Blimey, I'm guessing your parents aren't willing to drive you threre/let you on the supporters bus on your own?

Have you not thought about venue availability?

Plenty of venue availability, just a lack of brain or ethical availability at the RFL. I would be worried if my old man offered to drive at 80 years old having never held a driving licence. I'll take the half day off work to cut out all the aggro, another large chunk of dedication that the RFL are blissfully unaware of, or probably just take for granted as usual. Still, as long as they're all getting fatter off the TV revenue who am I to argue. Wan***s.

Perhaps if there were some 21st century stadia in Yorkshire then the RFL might be able to host some more games there.

Take a deep breath. How many high quality, rugby league owned stadiums are there in Yorkshire that would be a neutral venue? And what does Leeds having a 90 minute journey to Warrington have to do with player welfare? Are our motorways that dangerous?

Leeds will probably overnight in Lancs on the Thursday or at least spend Friday in a hotel over there so player welfare is a nothing argument.

It is somewhat inconvenient for Leeds fans although the HJ is easily accessible from the 62. And this will only be the second of Leeds' last seven semis vs non-Yorks opposition not in Yorks so they can't really complain about one or two further away.

But most important of all, outraged people should remember that the tv companies are the game's biggest sponsors and biggest source of revenue. Like it or not, they fund the game more than anyone. And Rugby League's founding principle involves money.

Bloody glory hunters.

How many of those moaning, went to the Warrington Leeds match in March? That was a Friday night with over 10k inside.
What about the 12k attendance for Saints Leeds Friday night classic back in April? Can't remember too many fans complaining then.

I think most of the outrage from the Leeds fans is that the stadium is only 7 miles from St Helens, Leeds have not had that advantage since 2006!
Huddersfield is actually 18 Miles+ from Leeds, not so close as a lot of you think. Further to that our 'Yorkshire' Semi final in 2013 was in Doncaster - 31 Miles from Leeds. The last time Leeds had a Semi Final as close to Saints/Warrington was way back in 2006 at Odsal.

I actually thought Leeds vs Saints will be BBCs pick, presuming the put more ££ into the pot, and as such will be on the Saturday. Could you imagine the Headingley attendance if Wire vs Hull KR we're playing there on the Friday night, the stadium would look empty, so I can understand this.

One side had to lose out and unfortunately thats Leeds. Saints massively have this one in their favour. The game prior to the Semi finals Leeds play on Sunday, Saints play on the Friday. I doubt Leeds will ask to move this fixture forward as they have a family day already planned and will expect a 'bumper' attendance.

Yours to lose Saints

It presumably is the BBC's top pick. Friday will be the better rating game.

Comparing Leeds semis vs Yorkshire opposition like the ones at Doncaster and Odsal with those vs Lancashire opposition is pointless. It would be strange if the former were not in the county whilst Leeds' geographical history in the latter has been more than fair in the last 12 years.

Well yes, it just highlights the fact that Leeds have never had the advantage that Warrington got last year and what Saints will have this year.

Not really, it just highlights that there are no suitably-sized venues within six or seven miles of Leeds which fit the required criteria. Odsal was a one-off in 2006 and has visibly crumbled even since then; no W Yorks ground other than Headingley or Hudds have appropriate facilities to hold a Challenge Cup semi.

I really don't get the issue - with dear old Station Road long gone and Leigh apart (and I find it easier to get from Leeds to HJS than to LSV via road, and let's not dwell on the Leythers' public transport situation) there are no RL grounds other than Hudds and Warrington between Leeds and St Helens which are of appropriate size and have appropriate facilities. And Leeds can't just keep on having them at Huddersfield every season.

Some Leeds fans just like to whinge about anything.

in every year since 2008, at least one of wigan, saints, wire and widnes have all had "home advantage" in a semi final

I'm moaning and I go to all the games apart from Catalans away. Were you one of the Leeds fans that didn't get into the ground at Saints until after half time last season ? It is a nightmare journey and it takes about half the time on a Saturday or Sunday when you are coming from North Leeds. I don't moan about the league games because it's accepted the games are sometimes Friday night, but I'm gonna moan about the first Challenge Cup semi in history being played on a Friday night. It's diabolical and two big fingers up to the Leeds fans from the RFL. What about people that want a train connection into Leeds and out again, what chance have they got of a last train back out of Leeds, it's a case of f**k you, don't bother coming we've got the BBC money and you can go do one. It's all about the money for people like Nigel Wood, he can stick his nose in the trough and have a real feeding frenzy. What about Brian Barwick and all the other jokers that were supposed to be raising the profile of our sport ? Is this the best they can do, a Friday night slot on BBC 2. Anyone picking kids up from school and then racing around like idiots on Friday tea time rush hour will thank the RFL for sure don't you think ? If you want to bend over and take it willingly up the Jacksy feel free, I won't, and I'll have a good moan at the greedy bosses who take, take, take and don't seem to offer much back.

If it was arranged at Elland Road, that would make you very happy wouldn't it?

That would appear to be the only acceptable alternative for some Leeds fans. Worked out well when they got the semi there in 1995.

Didn't work out so well for them when we had to travel there twice in 5 days back in 1986

True



The grounds chosen for Leeds semis vs the Hull clubs are worthy of note. Poor put-upon Leeds had to travel to Huddersfield in 2000 and vs Hull KR in '86 (twice as you say) were sent all the way to Elland Road which is basically in 'Unslet. Hardly fair.

i do feel for leeds fans in a way, as with a semi final you want to enjoy the day, it's the occasion rather than just a match, and friday night takes that occasion away for me, i can understand the frustration.

however i don't really feel for leeds in terms of venue, as to my knowledge, they have usually had the benefit of not having far to travel, last year was the first time in 9 years that they had to travel outside of yorkshire for a semi final, Huddersfield on the other hand have only had 1 semi final in yorkshire in the same period, ironically the 2006 semi at odsal, where leeds fans were so cocksure of brushing away the challenge of these upstarts,their fans gave the semi final a miss and splashed out on final tickets instead

Indeed. This will be the 20th CC semi final tie I've seen Leeds play in, 14 of which have been in Yorkshire with nine in Hudds, one at Odsal, one at Doncaster and three in Leeds itself, albeit south of the river.

There is no room for us to complain about anything.

The game sold its soul and control to tv a long time ago. Why are people only just realising this?.

Less than 3,500 tickets sold by Leeds for Friday night.

Hardly a surprise, and hopefully the end of the ludicrous Friday night experiment for one what should be one of the showpiece games of the season.

If 4 million watch on TV compared to the usual 1 to 1.5 million but the crowd is 9,000 rather than 12,000 will that be deemed a "ludicrous" failure for Rugby League?

If 4 million watch it on TV and think "wow, they can only get 9,000 for their equivalent of an FA Cup semi-final, what a tin pot sport", then yes.

Not quite sure what makes you think that moving to Friday night will suddenly attract four times the number of viewers that Saturday/Sunday afternoons do though, or that those viewers won't be RL fans who would have tuned in anyway?

don't think people are moaning about the venue as ,much as the ridiculous decision to play on a Friday night.

When did we sell out to the bbc? I must have missed that

Depends upon how old you are