In Cardiff, Game A finishes and there's time for a quick scoot to a pub to share a couple of beers with a great crowd. Back in time for the majority of Game B. If the second half isn't so great, shoot out again for a mingle, before Game C.

At Murrayfield? Forget it, when you're in your in.

They moved it from Cardiff just as it was starting to take root, both for travelling fans and more importantly local fans. There's a huge potential for RL in South Wales and if you've been to one of these weekends, or one of the CC finals there, it's hard to ignore. It's epitomised by a local bloke offering to buy the Saints shirt off my back (clearly, the internet hasn't made the Valleys yet!) but there needs to be some stability to allow the event to develop.

We could move it every two years - Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin, Barcelona, Birmingham etc etc. It would hardly register an interest locally.

Or we could give it a home, and build on the foundations already laid in Cardiff.

i thought he was trying to say we play to many games over Easter and the maybe instead of the Magic weekend we should play an international and he has a very good point.
Maybe it was not his place to make the comments but you have to admire the lad for speaking out and saying what lots of other players are thinking.
However the magic weekend is a big game for lots of clubs a nice weekend away for the fans as well.
I understand why its been taken to Scotland the RFL say its because they want to expand the game to Scotland but the real reason is the Scottish government are subsidizing it quite a lot and thats the main reason.

Of course Edinburgh are expecting to get a return on investment, what is the problem with that?

Cardiff did try to keep it. Edinburgh put a better bid in for the event though, so not sure what your point is?



OK then – if the X amount of £ from this event goes to development of Super League, that is £X that doesn’t need to be found from other sources. That money would be invested in SL anyway, but the fact it comes from the Magic Weekend means that money from other sources can be used to fund development in other areas.

NL clubs got free tickets in Round 3 I believe – Barrow possibly could have sold more to their own fans, but they didn’t have to, they had the money guaranteed by the RFL before the game. I didn’t notice them complaining too vociferously.



No – it’s an extra game. If it wasn’t happening in Edinburgh we would only have 26 games, not 27. Clubs still get 13 home games, regardless of this weekend. If clubs are so precariously financed that they cannot afford to go 3 weeks without a home game, then they are in serious trouble, and shouldn’t be complaining about the way that the RFL runs its business.

isnt that the idea of Celtic Crusaders?

To be quite honest I dont give a flying s**t about the Aussies all I care about is a successful British competition and a fully fit International side when we come to the Tri Nations. The Aussies dont give a flying toss about us and its about time we should them the same!

I like the fact Graham has spoken up on this and that it is in the media. The more column inches the better for RL.

He is entitled to say he feels the Easter weekend is too much - he has been personally affected. And he is constructive in his criticism in saying that Cumbria could use some development. Good on the man.

its only appeared in the RL media and on the RL blogs.



you are right - he has been personally affected





he has offered nothing constructive about how this development should happen, how it will be funded and what the benefits of developing in Cumbria are compared to other regions.

Fully agree.

Cant take these events seriously with a quarter full stadium and a fixed fixture.

Wrong. I read it in the Mirror today.



Yes, I am right. He was there. He must be knackered to speak out like that, and given physical the demands of the modern game.




You may be right about this if you were there when he said it. However, I doubt you can pick it up from the soundbite-sized reports of what he said. Nevertheless, my point is that it doesn't sound like he is just moaning about Magic weekend, but offering an alternate view on development of the game. My position is that this is healthy both as part of the expansion debate and for giving column inches to RL. I don't necessarily agree with his points, but they are as valid as the next man's and I like to hear Saints players views on things.

The rags are full of 'soccer player thinks this', 'this manager said that', blah blah, blah.

its his job!!!!! its not as if its a sudden innovation to play two games at Easter, he knew what was involved when he decided to become a pro rugby player. You cant take the good parts and perks of a great job without having to take the tough parts too.


I heard the interview on the radio too. He has offered no proper alternative, other than "it’s a waste of time – we should do stuff in Cumbria instead". Its like me saying "lets have a Super League team on the moon" without actually suggesting how or why...its a pointless suggestion, and doesn’t really stimulate debate about whatever his main point may have been.



If he believes that Cumbria is a good development area, there is nothing stopping him outlining his beliefs in any number of media outlets – and I would be very interested in hearing his thoughts and views on the subject, along with any other players’ views on the issue.

By doing it in the week before a major event he just comes across as whinging because he can’t be bothered to go to Scotland.

very true but where we all gonna sit!! in a field!! good idea not realistic.

i do think cumbria need a franchise

I don't think he was suggesting that w play a round there, but instead, help Cumbria develop a top flight RL side

he hasnt really said what he wants, or how he thinks Cumbrian RL should be developed.

This Cumbrian expansion thing always makes me laugh. No one puts any credible idea forward, bar 'We should expand into Cumbria, it's an RL hotbed'

Which of the Cumbrian clubs should get all this financial help? One of them? All of them?

The idea of a combined Cumbrian club is a none starter, ask any cumbrian RL fan if they'd support a made up side, they wouldn't. Fans wouldn't go, they's still go and watch [itheir[/i side, and if that side had gone to the wall because of the combined side, they'd not go and watch that as club b/c/d/whoever will have killed their club. How many of our fans would go and watch a merged Saints/Wigan side? They'd be lucky to get 3,000 through the gates.

If someone comes up with a credible solution, then go for it, until then stop whining about it. The only realistic way of getting Cumbrian SL is if one of the current Cumbrian clubs gets it act together and produces a decent business plan along with a decent team and gets a franchise.

Thats what Barrow are doing and i can see their inclusion in 2012

If they branded it as the Lake District RL they would have tens of thousands flocking there every weekend.



Jammer is entitled to his opinion. It is more informed and authoritative than many on here. More please.

He's just trying to help his mate Ade, set up a nice little retiremant plan at home!

On the Cumbrian theme, could they not do what some of the Aussie clubs do and split the Cumbria home games between Barrow, Workington and Whitehaven.

posted by saints 35 Bulls 0


"OK then – if the X amount of £ from this event goes to development of Super League, that is £X that doesn’t need to be found from other sources. That money would be invested in SL anyway, but the fact it comes from the Magic Weekend means that money from other sources can be used to fund development in other areas".

it doesnt fund development elsewhere its solely for Superleague europe day to day running- the clubs get little or nothing out of it

and your point about NL clubs not complaining about the free tickets in R4 - the Barrow chairman certainly did and in public - the compo from the RFL was £9k , way less than they would have had if the Wigan fans had paid

and as for the clubs finances and going without a home game for 4 weeks - even the premier league doesnt inflict that sort of planning on the clubs- any firm - sport or otherwise will find it difficult cash flow wise on that business model - its better to have a home game with the usual income streams on a more regular basis than the " small amount" - they get from this weekend - and lets not forget even greedy premier league clubs Baulked at a 39th game distorting the fixture list - i rest my case

Can somebody teach Mr Kinsella to quote properly,I would be most gratefull.

I agree with James. This is the 3rd year and if it doesnt pull in the punters like a few have said use this weekend for the second Easter game and get back to 1 away and 1 at home.

The point still stands that this money would still have to be spent and would have to be sourced from somewhere else…with the MW money coming into the game, this cash doesn’t have to come from another pot – therefore that pot of money can be spent elsewhere in the game.



But way more than if they had drawn a NL2 club, for example.



The clubs know the fixtures in November the previous year, they have plenty of time to plan the cash flow and budgets for the following season, they can’t suddenly be surprised that they have a few weeks without a home game.

Let us assume that they played 1 game at Easter, and played the 2nd game this weekend. Saints’ Easter Monday game against Hull is now played on Friday night this week. Easter Monday it attracted over 13k people, this Friday night it would probably get around 11.5k – immediately Saints have lost revenue. Average ticket price £10 * 1500 people = £15,000 (before you even get into extra revenue from the club shop etc..).

However, SKY liked the idea of playing 27 games, so they reduce their revenue into the competition. Off the top of my head the last contract was worth around £14m per season, or £518k per round (27 games). Lets assume they pay the same round rate, but only for 26 games, so they only pay £13.5m. The clubs therefore used to get £1m per year, but now they are only getting £960k. The decision to scrap MW has so far therefore cost Saints around £55k, which would be the annual salary for an average player. What about sponsors though, Saints are now only able to sell sponsorship space at 26 games, rather than 27 (and a high profile TV game at that) – so expect annual sponsorship revenue to go down slightly.

As for the Premier League 39th game – the clubs came up with idea and would have gone ahead with it, they only backed down because the media and the public didn’t like the idea.

Also, can you please figure out how to work the quote feature of the site!

Strangely enough, I agree with Blobbs on this one.

The MM weekend is a superb spectacle for a lot of fans. Over the years, we have developed some great relationships with fans from other Super League/Championship clubs, and this event brings us all together. I love being in a bar with fans from different clubs.

Can you imagine the die-hards from Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and City, Burnley and Blackpool all sat in a bar together with no segregation just getting along, chatting and having a sing song? It doesn't happen in there sport.

I feel somewhat disappointed by James. His slam on the publicity people is hardly going to make them jump up and go for it, he could have just come out and sold the event. Surely Jon Wilkin or Scully could have got that somewhere in a newspaper.

Spot on, and it wouldn't happen in football it couldn't happen, I have taken football fans to games who are shocked enough they could stand with the away fans at the game!

The games are only a small part of the weekend, its the way all the fans mix regardless of the club they support which makes it so special. After the games on the Saturday last year I went into Cardiff with some Warrington fans we were away with, outside one bar we met some Hull FC fans and some Wigan fans and the banter there was fantastic, no trouble at all just a great atmosphere and lots of fun.

Of course this is what the weekend is all about. A bit of fun, good craic, a lot of p!ss taking, shake hands and see you all again next time.

It's what makes OUR game special.