Wire played Huddersfield last year but always played Salford before that.

The whole magic concept makes a mockery of the league.

This season should have been Wigan v Wire, Hudds v Cats, etc etc.. ie the league standing in the week before the fixtures.

For one team to always get poor opposition is a total joke.

But this is rugby league after all

The tragic weekend concept needs looking at. It's unfair that warrington get to play bottom of the table sides and saints, Wigan, hull, hull fc, bulls and Leeds all have a tough scrap for 2 points.

The tragic weekend could be very good if the fixtures are matched up even.

Scrapping is what I would say.

What other sport has teams playing each other odd amounts of games ?

Laughing stock.

The league table should have an asterix at the end of it because the fixtures are uneven.

How about the NFL, MLB and the NRL to start?

Magic weekend should stay but should be the QF's of the Challenge Cup.

What an utter laughing stock those sports are, no wonder no one watches them.

So, Jonny Foreigner does it and we have to follow suit ?



Nope.

"Magic Weekend" is an embarassment and needs to be scrapped. There was a very slight justification that could be argued for it's existence when it was supposed to be "spreading the gospel of the game" in Edinburgh or Cardiff (although I fail to see how given that Challenge Cup finals there have never exactly ignited the game's popularity in those areas), but to have it a couple of miles down the road from the Grand Final just completely blows any argument for having it into shreds. The fact that no more than a few thousand fans could be a**ed to travel 20 or 30 miles to see any of it today says that they all share that opinion too.

I agree, it's a strange idea to play it in Manchester if we are trying to spread the word of rugby league. We have teams surrounding Manchester with the likes of Salford, oldham, Rochdale etc and even saints, Wigan, Warrington and Widnes are only 20/30 mins away.

The concept is a pretty good idea to play in a non rugby league with evey team playing but it needs looking at IMO.

It's unfair that some teams get a garunteed two points every year because tgey play the "lesser" teams. It should be done fair so it won't have a unfair disadvantage in the league.

If Warrington pip Wigan for top spot by two points this year and we beat Wigan today (no chance lol) then I think the pies have been hard done by as Warrington had two points basically given to them.

Whilst yesterday makes playing it in manchester look a bit daft, today allegedly is going to be closer to max capacity with 40k fans quoted.

I agree that I'd prefer it as an expansion game, but the numbers had stagnated somewhat on both days. If next year we can get close to a sell out on both day, then maybe we could look at a little further a feild once the fans are used to turning up as part of the fixtures.

Newcastle would be the obvious choice. Not miles away from the heartlands, in the city, expansion area, big enough stadia. But I think we need to sure up the numbers in attendance first. Then take it on the road.

Perhaps if Big Mac has his way with 12 teams, and back Toulouse for the next licence period we could turn it into a Magic Away Day! we will need this to spin out the fixtures for TV

Wow Rugby League 1905 to 1930 would have completely blown your mind - not only an irregular fixture list, but some teams played many more games than others in the same league.

As you say, "Laughing stock".

I thought it was only pies who live in the past ?

Going back to 1905 takes the biscuit pal.

I would have thought you would show more appreciation for Rugby League's fine traditions

The only 'embarrassments' and 'laughing stocks' at this event are the St Helens players, and they are providing no stiffer challenge than Widnes did yesterday.

Speaking of stiff, I'm starting to dislike Phil Clarke even more than I dislike Wigan.

Although im not going to complain about our training game , even though Wigan near enough had the same sort of game it is a correct point. they tried something different and drew the games out of a hat , that was terrible. So now they do the Derby games and our Derby is Widnes its not some conspiracy to get Wire to the top. I think a fair way of doing it would be at the end of this season just have the fixtures for next year as 1st v 2nd 3rd v 4th 5th v 6th etc.. that way there SHOULD be no walkovers

It should really have been Wire/Wigan and Saints/Widnes. More evenly matched sides and would have resulted in better spectacles.

Too right.

That's a bit of a bold statement to make when the foundation of the modern game is pretty much based on innovations from Jonny Foreigner e.g.

Limited tackles
Specialist coaching teams
Fitness techniques and conditioning
Using computers to evaluate player performance
Use of weights to improve fitness standards
Use of video as a coaching device
Players' fitness scientifically tested
Professionalism
Salary cap
Video replay
Sports marketing

I'm sure people can name more and that's without being specific about the innovations Australians have made e.g. organising half backs, 40/20, attacking full back, half backs at hooker, planned moves, defensive tactics.

With the decline of Challenge Cup attendances why not be brave and stage the quarter finals at Ethiad Stadium, 2 matches per day? or both semi finals on one day?

The idea of Magic was good originally, people liked the idea of a weekend away, but who is going to stay in Manchester when most teams are an hour or so away, Saturday the gap between games was far too long meaning supporters did not hang around.

With the RFL currently any small sign of success they will hang on it and I bet the deal has already been drawn up for three years! the weather this year was superb, would a wet weekend in Manchester be as attractive and the story that has been Spun about the success of the sponsored trucks, yes the photographs looked good with so many people waiting for autographs, but the Stobart Fan Club had all been contacted and how many of them went into the stadium? very very few!

It was my first magic weekend and i loved it! Great atmosphere, great fans, (mostly) great games, great weather, It's all good in the hood!

It was my first magic weekend too i went with my son and daughter we all enjoyed the day and loved it all for £15 quid a bargain great fans ,great chatting with other fans and some excellent games but disappointed at saints , the RFL are looking at staging it permanently at the eithad hopefully build on the event so we can get full a house on both days .

Living in Manchester I'd still class this as an expansion area! It's a football city (and probably always will be) and the lack of knowledge of rugby league considering all the teams you've listed is appalling. I tell people I'm interested in rugby league and no one has a clue about the difference between league and union, or which teams play it.

Staging it at Manchester gives people who don't normally go, and don't know much about it a chance to try it out relatively cheaply, see a few games and get a taste of it in a "festival" style environment and the good thing is, with so many teams on their doorstep they could then choose to go to their local team and watch it again live if they enjoyed it (paying money back into RFL and clubs rather than just someone in Edinburgh just boosting Sky's viewing figures and profits).

If the game is played down in Cardiff, up in Edinburgh or Newcastle, which local there would then decide to continue watching live rugby league? Chances are their closest teams are hours away and would they travel that distance in the hope that they enjoy a regular game as much as a full weekend where there's events staged etc? I wouldn't have thought so. Far easier for someone from Manchester to get dragged along by their mates, or take the kids for a family day out to get along and watch a game and then think "oh I'll nip over to Salford/Barton/Irlam or Oldham or Rochdale to start supporting my local(ish) team.

this lesser team of Widnes....is that the same team that beat Wigan a few weeks ago?

If Wigan lose by 2...it might actually be down to the fact they treated Widnes with no respect and gambled in putting the kids out....they obviously chose the wrong game to do that.

What they should have done is pick their strongest 15 against Widnes...and then put the kids out against your lot.