| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays 18:09 - Mar 23 with 1918 views | Northernr |
When life gives you lemons, do 3,000 words on rugby league instead (sorry, not sorry).
 Barnsley/Blackburn — Awaydays 23rd Mar 2022 17:03The performance of the team at Oakwell and Ewood Park, as the decline of a season that promised so much started to unravel in earnest, was never going to result in a particularly joyous awayday even before the heavens opened and Sky started dicking about with the kick offs.  4
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| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 18:49 - Mar 23 with 1825 views | eastside_r |
Thanks Clive. I know (and care) little about RL, but that was informative and interesting as well as the usual darker than the gallows humour. |  | | |
| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 20:35 - Mar 23 with 1677 views | derbyhoop |
At least you got something out of Blackburn.
Greqt initiative to keep and grow a fanbase and far better food than 99% of grounds and/or their surroundings.
Where was the pub with the amusing notices? |  |
| Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one’s lifetime. (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop |
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| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 20:42 - Mar 23 with 1667 views | Northernr |
| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 20:35 - Mar 23 by derbyhoop |
At least you got something out of Blackburn.
Greqt initiative to keep and grow a fanbase and far better food than 99% of grounds and/or their surroundings.
Where was the pub with the amusing notices? |
Preston - saving mention of that for the trip there. | | | |
| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 09:43 - Mar 24 with 1358 views | TheChef |
Great stuff Clive.
I enjoyed the diversion on rugby league - one of those sports I don't follow closely but when flicking around the channels and I see it, it does usually hold my attention. I suppose its issue is it is still perceived very much as a 'northern' sport and if it's struggling to grow/regain traction in its heartlands how does it manage that further afield? |  |
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| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 12:58 - Mar 24 with 1235 views | MrSheen |
Thanks from me too, Clive. As I was both at Blackburn and have been to Belle Vue in Wakefield, I was tempted to go off at (even greater) length myself, but it wouldn't have been a fraction as interesting. However, as Wakefield is both larger and I would imagine more prosperous than Blackburn (mostly because its closer to Leeds than Blackburn is to Manchester), it makes the financial struggles of professional sport there all the more stark.
On the head injury issue, I have only seen one SuperLeague game this season (Leeds-Warrington) so can't comment on the refs, but are they taking a significantly harder line than Australia? It might sound patronising, but one of the reasons I fell in love with League is the go-our-own way bloody-mindedness of the game - who else would call a ground the Mend-A-Hose Jungle? One of the strongest memories I have of Belle Vue was the bizarre configuration of the old wooden grandstand; you had to pick one of the many doors at the top, which led down to sealed pews like in an old church. If you wanted to go across a few seats for a better view, you had to go up to the top and choose a couple of doors along. Very strange.
That said, it is clear that the attitude towards head injuries had to change, based not just on new knowledge, but the testimony of men like Shontayne Hape, and the disastrous experiences post-retirement of Terry Newton, Malcolm Alker, etc, etc. However, I think there might be another factor explaining the extremism of their reaction, based on the RFL's financial weakness and its complete dependence as a result on government funding.
When I coached my son's Minis team, I went to a number of RFU coaching courses, but out of interest, I signed up for an RFL Level One course to see what else I might learn. Both organisations run excellent sessions, with very good materials and instructions. However, while the RFU brochures carried the logos of high-end sponsors (including Land-Rover, I think), the RFL material only carried the logo of Sport England.
Though both courses had sections on safeguarding, the RFL spent three times longer on it, including detailed guidance on how to look for concealed injuries (ie ones the kids had before playing, not during the session), how to raise the topic sensitively with the child and detailed instructions on how to conduct yourself as a coach - don't lose your temper, don't let them see you smoking or drinking. Mostly boilerplate instructions, but the latter would have caused uproar with my Union club coaches.
It made me wonder, is this how things are in the RL heartlands.? Are Sport England propping up the game as a desperately needed source of mild-mannered male role models, or does this reflect the state's exaggerated perception of a toxic-masculinity crisis? A bit of both I imagine, though I wouldn't care to set a ratio.
As for the relevance to the current crack-down...clearly League is more skint than Union, and has been dragged into change at an earlier point because it hasn't got the resources for resistance in court for long. However...Union has the support of rich sponsors who are attracted to it precisely for its rugged image. League is increasingly close to a state-funded NGO in the social care sector. I imagine most of the decision-makers on their funding are either ignorant of the game itself or horrified by it, unlike Union. The direction that RFL's funders will expect it to go in any issue touching on safeguarding is obvious. Can't see it changing; it is up to the players to adapt to the new climate, if that's possible, or if there is a game at the end of it. |  | | |
| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 15:10 - Mar 24 with 1155 views | wood_hoop |
| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 09:43 - Mar 24 by TheChef |
Great stuff Clive.
I enjoyed the diversion on rugby league - one of those sports I don't follow closely but when flicking around the channels and I see it, it does usually hold my attention. I suppose its issue is it is still perceived very much as a 'northern' sport and if it's struggling to grow/regain traction in its heartlands how does it manage that further afield? |
In the late sixties as a southern softie had only ever seen RL on the tv and the commentry of the great Eddie Waring on a Saturday afternoon.
School was even worse, strictly football, until we had a Welsh P.E teacher arrive one year, roped in the 3rd year football team and had this dream of turning us into the all conquering R.U side of North London, fat chance, a few training sessions and our first game against a school that to us were bloody giants and seemed had been playing rugby since they were weaned.
Can't remember ever any of us actually running with the ball in our hands, and soon learnt that if you kicked the ball up the field or any fcucking direction less chance of having a acne ridden giant flatten you into the muddy bloody pitch, we lost 93-0 and I think they finished the game early to avoid to avoid a three figure score and us being disheartned !
Needless to to say I think there was only three or 4 turned up for the next training session and thank goodness there was no mention in the school news letter of our very feeble attempt, definetly got you 'brownie points' with the girls if you were in a successful school sports teams..
I meander, was living in Putney in the early 80's and had a friend that loved bloody rugby, when Fulham started the RL club enticed me to go with him with free tickets and grub, to my surprise quite enjoyed myself, much prefered it to RU and even went when the Aussies came over and played Fulham as part of their tour in 1982.
So a southern softie was converted and do enjoy watching on the box when I can.
Nearly forgot, great report as usual Clive. [Post edited 24 Mar 2022 15:36]
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| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 16:08 - Mar 24 with 1061 views | TheChef |
| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 15:10 - Mar 24 by wood_hoop |
In the late sixties as a southern softie had only ever seen RL on the tv and the commentry of the great Eddie Waring on a Saturday afternoon.
School was even worse, strictly football, until we had a Welsh P.E teacher arrive one year, roped in the 3rd year football team and had this dream of turning us into the all conquering R.U side of North London, fat chance, a few training sessions and our first game against a school that to us were bloody giants and seemed had been playing rugby since they were weaned.
Can't remember ever any of us actually running with the ball in our hands, and soon learnt that if you kicked the ball up the field or any fcucking direction less chance of having a acne ridden giant flatten you into the muddy bloody pitch, we lost 93-0 and I think they finished the game early to avoid to avoid a three figure score and us being disheartned !
Needless to to say I think there was only three or 4 turned up for the next training session and thank goodness there was no mention in the school news letter of our very feeble attempt, definetly got you 'brownie points' with the girls if you were in a successful school sports teams..
I meander, was living in Putney in the early 80's and had a friend that loved bloody rugby, when Fulham started the RL club enticed me to go with him with free tickets and grub, to my surprise quite enjoyed myself, much prefered it to RU and even went when the Aussies came over and played Fulham as part of their tour in 1982.
So a southern softie was converted and do enjoy watching on the box when I can.
Nearly forgot, great report as usual Clive. [Post edited 24 Mar 2022 15:36]
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Fulham and Rugby League?? Well I never! | |
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| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 20:50 - Mar 24 with 952 views | colinallcars |
Thanks for that Clive - a superb read. I know nothing of Rrruggerbee League but found that article fascinating.
The only times I've watched the RU version is when some of us were trying to find somewhere to drink after the pubs closed at 3pm on Saturday. We found two places - the Arts Centre in Hammersmith and Rosslyn Park rugger just over the river which had Shepherd Neame bitter on sale all day. |  | | |
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| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 00:07 - Mar 25 with 890 views | CliveWilsonSaid |
I worked up in Leeds Carnegie a few times for the Rugby League in early-mid 2000's. Walking out into the large roofed terrace that used to run along one side of the ground. A funny sound from the crowd that I've not heard before or since and on the pitch a player with knee socked leg snapped at the shin, dangling at a horrible angle.
Player was soon swept away by stretcher to hearty applause from all there and him clapping and waving back from his stricken state. I've no idea who he was or if he played again.
I didn't mind the sport, what I saw of it but I was mostly taken by the people who went and the singing and the friendly flares. |  |
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| Barnsley/Blackburn - Awaydays on 21:58 - Mar 25 with 571 views | Boston |
When life gives you lemons...you make lemonade. |  |
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