WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.960 --> 00:00:04.679 Two promoted teams and Kisse Stahmer are slipping down. Yet 2 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:08.279 Huddersfield fans all have a big frown. They are the 3 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:11.400 ones in the wooden spoon Spot Saints and our top 4 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:14.800 of the lot Lee are getting their acting gear for 5 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:17.399 all the Ghostly and Johnna here. Welcome to the twenty 6 00:00:17.399 --> 00:00:21.800 second episode of Super League three sixty a Prime, a 7 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:24.960 podcast primarily about the top tier of British rugby league. 8 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:28.800 My name is Lee. Can't get me word right, Addison. 9 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:34.679 It's a Prome podcast and I'm John Davidson. If it 10 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:36.920 was on Amazon Prime. It's on Amazon I think, so 11 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.920 it could be. Yeah, I mentioned kir Starmer. Then you 12 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:44.840 looks like you're going to get your seventh prime minister 13 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:47.439 in ten years or something. John, So, I don't know 14 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:48.840 if you're putting your hat in the ring. 15 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:51.240 I'm not putting my hat in the ring. 16 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:53.320 It's kind of similar to as you would know what's 17 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.359 happened in well in Australia all back when it was 18 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:59.840 you know, rather than then Gillard and then right again 19 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.960 and then Abbot and then what was it Turnbullne and 20 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:05.319 Morrison and then. 21 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:09.079 I say exactly what I say when it comes to 22 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:14.760 rugby league coaches and football coaches and sports coaches in general. 23 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:18.799 When you have to change boss so much, it says 24 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:21.799 a lot more about the recruiters rather than the recruited. 25 00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:25.480 I'm a coach in Australia. John is a journalist in 26 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:27.840 the UK. Please read the description or listen to old 27 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:32.000 pods to make our introduction shorter. This podcast is also 28 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:34.519 being aired on the Ashes Rugby League Rugby League Coach 29 00:01:34.599 --> 00:01:37.680 podcast platforms as well as the Rugby League Coach YouTube too, 30 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:40.560 and if you subscribe to those you won't miss a thing. 31 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.680 Also thanks to Rugby League dot Com. I do want 32 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:45.040 to say before I start those who listen to the 33 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:47.439 Rugby League Coach podcast just had a week off from 34 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:51.159 doing that, just to give myself a few hours. John, 35 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.159 Let's go through the table. What am I going to 36 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:55.239 see when I look at this Super League table? John? 37 00:01:57.040 --> 00:01:59.719 Uh, you're going to see? Well, I haven't checked it lightly. 38 00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:02.879 Begin I say Wigan obviously on the on the march 39 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:05.840 and the rise, big win over leads, okay, ask quick 40 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:07.799 past the least so they're definitely. 41 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:13.439 Moving up and a win for the wire and. 42 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:18.439 Yeah I never lost for to lose A big win 43 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:24.000 for win for Cass as well, So k Are and 44 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:26.719 Wakefield Sorry and Warrington are the two teams that have 45 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:28.800 played one less game, so I'll get that straight before 46 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:32.319 we start. Saint Helen's the top of the ladder. Everyone 47 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:35.120 else has played eleven games. Saints are top with eighteen, 48 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:40.800 Leeds and Warrington are in second and third respectively on sixteen. 49 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:45.199 Who k are in fourth with fourteen. Two other teams 50 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:48.759 are on fourteen. That's Wakefield in fifth and Wigan in sixth. 51 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:56.360 Two teams on ten Lee in seventh and Catalans in eight. Hull, 52 00:02:56.439 --> 00:03:01.680 lef C, Bradford Bulls, Castleford Tigers are the three teams 53 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:06.439 in ninth, tenth and eleventh respectively on eight points, and 54 00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:10.680 York and to Lose are in twelfth and thirteenth on 55 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:16.120 six points respectively. Holding up everybody else at the bottom 56 00:03:16.120 --> 00:03:22.639 of the ladder on four points is the unleashed Huddersfield Giants. 57 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:25.800 Before we go any further, a couple of weeks ago 58 00:03:26.520 --> 00:03:31.759 we read out a tweet from someone that accused Neil Holding, 59 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:34.680 who played three hundred and sixty games, mostly for Saints 60 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:38.400 but also Rochdale, Aldham and Bradford played for Great Britain 61 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:40.719 on four occasions, two in the early eighties. It was 62 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:44.719 a great little half somebody sent in a tweet. It 63 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:50.000 was part of our questions. We asked for questions and 64 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:52.960 this was the third thing that was on there. Just 65 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.599 to put it in some kind of context. We literally 66 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:59.960 just read it out. I laughed because it was preposterous. Basically, 67 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.719 he didn't like the fact that that tweet was written John, 68 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:07.680 and he gave me a call. We had a very 69 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:10.400 fair conversation. So it's an apology from me for reading 70 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:12.919 it out. Quite frankly, I just read it out and 71 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:16.399 didn't have time to filter it. And yes, so my 72 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:18.600 apologies to Nil holding. 73 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:23.160 Yeah, and I made a tongue in cheek a comment 74 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:28.079 about Tommy Robinson. But anyone who wants to know about 75 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:31.199 Tommy Robinson, obviously he's a criminal, and you can find 76 00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:33.639 out about all these conditions. It's not actually his real mind, 77 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:35.959 but you can go online and find those out. And yeah, 78 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:36.759 I guess we'll move on. 79 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:41.240 Rugby League tweet of the Week Steve Mascord said, people 80 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:45.120 have shorter attention spans. I get it will origin be 81 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.600 like this now. I know this is Super League three sixty, 82 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:51.920 but we do mention the NRL. John, I was at 83 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:56.600 Magic Round at the weekend. I was bored out in 84 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:59.680 my brains. I went on Friday. 85 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:01.360 You hadn't drag enough, had you. 86 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:09.439 True? If I want to watch touch football, so touch rugby, 87 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:15.360 I'll watch touch rugby. It's awful. I don't like it. 88 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:21.360 There's no jeopardy between attack and defense. The game looks 89 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:23.360 like a game of rugby league for ten minutes and 90 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:27.360 then it totally opens up. What I did notice is 91 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:30.839 I've not been to Magic Round for five years. I 92 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:33.120 think it will at least be another five years based 93 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:35.639 on this before I go again. Only went because I 94 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:40.639 didn't have to pay for the ticket, and the crowd 95 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:43.079 is a lot younger, so they're obviously doing something right. 96 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:51.079 And people have automatically linked the faster rock speeds as 97 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:55.519 the reason people are happier with with rugby league in Australia, 98 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:57.879 and that's something else that's happened in Britain. And this 99 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:01.279 is why it's an important conversation. But it's a bit 100 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:08.720 more complicated than that. John, Yes, mention the NRL, but 101 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:12.759 also link it back to Super League. This faster rock 102 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.040 that we are seeing in rugby league at the minute, 103 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:17.720 what impact is it having? 104 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:25.480 Jeez lely, that's scientifical, and to answer how long have 105 00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:29.240 we got? Look to tie it back to what you 106 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:32.000 originally said, Yeah, I mean, I think it's common knowledge 107 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:35.399 that people these days, younger people have shorter attention spans 108 00:06:35.399 --> 00:06:39.000 and that's down to technology and social media and dunal 109 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:43.240 screening and sometimes three screening. I don't think necessarily rugby 110 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:46.680 league's popularity in Australia is down to the faster rucks 111 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:49.439 of the rules changes. I think that's down to the 112 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:54.759 thought that the ball in play more often means more entertainment, 113 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:58.439 which equals more evals. There may be some validity to that, 114 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:02.279 but there's definitely I don't know. Maybe you could call 115 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:05.800 it the culture war, you know between the traditionalists light 116 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:08.920 yourself and some other people on the sport, and then 117 00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:10.519 there's obviously a lot of people would feel the same 118 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:12.720 way as you do. I do get it, and I 119 00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:16.800 don't want to see touch footy either between you know, 120 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:19.000 the way the game has always been played to what 121 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:22.319 we have at the moment. But the impact, yeah, I mean, 122 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:24.439 I think I think a lot of a lot of injuries, 123 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:29.720 a lot of lopsided score lines. I don't think it 124 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:32.120 certainly had an impact in super I don't think the 125 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.839 impact has been as great as been in the NRL 126 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:37.879 because I was at Wakefield on Friday night, and why 127 00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:40.399 you could say, oh, well, you know there was forty 128 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:43.600 eight ammiments and points and Wakefield just went through Catlands, 129 00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:46.000 But a lot of that was down to just how 130 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:49.319 bad cut Lands were as well. They effectively give it, 131 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:54.000 gave up. So yeah, I don't do I answer your 132 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.360 question a long way. I don't think Origin will probably 133 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:59.000 be like that. I think they will, like they always 134 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:01.839 red for Origin, don't let a bit more physicality go. 135 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:03.759 They let a few more hard shots go, and it 136 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:06.800 is kind of an old fashioned usually more of an 137 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:07.439 arm wrestle. 138 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:09.240 That's probably my. 139 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:15.199 Prediction also, John, I mean, if the referees have to 140 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:17.639 do that, I mean, one pattern I'm seeing over the 141 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:20.639 last few weeks is if scores blow out on a 142 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:24.120 Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, all of a sudden, the 143 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:28.720 games are a bit closer, and I can't help but 144 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:32.039 think that the referees are giving less six games, They're 145 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:35.679 allowing more latitude at the rug. The games were definitely 146 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:38.840 slower on Saturday. The field was boggier because it's been 147 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:42.720 raining a lot here in Brisbane. Yes, so they're obviously 148 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:45.399 playing around with the game. They've played around with the 149 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:48.200 game in England to the point where last year it 150 00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:55.360 was WrestleMania. This year it's now touched football and no 151 00:08:55.480 --> 00:09:02.080 wonder people get confused and this fake engineering of the 152 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:04.519 product that we're trying to do. How about we just 153 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:07.720 reward the tackle again. I mean, I'm a guide in 154 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:09.799 the world rugby league person. I can tell you that 155 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:14.919 these opinions positive or negative about rugby league, they're actually 156 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:19.480 not related to age. They are related to people's taste 157 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:24.480 of sport. And I think I would there's so many 158 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.480 people in their early twenties that I've heard say they 159 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:31.519 don't like the game at the moment, and using an analogy, 160 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:36.679 I would say, this is like two boxers being in 161 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:41.440 a ring. One of them has to wear heavy gloves, 162 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:45.960 the other one can go bare knuckle. That's the sort 163 00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:48.840 of analogy I would come up with, because the balance 164 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:52.600 between attack and defense has gone has gone completely skew 165 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:53.759 with the other way. 166 00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:54.120 Now. 167 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:57.759 Now you did say earlier that catalans are poor, etc. Etc. 168 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:05.200 It's all part of the same recipe. Right. So if 169 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:10.519 your preseason, if your recruitment, your recruitment for years, quite frankly, 170 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:13.519 has been geared towards a certain type of game, and 171 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:15.919 then all of a sudden the game changes at the 172 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:22.399 drop of a hart. If you're a club that has 173 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:25.039 a coach, for example, that has never coached before, which 174 00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:30.679 the Catalans work had, even if the coach has coached 175 00:10:30.679 --> 00:10:35.440 for twenty years, doesn't mean they're alive to change is 176 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:38.559 very quickly. It could creep up on them before they 177 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:43.960 behored they have chance to change. So there's so many 178 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.639 things that's impacting the game all around the world, and 179 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:50.919 the big indicator in England is the injuries because there's 180 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:53.720 a shorter preseason than there is in the NRL. In 181 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:56.200 the NRL, I think it's a fine line. In the NRL, 182 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:58.519 I think it's too long and arduous. In Super League 183 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:00.759 it's it's it's not long enough. 184 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:03.639 And you mean the other way around. 185 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:10.000 No, you said you said the NRL the season's pre 186 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:12.159 season our preseason. 187 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:14.919 Sorry, yeah, my mistake. 188 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:19.960 Listening skills, John. The preseason in the NRL is longer 189 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:23.000 than our duous too ardus. I believe too long. The 190 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:28.679 preseason in Super League is the opposite, and you're seeing 191 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:35.440 the athletic response quite frankly, Lee's laugh this week. You know, 192 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:40.080 the super League website is not secure, so when I 193 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:44.240 try and get on it on my laptop, I have 194 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:49.440 to go through the security thinking on my laptop because 195 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:52.320 it says this could be imitating another website. 196 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:55.519 I do remember just a story in December. It was 197 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:58.240 around Christmas or ease, and I think that the Super 198 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:00.679 League website had either been hacked over down for a 199 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:01.399 couple of days. 200 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:01.720 At that point. 201 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:02.600 So I'll tell you what. 202 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.200 Yeah, I mean, I'm not a I'm not a web 203 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:10.559 hosting guru or anything, but yeah, I would imagine that 204 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:12.360 it's probably something done on the cheap. 205 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:18.279 John I'm a one man business band and my three 206 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:22.799 websites that I almost all secure. That's all I'll say. 207 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:28.600 The Sultan Steve Jobs. 208 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:28.879 Johnny's tweets of the week. How many times do we 209 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:31.360 need to check the same thing over and over? Madness 210 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:33.879 discuss Yeah. 211 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:36.200 I mean that was from the Hottest Fields and Helen's Game. Now. 212 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:39.840 I don't generally like to be critical of referees or 213 00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:42.919 video referees or officials because we all make mistakes and 214 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:48.159 you know no one is perfect, but some of the 215 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:52.159 video refereeing this season in Super Bigue has been diabolical 216 00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:56.720 and the display on Thursday night, I mean it was 217 00:12:56.759 --> 00:13:00.279 a shot. Is that a fair word. I mean it 218 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:02.840 was a pretty sharp game anyway. I mean Huddersfield were 219 00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:07.039 absolutely dreadful. Lola here to dropouts, he put straight out. 220 00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:10.320 They were just really really bad. I mean Huddersfield they 221 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:13.639 are a championship team in disguise. They should be playing 222 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:18.080 in the championship. Put that aside. The Hardersfield came back 223 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:20.240 into the second half and had a real dig but 224 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:22.960 the video referee there was one try I can't remember 225 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.240 who scored it, but it was effectively came off the 226 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:26.879 head of this and Hell's played from a kick and 227 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:29.120 Hubs was scored. You could see it the first replay, 228 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:31.879 but he went back and checked everything about three times 229 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:34.759 and it was took about three minutes. You just what 230 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:37.279 are you doing? Like, there's got to be a time 231 00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:40.559 or all this. There's got to be someone And just 232 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:43.200 to be clear, the bunker system in the RAL was 233 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:45.600 very different a super league. They have more cameras, they 234 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:51.399 have more money, better facilities in the NRL, but Super league. 235 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:53.200 There's got to be an impeticisy. Okay, we need a 236 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:55.200 decision quickly here and if you can't make a decision, 237 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.720 then go back to the rest cars because same with 238 00:13:57.799 --> 00:14:00.440 the captain's challenge is taking an age and there are 239 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:02.399 things that the viewer at home can spot quickly and 240 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.159 go okay, yeah that's a try, that's not a try, 241 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.840 and officials seem scared to make a decision. And it 242 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:12.039 is weird because there's hardly any media in the UK 243 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:15.960 in British rugula league, and the criticism is really social 244 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:18.559 media and fans. But even then it's not you know, 245 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:22.840 it's not Liverpool or Arsenal, is it? So yeah, I 246 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:25.720 just they just seem scared to make a decision. It's 247 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:27.480 really tough to watch. 248 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:34.320 I have the misfortune of studying both the Bunker and 249 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:38.840 in the NRL and the Super League version of it. 250 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:43.559 And you are right, it's far too long. Some burd 251 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.519 has made a comment and we reiterated it last week. 252 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:53.279 You games of rugby league ending sometimes thirty minutes later 253 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:57.960 than they should and that impacts people's days, particularly if 254 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:00.440 it's a night fixture. I mean, can you imagine some 255 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:04.240 of the times people are getting home twenty minutes can 256 00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:06.759 make a hell of a difference at night time, particularly 257 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:10.799 if you've got to go over the Pennines. And I 258 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:12.679 just think Rugby League needs to get a grip of 259 00:15:12.679 --> 00:15:17.799 it and they need to put some kind of time 260 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:19.919 limit on it. Yes, they don't have the camera angles, 261 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.080 but they're never going to have the camera angles until 262 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:24.960 things change. So you've got what you've got, Just make 263 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:27.720 a decision and get on with it. Johnny's jab this 264 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:32.399 week you want to talk about the participate the partition 265 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:37.080 fee that Catalans and to lose have to pay, and 266 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:41.200 I suppose we will lean on the Catalans performance and 267 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:43.279 what you wrote this week as well well with it. 268 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:45.279 Well we're here, yeah. 269 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:48.960 I mean I put out an opinion piece hours ago 270 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:55.720 that you can read for free online at my Patreon. Basically, 271 00:15:57.320 --> 00:15:59.039 it's a long read, a bit of a deep dive 272 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:02.759 on the can Lands, their future and how they're going 273 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:04.600 this season. And there are a lot of factors in it. 274 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:07.919 But one of the big factors is this nie million 275 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:10.840 quid that they have to pay every year for all 276 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:13.000 the teams from England and the match offishals to fly 277 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:17.320 over for their games. Now, this has impacted them heavily. 278 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:20.679 They've cut back on their salary cap spending and I 279 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:23.960 think they're looking at their coaching situation. They've also cut 280 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:27.960 back on what they're spending on coaches, and according to 281 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:30.759 people that I've spoken to, you know, the way they 282 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:32.840 travel to the UK in terms of when they fly, 283 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:35.000 where they fly from, where they stay in the UK, 284 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:37.840 they travel time, you know from you know, if they 285 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:39.840 flying to Manchester and then they have to travel the 286 00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:42.639 whole long game or whatever. All that's been impacted as 287 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:44.519 well because they're looking to do it as cheap as 288 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:49.320 they can. I just think basically it's an absolute joke 289 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:52.320 that they have to pay even though they are unequal. 290 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.440 They should be an equal member of the competition. And 291 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:57.200 the same is for to lose, and so it's even 292 00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:59.039 harder for to lose because they've only got half the 293 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:02.960 central distribution this year. But I just think it's it's 294 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:05.720 an absolute joke that they're having to do this and 295 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:09.240 it is competing, you know, with one arm behind their back. 296 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:11.559 And I think we're really seeing, particularly Friday night, we're 297 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:12.480 seeing the results of that. 298 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:14.200 You know. 299 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:16.000 I don't I don't think they're a hell's chance of 300 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:18.599 making the top six this season. They didn't make it 301 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:20.759 last season and from where they were a couple of 302 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:24.759 years ago, you know, at Old Trafford at Wembley, it's 303 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.160 really disappointing. 304 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:30.319 As soon why are they being made to pay this money? 305 00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:32.359 But they may have been made to pay the money 306 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:37.000 because there is a certain number of English clubs who think, 307 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:39.160 why have we got them in the competition? What do 308 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:41.559 they bring? They've not brought in a TV deal. The 309 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:46.319 French national team is not performing particularly well. You could 310 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.880 argue it's gone backwards and they don't bring any away fans, 311 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:55.359 so it's purely kind of you know, it's one way 312 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:58.519 perspective and they don't really think that the French should 313 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:01.319 be paying their way in the same is that the 314 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.880 Sky deal. You know, Sky isn't going to get any 315 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:07.480 more money from people watching the sport in France because 316 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:11.359 it's the different broadcaster, so you know why they should 317 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:13.640 have to pay their way in the competition. But it's 318 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:19.519 just a completely unfair perspective for you know, it's not 319 00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:24.759 equal competition, is it. Yeah, And I think we're seeing 320 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:28.400 that now because they are really struggling on and off 321 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:32.640 the field. I mean there was reports in min Australia 322 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.200 at the start of the year that Catalan's Dragons were 323 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:39.839 looking for a buyer in Australia, you know, and I've 324 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:43.039 heard some speculation recently that the owner, Bernard Gash, is 325 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:45.759 looking to get out, is a bit fed up. And 326 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:48.039 he's been there for twenty years. You know, people need 327 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:50.839 to remember he's been like the Warriors in New Zealand 328 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:54.039 have been one of the success stories that club. You know, 329 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:57.640 how it's competed, how it's grown, and you know, we 330 00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:58.759 need to help the French. 331 00:18:58.839 --> 00:18:59.319 We need. 332 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:01.599 France used to be you know, what was it in 333 00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:04.400 the seventies or the fifties or both. You know, they 334 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:07.440 were one of the top nations in rugby league, you know, 335 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:10.759 the Big three. And I don't think we can afford 336 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:15.039 to let France with her on the vine. So at 337 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:17.079 this point, you know, with the fact that the English 338 00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:20.720 game is running out of money, it's just a case 339 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:22.960 of all right, well, well, you know they seem to 340 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:25.680 have fat pockets, we'll take some more money out of 341 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:28.079 theirs to distribute amongst ourselves. 342 00:19:29.079 --> 00:19:32.039 It's really sad that some English clubs turn their nose 343 00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:36.680 up at the Catalan and to Lose and anybody that's 344 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:39.599 London and London to anybody that's not from the M 345 00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:44.400 sixty two corridor. Yeah, with some smart administration, I'm sure 346 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.680 they could make plenty of money from to Lose and 347 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:53.400 Catalans playing on TV. If if the Australian game can 348 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:58.160 make money from Papua New Guinea and from New Zealand 349 00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:01.480 Warriors being in the competition, that I'm pretty sure the 350 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:05.079 English game can do the same with some lateral thought. 351 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:09.240 Also in terms of performance, we can we can be 352 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:13.440 saying the Catalans are in all sorts right now, but 353 00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:17.880 they're still in eighth. I'd just like to remind those 354 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:24.240 small sided, small minded individuals out there that right now, 355 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:26.720 as things stand, the Catalans sit above all f C. 356 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:31.480 Bradford Bulls, Cattle For Tigers, York Knights and Huddersfield Giants, 357 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:35.279 who all sit in and around or not a million 358 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:38.680 miles away from the M sixty two corridor. Indeed, To 359 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:43.160 Lose are still above Huddersfield Giants, the birthplace of the game. 360 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:47.599 So and I don't even go into the next division 361 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:49.720 and have a look at so many of those clubs 362 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:53.359 and that have had the benefit of being on rugby 363 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:58.240 league's birth doorstep and are managing to mess up their 364 00:20:58.279 --> 00:21:01.240 administration so much. At their struggling to survive in the 365 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:05.720 division below A too so below too so. This whole 366 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:08.559 thing knocks me sick. John Catalans in particular have brought 367 00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:11.960 so much to Super League, so much to the Challenge Cup, 368 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:14.839 so much to British rugby league in general. I do 369 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:17.319 agree with you that a good France would be very 370 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:22.640 good for rugby league in general too. There's there's something 371 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:29.119 very attractive about a competition where more than one language 372 00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:34.680 is spoken, I think from from so many viewpoints and 373 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:39.680 if certain people in rugby league can't see that then 374 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:44.480 then I feel sorry for them quite frankly. And on 375 00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:50.640 that note, one of those clubs, Huddersfield are propping everybody 376 00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:53.359 up in the in the in the Super League table. 377 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:55.160 Are they championship club in disguise? 378 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:59.160 Well, I mean you watch the game on on Thursday 379 00:21:59.200 --> 00:22:02.079 and you think that, and you know they're barely getting 380 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:06.680 anyone to their games. The team's you know, struggling beyond 381 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:11.519 belief in terms of like media profile, publicity, it's almost 382 00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:16.119 non existent. You know, their new coach who hasn't arrived yet, 383 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:18.680 but you know he wasn't assistant the times, but he's 384 00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:21.599 a Q Cup coach. I'm not sure if you're aware 385 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:23.480 of him laying your well. 386 00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:27.000 And Andy Jagger nineteen seventy seven asked the question to me. 387 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:30.119 He said, hope you may be able to give an 388 00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:32.759 insight and honest assessment of Jim Lenehan and your next 389 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:36.200 quod cheers all the best had a bit of a well. 390 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:38.359 I don't know that much about him, quite frankly, so 391 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:41.279 I did a little bit of research. Basically his coach 392 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:43.000 for a long time, right, so, his coach for about 393 00:22:43.079 --> 00:22:45.799 twenty years. I think it is at levels that we 394 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:51.119 can recognize. Burley, I think is his club, and he 395 00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:55.799 took over from rix Stone in his first incarnation. Rick 396 00:22:55.880 --> 00:22:58.079 Stone was successful with them, and then he took over 397 00:22:58.119 --> 00:23:01.160 and they weren't successful anymore. So I was having a 398 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:03.559 look at this and thinking oh loo. But then he 399 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:05.960 did end up back at Burley some years later and 400 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:11.559 won the premiership at least once. So look, there's nothing 401 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:15.960