Sheffield Eagles will be kicking off their season against Swinton on Sunday and will be turning Don Valley Stadium into a carnival for the day with Bouncy castles, Sumo Suits, Candy Floss, Gunge tank, Rodeo bulls, Face painting, Prize draws and much, much more!

The activities will be overseen by none other than Dave Benson Phillips from hit kids TV Show Get Your Own Back with local businesses, Miss South Yorkshire Finalists and our very own player Dane McDonald being gunged!

Anyone under the age of 16 can also apply on the day for a FREE Season Ticket which includes 4 50% off adult ticket vouchers (which can be used at the game), a car sticker, travel information, fixture list and your very own Eagles Wristband (which classes as your season ticket), designed by Misi Taulapapa.

The Eagles have been going into Schools across Sheffield over the past couple of months and currently just over 3000 students have requested a season ticket application form, the club is currently on target to received back 1000 completed application forms.

If your not doing anything on Sunday, get down to Don Valley for a great and cheap day out!

Do they not play at Bramall Lane anymore?

It's about time! Well done to Sheffield, lets hope they get the support they deserve!

3 out of 9 of our home games will be played at the Lane this year. One of the reasons more games aren't being played there is major works on the pitch but it should mean a lot more games of RL are played on there pitch next year..

I'm not being bias here but Bramall Lane (alongside KC Stadium) is probably one of the best grounds RL is played at.

Agree with you there. Really enjoy our trips there

It would if it had 20,000 fans in it

No, that would just make a better atmosphere. It's one of the best grounds whether it's full or empty.

Yes, but completley unsuitable for the number of people in it , which does affect how good something is, sport is not just about facilities, it is about emotion, and matches at Bramhall lane lack emotion

I wouldn't say that.

There was plenty on emotion on display there a couple of years back when Danny Jones kicked a drop goal to win the game for Keighley with 10 seconds left in front of the Sky cameras.

Sure it's not great seeing a ground with 25 seats for every spectator but emotion comes from the efforts of the players on the field and the fans getting behind them. The concrete stands and plastic seats surrounding the field are largely irrelevant.

this bit in particular

Back to the OP,

, a fantastic initiative,especially the free kids ticket with the 50 % adult ones, also the numbers involved, I am sick to death of pointing out that targeting a couple of hundred at a time is pointless, you aim big to get a big return, aim small and get a small return

1,815 in attendance today which was just shy of biggest attendance of last season.

That was against Widnes Vikings which was 1831 and Widnes brought a big following for that too.

Great day at Don Valley today, lots of kids about with fan packs, good atmosphere and a warm day too..It didn't feel like Don Valley!

Congratulations, well done, that attendance would be how much larger than what you would have normally expected 800? , 1000?

Would of honestly expected about 1,100 there probably, about 50-60 from Swinton i'd say so around 700 newbies there which is good, just got to try and keep them coming back..

Given the size of Sheffield I'd have thought there was scope to do this again later in the season, but invite a whole bunch more from different schools?

There seemed to be quite a few kids there today, I'm guessing most of them will have the free season tickets so hopefully they'll come back!!

I think the hope is to do that but see which demograhics had the best uptake (age, social class etc) and then push it further in similar schools across Sheffield for even better success next time.

Sounds like a plan, hope it works for you

Thing is with Sheffield it's just another London in rugby league terms, the locals are football and that's it

Fair play for trying though hope it works out

Well it was the biggest attendance at Don Valley since our Super League days so it was a big positive, as said just about getting them back.. Big plans for the home game against Fax!

Pm me, I'm intigued