I have never seen a world club challenge game over here where the ground has been half empty have you ?,in its current format lowest attendance 13080 Warrington v St George 2015 ? Ever rover's fans I bet would come to see \cheer on quality nrl opposition we don't get to see it everyday!
Really disappointed we will just half to win the shield or grandfinal next year if wcc not scrapped altogether
Roll on friendlys like Doncaster fev and York (if they can get the game on!)

There is a big difference in a friendly and a WCC game, for a start a pre arson friendly is at least a couple of weeks before the season starts whilst the WCC game is often in the season. Also the intensity would be much more and you wouldn't do things like bring on 8 kids like you do in friendlies.

As I've said bad for the fans good for the players.

Not for the first time you are talking out your rear end here.
You won't find anything from me supporting a world club challenge on here before or after the decision was made to exclude Hull. What is more what does it bring? There can be an argument for the respective grand final winners playing each other but is a battle between 2nd and 3rd bests of each country really that important?

Friendlies serve an entirely different purpose where frankly the results don't matter as long the coaching team learns their lessons regarding the abilities of certain players in preparation for the real stuff and if anyone is after a full on intense game in these then they want their head examining.

And its not even a real test against an NRL team, they will be a month behind the SL teams in terms of preparation - fortunately, as the SL teams would get an even bigger pummelling than they get already.

Not for the first tme you respond without having read what's actually written nor what has being posted previously...
"entirely different', you clearly have no idea what you're talking about, no point ttrying to explain it to your type though, do carry on though with your witterings.

OK in your thinking once it's become mathematically impossible to win the league leaders shield the rest of teams 2nd to 12 should simply pack in!? Qualification for the playoffs and world club series why bother?

Rather daft and disconnected statement that. There are huge incentives to finish top 4 (chance of GF) and top 8 (ask the dobbins).

When has the Championship Shield, Hubcap, Premiership Winners, call it what you want, EVER had more KUDOS than winning the Challenge Cup Final has ?

From a Financial, Emotional, Historical and Cultural perspective The Challenge Cup has been the biggest Trophy to win and only in recent times has the Grand Final gazzumped it in the eyes of many, but certainly not all.

If the RL now see's winning the shield as the No2 competition, then this is setting a very interesting precedent. Do they RLHQ now match the Shield's new found 2nd place standing with 2nd highest prize money ? Does the new No2 competition provide our 2nd selected team to play our Aussie friends for evermore ??
Do Redhall now turn the "might" of their comic RL Marketing machine into showing the Shield in its full glory as the 2nd most important competition to win ?

Importantly, will this further devaluation of winning the once great Challenge Cup mean that the grand old competition will attract even more empty seats in semi finals and final, not to mention the early rounds which will be reduced to a non-event. (as shown at Langtree Park against us). I think it will.

Personally I think something smells bad about this. We've been done like a kipper somewhere in the Carpeted corridors of Power.
But now RL HQ have to live with this decision don't they ? or do they ? who really knows what stands as being consistent in their world of decision making.

For me, all the talk of us possibly losing heavily against said Aussie game is secondary, as is early season tiredness.

WE EARN'T OUR PLACE at that table and we've had it taken away by committee, making up the rules as they go along, to suit some warped requirement.
This would have been a Historic game for us and it may have boosted our clubs coffers too.
I'm saddened but honestly not surprised one iota at this decision.
RL is underpinned by an undercurrent of incompetency that is slowly threatening its very existence. It needs change at the top more than ever before.

Apart from the LLS Wire were grand final runners up. Using that and league positions you can make a logical, justifiable and conspiracy free argument for their inclusion. Me, I'm delighted that firstly we won the cup because of all the baggage that was associated with that particular comp and second that as we aren't playing for the WCC we aren't playing at all. The cup for all that isn't necessarily the most prestigious trophy - Hull's win certainly was beating the 4 best opponents possible but it can also be won relatively cheaply if teams have a favourable draw.

People need to calm down. Up until last year there was only 1 game anyway and the team who topped the league after the comp has ended deserve to play in a prestigious match way more than a team who won 4 games to pick up a trophy .

Does anyone one remember that at St Helens were"chosen" by the Rfl to play the roosters when they were deemed more marketable i would of been fuming if I'd of been a giants fan (finished third) when saints finished fourth
Here's a bit from the Huddersfield enquirer

"St Helens have been chosen ahead of the Giants to claim the final place in the World Club Series in 2016.

Even though Huddersfield finished third at the end of the regular season and Saints finished fourth, coach Keiron Cunningham’s side were always the favourites to join Leeds and Wigan in next February’s global tournament against Australian NRL Minor Premiers Sydney Roosters, Grand Final runners-up Brisbane Broncos and NRL Champions North Queensland Cowboys.

The Super League Board decided to invite St Helens to take part in the Series on the basis they reached both the Super League semi-final and Challenge Cup semi-final in the 2015 season, as well as having a strong history in the World Club Challenge. They competed in this year’s tournament after being crowned Super League champions 12 months ago."