Golden Point comes under scrutiny but key point ensures concept is here to stay
Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 3:25 pm
Back-to-back nights of Golden Point have brought the concept into question.
It was hard not to have sympathy for either Hull KR or Leeds Rhinos as the two sets of players sunk to their knees in the aftermath of their defeats. Both had fallen short in Golden Point after herculean battles with Wigan Warriors and St Helens respectively.
Golden Point has been a bone of contention ever since it was introduced to league fixtures back in 2019. One of the first changes the ex-Super League CEO made was to bring in the concept. It was brought in to artificially create unforgettable moments and generate more emotive moments for spectators.
And it goes without saying that it has succeeded in doing that. Anyone at Craven Park or Headingley last night won't forget Liam Farrell's last-gasp try or Lewis Dodd's drop goal sail between the sticks for a long time. Regardless of where your allegiance lay, the feeling of delight, despair or relief will have been amplified on those terraces.
Golden Point ensures there are more of those memorable moments that make being a supporter so emotionally absorbing. One would suspect that Golden Point incidents take up a good proportion of memorable incidents from recent years, positive or negative.
Growing up watching Halifax, the most memorable moment from my time on the terraces was seeing Ben Black kick a drop goal to win the 2010 Championship Grand Final. On the other side of it, I never left a game as gutted as the time Ryan McGoldrick belted a drop goal over to see Castleford knock Fax out of the 2009 Challenge Cup. Both games were decided in Golden Point.
And here's the crucial point. If you ask the broadcasters, they'll give resounding approval. They want drama wherever possible. They want content that can go viral. They want moments that people won't forget. Golden Point does all of those things.
There is perhaps a happy compromise. Many have proposed giving both teams a point if the scores are tied at the end of regular time, then an additional point to the team that wins in Golden Point. That does feel like the best of both worlds. A reward for the eventual winners but something for the team that slugged it out for 80 minutes.
The argument, though, is that it would take away from the concept. Golden Point is as nervy as it is because it's win or lose, all or nothing. Missing out on only one league point wouldn't feel like the end of the world in most cases.
It's a concept that always has and always will split opinion. But ultimately, Golden Point produces drama. And at a time when the product needs to be as appealing as it can be to broadcasters, it is here to stay.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... 23-8475371
It was hard not to have sympathy for either Hull KR or Leeds Rhinos as the two sets of players sunk to their knees in the aftermath of their defeats. Both had fallen short in Golden Point after herculean battles with Wigan Warriors and St Helens respectively.
Golden Point has been a bone of contention ever since it was introduced to league fixtures back in 2019. One of the first changes the ex-Super League CEO made was to bring in the concept. It was brought in to artificially create unforgettable moments and generate more emotive moments for spectators.
And it goes without saying that it has succeeded in doing that. Anyone at Craven Park or Headingley last night won't forget Liam Farrell's last-gasp try or Lewis Dodd's drop goal sail between the sticks for a long time. Regardless of where your allegiance lay, the feeling of delight, despair or relief will have been amplified on those terraces.
Golden Point ensures there are more of those memorable moments that make being a supporter so emotionally absorbing. One would suspect that Golden Point incidents take up a good proportion of memorable incidents from recent years, positive or negative.
Growing up watching Halifax, the most memorable moment from my time on the terraces was seeing Ben Black kick a drop goal to win the 2010 Championship Grand Final. On the other side of it, I never left a game as gutted as the time Ryan McGoldrick belted a drop goal over to see Castleford knock Fax out of the 2009 Challenge Cup. Both games were decided in Golden Point.
And here's the crucial point. If you ask the broadcasters, they'll give resounding approval. They want drama wherever possible. They want content that can go viral. They want moments that people won't forget. Golden Point does all of those things.
There is perhaps a happy compromise. Many have proposed giving both teams a point if the scores are tied at the end of regular time, then an additional point to the team that wins in Golden Point. That does feel like the best of both worlds. A reward for the eventual winners but something for the team that slugged it out for 80 minutes.
The argument, though, is that it would take away from the concept. Golden Point is as nervy as it is because it's win or lose, all or nothing. Missing out on only one league point wouldn't feel like the end of the world in most cases.
It's a concept that always has and always will split opinion. But ultimately, Golden Point produces drama. And at a time when the product needs to be as appealing as it can be to broadcasters, it is here to stay.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... 23-8475371
