Just thought I would try this thread again and see if it takes off.

Double header at Park today, One of those funny games first where everyone seems to wear different coloured shorts and play with different tackling rules. (No not bad refereeing, that's the rules)

First up, Park v Siddal, John Lawless, playing for Sidall, he was wearing white shorts which meant he could smash anyone (a bit like old times). One of my son's also wore white shorts and was also able to smash anyone (apart from Lawless, it would seem

).

Siddal win.

Next up Park v Irish.

Blimey, as I have said on many occasions, RL is a very hard game at any level and today was no exception.

Another old pro playing (no not the wife before you start

) Andy Brocklehurst, for Irish.

A narrow win for Irish but not without a fight. One of Park players might still be in casualty, Browney, never thought a blow to the head would trouble you.

After, back to Parks magnificent headquarters for a weekend of festivities, drinks a BBQ and quite a lot of intrepid folk are camping out over night.

(you will have gathered that I am not intrepid and am currently excitingly awaiting the Xfactor)

Had a very nice chat with Andy Brocklehurst after the game, a thoroughly nice bloke and still a very good player.



p.s nothing changes, despite, in the second game Park v Irish the players knocking 7 bells out of each other and apart from one minor altercation playing in an excellent spirit, the referee was still,

A useless bstard'

A cheat'

F'cn useless,

etc.





To put it in to perspective one bloke said "worse referee this year" for fk sake, it's the first game. As the old saying goes, "things can only get better"

Best wishes to all local clubs this year, if you get chance go and watch a game, watch a great sport, played by sportsmen, and watched by some great characters, and some DK heads, but hey, live and let live.

It sounds like it was a "masters" match that you were watching before the Irish v ex-Irish match, I think there's still some bad blood in there by the sound of things, my youngest lad had been to watch and was telling me about it at teatime yesterday.

I've spent most of the summer watching Greetland All-Rounders playing in this new "summer rugby" thing. It's been good to see my old club attracting some new players but I really do wonder what the organisers are thinking of with their slipshod rules, one of them being that literally anyone can appear to just turn up & put a kit on. For example, Swinton's current assistant coach Marlon Billy turned out for Slawit last saturday ( I've no doubt he usually plays for them BTW ) and scored 3 or 4 tries, now to me that's not really what playing lower end of the amateur game is all about. Other sides could have taken offence to such a talented player & changed the whole spirit of the game and prevented him from being so effective if you know what I mean !! My point being that whoever won this particular fixture would win the division, the player in question was clearly the difference in a 40-20 scoreline.

What I hope for is that all the local teams who regularly play winter rugby don't end up struggling for lads after some of theirs have gone walkabout during the summer to seek out a game 'cos their own club haven't been rail-roaded into joining the summer RL bandwagon. I understand all three of our district's conference clubs have had players pack in due to cricket or other interests and are struggling for lads.

For clubs such as Greetland with their own land & facilities it could prove to be a winner but for clubs such as Halifax Irish ( only an obvious example Leon ) who rent council facilities that may not be available during summer months it might well be disastrous.

The RFL have been hell bent on moving everything to summer for years now so that they can gain total control over BARLA, if they can't see what's happened to the game at the highest level in this country god help us. I know lots of lads who've said they'll go to RU or simply pack in playing if the winter programme is scrapped entirely, only time will tell I suppose.

Agree Colin, its going to be the end of the old "pub teams" which to be honest can't be a bad thing, there will be casualities but it will take time. Although talking to people at conference clubs all has not been rosey with the summer switch and the standard has dropped, but like you say time will tell.

Pennine league fixtures commence next weekend for those who aren't going to the Norland scarecrow festival here's where you can find a game to watch: www.pennineleague.co.uk

Pennine league fixtures commence next weekend for those who aren't going to the Norland scarecrow festival here's where you can find a game to watch: www.pennineleague.co.uk

Quote marillion man="marillion man"Pennine league fixtures commence next weekend for those who aren't going to the Norland scarecrow festival here's where you can find a game to watch: www.pennineleague.co.uk'" Thanks Colin. Div 6 KCP v Worth for me. Walk up from home a quick one in King Cross or a detour to Big 6 watch the game and walk back home. You never know that pleasant smell of fermenting apple juice might just hit me again in the King Cross area. In't life brilliant?

Quote marillion man="marillion man"Pennine league fixtures commence next weekend for those who aren't going to the Norland scarecrow festival here's where you can find a game to watch: www.pennineleague.co.uk'" Thanks Colin. Div 6 KCP v Worth for me. Walk up from home a quick one in King Cross or a detour to Big 6 watch the game and walk back home. You never know that pleasant smell of fermenting apple juice might just hit me again in the King Cross area. In't life brilliant?

Junior rugby also starts next week after the Summer !!! break so why not go along to your local club and watch the Stars of the Future .

I`ll Be Watching my Son play for Shaw Cross Sharks U14`s v Fev Lions. I know its not local as were from Helland but its a long story.

Will be watching my Grandson play for KCP under 8's.

I think he will have a good season this year as he's 23.

Only joking KCP under 8's. It never ceases to amaze me how much time some people put into junior Rugby.



As Big Dutch say's there will be some stars of the future around.

Give it a try.

This is one of the things that really winds me up about the whole RFL thing. When Halifax looked to the future and reformed their scholarship programme just a few years ago, every single lad from U14's, 15's & 16's on our programme were from within the Calderdale boundaries and also the lads who coached them on Gonzo & Bob Sweeney's guidance were also from local clubs.

When the RFL pulled the programme all those lads then became free agents technically and were then allowed to be hand picked by the local SL clubs, a ridiculous situation and although it's credit to the lads, their families and their amateur/junior clubs that they're connected with a top flight club but the SL clubs weren't the one's stood on rainy, muddy school touchlines looking for future players, you'd occassionally see them at an odd junior club match, mainly cup finals but we even brought lads in who were playing RU at club level because they'd stood out at RL school matches and we hoped there might be enough to change their code. It really is difficult committing to running a junior sports club and now that Halifax have got U18's & 23's again it's forming links or re-building bridges with the local clubs, many of our current lads are from local junior/amateur clubs.

I've told you before mate, he's at a great club there at Shaw Cross and as long as he's enjoying his rugby good luck to him. They are a production line to the pro game at Shaw Cross just like several Calderdale clubs, great surroundings & facilities to learn his game also.

I had a similar discussion last night while out with a parent of a kid who i used to coach & i told him it doesn't matter where his son plays the game so long as he's enjoying it, the parent was under the impression it's all about the holy grail of getting a pro contract and we didn't just see eye to eye over the matter. There are a lot of things need to be considered but if a kid isn't happy with either the club, the coach, his team-mates, the league they play in he's gonna be wanting away and maybe even to a different sport other than RL, we need to let them crack on and enjoy themselves, you never get those formative years back so a good junior club is very important in the players' development.





I hadn't realised you posted on here BTW, welcome to the fun !

Your right there He does enjoy his rugby he still looks forward to training never mind Game day, which i never did.

It looks like i'll have to find something else to do this saturday afternoon because the Stainland Stags have pulled their first two league fixtures and weekend 3 is the Yorkshire cup opening round so they have about a month to get a team together according to one of the Stags lads who I work with. Usually amateur sides are likely to suffer player shortages due to the cricket season cross-over but even the cricket isn't guaranteed any play with the rubbish weathers we have.

Same here just found out tonight sons game off can`t raise a TEAM some lads still on HOLS how incosiderate they could have gone in the last 5 weeks oh Well still got the Fax on sunday, think it should be a good game. Come on FAX.

I wonder how many matches run the risk of been cancelled for waterlogged pitches on the opening weekend ? Most certainly those high at risk are the ones on council owned pitches.

The Pitches were fine at Shaw X on wed evening all games still on for the Weekend.