[Winslade's Offload]

SL Trophy 2020 : Wed Sep 02, 2020 5:28 pm  

You can understand the need for SL clubs to run a competition this year despite the problem of Covid 19, it's all about commercial survival and bringing in whatever revenue they can scrape together from sponsors, advertisers and Sky. But with the likes of Wakey last week and ourselves this losing key team members, is it time to accept that we are not really going to get a valid competition in 2020 ?

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:07 pm  

I think the best outcome for this year is to showcase the game as much as possible to the public, no matter how depleted the teams are ,as long as whatever players are available do their best.
This week's games are all on sky mix & a few more weeks of that could help with exposure to sky customers without the full viewing package.

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:11 pm  

If we were to win the Grand Final, would it invalidate other clubs fans from singing "Have you ever seen the Wire win the league?"

I think the song would still be legitimate, till we have won it in a non-covid disrupted season.

Also I think this is a moot point as they have scrapped relegation this year, but if we were relegated, we could argue that we still had never been relegated in our history.

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:56 pm  

Yeah if we won this year nobody from any other club would see it as a proper win and for me it would be a diluted win. But my love and enjoyment of the game has come flooding back with the 6 again rule and no scrums.
I pray they keep it the same from now on as the games are 10 times better and more exciting

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Thu Sep 03, 2020 4:39 am  

NO.

This is not a diluted season. A dud season or however you want to put it.

You play what is on front of you. If we win the league. Ot will.be a legitimate league win. As it would be with the challenge cup.
If we win. We would of handled what has been put in front of us better than other teams in what would be the toughest season since the world war.

If saints win. They wont see it as a tainted win

If wigan win. They wont see it as tainted.. same with leeds hull fc. Salford. Wakefield laseford or catalan.

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Thu Sep 03, 2020 7:50 am  

wire2004 wrote:

NO.

This is not a diluted season. A dud season or however you want to put it.

You play what is on front of you. If we win the league. Ot will.be a legitimate league win. As it would be with the challenge cup.
If we win. We would of handled what has been put in front of us better than other teams in what would be the toughest season since the world war.

If saints win. They wont see it as a tainted win

If wigan win. They wont see it as tainted.. same with leeds hull fc. Salford. Wakefield laseford or catalan.

I fully agree with this. Which ever team win if we do get to a GF will fully deserve it. This is a difficult season obviously and will come down to luck a little bit, but mostly it will be about which team can handle the extreme conditions the best.

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:18 am  

This season is about the survival of Rugby League. It doesn't matter so much about who wins the GF, what matters is that two teams get there (and that isn't 100% guaranteed).

Clubs are making sacrifices in order to keep the competition afloat and ensure that the sponsorship and TV money keeps coming in. Last week we saw Wakefield put the game on despite being down to the bare bones. They put up a brave fight but still got hammered, this week it’s our turn to stand up and be counted.

There will be many twists and turns yet to come. Maybe the winner will be the team that gets lucky and doesn’t have to isolate players but equally it might be the case that the title goes to a team that did it against all the odds.

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:19 am  

in no way a diluted win. No matter who wins will get stick from the other clubs so it may as well be us.

All teams are in the same boat and if we can win the league whilst playing games with 6 players having to isolate then I'd argue we've won it under tougher circumstances.

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:05 am  

Back in the 90s, Wigan went on a run winning the cup 8 years in a row and many league titles, in a division that was not a level playing field as they were the only true full-time squad and the only club backed by wealthy owners and big sponsors. I don't remember anyone questioning their trophy haul at the time.

COVID may have diminished the crowds and created a few problems, but it's something that all clubs are facing. Whatever is won this season will be just as valid as last. The only difference is fans won't be there to witness it.

Re: SL Trophy 2020 : Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:11 am  

So what happens if the Grand Final is Wire v Catalans.
The week of the final, a number of Wire players test positive for Covid and so we go in to the game with a team half made up of Academy players. Catalans win.

Do we accept Catalans victory and celebrate it as a progressive move for the sport to see the first French winners of the competition?
Do we fire Price for failing to win another Grand Final?