If this miss- match does not convince the organisers of Rugby League that the format of the matches is wrong I dont know what will. I like the concept of a rugby league festival but these games can be made competative by using a very simple formula.
AFTER ROUND 13 THE TEAMS KNOW WHO THEY ARE PLAYING
THE LEAGUE TABLE WILL DICTATE IT.
IST PLAYS 2ND
3RD PLAYS 4TH
5TH PLAYS 6TH
7TH PLAYS 8TH AND SO FORTH

This simple format will ensure that the festival does not field any teams that has this total mis match senario.
Bring it on

If they wanted to keep most of the derbies they could have just switched the Wire-Widnes and Hudds-Salford games around and had Wire vs Huddersfield and Salford vs Widnes. They might not be derbies but they are certainly more evenly matched fixtures.

The RFL should hang their heads in shame, what a game to put up, I don't blame Warrington or Widnes, they didn't pick the fixture, the league did. It's a total disgrace, a bye for wire to take them to the top and a massive boost to their points tally, the Pies fans should stay away and spend their cash at the DW, if the games were selected fairer, no probs, but for one the Saints Wigan game is there just for a cash cow and a big draw for Sky to show. I feel sorry for the Widnes fans because the club just seem to have washed their hands of this season, no pride, no real effort, it's sad to see.





Rock 'n' Roll.

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viewtopic.php?f=28&t=528476&tsmp=1338055007&start=4

A new concept would be six teams are selected for the Saturday game and eight for the Sunday game all done from the draw of a hat a week before the event. Then on the Saturday of the game and an hour before ko the six captains take to the field and six balls are put into a bag, 2x red, 2x blue, 2x green, the capts draw a ball and like for like colours play each other the order of play could be set out before the draw, ie red first on, then blue etc. it would give the fans a bit more excitement, the games would be more even as coaches would only have the match day to prep. The same can be done on the Sunday also. The whole magic idea needs a revamp for me and maybe this could add a bit of interest... Thoughts?

i am ashamed of the rugby league

Whilst it is a disgrace the league can be settled on unfair advantages, the fact we played a weakened team and lost to a woeful Widnes side negates against any whinging we should be doing today.

To be fair, there've been two cracking games today. Only one out of three was a whitewash.

I agree that the format needs to be changed, but I'm not sure I totally blame the RFL. They probably weren't alone in thinking that Widnes might have found sufficient pride today to compete against their old enemies for more than five minutes.

Yes I like the sound of this - as you say it would add some excitement and anticipation.

I was really impressed by Warrington yesterday even though Widnes were very poor (how the hell did they beat us??!!)
They have a lot of pace out wide and Aitkins is the best centre in the league at the moment IMO. I think Wigan have a slightly better pack and Warrington better in the backs. I can see it coming down to a fight between Wigan and Warrington at the end of the season - by far the best two teams in superleague.

Not seen the Wire/Widnes game and I agree that the format of Magic Weekend should change.

But would there be as much moaning if we had beaten Widnes earlier in the season?

Its ok to say that the RFL [and fat boy Wood have got it wrong, but so did Shaun Wane and some of the players when we lost to the Chemics.

I've seen the QF of the challenge cup been quoted. I think this is not a bad call, however there are a few practicalities that cannot be ignored.

The money from the extra fixture will be lost to all SL clubs.
The money for a full 2 days on sky would be lost.
Would 30k fans turn up for 2 quarter finals?
The practicalities of playing the CC QF at a stadium that's free. City would not have been available given that was the weekend they had their final premier league game.
Sky and the Beeb sharing camera and Tv crews, screens etc.

This years QF's

Wigan v Saints
Leeds v Leigh
Warrington v catalan
Huddersfield v London

Whilst Saints and Wigan would have brought their fair share at 15k. London and Catalan would bring close to nil, Huddersfield? Leigh?

You may get a decent turn out from Leeds and Warrington, but given Leeds lined up against Leigh I can't see it. The whole concept would be smaller and have less money. However the idea is not without merit and a smaller scale version could be done with the CC quarter finals regardless of MM staying or going, just at smaller stadia and on a Footy free weekend, closer to the semi's. DW could do it but so could say everton, Leeds, Birmingham with Aston Villa etc.

The RFL has to change the format for match allocation as the current system of using mainly derby games for the Magic weekend unfairly skews league positions & points differences.

I think that match allocation should be made using the league table at the close of play from the prior round eg 1v2, 3v4, 5v6, etc.

Using that system the RFL could more or less guarantee a full round of competitive matches making great entertainment and possibly attracting new fans to the sport, the whole purpose of Magic.

More thumpings like Wolves handed out to Widnes just serves in people switching off their TV or creating even more empty seats like those seen at the Etihad yesterday.

I disagree totally. Widnes beat Wigan fair and square and I have no issues with at all. The imbalance comes from wire playing them 3 times in the season whist everybody else plays twice. If we have to have this extra fixture then the RFL need to do all it can to ensure a fair and balanced league for all clubs.

If wire win the league leaders shield on points difference there isn't anything on the planet that will convince me that they won it fair and square. Saints fans must be more angry about it than anybody!

That's the whole point, the current method for allocating the extra fixture is skewed.

If the RFL used league positions from the prior week to allocate matches this arguement wouldn't exist.

The derby idea is still a good one, it is just that Warrington are benefiting from a weak Widnes team that have just returned to SL. When Widnes are a strong team again there will be nothing wrong with that as a fixture.

Other than derbies I do like the idea of 1v2, 3v4 etc for the magic games. That is the fairest in terms of form and should be better in terms of league position interest and competitive games. Wigan vs Warrington this weekend would have been a cracker! Warrington have had a slower start this year but I guess they have learnt their lesson from last year that the GF is won in October and not by thrashing teams in March. I expect they will be competing for all three trophies this year come the business end.

I just dont think there should be an extra game as it falsely distorts the league table. Just do away with the extra game and make the weekend a 9s competition with all the best players, get a decent sponsor, split the prize money amongst the players etc and it would be a great event and it would be competitive. It really would be something different in the RL calender too.

Agree with all the posts about the unfairness of the fixtures. It doesn't matter what system is going to be used at the end of the day if there's going to be one extra fixture thrown in it's going to be unfair. Of course, the counter argument is that those twwo points don't matter as we have a play off system to determine the champions not a who finishes top system. Which is a whole different debate: Bring back the Premiership.

I think a draw should be made one week before, 2 bags, 1 bag has the top six in the league table, and 1 bag with the bottom 8, games are drawn from the bags and a ball could be drawn from a third with the day the games to be played. Sky could decide the order of the game play, or scrap the third bag if you want, what ever, but I think some kind of draw like this would be better than the farce we had on Saturday.





Rock 'n' Roll..

That was my point mate. I completely agree with the thread and think fixtures based on league positions would be better. I was disagreeing that if Wigan had beaten Widnes I'd think any differently.

Wire are clearly too strong for Widnes and will get 6 points from them in the league. Widnes won't be in the play-offs so it doesn't matter if they lose. Wigan/Saints on the other hand I can't see one team winning all three, and they will both be in the top eight regardless.
Magic weekend as a concept of all teams playing over two days I believe should be used to bring in new money, attract new fans, and grow the appeal over a wider audience.
If it's used as an extra league game, then I agree the 1v2, 3v4, 5v6 format makes the most sense.

That is a good idea. Get some serious prize money involved and get a trophy organised and leave the league as home and away only doing away with the extra fixture.

Surely they should have Warrington v Wigan as the derby in these fixtures.....you guys seem to have an emotional attachment to the Saints, but it's time to aim a bit higher and have derbies against us. Saints can play Widnes in the derby of the scousers and it would be more evenly matched.

Who needs to play the Vikings or broncos when saints are our bitches

Well out of your last 20 games against Saints you've won 9, drawn 2 and lost 9.

Whereas out of your last 20 games against us you've won 7 and lost 13.

So if you regard Saints as your bitches off that record I think you can understand how we regard you.