Easter Weekend

Tickets slashed:

http://giantsrl.dnsupdate.co.uk/latestNews/newsArticle.asp?Index=2638

Fans buying their tickets from today through to Monday (6th) qualify for the cheapest category with adult tickets at just £10 and concession tickets at £6 with the other categories listed below.

* Friday 3rd April – Monday 6th April at 5pm - Adults £10, Concessions £6
* Tuesday 7th April – Wednesday 8th April at 5pm – Adults £12, Concession £6
* Thursday 9th April – Adults £14, Concessions £8
* Friday 10th April (Matchday) Normal Matchday Prices Apply – Adults £18.50, Concessions £12.50

Maybe of use to someone.

Ill be boycotting this one.

Thanks for that fella.
Why ya not going?

reidy wrote:

Thanks for that fella.
Why ya not going?

No probs bud.

I don;t agree with Celtic being in the Superleague. I have watched the Nationals for years and have teams struggle and struggle and there were at the least 3 teams who deserved a place in SL before Celtic. I didn;t agree with the whole farse 'pretending' teams had a chance of gaining a license when all along the whole charade was down to geographical reasons alone.

Hence why i am many others are boycotting all Celtic games.

Gem Bob wrote:

reidy wrote:

Thanks for that fella.
Why ya not going?

No probs bud.

I don;t agree with Celtic being in the Superleague. I have watched the Nationals for years and have teams struggle and struggle and there were at the least 3 teams who deserved a place in SL before Celtic. I didn;t agree with the whole farse 'pretending' teams had a chance of gaining a license when all along the whole charade was down to geographical reasons alone.

Hence why i am many others are boycotting all Celtic games.

The logic of what you are saying is that you are boycotting ALL games between Huddersfield and Celtic.

I will not bother starting a debate about the benefits of franchising, the importance of developing a proper international game, the fact that RL only survives as a professional sport because of SKY money and that neccessitated an expansion team being brought into the league.

these arguements have been done to death.

As someone who loves the Giants i will be trying to support them in every game i can.

As someone who loves RL more than the Giants i will also be hoping thet Celtic and Catalans do well for the benefit of us all.

I'm sorry but I don't agree! The RFL have always made the rules as they went along! At least 3 clubs have been formed and admitted to Superleague without so much as kicking a ball in the leagues below so why single out Celtic? It was strongly rumoured that Toulous were going to be admitted too but Salford got in ahead of them!! Which 3 teams are these? Imo opinion I would prefer to see those with grounds already completed ie Leigh, Donnie and Widnes but the latter too have had terrible financial problems which it has been widely accepted why these two didn't gain a place! It is a shame to see leigh where they are as they built their stadium simply to get a licence for 2009 but didn't and yet a club who's been going on about doing these things ever since they were promoted got a licence, and it looks like all their promises are not going to come real for the next application!

I simply don't understand this hate toward Celtic, if there is no scope for RL in the south of Wales then they'll flounder like Paris but till then there here and we should support them!

By the way my response is to Gem bob!

Gem Bob wrote:

reidy wrote:

Thanks for that fella.
Why ya not going?

No probs bud.

I don;t agree with Celtic being in the Super League. I have watched the Nationals for years and have teams struggle and struggle and there were at the least 3 teams who deserved a place in SL before Celtic. I didn;t agree with the whole farse 'pretending' teams had a chance of gaining a license when all along the whole charade was down to geographical reasons alone.

Hence why i am many others are boycotting all Celtic games.

There is only Widnes at present IMO who would have any chance whatsoever of surviving in super league, and I'm not sure they could survive, Going on the last time they were in . If you feel that way about Celtic then I guess you must also feel the same about London and the French teams, I'm not saying you are wrong cause you are entitled to your opinion. My own opinion is that without expansion Sky will never up the amount they pay into Rugby league, and like it or not without Sky the Game as we now know it would sink without trace very quickly.
I envisage within the next 5-10 years out of Cas, Wakey, Bulls ,Giants and Rhinos, Two will be gone as far as Super league is concerned, I reckon if Cas get there stadium started Then Wakey will be gone. With the Bulls being in all kinds of trouble, with the upkeep of their stadium bleeding them dry, the door is open for the Giants to establish themselves as the other survivor along with the Rhinos.
As far as Celtic and expansion goes GEM, the die is cast, the next thing you will start hearing things about is Superleague in Scotland and then Ireland, Unfortunately Teams like Dewsbury, Batley, Fev ect can forget about Super League they will never ever get there, But IMO they should have a realistic share of the Sky pot.

Cletic were formed half an hour ago, have about ten fans, are 200 miles away and have 6 Welshmen in their team. In fact they have 15 international players compared to 10 British. They have a very new and as yet unfounded youth development scheme in place and are 200 miles away making most away games attended by a few.

Widness in comparison have 22 British players, one of the best youth academies in the National leagues, an excellent ground and a very strong following.

In wanting to expand RL the RFL have effectively forced RL into a RU stronghold and massively disadvantaged young British players in favour of Internationals - all the while trying to encourage youth development.....

Many may be aware that the SL is effectively the 'only' league in the UK and were it not for SKY most would probably never see a single national game. But there is demand, Dewsbury and Batley brings in 3000+ fans, Dewsbury beat Hull FC at the start of the season and lost by only a try or so against a full Bradford Bulls squad. This is a team who has had to make their season tickets £60 to keep their fans (they sold about 600 iirc) and they are not alone. Plenty of NL sides are going bust, scraping by etc... So it really gets on my nerves when they are all side stepped for a team who are about as much Welsh as i am Pakistani all in the name of forcing the game to an area that is clearly not interested - how do i know? They were giving tickets away to the Welsh for last years magic and they couldn't even give them all away.

by boycotting the game you are achieving nothing but denying the giants of your support. Not attending will not get the licences revoked. Be proud and support the giants, not boycott it just to prove something that you cant change i.e celtics inclusion in the superleague. Get behind the giants!!!!!

hudders789 wrote:

by boycotting the game you are achieving nothing but denying the giants of your support. Not attending will not get the licences revoked. Be proud and support the giants, not boycott it just to prove something that you cant change i.e celtics inclusion in the superleague. Get behind the giants!!!!!

I understand completely what you are saying. But i refuse to pay and watch a team that has robbed the British youth and national league sides in such a manner.

Gem Bob wrote:

Cletic were formed half an hour ago, have about ten fans, are 200 miles away and have 6 Welshmen in their team. In fact they have 15 international players compared to 10 British. They have a very new and as yet unfounded youth development scheme in place and are 200 miles away making most away games attended by a few.

Widness in comparison have 22 British players, one of the best youth academies in the National leagues, an excellent ground and a very strong following.

In wanting to expand RL the RFL have effectively forced RL into a RU stronghold and massively disadvantaged young British players in favour of Internationals - all the while trying to encourage youth development.....

Many may be aware that the SL is effectively the 'only' league in the UK and were it not for SKY most would probably never see a single national game. But there is demand, Dewsbury and Batley brings in 3000+ fans, Dewsbury beat Hull FC at the start of the season and lost by only a try or so against a full Bradford Bulls squad. This is a team who has had to make their season tickets £60 to keep their fans (they sold about 600 iirc) and they are not alone. Plenty of NL sides are going bust, scraping by etc... So it really gets on my nerves when they are all side stepped for a team who are about as much Welsh as i am Pakistani all in the name of forcing the game to an area that is clearly not interested - how do i know? They were giving tickets away to the Welsh for last years magic and they couldn't even give them all away.

Having Halequins in SL gives the game some credibity and attention that it would not have if there was no London team in the competition. they only attract small crowds so should they be kicked out of SL

Celtic have a massive number of kids playing in their youth teams and academys and have a pool of players 10 times that of Huddersfield should we be kicked out of SL. until two years ago our ability to bring young kids and local kids through was pathetic.they need to be judged in a few years time not now. Look at Quins who are now bringing Londoners into the game and probably to international level ie LMS.

To develop something takes time. How far have we come in the last 5 years. Celtic need time and support to develop and in a few years time we can judge it. the opportunity to strike in wales was now when the regional RU team got shafted.

Without Sky money all RL would be would be a feeder for RU to take all our talent ie Ashton and now Lee Smith from Leeds. RU salary cap £4 million. RL £1.5. Without sky money it would be whatever the clubs could get through the turnstiles. What sort of plyaing quality would Dewsbury have if it was based on 3000 people paying £3 a game.


RU makes its money from the international scene which generates sponsorship. Why do they have the 6 nations, heineken cup, anglo welsh cup as well as their usual international fixtures. that is all sepoerate to their league and cup games.

RL has to have a viable interntaional competition. That is why we need to be able to compete internationally with the southern hemisphere and to have some genuine internationals in Europe. That is why we need Catalans and Celtic. how are we going to have a strong welsh team without having a SL team in Wales.

Gem Bob wrote:

hudders789 wrote:

by boycotting the game you are achieving nothing but denying the giants of your support. Not attending will not get the licences revoked. Be proud and support the giants, not boycott it just to prove something that you cant change i.e celtics inclusion in the superleague. Get behind the giants!!!!!

I understand completely what you are saying. But i refuse to pay and watch a team that has robbed the British youth and national league sides in such a manner.

It has not robbed British Youth. there are more kids playing RL in Wales than ever before.

Durham Giant wrote:

Gem Bob wrote:

Cletic were formed half an hour ago, have about ten fans, are 200 miles away and have 6 Welshmen in their team. In fact they have 15 international players compared to 10 British. They have a very new and as yet unfounded youth development scheme in place and are 200 miles away making most away games attended by a few.

Widness in comparison have 22 British players, one of the best youth academies in the National leagues, an excellent ground and a very strong following.

In wanting to expand RL the RFL have effectively forced RL into a RU stronghold and massively disadvantaged young British players in favour of Internationals - all the while trying to encourage youth development.....

Many may be aware that the SL is effectively the 'only' league in the UK and were it not for SKY most would probably never see a single national game. But there is demand, Dewsbury and Batley brings in 3000+ fans, Dewsbury beat Hull FC at the start of the season and lost by only a try or so against a full Bradford Bulls squad. This is a team who has had to make their season tickets £60 to keep their fans (they sold about 600 iirc) and they are not alone. Plenty of NL sides are going bust, scraping by etc... So it really gets on my nerves when they are all side stepped for a team who are about as much Welsh as i am Pakistani all in the name of forcing the game to an area that is clearly not interested - how do i know? They were giving tickets away to the Welsh for last years magic and they couldn't even give them all away.

Having Halequins in SL gives the game some credibity and attention that it would not have if there was no London team in the competition. they only attract small crowds so should they be kicked out of SL

Celtic have a massive number of kids playing in their youth teams and academys and have a pool of players 10 times that of Huddersfield should we be kicked out of SL. until two years ago our ability to bring young kids and local kids through was pathetic.they need to be judged in a few years time not now. Look at Quins who are now bringing Londoners into the game and probably to international level ie LMS.

To develop something takes time. How far have we come in the last 5 years. Celtic need time and support to develop and in a few years time we can judge it. the opportunity to strike in wales was now when the regional RU team got shafted.

Without Sky money all RL would be would be a feeder for RU to take all our talent ie Ashton and now Lee Smith from Leeds. RU salary cap £4 million. RL £1.5. Without sky money it would be whatever the clubs could get through the turnstiles. What sort of plyaing quality would Dewsbury have if it was based on 3000 people paying £3 a game.


RU makes its money from the international scene which generates sponsorship. Why do they have the 6 nations, heineken cup, anglo welsh cup as well as their usual international fixtures. that is all sepoerate to their league and cup games.

RL has to have a viable interntaional competition. That is why we need to be able to compete internationally with the southern hemisphere and to have some genuine internationals in Europe. That is why we need Catalans and Celtic. how are we going to have a strong welsh team without having a SL team in Wales.

Some good points there. However the the biggest part of your argument is about giving Celtic time, let them develop. Well Widness are already developed, Widness already have the fans, the youth etc... I know they had money problems but that was due to the fact they expected to get their license so put everything into last season (not only that but the chairman put £1m in the bank for securities)

You talk about the pool of players and i agree, being the only team in Wales will no doubt have huge advantages. But don;t you think its a bit crap when their only opportunity is with Celtic? I would say their 'pool of players' should be any teams pool of players through good scouting and the creation of local teams. But that said Celtic have 15 international players - where are these Welsh players?

We could go on about this all night, but the fact remains Celtic were formed a few years ago and have completely side stepped teams a hundred years old for what? Money. That might be alright to you but it goes against every standard and moral i believe rugby league to have held.

I still oppose this franchise business as I did originally.
I still believe in promotion/relegation. I also believe that the RFL had the power to insist that NL1 and SL clubs do something with regards to the quality of stadia and facilities, to insist that them who wish to qualify come up to scratch.
Should Celtic had have been top of NL1, then fair enough. Promote them on the provisor that they tick all of the relevant boxes.

However there are very few NL1 clubs who could fall into SL standards although Widnes could.
We are stuck with this situation for the forseeable, but there is no incentive for NL1 teams to pull big crowds in, unless a sugar-daddy comes along to plough millions in.

A bit of a double edged sword, but I'm still gutted that the like of Fax, Fev, Leigh etc that don't stand a chance of getting into the franchise system at the moment on the count that money is buying clubs into a league that in my opinion, they haven't earned their rightful place.

What I will do though, is support our lads and hope they give the taffy's a drubbing!

Reidy i think you hit the nail on the head when you said 'double edged sword' It is you're absolutely right.

And for what its worth im completely with you in regards to the franchise system. Al the talk about teams finances etc takes into account the 14 Superleague teams. Those professional sides outside the SL - Of which there are 21 and then loads more in the conferences - what about their finances? What about their history? Their fans? By creating the franchise system the RFL may very well have secured the finances and improved the chances of the teams in SL but they have trodden over every other team not fortunate to be in the SL.

I predict within 20 years there will be only Superleague. Al the elderly and faithful fans of teams such of Dewsbury will have passed on and there will be no one left to keep the clubs feasible. These teams are struggling to get kids in because they have to charge so much (it was £7 for my lad to go watch Sheff tonight) any new supporters will follow the glory of SL and ultimately we'll be left with amateurs and Super League. (already all but a few of the nationals are part timers)

The double edged sword comes in because i can see the benefits of the SL and the franchise system and creating Celtic. My only concern is at what expense.

Gem Bob wrote:

Reidy i think you hit the nail on the head when you said 'double edged sword' It is you're absolutely right.

And for what its worth im completely with you in regards to the franchise system. Al the talk about teams finances etc takes into account the 14 Superleague teams. Those professional sides outside the SL - Of which there are 21 and then loads more in the conferences - what about their finances? What about their history? Their fans? By creating the franchise system the RFL may very well have secured the finances and improved the chances of the teams in SL but they have trodden over every other team not fortunate to be in the SL.

I predict within 20 years there will be only Superleague. Al the elderly and faithful fans of teams such of Dewsbury will have passed on and there will be no one left to keep the clubs feasible. These teams are struggling to get kids in because they have to charge so much (it was £7 for my lad to go watch Sheff tonight) any new supporters will follow the glory of SL and ultimately we'll be left with amateurs and Super League. (already all but a few of the nationals are part timers)

The double edged sword comes in because i can see the benefits of the SL and the franchise system and creating Celtic. My only concern is at what expense.

Top post!!!!

reidy wrote:

Gem Bob wrote:

Reidy i think you hit the nail on the head when you said 'double edged sword' It is you're absolutely right.

And for what its worth im completely with you in regards to the franchise system. Al the talk about teams finances etc takes into account the 14 Superleague teams. Those professional sides outside the SL - Of which there are 21 and then loads more in the conferences - what about their finances? What about their history? Their fans? By creating the franchise system the RFL may very well have secured the finances and improved the chances of the teams in SL but they have trodden over every other team not fortunate to be in the SL.

I predict within 20 years there will be only Superleague. Al the elderly and faithful fans of teams such of Dewsbury will have passed on and there will be no one left to keep the clubs feasible. These teams are struggling to get kids in because they have to charge so much (it was £7 for my lad to go watch Sheff tonight) any new supporters will follow the glory of SL and ultimately we'll be left with amateurs and Super League. (already all but a few of the nationals are part timers)

The double edged sword comes in because i can see the benefits of the SL and the franchise system and creating Celtic. My only concern is at what expense.

Top post!!!!

Thanks mate its a subject i feel really strongly about

You're deffo not on yer own there ole luv.
My 2nd team in RL is Fax. Purely because I lived there and knew some players.
Them poor sods have had the crap end of the financial stick since the late 80's as have many others.
With very little incentive of financial input from sponsors and private investors, the only direction for these clubs is of a spiraling plughole kind.

Gem Bob wrote:

Durham Giant wrote:

Gem Bob wrote:

Cletic were formed half an hour ago, have about ten fans, are 200 miles away and have 6 Welshmen in their team. In fact they have 15 international players compared to 10 British. They have a very new and as yet unfounded youth development scheme in place and are 200 miles away making most away games attended by a few.

Widness in comparison have 22 British players, one of the best youth academies in the National leagues, an excellent ground and a very strong following.

In wanting to expand RL the RFL have effectively forced RL into a RU stronghold and massively disadvantaged young British players in favour of Internationals - all the while trying to encourage youth development.....

Many may be aware that the SL is effectively the 'only' league in the UK and were it not for SKY most would probably never see a single national game. But there is demand, Dewsbury and Batley brings in 3000+ fans, Dewsbury beat Hull FC at the start of the season and lost by only a try or so against a full Bradford Bulls squad. This is a team who has had to make their season tickets £60 to keep their fans (they sold about 600 iirc) and they are not alone. Plenty of NL sides are going bust, scraping by etc... So it really gets on my nerves when they are all side stepped for a team who are about as much Welsh as i am Pakistani all in the name of forcing the game to an area that is clearly not interested - how do i know? They were giving tickets away to the Welsh for last years magic and they couldn't even give them all away.

Having Halequins in SL gives the game some credibity and attention that it would not have if there was no London team in the competition. they only attract small crowds so should they be kicked out of SL

Celtic have a massive number of kids playing in their youth teams and academys and have a pool of players 10 times that of Huddersfield should we be kicked out of SL. until two years ago our ability to bring young kids and local kids through was pathetic.they need to be judged in a few years time not now. Look at Quins who are now bringing Londoners into the game and probably to international level ie LMS.

To develop something takes time. How far have we come in the last 5 years. Celtic need time and support to develop and in a few years time we can judge it. the opportunity to strike in wales was now when the regional RU team got shafted.

Without Sky money all RL would be would be a feeder for RU to take all our talent ie Ashton and now Lee Smith from Leeds. RU salary cap £4 million. RL £1.5. Without sky money it would be whatever the clubs could get through the turnstiles. What sort of plyaing quality would Dewsbury have if it was based on 3000 people paying £3 a game.


RU makes its money from the international scene which generates sponsorship. Why do they have the 6 nations, heineken cup, anglo welsh cup as well as their usual international fixtures. that is all sepoerate to their league and cup games.

RL has to have a viable interntaional competition. That is why we need to be able to compete internationally with the southern hemisphere and to have some genuine internationals in Europe. That is why we need Catalans and Celtic. how are we going to have a strong welsh team without having a SL team in Wales.

Some good points there. However the the biggest part of your argument is about giving Celtic time, let them develop. Well Widness are already developed, Widness already have the fans, the youth etc... I know they had money problems but that was due to the fact they expected to get their license so put everything into last season (not only that but the chairman put £1m in the bank for securities)

You talk about the pool of players and i agree, being the only team in Wales will no doubt have huge advantages. But don;t you think its a bit crap when their only opportunity is with Celtic? I would say their 'pool of players' should be any teams pool of players through good scouting and the creation of local teams. But that said Celtic have 15 international players - where are these Welsh players?

We could go on about this all night, but the fact remains Celtic were formed a few years ago and have completely side stepped teams a hundred years old for what? Money. That might be alright to you but it goes against every standard and moral i believe rugby league to have held.

Widnes are not developed, they may have the fans. But to compete in SL they would need to replace 75% of their present squad, and if they were losing regularly the fans would soon start to melt away.
I would still prefer promotion and relegation personally and would have rather seen Celtic in on that basis, which I am sure they would have made it eventually, sooner rather than later. Then no one can complain. But the RFL do their own thing regardless of Joe public.

Just looking at Durham's original post there, London Bronco's as was, were only another Richard Branson media excercise.
He soon got rid when they reached SL and made him some dosh.


Maybe Widnes wouldn't make it at the mo Shogun, but with Connor's cash, they would get a squad together if they qualified. They also do have a decent academy.

You are spot on about the RFL. Everything with them is a money excercise and sod all to do with the clubs that built SL into what it is.

reidy wrote:

You're deffo not on yer own there ole luv.
My 2nd team in RL is Fax. Purely because I lived there and knew some players.
Them poor sods have had the crap end of the financial stick since the late 80's as have many others.
With very little incentive of financial input from sponsors and private investors, the only direction for these clubs is of a spiraling plughole kind.

This is true. But if financial backers are prepared to put their money in teams outside of our traditional area you can`t blame those teams, only hope that some sugar daddy will come along to save our local teams.

Putting it realistically which I don`t like doing, we have too many teams in a small area which is unsustainable. Hull apart which is Rugby mad.
Leeds Rhino fans in Dewsbury would put Dewsbury Rams crowd up to 3000 if they came to watch them which would be very nice.
So Dewsbury, Batley and Halifax are always going to struggle for crowds with, Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield on their doorstep. That`s the way the cookie crumbles and we can do sod all about it, and not letting Celtic in will not change a thing.

if the game continues to expand etc where will we end up... ireland?scotland?? midlands?? .The game is great because it is local, if the fans have too many away games of distance they will have to pick and choose rather than go every week, our worse crowds this year will be catalans, celtic and quins due to no away fans, if we keep expanding there will be more "worse" crowds.

adelaide-giant.no9 wrote:

if the game continues to expand etc where will we end up... ireland?scotland?? midlands?? .The game is great because it is local, if the fans have too many away games of distance they will have to pick and choose rather than go every week, our worse crowds this year will be catalans, celtic and quins due to no away fans, if we keep expanding there will be more "worse" crowds.

Exactly.

As it stands we have 3 home games whereby practically there is only a home crowd as part of our gate.

If it spreads out too far, we won't be able to afford to support our guys.

already we have, france, scotland,wales and london .. i think thats enough away days for the moment