Cheers Maple. Sadly, such a notion of rivalry are nonsense. Wigan / Leigh, like all League Clubs biggest rival are other sports, particularly football. Fantastic piece on Radio 4 today about 'rivalry' and how futile and pointless so called rivalries are when the reality is rather than trying to win small petty minded squabbles over similar sized rivals these very like minded groups should be working together to contest genuine rivalry rather than replicating the behaviour of cavemen.

Supporters / Sponsors are so much easier to obtain in a healthier sport that requires everybody putting aside their pointless self interests and actually working together. Tad like the partnership idea that some prehistoric fans are so mortified about.

We are all guilty of self harming through small minded pointless attempts to screw each other I.E RL clubs / fans. Partnership whilst far from perfect is actually a step in the right direction.

Hopefully plenty people will read Paul's interview. Although even that won't be good enough for some. Arrangements now are the same as last two years except THE RFL state you can only go to one club for DR players. He also explains how difficult the loan system makes things. If we were down to 17 fit players then something has to give. Until Sam T plays for I'll believe it. I pointed out the rfl bye laws as did Fred, it seems there are too many deaf ears.

I don' think anyone understands this.

You are so close to the point of the argument here

So tell me, does forming a partnership with another much bigger RL club playing in a much higher profile competition with attendances 10 times bigger just a few miles away help Leythers ' SELL ' Leigh Centurions to the poplpulation of Leigh?

Would Wigan Athletic forming a partnership with Manchester United help to sell ' Latics ' to the population of Wigan?

Leigh Centurions need to SELL LEIGH CENTURIONS to the population of Leigh

And people need to realise that what happens ON the pitch has bugger all to do with marketing a club to its towns population, and also that just getting the young kids of the town to play the odd game of RL will not result in them suddenly wanting to watch their local Championship club

One last thing is also the tendancy for juniors who play regularily at junior club level to want to watch the highest level of the sport available to them, you will not build a fan base out of them

If you must use football as a comparison, it's not done Watford much harm, constant financial problems every other year, 13th, 16th, 14th and 11th then set up an agreement with a much bigger club and turn a profit and are 3rd in the league.

I don't agree with comparing RL with other sports, but if you must do so try harder.

If you are going to compare a club in England being bought out by a club in Italy, then fine , I dont think we would lose any supporters to Brisbane Broncos, bring it on, if they want to loan us a few players, no problem

So not really like for like, is it jonny?

No it isn't, and Leigh's arrangement with Wigan isn't the same as the DR system other clubs are using either is it?

The difference being what, exactly? , and I mean EXACTLY?

The only wigoon related player who played today for Leigh was O'Donnel who is on a season long loan. How are we like swinton/hunslet who are abusing the DR system? Our partnership is not the same.

John o Donnell is not linked to Wigan in any way, he left Wigan went to London then ended up with us and has signed a 1 year deal as a Leigh centurions player, all 17 players were contracted Leigh players today

I knew we didn't have any DR's & hopefully the people who said their not going due to the partnership realise this is our squad & our players so lets get behind the lads "COME ON LEEEIGH"

Leigh and Wigan have stated that the only D/C's moving to Leigh will be under 23 on 31 August 2012. Other clubs are not applying that age restriction. There's one EXACT difference for starters.

There you go Starbug that's one difference that's 'EXACTLY' separate to the likes of Swintons/Hunslets etc twinning

As you said LG , NO D-Rs today , and we won , maybe not the best of rugby , but still a win , even the mighty Fev lost today , so happy days , the boys will prove to us they are a good team , as you said "COME ON LEEEIGH".

So answer me why have we signed up to it if we do not need too?

PLease explain from page 1 of this why we have signed up when clearly we do not need to as you are allpointing out we had no wigan players playing

Please explain away

Because its a long season and Paul has a small squad.

For the last few years we have had a few dc's making the numbers up. If we want to do that the RFL say we need to sign up with someone.

And any DC players will be below a certain age so no Sam Tomkins.

No different to what we did last season.

Don't know what the fuss is about.

I think the fuss is how it got out in the first place and the message it portrayed.

Now it's all there in black and white I really don't see what the problem is. It's not great but its better than shoving a 17 year old in the first team squad when he's not ready and were short on numbers.

I think the last 2 posts answer your questions very well Jeff , hopefully you are now satisfied,lets let the matter drop now , and concentrate on Supporting the lads throughout the rest of the Season , no more talks of boycotts or demonstrations , just positive thoughts .

I realise not everyone will want this , but they are a very small minority , thankfully .

A few seasons ago when the friendlies werre announced it was said then that a few wigan youngsters would be made available to us and Chris Wroe went the other way. Not one eyelid was batted and people were very happy. Can someone please tell me what has changed?

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Wasn't that more to do with the absence of a reserve team of our own though, with Sam Singleton playing at Widnes in the same circumstances?

Doesn't matter Matt. People were more than happy then to be getting some of Wigans young prospects so what has changed.

Because there wasn't much of an alternative at the time so it was the only time they were going to get any game time. Entirely different situation now that we have a reserves. Not our problem if Wigan have more players than squad places as far as I'm concerned, and if anything is indicative of them hoovering up as many young players as possible.

With respect that is a bit simplistic.

We are in the Championship with Towns people who have stopped supporting their town's team whereas Wigan do have far more supporters and consequently more money to attract promising players.

That has been the case for a long time and will continue until we either get more fans through the gate or a diehard fan wins the lottery.

Face the truth however unpalatable it may be that we are continuing what as a club we did last season but this season duals will not be from Warrington because of what the current Super League club chairmen have imposed on Championship clubs.