Rugby League News

First topic message reminder :

The dates and venues of the 4 nation's have been announced. They are -

Fri 28th Oct - Scotland v Australia - Craven park Hull.

Sun 30th Oct - England v New Zealand - John Smiths stadium Huddersfield.

Sat 5th Nov - England v Scotland & Australia v New Zealand - Ricoh Arena Coventry.

Fri 11th Nov - Scotland v New Zealand - Derwent Park Workington.

Sun 13th Nov - England v Australia - Olympic Park London.

Sun 20th Nov - final at Anfield Liverpool.

Jermaine McGilvary has announced his international retirement with immediate effect. He was outstanding in the 2017 world cup, and is still putting in excellent performances for Huddersfield.
But given the options we have for the wing, I'm not overly suprised.

The Beast wrote:Widnes appoint John Kear as head coach from 1st July to the end of the 2023 season.  Good appointment IMO, they appear to be in free fall, the perfect man to steady the ship.

Probably, but I'm no fan of his one out Rugby League

Luke wrote:Jermaine McGilvary has announced his international retirement with immediate effect. He was outstanding in the 2017 world cup, and is still putting in excellent performances for Huddersfield.
But given the options we have for the wing, I'm not overly suprised.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/61735493

Dewsbury appoint Liam Finn as there new coach.

Interesting appointment, never coached before going into a team that are in the bottom 2. Good luck to him anyway.

Newcastle coach Eamon O'Carroll has left the club with immediate effect.

Hull FC marquee signing Josh Reynolds has left the club with immediate effect, after being told he wasn't going to get a new contract.

Had a rough time in England, and either seemed injured or out of form.

Luke wrote:Dewsbury appoint Liam Finn as there new coach.

Interesting appointment,  never coached before going into a team that are in the bottom 2. Good luck to him anyway.

Given the support Dewsbury showed to Bradford it is for me hard to see them struggle. Liam Finn certainly has a task on his hands, Lee Greenwood is a very good coach so it is not immediately obvious to me at least where the improvements are coming from.

Luke wrote:Hull FC marquee signing Josh Reynolds has left the club with immediate effect, after being told he wasn't going to get a new contract.

Had a rough time in England, and either seemed injured or out of form.

I am sure both parties will be disappointed that it has not worked out as I am as a fan of the game.

Luke wrote:Jermaine McGilvary has announced his international retirement with immediate effect. He was outstanding in the 2017 world cup, and is still putting in excellent performances for Huddersfield.
But given the options we have for the wing, I'm not overly suprised.

I do agree with you but I am disappointed for him and the team. Makinson is a shoe in and I would like like to see Tom Johnstone given a chance. In his absence McGilvary would be very close if not in the side.

Luke wrote:Hull FC marquee signing Josh Reynolds has left the club with immediate effect, after being told he wasn't going to get a new contract.

Had a rough time in England, and either seemed injured or out of form.

To say his performances were disappointing would be an understatement

Nadine Dorres;

Nadine Dorres

Sigh....

The Beast wrote:Nadine Dorres;

Nadine Dorres

Sigh....

Well she certainly gave the world cup this year a big publicity boost with her clanger and many column inches in the National papers

Next year's championship summer bash looks like it will be heading back to Blackpool.

Not a suprise given the poor attendance especially on sunday (which I thought was the better day if I'm honest).

Luke wrote:Next year's championship summer bash looks like it will be heading back to Blackpool.

Not a suprise given the poor attendance especially on sunday (which I thought was the better day if I'm honest).

I hope so. I did expect a better attendance for the 2 days i must admit

Next season's challenge cup final will be on August 12th, and is returning to Wembley.
The women's challenge cup final, and 1895 final will also be on the same day.

Newcastle, who turned full time at the start of this season. Will from next season be reverting back to part time.

Luke wrote:Newcastle,  who turned full time at the start of this season. Will from next season be reverting back to part time.

Got to say shocked at this news. Hopefully more tactical that anything financial, ambitious club doing great work off the pitch.

The Beast wrote:

Luke wrote:Newcastle,  who turned full time at the start of this season. Will from next season be reverting back to part time.

Got to say shocked at this news.  Hopefully more tactical that anything financial, ambitious club doing great work off the pitch.

Rumours suggesting than the union side of the club has financial problems, and other top flight union clubs as well

Kristen Woolf will be leaving as St Helens coach for a position at the new NRL club Redcliffe Dolphins after this season finishes.

Hull FC

Have announced that coach Brett Hodgson has left by mutual consent. After the derby and how alot of the fans are feeling no suprise.

Luke wrote:Hull FC

Have announced that coach Brett Hodgson has left by mutual consent. After the derby and how alot of the fans are feeling no suprise.

No surprise but not just the derby defeat, they have been poor v the resources to hand this past few years.

Ralph Rimmer (CEO) and Karen Moorhouse (Executive Director) will step down from their positions within the RFL at the end of the season. Presumably the start of the new IMG led era.

Gareth Widdop announces his retirement from International Rugby

Luke wrote:Hull FC

Have announced that coach Brett Hodgson has left by mutual consent. After the derby and how alot of the fans are feeling no suprise.

And have announced ex Hull KR boss Tony Smith as there new coach. Interesting, putting aside the rival aspect, if he gets them playing like Rovers last year he'll be a success. If they play like Rovers this year, he'll be a failure. Good enough squad, but in my opinion something is wrong in the club. Not sure he'll be able to fix that.

And Wakefield sack Willie Poaching after a year.

Bizarre, he got them to finish 10th, and the last couple of months winning. Lot of older players leaving so could shape his own squad. Really don't get why they've done this.

Luke wrote:And Wakefield sack Willie Poaching after a year.

Bizarre,  he got them to finish 10th, and the last couple of months winning. Lot of older players leaving so could shape his own squad. Really don't get why they've done this.

100% agreed, very strange decision after a very positive end to the season. I see that they have also let Assistant Coach Francis Cummins go, two good people who IMO deserve better.

Luke wrote:And Wakefield sack Willie Poaching after a year.

Bizarre,  he got them to finish 10th, and the last couple of months winning. Lot of older players leaving so could shape his own squad. Really don't get why they've done this.

He's been replaced by Mark Applegarth who was an assistant.

Brian McDermott and Featherstone have parted company.

Chris Thorman is the new Newcastle coach. And Anthony Murray is the new Workington coach.

Ralph Rimmer is under pressure on the basis of comments made regarding the Fijian Team playing at the World Cup;

Ralph Rimmer

I know he is going but IMO he should pack up and **** off, soon, today, now. Disgraceful, particularly for someone in his position.

Tragic news Adam Walker former Huddersfield, Wakefield, Hull KR and Scotland international Adam Walker has passed away at 31.

Thoughts with Adam's family and friends. R.I.P.

Agree about Adam Walker. Good player. Thoughts with everyone associated with him.

2 coaching news.

St Helens, have as expected promoted Paul Wellens from assistant to the main coaching position.
In a suprising move Sean Long is the new Featherstone coach.

More coaching news that I think has slipped under the radar, James Ford has left York for Wakefield as Assistant Coach. In honesty I am a bit surprised at this, given his track record I would have thought a Head Coach role would have been more likely.

Agree Re; Featherstone, Sean Long's announcement is an eyebrow raiser.

Magic weekend (possibly the last one), will again be held in Newcastle, at St James park on June 3rd/4th. Fixtures are, Sat 3rd - Salford v Hull KR (1.30), Wigan v Catalans (3.45), Leeds v Castleford (6).
And Sun 4th - Wakefield v Leigh (12.30), St Helens v Huddersfield (2.45), Hull FC v Warrington (5).

Leigh,
Have rebranded and will know be known as the Leigh Lepards, rather than Leigh Centurions. To be honest, don't like it.

Luke wrote:Leigh,
Have rebranded and will know be known as the Leigh Lepards, rather than Leigh Centurions.  To be honest, don't like it.

They have done a brilliant job in the past couple of years, massive credit to Derek Beaumont but Leigh Leopards.......no.

IMO bad news for the game, James Child (Referee) has stepped away from the sport.

I am sure plenty will be pleased.........until they realise he was one of the best we had.

West Wales Raiders have withdrawn from Professional RL for at least 2023, League One will now be 10 teams.

Lee Radford becomes the 1st coach to be sacked this season as Castleford let him go.

England Captain Sam Tompkins announces that 2023 will his final season but remain in the sport in a role with Catalans.

Dan Sarginson (Salford) has announced his retirement from the game, effective immediately.

UKAD have announced that former Man of Steel Rangi Chase served a 3 month ban last year having failed a drugs test.

Batley coach Craig Lingard will take up an offer to be Assistant Coach as Cas, initially on a dual role basis. He has done fantastic work at Batley and IMO deserves a chance in SL. Personally I am a bit disappointed, I would have liked to see him at Bradford!!!

The Beast wrote:Batley coach Craig Lingard will take up an offer to be Assistant Coach as Cas, initially on a dual role basis.  He has done fantastic work at Batley and IMO deserves a chance in SL.  Personally I am a bit disappointed, I would have liked to see him at Bradford!!!

Agree, disappointed it's only a assistant job.

The 2025 world cup in France is a doubt. After the French Goverment have cut the funding (though keeping full funding for the Rugby Union wc this year, and Paris olympics in 2024).
This would be a massive shame, especially as to grow the sport in France a World Cup would have been a massive boast in my opinion.

Luke wrote:The 2025 world cup in France is a doubt. After the French Goverment have cut the funding (though keeping full funding for the Rugby Union wc this year, and Paris olympics in 2024).
This would be a massive shame, especially as to grow the sport in France a World Cup would have been a massive boast in my opinion.

Typical France, supporting a sport that collaborated with the Vichy, which in turn collaborated with the Nazi's

Just to add good to see you posting GH, I hope you and family are well.

in slightly suprising new. Rhys Lovegrove has resigned as head coach of Keighley.

I think Keighley sacked Lovegrove which is perhaps even more surprising, very hard even with the signing they have made to make the top 6 in the Championship in Year 1.

Slightly concerned as letting Luke Gale go and now the Dual Reg with Hull KR ending, hopefully all is well and it is adjustments nothing more deep rooted.

in bad news for the international game. The euros which was supposed to be this autumn has now been cancelled due to lack of funding.

Mark Dunning has been appointed head coach at Midland Hurricanes, good news and best wishes to him. Leigh Beattie has resigned as Academy/Reserve team coach at Bradford it wouldn't be the biggest surprise if he is joining Dunning.

As part of a push towards SL Featherstone have announced that Leon Pryce and Martin Roden (Strength & Conditioning) have left the club.