Whilst reading through the excellent match day programme I came across the review of our last game against the Russians.I read the Leigh team & thought to myself that the 2003 team was better, more or less, player for player than today's team.I also noted that in his comments Rowley had the opinion that this Russian team would be better than all those years ago,I followed his logic & agreed.Therefore it was safe to assume that the contest would be a closer one than last time.As we now know that was not the case but my question is why? Have Leigh got better? Have the Russians got worse? Have we got worse but not as much as them?
Also what has happened to our crowd there were nearly 2700 on last time & today a very very very poor 1300,are we heading to hell in a hand cart or is there a simple explanation to my concerns?

Maybe we should see how they do against Wakefield ARL (Town Team) on Wednesday night to see what level they are playing at. I read somewhere that not long ago (2005?) that Swinton beat them 70-10. Also Celtic Crusaders beat them just 54-10 last year

Think that's far more to do with the fact that there was a degree of novelty and mystique the first time we played them. Now that we've played a couple of Russian teams, it loses the novelty factor, and it doesn't help that it was never likely to be anything other than a cricket score.

As for the teams, I'd much rather have our current team working their socks off (and with a lower budget) than some of the wasters we had that season.

The information we were able to glean, was that Lokomotiv (and Russian RL) had gone backwards since we last met them. I honestly can't see the benefit of them being invited into the Challenge Cup.

Nevertheless, you pose a very interesting question, there.

Two words: Credit Crunch!

Look at all the cup ties from the weekend nobody broke the 2000 mark with the highest being Widnes v Saddleworth at 1,786 and it was £10 a ticket for that match so I wouldn't worry too much!

As for the team only time will tell all I'll say is I'm really enjoying watching this young team full of Leigh lads! They have alot of potential and I look forward to hopefully watching them flourish over the coming seasons! So in that respect I would say we have made massive steps forward in that we are no longer relient on Aussies and SL hasbeens - we are giving local lads a chance and it's great to see and for that Neil Kelly deserves a massive pat on the back!

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As for the teams, I'd much rather have our current team working their socks off (and with a lower budget) than some of the wasters we had that season.[/quote]

Wasters ? Please elaborate,how many were wasters & what were their names.I may agree with you on 2 choices

Was thinking along the lines of Cardoza, Rivett, Richardson et al.

Did you try to compare the age’s player for player?

I would think you’d find most of the team we had out yesterday are younger and have still to reach their potential (hopefully)

Which I think it’s the only way Forward for us.

I take your views on board (saley,glow & leyther matt) & I can agree with most of your points, average age, team development stage, the SL has been theory & the comments made about Kelly.Perhaps this team is not better player for player than the one in 2003 but as is suggested they are at different levels of development & may have the potential to rise higher.

I'd like to see the bill for fetching the Russians over and how much training/match equipment could be purchased for British kids by comparison.

Apart from a jolly up for those concerned, its a complete waste of time and money. How long are folk going to hang onto this idea that the game will grow in places like this to a standard any higher than the Shaw Cup?

There is more chance of having a Leyth team in the Kabadi Cup.