World club series

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Young shep
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World club series

Post by Young shep » 05 Oct 2014, 08:23

After the announcement that Warrington will join St Helens and Wigan in the world club series, I was wondering if both us and Huddersfield passed up the opportunity to take part? It was my understanding that the finalists and the highest placed league team would participate so with wigan and saints in the final, surely that should have been Huddersfield joining them and if not them, then surely us before Warrington. Was the fact that we needed a £175,000 bond to participate the deal breaker? i have to say, i'm a little disappointed as i would have loved to see us pit ourselves against the aussies
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Re: World club series

Post by jackknife » 05 Oct 2014, 08:38

Apparently its the highest placed after the play-offs which is also how the prize money is given out

Play off final standings are

Sts wigan
Warrington
Catalan
Huddersfield
Castleford
Leeds
Widnes

So warrington did actually finish 3rd
CLASSY CAS FOREVER

Young shep
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Re: World club series

Post by Young shep » 05 Oct 2014, 09:08

That's not how I remember it being explained at the time of the announcement, as I recall, we would have been assured a place in it if we would have beaten catalans and finished top due to our league position. I'm sure the RFL also confirmed it was league finish that counted. I was just wondering if we turned down the opportunity to participate or the qualifying criteria changed after the announcement had been made?
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Re: World club series

Post by Leeds tiger » 05 Oct 2014, 09:30

From what i have heard both us and hudds turned down the competition because of the £175000 charge

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Re: World club series

Post by Tamworth Tiger » 05 Oct 2014, 09:54

If that's true it's a worry for the sport that the only West Yorkshire club that can afford to compete is Leeds and also a concern for the game as it would seem crazy to play any of the games in Yorkshire

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Re: World club series

Post by viva brad » 05 Oct 2014, 10:10

If it is true that we turned down the opportunity due to having to pay 175k to compete then i say well done Cas. Why spend this cash for a tournament where we aren't guaranteed any return on the investment.

This is the first time it has happened how will the public react. Yes in the past the one off game has attracted a decent attendance but with multiple games will more people choose to watch at home.

Also this season we saw the impact of having no rest due to progressing in the challenge cup. If we start the season earlier will we run out of steam earlier in the season?

I think the club has taken the right decision on this occassion lets watch what happens this season. Look at the attendances and also the impact on the teams who compete in it. Then fingers crossed next year if we finish in a decent position again we can decide if the 175k is a sound investment.

Also i would prefer if we have 175k spare that we use that to improve the squad.

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Re: World club series

Post by Tamworth Tiger » 05 Oct 2014, 13:31

viva brad wrote:If it is true that we turned down the opportunity due to having to pay 175k to compete then i say well done Cas. Why spend this cash for a tournament where we aren't guaranteed any return on the investment.

This is the first time it has happened how will the public react. Yes in the past the one off game has attracted a decent attendance but with multiple games will more people choose to watch at home.

Also this season we saw the impact of having no rest due to progressing in the challenge cup. If we start the season earlier will we run out of steam earlier in the season?

I think the club has taken the right decision on this occassion lets watch what happens this season. Look at the attendances and also the impact on the teams who compete in it. Then fingers crossed next year if we finish in a decent position again we can decide if the 175k is a sound investment.

Also i would prefer if we have 175k spare that we use that to improve the squad.
That's probably right.
Can't undersand why the RFL aren't either underwriting this themselves or working harder to get Sponsors to underwrite. This is a big showcase opportunity for RL and its already starting to look pretty half baked.

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Re: World club series

Post by nottinghamtiger » 05 Oct 2014, 14:31

If this was the idea all along surely the RFL would have been better to say "the two grand finalists and the highest-placed losing semi-finalist" will take part.
Either it's a case of the RFL not giving enough clarity on which teams would qualify, the RFL "moving the goalposts" to fit who they want to qualify or both us and Huddersfield declining to take part.
However, I'm surprised that given the past few weeks, it's not now "the highest placed team beginning with L" that takes part.

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Re: World club series

Post by tigerjim » 06 Oct 2014, 10:25

Once again the rfl are making a mockery of our sport.

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Re: World club series

Post by HuddsTigers » 06 Oct 2014, 11:27

It was clarified to me on Twitter when it was announced that it was 3rd place in the regular season.

The goalposts have been moved and if Huddersfield and ourselves declined to take part then this should be explained. Otherwise, it just looks like that the moneymen have got their way.

Either way, I think the fact that clubs have got to pay to be involved is a travesty, maligns half of the clubs in the league immediately so they can't take part and denies any form of equilibrium from smaller clubs with big ambitions.

The money should be paid by the RFL through sponsorships and any TV deal for the competition, not the clubs. I'm glad we've declined it - £175k equates to 9000 paying adults approximately, before the club's own costs for hosting it. When you consider that play-off games have had less fans for so-called important games, why would more people attend a meaningless friendly.

I'm a fan of rugby league and when it was announced I hoped it would be successful. But after reading more about the logistics, I hope it fails, falls flat on its backside and that someone changes it back and funds it properly so all clubs can participate. Not just 4 sides.
In the spirit of the final Blackadder episode - Goooodbyeee!

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