Now I have nothing against Leeds, their ground is a good traditional place to watch the game and I thoroughly enjoy my visits come rain or shine, night or day.

What I do wonder though is why they seem to get the big events such as the Exciles vs England game among others? The RFL have always seemed to want the game to look all new and shiney since the inception of the Super League yet for games like this they are using a ground that has H&S issues, is looking pretty tired on three sides and is not a touch on one of the more 'state of the art' stadiums.

I know there is the costs and football season to think about with these newer stadia however I still don't see why they get them? Is it to do with Engage? Gary Hetherington? Free usage barring costs?? Does anybody on here know the reason or is it just that they are the only club that puts in for them?

FWIW I would have thought Huddersfield or even Halifax would have been a good place to hold the event if it had to be this side of the pennines. I like the DW and think it is the best new ground to watch the game at. I would accept that Hull is out of the way for most people and a central location is ideal for such games but surely until the upgrade is done at Headingley it would be better played elsewhere?

I would imagine it is a question of hire cost and central/easy access for fans from a wide geographical region. What shiny RL stadiums do we have in Yorkshire other than KC (which then loses the central aspect) or Hudds (which is prob alot more expensive)?

Then finally there is the crowd size. In modern 25k stadia a crowd of 13k looks lost, in somewhere like Headingly 13k looks ok and can still generate an atomosphere.

Doncaster is a lovely ground and Halifax with their new stand completed really would be a good venue for it and still central. Only problem I find with Halifax is the parking but then Headingley is even worse for that and trying to leave the area is a nightmare especially when a large crowd is expected.

I think the cost is the main thing in it but with Sky and the RFL wanting to paint an image of the sport as a shiney product it seems odd they are playing it here even though there are H&S concerns with the ground, its main stand seating is pre-historic and the West terracing is great for us nostalgic supporters but hardly attractive to newcomers!

Never been to Fax, but have turned up to Headingley for one of our home games vs Stains within 20mins to kick off and found parking spaces within 5mins walk from the stadium.

I think JB has it spot on. When you get a fairly decent game of 12-13k, it looks fairly full and you'll have a decent atmosphere.

Also, it has to be in the heartlands, no good saying Donny has a shiny new stadium, it has to be somewhere on the '62 corridoor.

i like headingley.....a proper RL ground

You mean a dump , well that has been the argument for many on these boards , maybe if they built something proper , their attendances would rise significantley

The parking is ok I guess it is more with getting out of the Headingley area that I find a problem. At 'fax for a big game the large store car park probably holds around 1000 cars which is great but if your expecting a larger crowd then it may be an issue.

Like I said I do like Headingley but for all its current faults it is hardly a showpeice stadium that the RFL seem to want the SL to look like. Once the developments are done then I see no issue with playing these games there. I do hope they get the pitch sorted though, it used to be the envy of all RL clubs but now they might as well just play on Bridlington beach!

The RFL also have no issues with hiring an 80k stadium to hold around 30k of spectators so I guess the atmosphere has very little to do with it.

As for Doncaster, is expansion not what the RFL want? Is Loftus Road hosting England vs NZ worthwhile? The RFL have some crazy ideas but stadium choices are certainly up there with the craziest!

I think its more to the fact that its Brian McClennan (former club Leeds) and its in the heartlands of RL.

Yep the SouthStand needs work, and will be rebuilt at the end of the season.

But with the location it has, a good capacity, great new big screen and fantastic corporate facilities in the carnegie stand it's an obvious choice for the Exiles game.

And Hull KR fan complaining about a ground not being up to scratch ...

.. the irony.

Mixture of standing and seating
one of the largest capacities (despite the reduction for the south stand works)
owned by the rugby club based there
Best corporate facilities in the game
best groundsman in british sport
HD screen
city with the largest rugby league support base
county with the largest rugby league support base
easy to access by road and rail
a long history of international sport at the venue

terrible choice!

Best corporate facilities in the game

will be the main choice.

3/4 s of a decent stand , and corporate from the cricket side , rest of it's a dump

So how come the pitch is a mess ?

you read my mind. also why are the lines so bloody wide?

Oh yeh, corporate from the cricket side as well - exactly, good point.

Not only do we have the Lewis Jones suite at top of the Carnegie stand, but also the North Stand for corporate.

Quote ="Starbug"So how come the pitch is a mess ?'" www.leedscarnegie.com

Quote ="Starbug"So how come the pitch is a mess ?'" www.leedscarnegie.com

You've got that spot on. It is past tense, looking alright now!

It has basically put a message out to Warrington, Saints and Wigan (or any north west club) fans "don't bother". Friday night M62 is horrendous when going to watch our own team. Going to watch this exhibition...... I just don't know if I can be mithered. Why it wasn't midweek or on a Saturday on Sunday evening I will never know. Huddersfield would have been a much better choice. Stupid.

Job well done RFL

Between the Yorkshire clubs there is over 60k RL fans who pay to watch a game weekly, surely it can't be hard to fill the ground for what should be a very entertaining game? Anyone with a bit more committment to the game than you Lefty from the dark side of the pennines will just add to a predominantly Yorkshire crowd.

Is there much differance between the M62 midweek when people finish work at 5 & 6 and Friday when people finish work between 4 & 5.

Love Headingley personally, fantastic ground and area.

It will be even better next year

Are they getting Stacker back in that pub?