Most of what is says is what fans have been saying for ages: internationals are very much second best to club games , as attendances show. As long as internationals don't pull in the crowds that, say, RU or cricket do, the finances won't be available for more "resources", as he calls them.TWO EYED WARRIOR posted:
Well did you all see clarkie on Boots n All he was certainly scathing about the RFL and as Stevo said this has opened up a hornets nest.
Everybody seems to be coming out on the defensive after the interview ie Sinfield and the RFL.
I have to agree with Stevo though in parts clark was right in what he was saying but he has contradicted himself many times during his interviews on the live game shows.
Anbody feel theres more too it than we are being told
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
I'm pretty sure the players regard GB selection very highly - it's the fans that don't go to watch them.Doug Stand posted:
Hmmm, I've read what Clarke had to say and it's very interesting.
It's an old argument club over country. I know a few on here who were annoyed that we went into seasons carrying injuries on the back of test matches.
International are supposed to be the pinnacle of RL. The best of the best combining together to fight it out against there opposite numbers.
If it's not treated that way, then the whole thing is a farce.
I would always campaign to bring back the Roses match in the form of three tests emulating the Origin in Australia. The last Lancs/Yoorks game was a farce and was pointless.
If you create the intensity at that level with international jumpers the prize then you start moving forward... but if the international jumper is a prize that no-one wants then forget about it...
We get higher attendances for Wigan v Saints than GB v Oz, for example. Compare that with RU filling Twickers, or cricket filling the Oval/Lord's for any serious international, when their club/county games are so poorly supported.
Maybe it's our "parochial" mindset, I don't know, but I can't see us ever filling Wembley/Cardiff/Murrayfield for an RL international, whereas the CC final sells out every year.
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
Clarke is spot in in my opinion.
Chris Caisly is infamous for saying the club game is more important in the UK than the international game. Ironic when his coach is GB coach.
Bradford have in the past placed obsticles in the way of Kiwi players leavng mid-season to play in the Anzac test.
Clubs (including our own) are currently obsessed with imports and Kolpak signings. It gives us a downward spiral of few international quality players being available due to simple lack of numbers to choose from contributing to bad results which turns the fans off.
Dave
Chris Caisly is infamous for saying the club game is more important in the UK than the international game. Ironic when his coach is GB coach.
Bradford have in the past placed obsticles in the way of Kiwi players leavng mid-season to play in the Anzac test.
Clubs (including our own) are currently obsessed with imports and Kolpak signings. It gives us a downward spiral of few international quality players being available due to simple lack of numbers to choose from contributing to bad results which turns the fans off.
Dave
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
Particularly if they take a weekend off from the season and have such a match on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday instead of the middle of the week where players are going to be worried about getting injured for a club game a couple of days later, and fans are worried about having to fork out possibly 3 times in a week for tickets. I think a weekend fixture with no league matches would bring in the crowds.Doug Stand posted:
Don't even try and fill those stadiums. Just try and fill, JJB, Huddersfield and another one.
As I say, create the intensity at County level and progress. If the players are as up for it as you say they are then market this and it will rub off onto the fans...
Book it and they will come....
Just because the Aussies have SoO on a Friday then play full league fixtures the same weekend doesn't mean we should, but then we're back to the clubs wanting those extra 5 fixtures on the end of the season instead of increasing the number of clubs in Superleague...
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Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
One of the reasons Internationals are not well supported IMO is that few consider the GB team to be truely competitive with Australia or New Zealand. Maybe the reasons for that is that we perceive that what Phil has said is true: viscious circle!
I take the view that we will never be competitive until we greatly reduce the number of overseas players in SL. The last figures I saw indicated that about 40% of SL came from overseas - this to buy success or to make quick fixes for weaknesses. If relegation didn't effect these clubs, they may be more prepared to give local talent a chance. Some players that are, as yet, undeveloped but have the potential. Some who have the potential never get the opportunity to develope further and leave the game without making their mark.
Added to that, the RFL are greedy. My seat in the East stand was on offer for the last International for £40. If I'd thought I might see something special from a GB point of view, I might have been prepared to pay it, but in reality, it's clear to see that any GB side is just thrown together at the end of the season with little or no preparation. The term I've used in the past is that they are a "rag, tag and bobtail" side. Successive performances have indicated that this isn't too far from the truth, unfortunately, so on what basis do the RFL think we should pay Chelsea prices?
Oops, sorry! Another football reference!
I take the view that we will never be competitive until we greatly reduce the number of overseas players in SL. The last figures I saw indicated that about 40% of SL came from overseas - this to buy success or to make quick fixes for weaknesses. If relegation didn't effect these clubs, they may be more prepared to give local talent a chance. Some players that are, as yet, undeveloped but have the potential. Some who have the potential never get the opportunity to develope further and leave the game without making their mark.
Added to that, the RFL are greedy. My seat in the East stand was on offer for the last International for £40. If I'd thought I might see something special from a GB point of view, I might have been prepared to pay it, but in reality, it's clear to see that any GB side is just thrown together at the end of the season with little or no preparation. The term I've used in the past is that they are a "rag, tag and bobtail" side. Successive performances have indicated that this isn't too far from the truth, unfortunately, so on what basis do the RFL think we should pay Chelsea prices?
Oops, sorry! Another football reference!
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
Perhaps, although I'm not convinced that's such an important factor with regard to attendances. Until recently, the same could have been said of our cricket and Union counterparts, yet their internationals have always been well supported, even when the teams weren't doing that well.pandasdad posted:
One of the reasons Internationals are not well supported IMO is that few consider the GB team to be truely competitive with Australia or New Zealand. Maybe the reasons for that is that we perceive that what Phil has said is true: viscious circle!
Completely true. Many of have suggested the overseas quota should apply to all non-GB qualified players. The Kolpak rule makes this difficult to enforce, though.
I take the view that we will never be competitive until we greatly reduce the number of overseas players in SL. The last figures I saw indicated that about 40% of SL came from overseas - this to buy success or to make quick fixes for weaknesses. If relegation didn't effect these clubs, they may be more prepared to give local talent a chance. Some players that are, as yet, undeveloped but have the potential. Some who have the potential never get the opportunity to develope further and leave the game without making their mark.
Pricing is certainly a factor, but I'm inclined to think of it as a "priorities" issue. Most RL club supporters, myself included, if they had to choose between, say, their "local derby" SL game and a GB v OZ test, would choose their club - even if both were similarly priced. The opposite is true for the other sports I've mentioned.
Added to that, the RFL are greedy. My seat in the East stand was on offer for the last International for £40. If I'd thought I might see something special from a GB point of view, I might have been prepared to pay it, but in reality, it's clear to see that any GB side is just thrown together at the end of the season with little or no preparation. The term I've used in the past is that they are a "rag, tag and bobtail" side. Successive performances have indicated that this isn't too far from the truth, unfortunately, so on what basis do the RFL think we should pay Chelsea prices?
Oops, sorry! Another football reference!
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
Woah! Is he a cheeky get or what.
You can't blame fans for not taking games like that seriously, club over country (only in this sport) any day. If the RFL don't organise themselves better, don't start supporting youngsters in this country to come through then we'll always be a fairly mediocre team which I will not pay to watch. Those games don't interest me, even winning a cup against Aus or NZ doesn't interest me anywhere near as much as watching my club win against Saints or lifting the trophy, oh those days are so far away...
You can't blame fans for not taking games like that seriously, club over country (only in this sport) any day. If the RFL don't organise themselves better, don't start supporting youngsters in this country to come through then we'll always be a fairly mediocre team which I will not pay to watch. Those games don't interest me, even winning a cup against Aus or NZ doesn't interest me anywhere near as much as watching my club win against Saints or lifting the trophy, oh those days are so far away...
:thum: Ancient and Loyal :thum:
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Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
That example illustrates my point - I'd rather go on Good friday even though knowing we'll get hammered, than go to watch GB play the Aussies. The strength of the team isn't a factor, for me, it's the fact that I've got more loyalty to Wigan that to GB (or England).MrsLam posted:
Woah! Is he a cheeky get or what.
You can't blame fans for not taking games like that seriously, club over country (only in this sport) any day. If the RFL don't organise themselves better, don't start supporting youngsters in this country to come through then we'll always be a fairly mediocre team which I will not pay to watch. Those games don't interest me, even winning a cup against Aus or NZ doesn't interest me anywhere near as much as watching my club win against Saints or lifting the trophy, oh those days are so far away...
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jinkin jimmy
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Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
A big factor when considering this is that our club product is good, RU and cricket is rank.
Re: Phil Clarkes Speech
Very true, but our international games can often be very good contests too (even against the Aussies sometimes), but I'd still rather watch Wigan v Saints - I'm much more emotionally attached to my club than to GB, and I think that's true of most RL supporters.jinkin jimmy posted:
A big factor when considering this is that our club product is good, RU and cricket is rank.