That's how I see it, how he can say the magic weekend is now 2nd behind the GF beggars belief, but that's the RFL for you.

Scrap Magic weekend, a non event as far as I'm concerned

, and let Wembley compete with the GF for the top spot.

dont understand how he can say Magic weekend has overtaken it by the number of fans.
Its a totally different concept with fans from all Super League clubs attending to see their team play.
Its also over two days so if there are 65000 attending over two days and Wembley is attended by 75000 on one day dont get his maths.
Its more likely to do with expenditure at Wembley rather than anything else.
Every player of sport would want to play at Wembley given the chance

It's probably some amateurish negotiation tactic, playing down the importance of Wembley given they're about to start discussions beyond the current deal. Embarrassing.

It's all very well him saying the RFL can now sell Club Wembley tickets for the middle tier but what about the rest of the stadium? Last year there were thousands of empty seats in the upper tier.

The Cup Final in its current form is failing to attract neutrals, probably for a number of reasons. Summer holiday season, closeness to the Grand Final, people prefering to spend money on a trip to see their own club in Perpignan etc.

Quote ="oooh Gravy!"It's probably some amateurish negotiation tactic, playing down the importance of Wembley given they're about to start discussions beyond the current deal. Embarrassing.'" ... He's talking about discussions on the current deal, which still runs until 2027, a bit like the sky tv deal a few years back!! Full article here... https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... ey-stadium

Quote ="oooh Gravy!"It's probably some amateurish negotiation tactic, playing down the importance of Wembley given they're about to start discussions beyond the current deal. Embarrassing.'" ... He's talking about discussions on the current deal, which still runs until 2027, a bit like the sky tv deal a few years back!! Full article here... https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... ey-stadium

Makes last year even more special. Just in time.

Sorry but im not bothered for the CC - to be the best team in Super League you have to win the GF and that is what i want for FC

Seb you may be in a minority of 1
The CC is special and always will be
You need only ask the Fans Players and Club

You only need to look at the reaction at the final hooter last August to see what it means to many people.

I lost it.

I'd love to see us win at OT but nothing in my life will compare to that moment.

Don't get me wrong, I love the CC and I wish I could bottle that feeling of hearing that final hooter last year knowing we'd finally done it. But I know where Seb is coming from. To be the very best, and to be truly Champions, we have to win the Grand Final and that is what I want more than anything now that the King Kong of winning at Wembley is off our backs.

For us older supporters IMO it was the holy grail. I've never felt like that at the final whistle and never will again. Saying that everything moves on and I'd love us to get to a final and be winning by 20 with 10 to go so I could actually enjoy the last few min lol

finishing top proves you are the best team,not a 2 round egg cup at end of season.financially a grand final win is a boost,but in my opinion it proves nothing.

The next thing to accomplish is the Grand Final IMO. I would like to get back to Wembley and be of the mindset that if we lose it doesn't really matter, having got the monkey off our backs now. It would also mean I could enjoy the day for what it is.

However, a Grand Final win and a match up with an NRL team is now the target

Unfortunately, not in our sport as Warrington will testify.

Did you know that the first past the post method of deciding the champion in RL only existed between 1974 - 1997. Prior to that, it was a play off system.

Its like saying the 5 championships Hull won between 1920 and 1958 count for nothing.

The Challenge Cup has been undervalued by a contrived competition by Sky. Proir to Super League and even in the 50's and 60's the Cup was THE competition with the League second. When the Championship play offs were supersceded by The Premiership, teams hardly bothered. The big problem is that the RFL now seem to think Magic weekend is bigger than Wembley

Not saying that at all. I have watched all 3 systems, believe me when I say The Cup at Wembley was and is the competiton. Your proved to be the best by winning the league at the end of the normal season. Playing 3 more games and winning a play off doesn't make you champions. Canterbury Bulldogs were reknowned for putting everything into the playoffs and winning and the Aussies frowned upon it.

That is a massive problem. They've clearly swept the fact that the attendance figures cover 2 days and 12 sets of fans under the carpet!

Yet, do a search on RL champions and you will not see Wire in 2011 or 2016 or Hudds in 2015, you will see the play off winner.

Are you not defeating your own argument by saying the knockout cup competition was THE competition, yet another knockout (players isn't)?

RFL are likely to be bigging up the Magic weekend due to it being a Sky only event. Sky pay the big sponsorship deal, Ladbrokes / BBC I doubt will

Definitely won't be seeing Hudds in 2015. Mainly because they didn't win the league never mind the play off

leeds will be in the semi of the cup having played 2 lower league teams so I'm not sure how that can be the premier competition. If we'd won half the finals we'd played in I reckon the cup would hold much less prestige to us than the GF

Which ever year it was, you got my point

Didnt make myself completely clear - I love the CC but unfortunately missed Wembley as i was driving my family around Italy - was at Cardiff though which was an amazing experience. So weve now won the CC twice in recent history - time to win the ultimate prize - THE GRAND FINAL!!!! I would happily go out of the CC against Cas if it increased our chances of winning the GF.

Maybe not making my point clear Jakester. IMO opinion the cup was and is the holy grail. Wigan won it god knows how many times on the trot but they still enjoy the day/weekend out as would anybody. I missed one final of the modrrn era, 50's onwards, every defeat hurt like hell but every victory was savoured, last year more than ever. It meant more because of all the people I knew who never got to see it and every other win at Wembley, will produce the same sentiments. I cry unashamebly every time I hear "Abide with me". You can't recreate that at Manchester at a contrived premiership final.