Correct

It takes effort to keep the board active in the off season. You'd think now would be a time not just to reflect on the season gone by but to reflect on rugby league as a whole over the years. There's always something to talk about but if no ones there to start them then things become very quiet indeed.

If you want to take heart from something this year then it should be Brigantes efforts to make the match day a more enjoyable experience. This group of people will be a year older next season, more experienced and in some cases more mature - more of the undesirable elements kicked out!

It'd be nice if RLFANS had its own Brigantes to make all our online experiances just a little bit better.

Have a good evening everyone and all the best for 2013!

Did I say SL champions? But hey if thats what you read.......

At least have the grace to admit you made a mistake.

What by saying league champions (which you got the hub cap for) or alternatively SL champions which Leeds won at Old Trafford-But yes Im wrong if thats what you want to read

Never let RL get in the way of a good moan! Have a good new year yourself Damo

Back under your stone, you have not been missed....

The RFL should take a look at darts and how popular that's become. What is a pub-sport, is now one of the most entertaining on TV, don't get me wrong - I enjoy watching the darts, the World Championships has had me on the edge of my seat sometimes, but the only reason I enjoy watching it is because it looks entertaining, there is plenty of atmosphere and it looks like a bloody good day out.

2 blokes throwing 3 arrows at a board.

If the RFL, Sky Sports and SL can somehow portray the same image of RL to audiences, it doesn't matter where their from, what their primary sport is etc, they will watch and they will come to games. Thus attracting new investment, thus attracting wider interest.

It's all well and good the RFL saying "Put this team here because they'll probably do OK", but to solve an issue like the one we have at the minute, you need to go back to the absolute basics. I'm not saying that it would solve all our problems and RL will march on to dominate - far from it. However, if RL can take a leaf out of Darts book, it may go a long way to improving the situation.

The upping in popularity of darts is due to it becoming a TV sport and its SKY coverage isn't it that has turned the game around? Don't watch it so don't reallly know. The TV makes it look great.
We have the second highest viewing figures for SKY Sports so surely in that regard SL is doing ok. Our trouble is we can't get major sponsorship and advertising on the back of it.

Immediately we have to look for more ways to increase revenue from existing sources as well as continue to search for sponsors/advertisers.
One way is to increase gates at current fixtures and perhaps drop poorly attended matches when better games are available.

First, I would start with the Magic. Transfer it to the C Cup at the last 16 stage and bring SL clubs in at that point. Eight games with a minimum of six between SL clubs. Within a year or two that Cup Magic weekend may well sell out with little or no discounting. Increased crowds and improved revenue.

Second, The Cup rounds including Magic to take place on the first weekend of each month. People in general are paid from work towards the end of the month so have the C Cup the first weekend of each month when we have money in our bank accounts, pockets and purses. That way whether it's this year, next year or whatever year we would know when the C Cup would start and when the Final would be. Last 16 first w/e in June, Quarters 1st in July, Semi 1st in Aug with the Final Bank Holiday Weekend. I'm pretty convinced that if we did that attendances for all C Cup rounds and matches would improve massively as would be revenue..

Third, look to replace game that are poorly attended by ones that will be very well attended. It is rumoured that the World Club Challenge will be extended to three clubs from each hemisphere. That's three extra games for our top clubs and elite players. International Rugby is the way forward and the WCC could add to RL's international profile very well indeed. Though something has to give to prevent burnout.
The fixtures to go are the Magic out of the SL, as mentioned.
One round less in the C Cup, as mentioned.
Two games less in the play offs. Either top three with L Leaders to the GF with 2 & 3 playing off for the other final place. Or top four as has been mentioned in other replies, 1 v 4, 2 v 3 and winners to the GF. Either will give a two week play off and not four weeks as at present which is too long and with poor crowds.

Overall basic thoughts, replace poorly attended matches by games that will have great crowds and maybe sell outs thereby increasing the crowds and revenue.

we have to be very careful about the 'success' of darts.
despite the size of winning the world championship, there is very little money in the game, and therefore very few full time pros.

darts has been able to increase its profile enormously (although lets wait and see what happens when Taylor retires), but without putting much money into the pot to support full time pros.

RL need a business plan which tales it well above what darts has achieved. And to put it into perspective - if you went onto the street in May and asked the average punter to name a darts player other than Phil Taylor, what do you think the response would be ? let alone ask them to name one under 40 !

Darts is a game still driven by 2 competing organisations, very few full time pro's, good viewing figures for 2 weeks a year and mostly filled with amateurs. That sounds to me like exactly where RL is going, rather than where we need to be aiming.

And it's low cost sport? to televise. You don't need about twenty cameras at a game.

Well said. I have been, indeed still am, disappointed in the way the RFL has let our sport become little more than an extended pre-season followed by a four or five round cup competition. That's not what I want for our sport and is, quite frankly, a travesty. That said, it's still the best sport in the world (imo, of course) and we are blessed to be able to claim our town has one of the, if not THE, biggest name in the sport. I live in hope that the powers that be waken up and see the writing on the wall one day but until then I will continue to support and enjoy the greatest club in Rugby League.

nor will it cost much i imagine to play or organise as its all individuals who dont require management, stadia or specialist training facilities.

I agree with the OP's sentiments, its been very quiet on here but then again its been very quiet across the board - RL wise. You go on BBC Sport > Rugby League, theres not much gonig on there either aside from the odd contract renewal here and there and Paul Wood's lone soldier...

It could be said that no news is good news however; i would rather have it quiet than awash with "Blummin rugby union, pinching Josh Charnley", etc.

We may have finished top of the table after the regular rounds but we were not League Champions

What were you if you weren't champions of the league?

Table toppers.

The best team in Super League.

League leaders. Hence why we got the league leaders shield.

14 years of having a Grand Final to determine champions and still people want to put their heads in the sand - only in rugby league, which is why the game gets the profile its fans deserve.

Darts has come on a hell of a long way and now isn't just about a World Championships for 2 weeks at the end of the year.

The Premier League darts season runs for 4 months at the start of the year and although only showcases the worlds 8 best players, has a lot of coverage and interest. Also there is the UK Open held in Bolton again with substantial prize money.

I don't know if you have missed watching Darts for the past 5 years because a lot of what you have said isn't true for the sport nowadays.

Couldn't agree more , there s a darts competitions every other week , might not be on sky but it's broadcasted on other live channels . Also the prize money is ranging from anywhere around £70k-and £100k a comp . You only have to look at the pdc order of merit to see how many people are making a good living out of darts and believe me it's not just a hand full

Everyone's written us off already. Look at the positives:
We've still (IMO) got the best, young pack in the league.
Two of the best wingers in the league.
The best full back/ player in the league.
An organized settled back room of coaches.

O.K., two new half backs isn't going to make it easy, but at least they've had the off season to get to know each others, and the teams game.
As for Wane, he got us 80 minutes away from two finals and we finished top in the regular season.
It's not exactly as grim as 2006 pre-season is it?

They have till September to be polished....

I miss Rugby League during the off season, and starting to get withdrawals now and cant wait to watch Wigan again. However I am completely disillusioned with Super League. To be honest im looking forward much more to the start of the NRL season. My only hope this year is that Melbourne take the WCC seriously and really put Leeds to the swords. The Rhinos fans blinkered view that they actually think they are the worlds best team and now have the worlds best player is p1ssing me off and the season hasnt even started yet !!!

I'm usually counting the days by now but I really couldn't care less. I'll go to games because I know no different, but at the moment I couldn't care less if we beat Salford or lost by 30.