Welcome back Dave Hadfield : Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:19 am  

Fresh from exile, Dave Hadfield brings us positive, up to date and ground breaking news from the Rugby League world... No, really: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 41052.html I have to feel for a proud RL journo reduced to a bit part role, but surprise, surprise, wheeled out in time for a negative RL story. It would'nt have anything to do with the tw@ Roger Alton becoming the paper's edotir would it?

Fresh from exile, Dave Hadfield brings us positive, up to date and ground breaking news from the Rugby League world... No, really: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 41052.html I have to feel for a proud RL journo reduced to a bit part role, but surprise, surprise, wheeled out in time for a negative RL story. It would'nt have anything to do with the tw@ Roger Alton becoming the paper's edotir would it?

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:28 am  

Come on, let's be reasonable. It is a story, and it's not out of order to print it. Journos have no responsibility to hide unpleasant truths and only print positive pieces. The fact is that this was a horrible incident, and the RFL are going to deal with it. I thought Hadfield did a very good job of pointing out that this is a very exceptional incident in a sport with no tradition or significant history of crowd trouble.

Reading everything on these boards about Queens, it does appear that there are issues surrounding that club. It seems to me that the RFL can make a clear stance against thuggery by giving the tie to Doncaster, and issuing a formal warning to Queens that any other incident will result in banning from any future RFL competitions. Their amateur league admin should do the same.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:33 am  

Thought it was a fair balanced piece myself

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:44 am  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

Come on, let's be reasonable. It is a story, and it's not out of order to print it. Journos have no responsibility to hide unpleasant truths and only print positive pieces. The fact is that this was a horrible incident, and the RFL are going to deal with it. I thought Hadfield did a very good job of pointing out that this is a very exceptional incident in a sport with no tradition or significant history of crowd trouble.

Reading everything on these boards about Queens, it does appear that there are issues surrounding that club. It seems to me that the RFL can make a clear stance against thuggery by giving the tie to Doncaster, and issuing a formal warning to Queens that any other incident will result in banning from any future RFL competitions. Their amateur league admin should do the same.

If you re-read what i said, my issue is nOT with Dave Hadfield who is a thoroughly respected journalist who does a lot for RL.

My gripe is the fact that this article was given a substantial spread - especially in comparison to Monday's SL reports - Warrington vs Leeds got a side snippet and there was nothiong for Hull Kr vs Harlequins.

Why the re-interest in RL suddenly? It samcks of an agenda.

The Indie was great for RL for years but has regressed into being a pale imitation of itself. To reiterate, this is a sad waste of somoene like Dave who is very accomplished at his job.

The article was fairly well done by Hadfield, but it was framed in 'special' terms why does "Fan violence leaves rugby league reeling?"

It can be validly argued that there was a brawl between a minoroty of yobs at a sparesely attended (probably one of the reasons the game was called off).

We all know about Queens and we are all reasonably assured the RFL we stamp out indiscipline and yobbery.

I find the Indies' new dedication and zeal to RL reporting intersting and I look forward to their coverage of the weekends fixtures.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:57 am  

That's an excellent piece, well done Dave. ewfc is a miserable tw@.

This is a big story and friends who don't follow RL have picked up on it. No surprise to see RL paranoia surface over this though.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:13 am  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

Come on, let's be reasonable. It is a story, and it's not out of order to print it. Journos have no responsibility to hide unpleasant truths and only print positive pieces. The fact is that this was a horrible incident, and the RFL are going to deal with it. I thought Hadfield did a very good job of pointing out that this is a very exceptional incident in a sport with no tradition or significant history of crowd trouble.

Reading everything on these boards about Queens, it does appear that there are issues surrounding that club. It seems to me that the RFL can make a clear stance against thuggery by giving the tie to Doncaster, and issuing a formal warning to Queens that any other incident will result in banning from any future RFL competitions. Their amateur league admin should do the same.

Agreed on both counts.

It was, as you rightly point out, a balanced piece – not just a negative one. And even if people didn't know about what had happened before last night's draw, it was a bit difficult to avoid after that.

Re: Welcome back Dave Hadfield : Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:19 am  

eddiewaringsflatcap wrote: Fresh from exile, Dave Hadfield brings us positive, up to date and ground breaking news from the Rugby League world... No, really: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 41052.html I have to feel for a proud RL journo reduced to a bit part role, but surprise, surprise, wheeled out in time for a negative RL story. It would'nt have anything to do with the tw@ Roger Alton becoming the paper's edotir would it? It's not Dave Hadfields fault, nor is it the Newspapers fault that it gets covered, it's the morons that were fighting that are to blame. You can't expect a newspaper not to cover news like this.

eddiewaringsflatcap wrote: Fresh from exile, Dave Hadfield brings us positive, up to date and ground breaking news from the Rugby League world... No, really: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 41052.html I have to feel for a proud RL journo reduced to a bit part role, but surprise, surprise, wheeled out in time for a negative RL story. It would'nt have anything to do with the tw@ Roger Alton becoming the paper's edotir would it? It's not Dave Hadfields fault, nor is it the Newspapers fault that it gets covered, it's the morons that were fighting that are to blame. You can't expect a newspaper not to cover news like this.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:35 am  

Thier's fan violence at every football match but is that talked about in the press after every game?

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:42 am  

eddiewaringsflatcap wrote:

My gripe is the fact that this article was given a substantial spread - especially in comparison to Monday's SL reports - Warrington vs Leeds got a side snippet and there was nothiong for Hull Kr vs Harlequins.

Possibly because they never played each other?

Balanced article with no agenda.

Re: Welcome back Dave Hadfield : Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:43 am  

christopher wrote:

It's not Dave Hadfields fault, nor is it the Newspapers fault that it gets covered, it's the morons that were fighting that are to blame. You can't expect a newspaper not to cover news like this.

Nobody said it is Dave Hadfield's fault, but pillocks like CN have taken a Jonathon Edwards leap to that conclusion.

To reiterate for about the fourth time, I have always liked Hadfield's journalism. It is just a shame it is not used as commonly as it once was, and it appears to be little coincidence this has come after Alton joined the Indie.

Hadfield is in danger of going the same way that David Lawrenson went - and that is out of employment as a specialist RL writer.

Anyone who cannot see the decline in dedication to RL by the Indie in recent months, but the space given to what amounted to little more than a pub brawl between a set of amateur bruisers and tin pot outfit watched by three men and his dog is naive.