will take on a role in the media with the Nine Network from 2014.

Finch made his debut for Canberra as a 17-year-old and was part of the Storm's 2009 grand final-winning side, which was later stripped of the title for salary cap breaches.

"The time has come for me to enter a new phase of my life," Finch said. "I've had a great run and I just know the time is right.

"Rugby league has been very good to me and I feel very lucky to have enjoyed such a long and enjoyable career."

gazzyD wrote:

Kenny wrote:Been a few bits of trouble in crowds this season , Rovers banned 4 so called fans for a disturbance at Warrington and there was trouble at Wakefield and Widnes wasn't there ?

Yeah, we don't like to see it in Rugby.

This has always been a game were you have friendly banter between fans. Shame that some tarnish that by taking things too far

Yes i have noticed it at a couple of games this season were the away fans have been far more aggressive then in other seasons , we don't need it in rugby league it's suppose to be a family sport

The Latest on the London Situation.

It's believed that London will be playing no part in SL next year.
And that they are on the Verge of Collapse.

The owner David Hughes (who became Majority Shareholder in 2002, and pumped in over. £20 million in the club since), is believed to have asked the RFL to guarantee London's place in SL after 2014 season, when the RFL refused he told them that he will no longer be funding the club. Which has lead to this situation.
Adding to this US the fact that at the moment they have no ground, Have lost at least 8 players, and have not signed anyone and are struggling ti get crowds over 2,000 are all adding fuel to the fire.

Former Warrington and Australia centre Matt King will retire from the sport at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old, who won two Challenge Cups with the Wolves as well as the Super League leaders' trophy in 2011, is with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

King won 10 caps for the Kangaroos and played in nine State of Origin games.

Salford City Reds and Wales prop Jordan James will join Wigan's coaching staff at the end of the 2013 season.

This is pretty cool

British quartet Luke, Sam, George and Tom Burgess have created history by becoming the first set of four brothers to play top-flight rugby league together in Australia in 103 years.

Sam, who was sinbinned early on, and Luke both started and scored tries in the South Sydney Rabbitohs 32-18 victory over Wests Tigers in the NRL while twins George and Tom came into the game off the bench.

They are first set of four brothers to line up in the same Australian side since 1910 when Ray, Roy, Rex and Bernard Norman all turned out for the now defunct Annandale club.

Can I just say - Congratulations to

HUDDERSFIELD on winning SL'S league leaders Sheild,
FEATHERSTONE on winning the Championship league leaders Sheild (for a 4th time in a row).
NORTH WALES CRUSADERS for winning championship 1 and promotion.

To Richard Whiting who has got a testimonial year for next year, a quality player who I would have loved at Rovers, not a star just gets on with his job and gives a 100% no matter what position.

And Widnes, for get there new home shirt out before the end of rhis season, instead of the usual farce of waiting ages. Got to say I quite like it though it is to much like a Hull FC shirt.

Yeah I was surprised when we came out in it on sunday but I do really like it, and its much better than ripping us fans off and having two home shirts

Brisbane Broncos centre Jack Reed will miss England's World Cup campaign after scans revealed he needs surgery on a shoulder injury.

SuperLeague Dream Team 2013

This is the first year the Dream Team has been entirely comprised of English-born players.
Dream Team: Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Josh Charnley (Wigan), Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield), Ben Crooks (Hull FC), Tom Lineham (Hull FC), Danny Brough (Huddersfield), Matty Smith (Wigan), Jamie Peacock (Leeds), Shaun Lunt (Huddersfield), Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield), Brett Ferres (Huddersfield), Danny Kirmond (Wakefield), Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan) .

How has sam Tomkins been the best full back when he's played half of wigans games

That spot should have been Grixs by a country mile

I don't understand that aswell gazzy , but Tomkins will always get into these sort of teams on reputation

I have started a thread on Englands World Cup team along the lines of being picked on reputation rather then form , as i am truly worried about this happening

Widnes chief executive James Rule has joined the Vikings' board of directors and become a part-owner of the Super League club.
Rule, a former chief executive of Hull who joined Widnes 18 months ago, joins Steve O'Connor, Roddy Snedden, Brian O'Connor and Matt Beech as a major stakeholder.
"When Steve (O'Connor) proposed me taking an ownership stake, I didn't hesitate," Rule said.
"I believe we have huge potential and I am excited about playing a part in the realisation of that potential."

Benji Marshall was the stand-out omission as New Zealand named their first training squad ahead of the World Cup.
The 2010 Golden Boot winner is leaving the code to take up a contract with Super Rugby side the Blues, and as such has told Kiwi selectors he is not going to be available.

York City Knights have confirmed that they have severed their dual-registration partnership with Hull FC less than nine months into a three-year deal.
Knights head coach Gary Thornton was particularly scathing of the attitude of some of the players who came in and hinted at broken promises from the Super League club as another source of frustration.
York chairman John Guilford was more diplomatic that his coach as his explained that the partnership simply had not worked out.
"It won't be continuing next year," he told the York Evening Press. "We (the two clubs) did not fall out and there was no big issue. It was just not working.
"It doesn't mean we won't go (into partnership) with another club, although we'd have to go in with our eyes open."
It is thought that the Knights gave the required six months' notice to Hull informing them that they wished to end the agreement, which will officially cease early next year.
Whilst the likes of Tom Lineham, Jack Briscoe and Dean Hadley impressed for York, other high profile players that Hull had led York to believe would be available for them were held back and those that did feature rarely appeared interested.


Indeed Danny Nicklas is believed to have refused to play for the Knights again after 10 appearances.
"I was very disappointed in it," said Thornton. "I don't think it did us any favours apart from two players in Jack Briscoe and Dean Hadley.
"Jack in particular was excellent and I was sorry when he got injured (in early July). Tom Lineham got himself a chance at Super League and did fantastically well, so congratulations to him and there's no criticism there.
"But I was not happy with the attitude of some who came. Their heart was not in it and it meant, after some of the things they did, I was not going to pick them again.
"I was disappointed over Easter when Hull offered us no players - something they did not mention at the outset.
"We needed them up at Barrow (a defeat on Easter Monday) as it was a big ask for our young guys to back up after we beat Featherstone (on Good Friday).
"The other disappointing thing is the list of quality players we were told would be made available did not materialise. And the whole Danny Nicklas affair was a joke."
York were ultimately relegated from the Championship this season on the back of a run of 11 straight defeats to end the season, with no Hull players featuring in the last nine of those games - seemingly after York had let their desire to end the dual-registration agreement be known

Catalan Dragons have announced that winger Damian Blanch has left the club by mutual consent to return to Australia , prop Remy Casty is also leaving to join the Sydney City Roosters

Warrington coach Tony smith says he is not a fan of ' Club Call ' and will not be any part of Warringtons choice when it happens .

Given Warrington now have the pick as the highest finishing team through to the elimination semi-finals and that they have a pick from Wigan or the winners of Huddersfield v Hull Fc and Leeds v St Helens imo they will choose the winners of the Huddersfield v Hull FC game no matter what Smith says

Leeds veteran Jamie Peacock has been short-listed for the 2013 Man of Steel award - 10 years after lifting the coveted trophy.

The 35-year-old former Bradford and England superstar has rolled back the years with the Rhinos this season, producing a string of brilliant performances for the Super League champions.

He is up against Wigan captain Sean O'Loughlin and Huddersfield skipper Danny Brough for the award, with the winner to be announced at a gala dinner in Manchester on Monday, September 30.

The award is given to the player deemed to have had the biggest impact on a season.

The Rugby Football League also announced the three men on the young player of the year list were Hull centre Ben Crooks, London winger Kieran Dixon and Catalan Dragons full-back Morgan Escare.





While i think Peacock has had a decent season and O'Loughlin when fit has been very good for Wigan the stand out player in Superleague has been Danny Brough by a country mile and it would be a travesty if he didn't win Man of Steel

Young player for me would be Ben Crookes