Hi guys,

I know most of you will be at the Broncos game on Saturday but I thought I would still tell you about the London Grand Finals.

South West London Chargers in our first year have made the Grand Finals in both leagues. Chargers were pre selected to host the Grand Finals, so as it turns out they are at our home ground.

Both games promise to be a cracker as they are the top two in each league after the regular season.

With only one game between Newham & Chargers A it is Newham that holds the bragging rights with a big win back in June.

Hammersmith and Chargers have played each other twice and have both got a win.

Hope to see as many of you as possible there ... or if not could you please pass on the picture below to those who think might be interested - entrance is free and BBQ and Bar are open all day!

As I prefer watching rugby to clowns I will be at Chiswick rather than the stoop!

I entirely understand. Just like last season the Hudds game will seem like you have been invited to someone's leaving do who just ignore you. There will be some artificial goodbyes and the car-crash of a season will go unmentioned.

Players who are leaving will be given places in the side when we should be playing our youngsters who will be needed next season (if there is one). Not looking forward to it, but am looking forward to Hemel v Skolars derby where play-off positions are being played for.

The fact that the Broncos choose to play their home games at a time that basically excludes anybody who's involved with grassroots rugby league in the capital pretty much tells me all I need to know about why this club is such a car crash.

How hard would it be to research local League activity and work it around the game, even offer an invite to play it as a festival of rugby and play it prior/aftr the SL fixture?

Why should a professional club pander to the scheduling of a fledgling amateur event? It should be the other way around if anything.

Still, any excuse to knock the club

.. and when, a few seasons ago, plenty of home games were played on Sundays and match tickets were distributed to amateur clubs, what was the take-up level? Recollection tells me that it was reported at the time to be close to zero.

Absolutely.

LB have done themselves no favours with the local Amateur clubs and managed to alienate what could be classed as potential support. It could be argued why should a growing Amateur league have anything to do with a failing SL club?

Alienated them by offering them free season tickets and then watching as nobody bothered to take advantage of them?

Right.

Do you agree that we should have changed this fixture from our regular Saturday 3pm to accommodate this event?

It would have been good to have a festival of games in and around the Stoop like has happened in the past but this would have required some discussion before the season started for the Amateur teams.

However I agree with you the SL game should not be moved and whether LB want to engage with potential support is a matter for the management of the club and the London Amateur League.

Considering the attendances are so pish poor, you'd think the managment would actively encourage ventures with the local amateurs and devise strategies to encourage more people to the game through staging extra games.
They could even talk to the leagues and have a different team play a fixture as a warm up, get the amateur lads meeting up with the pros before and after and next to no cost.

This has been discussed on a number of occasions throughout the season but rejected by LB. However to be fair to LB there is a cost involved for example longer hours for stewarding and or concessions on tickets. But on the other hand how much would it cost to use other methods to market LB games and which would be more beneficial?

This just up on the Wire board, slightly different but at least they're engaging viewtopic.php?f=21&t=556227&view=unread&tsmp=1376479289#unread

This just up on the Wire board, slightly different but at least they're engaging viewtopic.php?f=21&t=556227&view=unread&tsmp=1376479289#unread

On plenty of occasions, and not just this season, I have walked past members of our own Academy sides on my walk to the ground, striding in the opposite direction. Speaks volumes...

I think the club are right in not investing it's limited resources into capturing this market. I've enjoyed playing Rugby Union in the past but you couldn't pay me to go and watch a game.

Have you ever stopped to ask why they are going in the other direction?

For a club in free fall there's some amazingly dog in the manger attitudes being expressed. (With apologies for mixing metaphors)

Bit of a bump for tomorrow. The Newham Dockers Green Machine will more than welcome any support from anyone of an East London persuasion tomorrow if you're down there.

Go east enders Have a great day!

the season I got given a free season ticket as a registered player in the London area the majority of home games were played on Saturday!! soooooo choice play or watch?
give up playing to watch I don't get the free ticket anymore LOL

still say we should play our home games either sat eve or sunday, 3 pm sat os poo

Two excellent games of rugby, full of passion and enthusiasm. Thanks to everyone involved. I hope the lad who was knocked out is okay. Thoroughly enjoyable.

He was back at the ground in time to see SWL firsts get their trophy, looked alright.

Thanks to those who came ... The Entry League match finished 10 - 4 to Newham Dockers after being 0 - 0 at the 55 min mark. Paul who was knocked out and taken to hospital will be ok - albeit he will have a very sore head for a few days!!

The London premier game was a thriller with SW London chargers inflicting Hammersmiths first grand final loss in 5 seasons!!

So proud of our club this year (which is our first) London Cup & League titles!!

Chargers now progress to the national Harry Jepson Trophy to find the best armature club in England!!