August 2nd with 3 live games HKR v Toronto 1PM Saints v Catalan 4.15 PM Giants v Leeds 6.30 PM https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/53196901

August 2nd with 3 live games HKR v Toronto 1PM Saints v Catalan 4.15 PM Giants v Leeds 6.30 PM https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/53196901

Wonder which venue will be chose.

Apparently its Leeds, which seems strange, would have thought if we were holding the games at a number of neutral venues they wouldn't allow one team to play at home, even if there were no fans in the ground.

That wouldn’t come as a surprise it is Leeds after all.

Well, I would assume the HJ will be used as one of the stadiums too at some point given it's a rugby ground and owned by a SL club, maybe St Helens, Leeds, Wire and maybe Hull KR to be used too? So guessing Warrington will play at the HJ at some point too.

They are neutral, in that fact that there is no home support. If a team gets any slight advantage, then it’s because they have best adjusted to the strange environment.
The stadium has no effect on team ability.

As long as Sky don't simulate that terrible, out of tune band as part of the piped in pseudo stadium audio, then I'm not bothered.

I think the changing room set up at headingley makes it a bit easier. I think they have either 6 or 8 changing rooms when you take into account the changing facilities for the cricket ground.

Taking the crowd out of the equation does level things considerably but playing 'at home' would give you some advantage.

To a very small extent it's knowing the pitch (dimensions of the in goal area, how the ball tends to sit up, the way the wind swirls etc) but mainly it is around the travel and preperation aspects such as pre-match meal. Not too much difference between the HJ and Saints for us but big difference going over to Humberside.

I agree that there is no significant home advantage without your home crowd, but there are small advantages playing on your home pitch.

For example, Headingley's pitch is 105 m × 68 m, while Halliwell Jones is 110 m × 68 m. The home team will be used to maximising the benefit of a bigger or smaller pitch.

Anyone who remembers going to Odsal (and usually getting heavily beaten), will remember the way the fog used to settle in the bowl, and how the home side took advantage of the corners being raised to place kicks that would hold up. New Craven Park is very open and can be extremely cold and windy - surely an advantage to the home side who plays there every fortnight.

Why would you use the term 'neutral ground' if indeed Headingly is chosen for the first set of games ?

Not sure it is an accurate term W/O, but we all know what it means universal in acceptance, a venue with minimal advantage.

Imo there maybe even be a slight disadvantage to the hosting team, having to play in an environment so different to what they are used too.
As I’ve said previously, the team that adjustS to the unique setting first, will steel a result or two early doors, but I think by 2 games in, most teams would have adjusted well enough for zero advantage.

I agree that playing at home without crowds will be a bit weird and will not affect a teams abilities but of course it offers some advantage however small. You will be playing on a pitch that you have trained on, practised on on and are more familiar with including various dimensions and especially relating relating to place kicking and positional kicking.

Anyway, at least we are on the move. Although I am enjoying the Aussie RL I want to see our own domestic competition get started again.

Does anybody know when the new fixture list will be released? I know it's 4 weeks off but just keen to know what's what.

I think the original plan was to have spectators back in October, but now it may be September. So I am guessing this may alter the fixture plan that SL was drafting as they were pencilling in their best (highest likely attendance) matches towards the end of the season. That's just a guess, mind.

The plan appears to be that the season will be reduced to 22 games, so we each play one another twice, with the top 4 playing off in 2 semi finals. The easiest thing would be to take the existing fixture list up to round 22, including what would have been the Magic Weekend fixture (even though the MW itself was cancelled), and play them it that order - so Hull KR next?

I'm assuming that Toronto will be based in the UK (Warrington should have been over there this coming Saturday), I don't know about Catalan.

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I assume the idea is to get the season done rather than up and running, with a view to 2021 with the various world cups to address with no margin for fixture movement.
Having a magic fixture has no benefit in league finish, is a financial burden, adds further game congestion and so effects player welfare. Every game being played is a loss.