Sport Today

(Not).

But I'm off to Paris this weekend and want to know
(a) is it true you can't get a ticket at the ground
(b) do the Parisians _all_ get in free.  If so, how do they know who
is and who isnt a home supporter.  Eg if I take my string of onions
etc why cant I get in free too
(c) anyone recommend the best local bars?  can you get a drink at the
ground?  If yes, is it worth it?

Any other inside info gratefully received
Robbie Paul for King !   Long Live the Bradford Bulls !

I feel I must try & start a thread on this one - it seems un-discussed right now...

Wigan (and any other SL club) are totally wrong to let players play Union out of season.

(1) The press make it sound like RL is losing its cream players (and we are short as it is)

(2) It is bad preparation for RL

(3) Injuries may occur which can end careers or make players unavailable for long enough to affect a SL
season.

(4) Wigan have surprised/disappointed me the most - long the model of total RL professionalism, I can't
understand why their VERY BEST players are being allowed to do this.... Would Mr Lindsay have done the same??
Or is Mr Robinson not of the same calibre??

*-----------------------------------------------------*
* The opinions expressed in this message are my own   *
* and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.*
*-----------------------------------------------------*

1. Money for the club.

In Wigans case they are under financial pressure and as the deals with
Tugger and Paul are sanctioned by the club I guess it helps the club out
financially.  

When players wanted to go  down under the club was not under financial
pressure and the Aussie RL clubs were not daft enough to pay a rental or
whatever the arrangement is.

I guess the RU clubs will be paying the players contracts for the duration
of the stint thus removing the financial burden from Wigan for the up
coming long SL off season.

There was no financial benefit to Wigan for their players to go down under
so they came out against the idea.  They could afford to inist on a rest
for the players and I guess the money on offer to the players was not
enough to warrent a big bust up.

If there was no financial benefit now, then I guess the club would be
against it.

2. Money for the players

These guys are being offered silly money for a short term contract.  Try
and stop em and:

    a) It may be illegal as a restraint of trade.

    b) They might just sod off altogether to a better paid job in RU

3. Impending Salary Cap

This relates to 2.  If the cap stops you paying players as much as you
would like then RU (cap less) can complete for the players much more
easily.  Therefore you let them go for a short term contract and hope they
come back.

I wonder if, as Wigan are probably not paying the players contracts while
they are playing RU, this is a sneaky way to reduce the wage bill to
conform to the salary cap?

IMO, I am sure Wigan would prefer their players to rest but given the
financial circumstances its the way it is.

However I reckon that after one season of this the players will themselves
see sense and want a rest.  Couple this with the fact the silly money from
RU will dry up I think you will find players not as keen to double up.

Dave

Wigan RLFC - Simply the Best

On Wed, 21 Aug 1996 13:15:10 +0100, David Wood

Nick

I think I've lost my punctuation keys
Cheers
Jonathan

Yep - they are right out of it :)

Geff

Thank god someone is talking to me at last... Thanks for the replies lads

I have not been able to tell if our Net service providor (Planet) have been uploading stuff
properly OR I was so insignificant, I was being ignored....

Enjoying the banter -- Guess I will soon find out who shares my sense of humour/viewpoints

Must say that Chris Russell seems to have one hell of an imagination (not to say plenty of spare time)
How did you come up with a dogs name like Jack ***off and a handle of 'Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats' ?

*-----------------------------------------------------*
* The opinions expressed in this message are my own   *
* and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.*
*-----------------------------------------------------*

: >I feel I must try & start a thread on this one - it seems un-discussed right
: >now...
: >
: >Wigan (and any other SL club) are totally wrong to let players play Union out of
: >season.
: >
: >(1) The press make it sound like RL is losing its cream players (and we are
: >short as it is)
: >
: >(2) It is bad preparation for RL
: >
: >(3) Injuries may occur which can end careers or make players unavailable for
: >long enough to affect a SL
: >season.
: >
: >(4) Wigan have surprised/disappointed me the most - long the model of total RL
: >professionalism, I can't
: >understand why their VERY BEST players are being allowed to do this.... Would Mr
: >Lindsay have done the same??
: >Or is Mr Robinson not of the same calibre??
: >
: Personally I think it much safer for the players to spend four or five
: months in a union team's back line doing not much at all except scoring
: tries instead of jetting off to Oz and getting hammered week by week in
: the Winfield Cup like they all used to before summer rugby

: I think I've lost my punctuation keys

Must be a right sod if you're locked out of punctuation. Can't you throw
a brick through the window and climb in?

--
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For what it's worth I think the Eagles experience could be much improved
by:

1. moving permanently to Bramall Lane. The atmosphere is better because
you are more involved with the game by not having to look over the
athletics track.

2. get rid of the pre-match "entertainment". The only way they can get the
crowd to listen at the moment is to turn the volume up to a deafening
level. My wife loves the game but is reluctant to go at present because of
the headache this induces. And that DJ is a waste of space.

3. stop the silly jingles when points are scored.

4. improve the quality of the team, especially in defence.

Philip

===================================================================
Philip Tiplady

===================================================================

--
Steve

--
Ryan O'Neill

: Thank god someone is talking to me at last... Thanks for the replies lads

: I have not been able to tell if our Net service providor (Planet) have been uploading stuff
: properly OR I was so insignificant, I was being ignored....

: Enjoying the banter -- Guess I will soon find out who shares my sense of humour/viewpoints

: Must say that Chris Russell seems to have one hell of an imagination (not to say plenty of spare time)
: How did you come up with a dogs name like Jack ***off and a handle of 'Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats' ?

Jack was a stray and we found him in the local woods. He got very
attached to you having been out of company for a while and is still, 5
years later, over bearing with his affection. VBFG was a one off comic
strip in Viz about 8 years ago. That doesn't mean I don't have an
imagination dominated by people's backsides though. <Insert smiley shaped
character here at your own discretion>.

--
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|      Bradford Bulls RLFC      | Rugby League Home Page:               |
|      Wembley Finalists 1996   | http://SportToday.org/~vbfg/     |
|      British Beef - You won't |                                       |
|      get better!              | PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGED ADDRESS!!!!   |
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