Why is the third round draw fixed?

The Challenge Cup was performed on Thursday afternoon and it threw up some interesting fixtures for both amateur and National League teams. Firstly Celtic will face off against Lokomotiv Moscow, Salford host Warrington Wizards at The Willows, Pia travel to Gateshead as do Toulouse and Lezignan at Keighley and Sheffield. These are the key fixtures that stand out in this round. The ties are to be played on the weekend commencing 8th March meaning the fourth round draw will be held on the 10th March, somewhere.

However if you look at the full draw you may notice there is only one all NL tie, which is Blackpool and Featherstone. This is because of a stupid and obscure tournament rule that prevents there being an all amateur fixture. Why, I hear you ask? Well from my understanding which is based on common sense (something the RFL has been lacking in the past) is that there is a minimal possibility of an amateur team getting whitewashed against a Super League side. You can understand that, surely. It keeps the tournament interesting and separates the amateurs from the professionals, the men from the boys so to speak. Under the current format there are three pots, one containing NL clubs, one containing amateur and overseas clubs and another that determines where the tie is played. Two teams are picked out from the first two pots and the final pot determines if the NL side play at home or away. Neither of this matters if the NL side are faced with a Russian or French team as these games are played at the NL club’s home ground. And so after all that I repeat the question, why?

Warrington Wizards, when they were known as Woolston Rovers in 2000 or 2001, were drew against the main club in Warrington during the fourth round draw and quite a few spectators turned up to watch the mis-matched derby. It provided the Woolston outfit with a huge sum of money from gate receipts as it was a Woolston home tie. I’ll admit they had to rent the ground out for a day costing them money but in return they were floating in a whole lot more cash than when they won their third round game which at the time was a free draw. But now it is unlikely to happen again and I’m pretty sure the amateur clubs would rather get a hundred put past them than lose the chance for a nice cut from their match’s gate receipts. The money they can earn from that one game against a SL outfit can provide money for financial stability, security and can even be used to improve the clubs facilities which in turn will attract more players to the club whether it be open age or at youth and junior level. This in turn provides more income because the club is earning more subs from the players.

Apart from the above, where is the fairness in the competition and how does it effect an amateur player’s morale knowing the best opposition he can play against is a NL club with no more than a few hundred watching. I know its more than what they usually get at this level but when you are in the same competition as those clubs that are attracting attendances that are in the thousands, it doesn’t quite feel the same for the player and this has to be the biggest point of all. The magic of the Challenge Cup is being filtered out at this stage of the competition as unknown sides are unable to progress. They probably wouldn’t be able to progress into the fourth round if the were tied against a NL club anyway, but if we had a free third round draw then the chances of an amateur side making it into the fourth round significantly improve. So much so, it can be almost like a fairy tale for the players, coaches and key members at the club to go through such an ordeal rubbing shoulders with the big boys of Rugby League. Imagine if the Football Association were to adopt such a ruling in the FA Cup. For starters, Havant & Waterlooville would not have made it into the stage of the competition they did. And I feel this is where the magic of any cup competition lies, its outside amateurs playing against full blown professionals.

It’s the type of magic Harry Potter couldn’t produce. So why have the RFL expelled it from our sport?

Aussie boss in criticising WCC shocker.

Craig Bellamy has done what all the other coaches in the NRL do at this time of year, and that is to criticise the current World Club Challenge format. Wayne Bennett did it last year and Tim Sheens did the year before and rightly so. The WCC is played at the wrong end of the year as many people have said because the start of Super League is five weeks before the start of the NRL. NRL sides are focusing on their domestic competition and not worrying about what is happening outside the eastern coast of Australia. The World Club Challenge has the potential to be a respected competition to find the best club side in the world, but are the RFL, ARL and RLIF actually doing anything about it? The answer is no.

And in fairness there are two sides to this argument. On the one hand the NRL Grand Final winners know they will be competing in the game five months before it actually kicks off so the “we’re unprepared” excuse flies right out of the window. The format was agreed by representatives of the NRL and Super League so when the match is organised these representatives should be echoing the views of the Australian clubs, not sitting in the corner staying silent while the clubs have to battle against the system each and every year. And let’s face it, if the NRL clubs were really unhappy about the format they would just boycott the event all together. It wouldn’t be the first time they Aussies have done things their way even if they weren’t successful at it. (The Australian Super League of 1997 springs to mind)

However there are factors that the Aussies try to blow out of proportion but they are very valid points non-the-less. For starters the match is always played on a bitter cold Friday night in the north of England. Not exactly the most attractive place to play Rugby League but this is because of SKY Television acting as puppeteers and controlling the RFL. However, the English cold is opposed to the Australian heat which isn’t exactly ideal Rugby League playing conditions either. As well as that there is the fact the teams have to travel half way across the world to play just one game and its always the Aussie clubs that have to travel. Why not those in Super League? Well, again the answer to this makes the competition a further farce. You see, despite the calls from Red Hall for the game to be played in Australia the RFL know it’s a good source of income for the match to be played in the UK. The RFL only concede major tournaments and matches that will get them money when common sense takes control. For example, it would be pointless to interrupt the ARL’s Centenary Season celebrations by hosting a World Cup on the other side of the world. Now the World Club Challenge has not been around and played as often for it to be given special celebration any time soon so it seems we could be stuck with it.

The idea that the game should be played at the end of the season is a sensible one. Both teams would be at peak match fitness having just played their Grand Finals. However for this to work, the NRL have to shift their season forward to accommodate this extra match and as not to overlap the international season which is also at the end of the year. But if I haven’t mentioned this already, the ARL and NRL fail to recognise Rugby League outside the eastern coast of Oz. They will run their competition as they like, organising fixtures and dates as they like and working them around Australian holidays if they so wish to do so.

So it seems the NRL won’t take the WCC seriously unless it is played at a different part of the year, but they won’t cooperate with the relevant governing bodies to see out these revolutionary plans of theirs that will finally decide in a fair manner who is the best club side in the world.

Their loss, I suppose.

The Warrington guide to throwing away a twenty eight point lead but still winning 29-28.

On Saturday Wakefield wrote the book on throwing away matches when they lost to Harlequins 34-18 in the capital. The following day Paul Cullen almost wrote the second edition less then twenty four hours since the original was published on a grey day on the eastern side of the river in Kingston-upon-Hull.

Out of those that played against Saints, Warrington were only missing Matt King and Chris Bridge due to injury and it seems injury nearly cost them another two points at New Craven Park. They raced into a 28-0 lead after thirty minutes of the game dominating every area of the field. They were more powerful than the KR forwards, they were faster then the opposite three-quarters while Briers and Monaghan outclassed Fitzhenry and James Webster.

But the turning point did not come just before half time when, after four consecutive penalties, Jake Webster crossed over for a very suspicious try if I were to be biased. The turning point instead came as Stanley Gene took out Simon Grix with a head high tackle resulting in the young loose forward being stretchered off and not returning to the field. After this incident (which was put on report by referee Ashley Klein) the floodgates opened and KR ran in four unanswered tries within the space of twenty minutes, all of which were converted. Only a Micheal Monaghan drop goal secured the win for Warrington, which at the time put them thirteen points ahead with seven minutes remaining. The final score shows how Warrington collapsed worse than a pack of playing cards, which is something they have mastered in the past.

So who was at fault for this military style suicide? Well it would be easy to blame the coach, of course. He prepares and is in charge of the team from the players to the training staff. But the timing of the implosion itself, suggests the players themselves gave up with time remaining on the clock. Cullen could not walk onto the pitch and prepare his players for the final few minutes of the game. This of course could be another case of bad judgement by the head coach. As Grix was taken off the field, Mark Gleeson was put in at hooker with Jon Clarke being moved into that loose forward position. Could Grix have been that defending key KR couldn’t unlock, so Gene did it illegally and with force? Or was Clarke the weakness in the defence as most of the KR second half tries were scored and created down the middle? If you wanted to blame Cullen for this sporting suicide, his decisions on player positioning after Grix’s incident is the argument you are looking for.

If you were to blame the players, then your only argument is that they gave up. With twenty minutes remaining and twenty two points ahead they just didn’t want to know. In that case why the sudden change of heart half way through the second half? While they hadn’t scored a point until Monaghan’s drop goal Warrington were still applying pressure to the KR defence and played some very expansive rugby that failed to be converted into points. But non-the-less, the effort was there until the hour mark. In fact, they came close to scoring three times. The nearest miss was when Briscoe and Fox forced Paul Johnson into grounding the ball actually on the corner post.

So now we have highlighted two key suspects in the implosion. Who actually pressed the self-destruct button? Or are we looking at the possibility that KR failed to perform in the first half and that they are just better than Warrington when they want to be? In which case, I’m pretty sure John Kear didn’t include and murder sub-plot including a red robin in his original book.

Super League's second round build up.

St Helens V Warrington
Undoubtably the tie of the round. While Saints may have lost last week I doubt they will take this game as lightly and I predict a solid comfortable win for them. This is coming from a Warrington fan who witnessed a half decent performance last week against a wounded Hull team. However I don't think we will have the performance within ourselves to pull it off. If Warrington are going to win tonight it will be because Saints are going to have a slow start to the season.

Wakefield V Leeds
Wakefield's shock win last week could extend into a second if (and I cannot stress this point enough) Leeds are starting to put one eye firmly on their World Club Challenge match against Melbourne. They proved last week that they are focused on their Super League games but it is human instict to focus on bigger things. With the match only two weeks away, could the players be worried about injury or suspention?

Wigan V Castleford
Wigan will win unless Castleford can improve on their error filled performance last week. While they may have been given the shakes by Quins, Wigan showed in the scoreline they can urn it on when needed. Cas will struggle tonight because Wigan have too much to prove to their home fans.

Bradford V Huddersfield
Speaking of having something to prove to their fan base, Bradford should expect a hostile reception when they walk out tomorrow. Their loss to Wakefield was without a doubt a disappointment but they should re-group and perform their magic. Huddersfield will push them though and possibly expect a tight finish.

Catalan V Hull KR
I'm going for a Catalan win. Firstly because its in France and secondly because Hull KR will not repeat the show they put on to host Saints. In fact, if I'm honest I should be tiping a Hull KR win because that display was superb and Catalan were poor against Cas. But then again Hull KR only just fought off a Saints comeback. I will go Catalan to win, but only because of home advantage and their record at home last season.

Hull FC V Harlequins
With Gareth Carvell another player seeing Dr Fish at the Royal Squid Hospital of Kingston upon Hull, his side are dropping worse than fish is Shrek's bathtub. However the return of Gareth Raynor is a plus for Peter Sharp who should be feeling the pressure from the inpatient board of directors who fail to understand that you cannot possibly win in Super League with so many injured bodies in the ranks. I expect Sharp to go because of this in less than five weeks time.

Kiwis appoint former captain to lead them in World Cup wild goose chase.

Stephen Kearney has been appointed as the new coach of New Zealand with Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett as an advisor.

Kearney has signed a two year deal meaning he will lead New Zealand in the World Cup as well a year after that. However despite what Kearney says, I suspect Bennett will call the shots in his temporary advisory role. There was suggestion that Bennett would take over the job full time after the Brisbane board accepted his resignation earlier this month. But now it is likely he will join St Helens for 2009 as Daniel Anderson is set to return back home after this year.

Kearney has only just finished playing after ending his carear with Hull FC two years ago. He is now assistant coach to Melbourne Storm in the NRL so has valuable experience under Craig Bellamy but I can't help but think this is a worse move by the NZRL. Even with an advisor who is going to advise only (yeah right) it will be difficult for New Zealand under an inexperienced coach. But I shouldn't be too quick to wipe them from possible World Cp glory just yet, I'll wait until the 9th May, shall I?

Hull KR and Wakefield prove they are not here again to make up the numbers.

Hull KR and Wakefield's shock wins over Saints and Bradford have set the scene for the rest of the year. These two teams are not here to make up the numbers.

Both sides won by two points yesterday in tight contests early on. But while the season is only one and a bit rounds old, it is not acceptable for either side to get complacent next week. By all means, they caught Saints and Bradford out early on and possibly gave them a wake up call as if to say "Come on you lot, the season has started", but next week they need to repeat that performance all over again. And no doubt they will want to. But realistically, do either have a chance of challenging these sides again?

No is the answer. Both Bradford and Saints are of good quality so will no doubt out perform themselves next week, especially Saints who play Warrington. But both coaches know Super League is a marathon, not a sprint. Hull KR and Wakefield need to pace themselves or else they'll struggle to make the six, which both sides are capable of. And what is two points early in the season compared to a play off position?

Warrington 32-20 Hull FC

For those that stumble across this blog by accident or even for those that don't know, I am in fact a Warrington fan.

So I suppose if I am going to give my opinions on the first game of the season I will be biased to that underachieving set of bridesmaids, right?

Wrong! I am in fact going to critisise the effort put into that first game.

Despite the fact I enjoyed what I saw and the performance was good, it didn't fill me with excitement, joy or the anticipation that I was expecting. In fact I would go as far to say I was disappointed.

For a team that has spent huge money over the past six and a half seasons under Paul Cullen, previous seasons have always started with the same optimism. In 2004, every supporter was expecting another top six position, two years after just surviving relegation. In 2005 there was anticipation after the signing of Martin Gleeson. In 2006 a massive improvement was required for the progression as a club who had finished fourth after the regualr season. In 2007, an injury hit squad was expected to go every game unbeaten after the high of beating Leeds at Headingley. Basically Cullen keeps raising the bar every Febuary and three out of four times we miss.

Now Cullen is going for a personal best that may be too far beyond his coaching standards. Last nights showing was too flashy in my opinion. While we attempted to offload the ball in the same style of St Helens and Leeds, we often failed or the plays looked scrappy. We may be capable of winning a Grand Final, but that was not a Grand Final winning performance. Valid excuses may be that it was only the first game of the seaoson and players are no where near their full fitness levels. Others may blame the pitch. While it is in better shape than it has been over the pre season period thanks to a scouse football team, there were still patches of grass missing throughout the entire 100m x 64m field. There was also of course, a gutsy oppositon who tried not to give Warringtin a sniff of an oppertunity. Which is another problem for Warrington and always has been. They race into a lead and then take the foot off the accelerator pedal. Luckily they didn't stall but the point stands. Top teams do not do that and is an issue when competing against them in major finals.

Now Hull FC are plagued with injuries at the moment. They have lost several players including Adam Sykes, Gareth Raynor and after last night, Gareth Carvell. To have only lost by twelve points, Peter Sharp has done well. Although his time is surley up due to an impatient board who see each loss as instant failure dispite not knowing the full reaon behind them. Thats if its the same people who sacked John Kear.

Finally to end with Warrington. Maybe I was a little harsh. It is only the first game after all and despite the fact I was insisting I wasn't going to fall into the group of supporters that want instant success, I think I just did. But I stand by my argument that it wasn't a final winning performance. In fact I doubt it was a Saints beating performance. I suppose we'll find out next week then.

New era in English Rugby League gets off to a bad start.

Are the RFL kidding me?

After twelve months in the processing, supporter and player feedback on the final design as well as an online questionaire which I took part in some time ago, this is the final published logo for a new era of Rugby League in the UK?

I can understand the need for the St George cross, even the date 1895 in the middle of it. I can even understand the need for a 3D look, so it doesn't look like it was made on MS Paint. But why on earth is the top of it in blue?

Its an horrendous colour clash that makes the whole design look ameturish and lacks thought into the design. I'm actually convinced a group of school kids can produce something better. I don't suppose there will be blue and red patterns on the actual kit will there, because that will (using my own mental imagary) look awful.

I'm sorry but the RFL have come up with a shcoker there. Here is a chance to re-brand our natioanl team and the first step goes (for the use of a better phrase) tits up.

So the next step in the development plans are to make the kit as unfashonable as possible, the merchandising to be from the 1970's and team failing to reach the semi finals of the World Cup. Welcome to Red Hall, Leeds.

Do we need a third domestic competition?

Players and coaches continually complain of player burnout, saying we play too many games and the season is too long. Well fair enough then. Rugby League is a physically demanding sport. Your body cannot recover from a weekend game and then play a midweek game at a high standard that european footballers manage to perform every two weeks in the Champions League. So I suppose we don't need a third domestic competition to play along side the Challenge Cup and Super League, or do we?

With the two current trophies on offer, all the clubs are out to win. Coaches may not take risks, especially if its the difference between relegation or survival, play offs or bust, the tital or runners up. Coaches will usually opt for the safer bet, the experienced player. But this prevents young player development if a coach will choose the older player for every major game. We don't see the quality of players coming through the acadamys or scholarships that matches the quality of young players coming through into the NRL. However, I think I have cooked up an idea that not only ensures youth players gain valuable first team experience but also coaches can put their faith in fresher blood. And once again I refere back to football.

Currently in football there are five competitions that top flight teams can compete in. There is the Premiership, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup and the League Cup. And its the League Cup I want to focus on. The supposidly top four teams (Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea) all field weaker teams in the League Cup, especially in the early rounds. This gives these young and promising players experience in the first team and places them in a more competitive environment against stronger opposition than what they are used to. It prepares them for the big league. As well as improving younger players, it gives experienced players who may have been injured, suspended or missed game time, a chance for a run out before the usual league or major cup game ahead of them.
So what if we had a midweek tournament with special rules for eligability?

I think this tournament should be midweek, as already stated. Reason being it fails to clash with first team games and it extends the acadamy season. At the moment acadamy season starts in April/May with up to only twenty games in that league. With the introduction of this tournament, it will mean extra weeks off from the acadmay league which can be filled if the season starts at roughly the same as Super League. So the Grand Finals dates don't need to be changed, it can still be played at the same time of the year.
This leads me onto the types of player eligable for this tournament. As the primary focus is player development then I believe there should be a limit of the number of players over 21 and in the first team. This age limit is the maximum age a player can play in a Rugby League acadamy. But I feel for the competition to be worthwhile and for these youngsters to test themselves against a fair amount of SL standard, teams can include up to eight of their first team regulars in the starting seventeen for each game. Thats opposed to nine others from the acadamys. And they can be from any acadamy squad as long as its the club's. So in theory, three of the nine (or more) can be from the U21 acadmay side, four from the U18 acadamy side and say two from the U16 acadamy side. So basically if you are part of any scholarship, junior or senior acadamy team within the same club you can play. Obviously teams may opt for junior and senior acadamy players rather than scholarship players (if a club has that structure in place.)

Now how will the tournament be staged and organised? What is the structure? Well, basically its like the League Cup, FA Cup and Challenge Cup. Its a knockout cup competiton. There are 27 senior acadamy teams according to LPLtd's current year book. Obviously the teams have to be seeded until there are sixteen left and then the winner progresses to the next round.
As the number of first teames avaliable in each starting seventeen is quite big, Super league teams would get automatic progression to the Last Sixteen round (including Catalan if they have a youth side) with the other four coming from the winners of preliminary rounds. A free draw like the Challenge Cup (except Round 3) would decide who plays each other in the next round of the cup.

And thats it really, a very basic cup competition that guarentees young player experience against SL standard opposition so these players are ready to progress into SL standard quicker.

Super League XIII kicks off.

Leeds began their defence of the Super League title with a 20-12 win over last season's survivors Hull KR.

While the result, never mind the performance, will not worry Melbourne ahead of the World Club Challenge later this month, it was important to note the quality of performance from the East Humberside club. But how will all the teams fair up once the competition gets underway properly? Well, heres a short personal comment for each team.

Bradford
Are on a downhill spiral and have been ever since Steve McNamara took over. Top signings include Semi Tadulala and Paul Sykes. Hardly worth the bother if you ask me. Under achieved last year and were never really with the leaders as Saints and Leeds ran away with it. But under McNamara, things will get a lot worse before they get better.

Castleford
Without the pressure of relegation, Castleford may do alright this year. For a club to survive in Super League for more than a year has become an unachievable art in some way. However this mission impossible was achieved last year and theres no reason why they cannot aviod the wooden spoon this year either. The squad may be weaker than the 2007 HKR but as mentioned, the pressure is off them to survive and there may be a chance they finish above the final twelth spot.

Catalan
Without the Little General (or Napoleon) this year, Catalan may struggle for leadership and direction. Casey McGuire may be, individually, a half decent player for a bottom half table club but does not possess the same talent as the experienced New Zealander. This may snowball into Mick Potter leaving the club before his contract expires.

Harlequins
I see no improvement south for the club in Twickenham. If anything they have turned into a worse side than when they finished Super League XII. Brian McDermott's job is surley up for grabs and I say that with no doubt in my mind. Quins have to get off to a good start if McDermott is to stay next to Westminster, or maybe thats his excuse for getting away from the capital?

Huddersfield
Without a doubt overachieved last year. They rode on the back of some unbelievable performances from Brad Drew last year who is now at Wakefield. Ryan Hudson just ever got back into it last year, returning after his two year ban for taking steriods during Bradford's pre season. Expect the team on the birthplace of the sport to get a massive bump back down to Earth.

Hull FC
No Paul Cooke. But surley this cannot be the reason for Hull's disappointing season last year. However, if I were to focus on this season I can only see one ex-kangeroo running the show. Shaun Berrigan will no doubt enilate the opposition around the play the ball area. Anyone who calls themselves a fan will know that a good dummy half player can make desperate but vital yards around the markers putting the defence at a disadvantage. Expect Berrigan to do just that.

Hull KR
While they may start the season without Paul Cooke, KR have improved dramatically to not need him for the start of the season. For a team that has only had one season in Super League they could impress this year. Shaun Briscoe is a good signing for them, as is Jake Webster (who impressed me against Leeds, incidentaly.) These could be possible contenders for the six.

Leeds
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Leeds are one of only two teams that have not changed their playing rosta with the only change being the head coach position. Brian McLennan will lead them to another Super League title, the first back-to-back winners since Saints in 1999 and 2000.

St Helens
Can anybody remember the last time Saints were trophyless? Me neither, so I had to research it a little. In fact the last time Saints failed to win anything was in 2003. Bradford won Super League, they also won the Challenge Cup and Sydney beat Saints 38-0 at the Reebok Stadium for the World Club Challenge. So I think I will say 2008 is a possable season where the redvee contingent will win nothing, dispite being close in all three domestic trophies.

Wakefield
Brad Drew will be dynamite for the cats if he reproduces the form that got him coughing up furballs in the first place. Also, the ever becoming overrated Danny Brough will guide Wakefield to the bottom half of the table. If I'm honest I cannot see why everyone is getting excited about Brough's return to Super League. He is an exceptional National League player, yes. But he has tried SL once and was shafted to Castleford because he couldn't cope. While he has improved since and is probably able to handle the intensity of SL, he won't make the same impact this year than what he did last year. The same can be said for Scott Grix, if he gets a game.

Warrington
Four highly experienced signings. Ten ex and present internationals. One huge financial backer. Zero trophies. Times are changing at Warrington whether those assiciated with the club like it or not. If they have another 2007 season, people and certain individuals will go. If they succeed, the trophy cabinet may come out of retirement. But after such a poor season and with the arrival of Australian stars Micheal Monaghan and Matt King, is Paul Cullen feeling the pressure physically, never mind psycologically?

Wigan
Quite simply they have to progress. Playing for Wigan demands it like that. I looked at how long its been since Saints haven't won a trophy, its been six years since Wigan won one. Minimum standards for the Cherry & White this year include getting to a major final and with Brian Noble (love him or loathe him as a coach) they can achieve that. Mathers has to perform after an injury hit year with the Gold Coast while Barrett's goal is to impress me.

So after that, how will Super League XIII look after 27 rounds?

Leeds
St Helens
Hull FC
Wigan
Warrington
Bradford
Wakefield
Hull KR
Huddersfield
Catalan
Harlequins
Castleford

Thats my 2008 preview wrapped up for you all as well as my first post on A Tap On The Twenty. By all means, comment, read regularly or even occasionally if you want. But if you want to hear the views and opinions from the average Rugby League fan, You want A Tap On The Twenty.