This is the 'one club' mentality, not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not how I show my support.

I will be going to Huddersfield tomorrow as I like going to watch RL. I also support Leeds. So the logical conclusion is to watch Leeds play when or where ever that may be.

I will also be going to the final as, all things being equal, two of the league's top clubs should be playing so it should be a good game.

Some people will only go and watch their club - and will only go and watch their club if their club have a good chance of winning.

I'm not off, won't go to the final either as in both cases I'll be spending the time with my daughter, making the most of it before she gets old enough to answer back and give me grief....

I'd be more likely to go to the final though, Wembley is much easier to get to for me than anywhere on the M62 corridor.

Taking the grandson to the coast. To be honest i've been bored this year. The sky games and the leeds home matches have, odd one apart, have been dull. Like a lot of others i speak to i'm losing interest in the game itself. Nothing to do with winning or losing, just the general entertainment and standard of games

So im not the only one

I would rather go watch wetherby bulldogs. Its a shame as i used to look forward to games all week and wembley was a great weekend.
maybe its me

Ive barely been to half of our games this season and I dont feel as though I have missed anything

Thanks for that.
It's looking like a journey up from Donny then tomorrow.
Good support is often referred to as an extra man. We need to get behind the team in adversity, not all decide to hide behind austerity at the first sign of a heavy loss

That said I can understand if people aren't enjoying the general quality of the product on offer as I have felt the same to an extent this year.

Tad random, but does anyone know if we're playing in home/away kit tomorrow?

Both.

I feel exactly the same, kinda depressing the realisation, as I love the game.

I think rugby league fans can sometimes almost have this complex, that the game should be growing bigger and better every year, because at it's best, theres nothing better.

But like many things it goes in peaks and troughs and the current state most certainly isn't a peak.

I think a few things have contributed to this, but the big bucks are in the NRL now so you don't get same quantity and or quality of overseas players bulking up the league, we don't produce enough quantity and quality ourselves so theres been a decline in the overall quality IMO. Add in the fact theres 14 teams now and this has magnified the situation. These type of realisations are stinging for many because ''the game should be growing, making progress, getting better'', it's that complex many rugby league fans have.

This takes years and years to turn around, the franchise system is almost much maligned these days but it at least (in theory) gives weaker teams the opportunity to invest in the infastructure and to begin producing quality players of their own rather than relying on queensland cup castoffs. Whether that is actually taking place, I'm not so sure.

Well well, according to the likes of G1 and Richie winning is the only thing that matters and fans only care about that. Seems some fans want to see elite sport played to elite standards.

I'll be honest, it's the only thing that matters to me. The quarter final in 2010 against Wigan was hardly played to elite standards, but beating them in the manner we did was as satisfying as any victory i've seen. An elite team is classed as the best in their field, that is only ever judged by silverware. Fans react accordingly, if your winning they're supporting, if you're not they're gone. There are a number of purists who would happily see their team defeated in a valiant and flamboyant manner, they are in a minority. Most people want to see their team lifting the trophies.

Well aren't we a set of miserable buggers tonight.

Let's hope it's not practice for tomorrow night.

Just like the good old days

Reading this thread it would suggest fans also want to be entertained - both Tad and Laurie have followed this team for many years home and away, so it is not as if they are glory supporters.

Usually if the standard of your rugby is poor you will not be competitive and therefore you will not win and your fan base will decrease, unless you are Wigan, who managed to retain their support even when they were rubbish. Most adults are able to understand the ebbs and flows of sport and winning is not the be all and end all. As you get older you become more discerning with how you spend your money and if you don't feel the entertainment offers value you will stop going - as evidenced on this thread.

Are you saying if the team goes into a decline and stops winning you will stop going?

It's not just leeds. Wigan apart the standard is appalling. Its the worst season Both standard and entertainment wise for years. Even the level of coaches is terrible. I love my Rl but i fear for the game in this country

Well I'm getting a big giddy now - always do before a big game.

I'm gutted I can't make it now, don't get paid until end of the month so can't afford it

Quidquid offer fantastic rates of APR for situations just like this

Glad the midweek trip to the vet did that horse some good!

You'll all want a final ticket though, won't you?

No.

Not unless it comes with a cast iron guarantee that there will be no drunken people within fifty rows of my seat and that any that can be identified as such by me will be ejected from the ground on my instruction, immediately.

And if I've nabbed the bank holiday weekend stand-by at work then I won't be going anyway, unless we get a call-out to London.

I ended up going anyway, got 2 weeks of walking to work now but it's worth it