Good post.

Although correct where was the hard marketing around the heartlands? Yes most rugby league fans knew the game was on but several of the younger end may have been playing or playing today.

My point is about trying to attract new fans not just the die hard league fans like people on here.

Last year I was approached by Doncaster rovers football club about sponsorship. This is the package I got:

16ft x 2ft board on the halfway line
Crowd facing (my choice as it was the side if the VIP boxes)
A box for any game I wanted
12 ground tickets to be used at any games I want
A signed team shirt

Upon arriving for the box game against barnsley we were greeted by champagne, escorted to our box. The club commercial director came to meet us. After the game we were asked to attend the players lounge and watch the man I the match presentation.

Now I hate football but I could not turn that package down and I still go and continue to go with clients who are football fans.

All for £900 + vat

After this I get constant offers, promotions for all events at the club.

What I am trying to say is we will have our die hard fans at club ad international level but promote from the grass roots up and attract more die hard fans. We are becoming a feeder sport for union so let the rfl help stop this. As I said in a previous post the actual days are always good but let's bring more die hard fans into the game.

This needs to be done in an efficient way, you mention promoted all over London? I live in Barnsley and have not seen a single poster, flyer through the door or anything. I still stand by my main point of yes we know the game is on but playing all amateur fixtures on the same day isn't going to help crowds.

Briefly on the England/GB thing it needs to be GB. I have no issue with Reed as he was born in England. The others however we should be using homegrown talent.

There are plenty of so-called Rugby League fans who have sat on their s watching the game yesterday on tv and called our our sport for being "a joke". People who love to see the sport "fail", even though yesterday was a success all round other than the result. It really sickens me. The RFL were virtually giving tickets away for yesterdays game and still they wouldn't attend.

The biggest joke though is that those people then suggest this game should have been played in the North of England. When was the last time a GB or England game in Yorkshire sold out? When was the last time a GB or England game in the North got an attendance as big as the one yesterday??

I saw a coach in the services on the way down from Shaw Cross Sharks, werent they playing yesterday? ok it could be any age group who went but they were there..

Coco, you are absolutely spot on.
Chase is not and never will be English.
If he was better than we have then maybe try him (although it still wouldnt be right)
Rob Burrow must have broken a few mirrors and run over a couple of black cats.
He should at least have a spot on the bench and probably a starting spot.
Like Tomkins he can break defences with elusive running and pace of the mark.
We got hammered by the ref today, disallowed try, no sin bin/ sending off for a deliberate strike to the head, allowing tha Aussies to hold down too long in the tackle.
Having said all that, there was enough on show today to give us some real hope for next week and for all the moaning about the crowd figure, people should get of their backsides and support the team.
9 of us had a great day out today and for £10 a ticket.

Just got to say I went to the match and had a great time pity about the result tho!

I went to the game. 2 games for a tenner. Should have been more there, but what more can the RFL do but offer you tickets for £10??
Beer was expensive and rank but if youve been before you expect that.
England made a fist of it, but Oz looked like they were in 3rd gear throughout. Whenever they stepped it up a little, they scored. A couple of different decisions from the ref, a fit 17 from start to finish and H'ton tackling Williams and it could have been closer.