In testing times it is loveley to see all the respects shown to Leon on these forums, i for one would like to extend this away from the forums. Maybe at this coming weeks games we can show all the players respect no matter who they play for. When the teams enter the field just think about the dangers they put themselves through for us and show them how much we care.

well said !!!

its like when people cheer when a player gets injured, dont do it, because although it may just look like an injury to the fans the reality is that player your mocking for lying on the ground may actually be fighting for his life unsuccesfully while your cheering.
rugby league fans are the friendliest, greatest set of people in the world - lets keep it that way !

So maybe i shouldn't be shouting "rip his spleeeeeeen out" anymore. Not really in the spirit of the game.

Best one Ive heard from a Rovers fan is Banjo him !!!!!........would that be a full size banjo or a ukulele banjo that player has managed to get onto the pitch to hit him with !!

How about in every game this weekend the teams come out together rather than away team first?

Good post BC.

We have had a few incidents of 'abuse' hurled towards players and coaches at BV, and when we're talking about a sporting occassion, it is not warranted. I hope this situation brings our some maturity in some folk!

I don't recall doing anything similar for Watene, did we?

would be a good jesture

Well said Barry. I think players like Leon are the unknown soldiers of RL (sport in general). Probably not destined for stardom though that was never certain in this case or others, however without them those who do go all the way wouldn't have a game to play.

Same applies to fans, until this morning I didn't even know what Leon looked like, in fact during a recent friendly I was convinced that another player was Leon and judged him accordingly. Understandably we all concentrate on the star players, RL is entertainment after all. However we need the foot soldiers, and the next time any of us (myself included) refer to players as gash, or second raters etc etc maybe after this we will show a little respect - not that when we all occasionally mouth off means we are bad people I don't want to appear judgemental and I'm trying not to generalise. They can't all be Paul Sculthorpes but they all bleed and they all hurt and they are all some ones son.

As I said I didn't know Leon at all, but I suspect he got very little monetary reward or fame for playing RL, at least not whilst still alive. Players like him clearly do it for love and the hope that maybe one day they will get their chance. Not in this case and that's the unfairest thing of all, today there isn't much joy in RL.

a good lad. went though every age group at Churwell in the same team as Aaron Murphy and Luke Blake. Mostly coached by Luke's dad but in their age 6/7 years debut season by me. he always looked the business even at 6. a scaffolder by trade, so a pretty dangerous day job.
I'm pretty shook up by it.

The difference is that Adam's death was in our off-season and was not on the pitch.

This is a very different type of burden for all to bear at the club and I sincerely hope that Friday's game is postponed to a later date.

It would be a good gesture though!

well said barry

/viewtopic.php ... 17&start=0 I’m wanting healthier banter within the stadiums as they do promote a healthier air. I do think the whole of RLFANS should do a campaign for healthier match days in stadiums. Get the press involved, players and whoever else is connected to this game. Song like we all hate scum shouldn’t belong on our terraces.

/viewtopic.php ... 17&start=0 I’m wanting healthier banter within the stadiums as they do promote a healthier air. I do think the whole of RLFANS should do a campaign for healthier match days in stadiums. Get the press involved, players and whoever else is connected to this game. Song like we all hate scum shouldn’t belong on our terraces.

Don't get me wrong i am all for a bit of banter on the terraces i just feel that considering the events of this week and this close season it would be nice for us to collectively show our appreciation for doing what they do, same go's for any ama games you attend this week, get behind each and every man/child and make them feel that what they have done is very much appreciated by both sides of supporters.

I’m all for banter but some of it is really vile.

The sentiment is spot on, and it should be extended to match officials as well.

i was thinking about this last night. On Friday we had Andy Coley return to the willows and the posts on the forums leading up to the game were pretty strong to say the least. He copped a bit of stick during the game but responded very well and had a cracking game. I know that i as an individual fan have shouted abuse at players, Refs,opposition fans etc I have joined in with abusive songs and generally at times acted like a total balloon. I will stop and think a little more now, those who i have shouted abuse at may have family,friends or loved ones stood behind me. We pride ourselves on being a family friendly sport. perhaps we should start to live up to that billing. At Salford there is a message played over the tannoy asking people for respect to players officials etc and it gets booed and derided (not strongly but enough) every time. The groundswell of emotion support and respect on various boards towards Leons family and to Wakefield is evidence enough to say that we as supporters of the greatest game know how to conduct ourselves,perhaps it is time to see that come to fruition at every game. banter is fine but abuse..well we can do without it cant we?

Agreed, i feel quite ashamed when i think of some of the things i have chanted at players in the past and i will be thinking a lot more before opening my mouth in future.

Well Said mate, We take for granted, on a weekly basis, what these guys put themselves through and we still Criticize

I think the idea of making this weekend an unofficial -

"fans respect players weekend"

is a fantastic one.


We totally forget that players are people, with families, feelings and all normal human traits; if only for one weekend we should respect that, and the sacrifices that they make for our entertainment.

Some of you may be surprised but I’ve been invited to attend a meeting with Leeds Rhinos Match day management on Monday 30th to put forward my ideas to promote healthier banter.

I just want to see a stop to vile chanting like “you dirty Yorkshire b****d”, “shoot the scum” and “we all hate” along with similar ones like it. This stuff I feel belongs in the pubs and not in stadiums where rugby league prides itself on been a family game. Its not family banter that goes on at some games at the moment.

Will let you all know how it goes!

what happened to leon really puts everything into perspective, whilst we on here constantly bicker and verbally abuse each other. a player sadly dies and we then show our human sides, being concerned and indeed brotherly,

to add to what has already been said about chant's song's etc etc, i totally abhor the mindless morons who make ambulance noises when a player is carried off, and i'm sure everyone feels that this type of moronic behaviour has no place in our game.

Good idea, or maybe the weekend after for the cup games

But not a hope in hell of holding it off for Good Friday

For me the "cheering of injured players" is the pitts, we all have players form other clubs we want to see get smashed, but to cheer when a players hurt is bang out of order.

90% of posters on here and at games don't have the bottle to pull on a shirt and take a hit, but feel it's ok to disrepect them, keyboard warriors is a term i often see on here and it fits the bill in most cases.


Respect.