Pretty rubbish season to be honest - poor brand of Rugby being played (certainly for the 1st half of the season). 2nd Half of the season they played some decent, off the cuff stuff but still stupid errors by established players. In fact, it was only when we started to play some of the youngsters did we really play with enthusiasm and confidence. But we have Pearson who is adamant Lee Radford is the right man for the job, despite performing worse than the last head coach who got sacked after finishing 6th and getting a cup final appearance (Radford has finished 11th and 8th and still gets Pearsons backing to which a lot of fans have vowed not to go back until he goes). Then there is the merger of the FC and Rovers academy. A lot of fans have turned their back due to this, sponsors have voiced their dis-pleasure and pulled there sponsorship (or said they wont renew it). Pearson is too pig headed to listen to the fans and it is starting to now cost him.
No mate, the season ticket covers all the home league games including the super 8's that they've just played, I'm guessing that's why AP was concerned that only 6000 came for their last home game on Sunday.
It is not only local media in Hull that have perceived it to be a Rugby league city. Below is an edited extract from the start of an article written today by a leading Sports writer for the Sydney Morning Herald who played for the Aussie Rugby Union team. " A decade or so ago, it became clear to me that as sports became became global and televised around the world,both Aussie Rules and Rugby league would start to wither on the vine,while Union would soar to the stratosphere and beyond. This was by simple dint of the fact that as Union is genuinely global,the Australian team would pull a lucrative and genuinely global audience, while Aussie Rules and League would never get more than a domestic audience. Yes, there'd be the annual match in Ireland for Aussie Rules and League would be big-time in Hull and Auckland but that would be it." The article goes on to talk about the 50 million global audience predicted to watch the England v Australia match this weekend.
Interesting stuff. In APs interview on Radio Humberside he talks about how difficult it is for League to compete against Union. He said that he had watched Leeds v Huddersfield in the Super 8s on Friday night then watched England v Wales on Saturday night and felt there was no comparison, he said that the Leeds game was far more enjoyable to watch. I wouldn't know which was the better game as I'm not massively into rugby but AP said it was difficult to compete against the Union hype, he mentioned the huge media coverage of the England v Wales game.
The Leeds v Huddersfield game was quick, intense, skilful and there was great attack and defence on show from both sides with a dramatic ending. England V Wales - was 2 sides trying to get the other to concede a penalty so they could kick a penalty.
Its not hype though is it. People, lots of them all round the world, prefer RU. RL's boring as ****. No scrums, 5 tackles and a kick. And repeat.
I wouldn't know mate, just saying what AP said in the interview. I don't fully understand either code, having said that I enjoyed the Biggar v Farrell kicking match particularly as it was in an important game which piles the pressure on.
RL isn't 'big time' in Hull anymore, and it only ever was for a couple of seasons after the 1980 All Hull Final which coincided with Hull City's lowest ever league position. Even the amateur game in Hull has shrunk ( so has amateur football to be fair), and neither FC or HKR are exactly flourishing on and off the field, despite some quite hysterical reporting to the contrary in the local press. Adam Pearson received no backing at all when he appealed to the local business world to back FC and Rovers needed a loan from Assem Allam to keep the wolf from the door. AP quite rightly was worried about the low crowds FC got last season, and 6,000 is low ( despite the club announcing that 11,000 plus were at the last game) yet the HDM then carry a report gushing about the loyalty and enthusiasm of the 'Black and White faithful' whilst not highlighting the clubs owners fears. FC v HKR is a fixture that doesn't fill either RL ground in Hull which makes a mockery of the myth, often used by lazy journalists, that Hull is a rugby town. Is it ****.
