MARCH 2011 ISSUE 69 THE RUGBY LEAGUE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE RFL O’LOUGHLIN: MY PRIDE AT WIGAN on the inside… CAPTAINCY Stepping up a level A family affair Quest for success RAISE FUNDS FOR YOUR CLUB 14 Stepping up a level CARNEGIE CHALLENGE CUP FINAL 27th AUGUST 2011 £31 ticket for £26 on the upgrade offer - for every 50 sold your club will get a return of £250 or CONTENTS £51 ticket for £41 on the upgrade 5 Media Matters offer - for every 50 sold your club 6 The best of the best will get a return of £500 8 Managing the Lions plus 9 Southern expansion ticket and hotel offers 10 Destination Wembley offering £2000 cashback 16 O’Loughlin: 12 New Wheelchair structure My pride at Wigan 22 A family 20 A call to arms captaincy affair 21 Summer lovin’ 24 Higginshaw’s big idea 26 Grassroots flourishing 30 Academy 2011 Castleford Lock Lane Hull East Leigh East Hull Embassy MARCH 2011 ISSUE 69 THE RUGBY LEAGUE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE RFL Outwood Grange Halifax RLFC Myton Warriors Crigglestone All Blacks Catterick Garrison LIMITED O’LOUGHLIN: AVAILABILITY MY PRIDE Get in quick! AT WIGAN on the inside… CAPTAINCY Milnrow Cobras Holderness Vikings Stepping up a level A family affair Quest for success for more information contact 27 Quest for Ray Tennant success T: 07595 520 338 ray.tennant@rfl.uk.com Bev Coleman T: 07595 520 578 bev.coleman@rfl.uk.com Ryburn Valley High School Spen Valley INSIDE THIS ISSUE MEDIA MATTERS .... with Neil Barraclough Welcome to the first Rugby League Bulletin daylight second, and everything else well of 2011 .... It’s back .... behind in third. On top of that, the “big RL events” also get saturation coverage, often IN NUMBERS squeezing out other sports at their expense. Issue 69 of the RFL’s official magazine contains the usual mix of interviews ugby league journalists know the season So what can Rugby League do? and news from across all areas of the sport and there’s sure to be something of Rhas started when the all too familiar The recent Engage Super League launch interest to every reader. road signs on the M62 start appearing again at Old Trafford was probably the best- The main story sees Neil Barraclough catch up with the recently appointed on an almost daily basis. attended event of its kind for many years. Wigan captain Sean O’Loughlin. Midweek press conferences, Friday We as journalists already have great Sean reveals his pride at being named Warriors captain for the coming season nights, Saturday nights, Sunday afternoons access to and fantastic relationships with and speaks about the impact that Michael Maguire has had on the club since – we love a good trip on the M62. most coaches and players, particularly when his arrival last year, whilst team mates Paul Deacon and Andy Coley sing the Well, “love” might be a bit strong, you compare how football operates. England stars praises. especially for one of the country’s longest However, what we often lack is people Charlie and Beth Neilson are the subject of a second interview penned by stretches of tarmac. But it’s more fun than expressing strong opinions, with some Neil. 2,000 Magic Weekend tickets staying in all winter and it’s certainly more coaches appearing particularly reluctant The father and daughter duo are regulars on the field as match officials, and donated to the Armed Forces interesting. to say anything that might garner some Neil finds out how they got involved, why they continue to take up the whistle However, despite all those miles and publicity. and what their plans are for the future. Ticket for Troops campaign hours put in by the media, Rugby League’s But they’re missing an important trick: Three new sides are set to make their debuts in this years Co-operative profile can still seem to be a constant source professional Rugby League is in the And secondly, that players and coaches will Rugby League Conference National and Phil Caplan previews a competition that of anxiety and frustration. entertainment industry. start to talk more openly about the playing has been expanded to 11 teams, including the newcomers of Coventry Bears, The sport does well on local, regional and A club’s finances – and therefore the tactics they employ. Gateshead Lightening and Welsh outfit Valley Cougars. satellite television. BBC local radio also does contracts of players and coaches – live or die We hear about “completion rates”, “doing The Co-operative Championship and Championship One return to action in the game proud, while newspapers based by the interest shown by TV companies and the little things right” and “winning the March and Nathan Clarke previews the action from both divisions. in rugby league’s heartlands know exactly paying fans. arm wrestle”. But can we hear about some There have been plenty of changes on the coaching front in the close-season how important the sport is to maintaining More newspaper coverage equals more specifics, please? and Nathan catches up with former international stars Garry Schofield and Denis at least some of their ever-dwindling TV viewers and more punters through the Let’s celebrate our great sport. We know Betts as they take up the coaching reigns at Barrow and Widnes respectively. circulation figures. turnstiles - which means more cash in a it’s a brilliant, exciting, courageous game Elsewhere, Phil Hodgson reviews the action from the early rounds of the Coupled with some great online sites club’s coffers. played by some of the fittest and most Carnegie Challenge Cup and looks at the newly built facilities at Oldham- and the ever-reliable trade papers, Rugby So, two wishes for 2011: firstly, that skilful athletes on the planet. based club Higginshaw, and Donna Wilkinson looks ahead to the first major League fans can still get their fix. some coaches become confident enough The RFL’s media department does a professional event of the year which sees Wigan Warriors and St George 1,074 Active match officials in But national newspapers? I know from to develop personalities they’re willing to sterling job in difficult circumstances, and Illawarra Dragons clash in the Probiz World Club Challenge. personal experience just how difficult it is to the UK share in public. we all want the sport to get more coverage. get Rugby League the coverage it deserves. It’s not a criminal offence to have an It can be done! To mangle an old phrase, where the opinion, but too few seem willing to express In the meantime, enjoy the new season. TOM HOYLE nationals are concerned it’s football first, one. See you on the road! Editor [email protected] Ready to launch - Super League XVI twitter.com/CommunityRL facebook.com/rugbyfootballleague Published by the Community Game Services Department of the RFL. The RFL, The Zone, St Andrews Road, Huddersfield, HD1 6PT. 14 Nations to take part in the Tel - 01484 448000 | Fax - 01484 545582, 2013 World Cup Email - [email protected] | Internet - www.rfl.uk.com The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the RFL Board of Directors. Contributors - Tom Hoyle, Neil Barraclough, swpix.com, Dave Williams, Nick Boothroyd, Phil Hodgson, Nathan Clarke, Phil Caplan If you are interested in advertising in the Rugby League Bulletin, please contact - [email protected] Main Cover Photograph - Sean O’Loughlin (rlphotos.com) © The Rugby Football League Ltd 2011 3 New sides will enter the 2011 Designed by - Tom Hoyle The Co-operative Rugby League Conference National Printed by - Redwood Print Ltd Tel - 01484 711111 - 4 - RUGBY LEAGUE BULLETIN www.tryit.co.uk www.tryit.co.uk RUGBY LEAGUE BULLETIN - 5 - One of the most eagerly anticipated games on the Rugby League calendar Just champion - the Warriors & Dragons is fast approaching as the best of the Engage Super League - defending champions Wigan Warriors - prepare to take on the best of the National Rugby League - NRL winners St George Illawarra Dragons - in the PROBIZ World Club Challenge on Sunday February 27. DONNA WILKINSON looks ahead to the big night .... he Warriors are no strangers to the World on an equal footing. TClub Challenge and have an impressive “It’s also great to see Wigan back record of three wins out of four previous competing in the World Club Challenge. contests. Their last triumph was against Michael McGuire has done a wonderful job said Tomkins. “Hopefully there will be Brisbane Broncos in 1994, when arguably at the club to form the glue to keep that 20,000 Wigan fans filling the DW Stadium, one of the best Wigan sides ever sealed side together and they were outstanding which will be a bit surreal when you are a famous victory during what was a very last season. If they can repeat similar used to home fans at one end of the successful era for the club. performances again in 2011, they’ll be hard stadium and away fans at the other. Featuring in the victorious 1994 Wigan for any side to stop and I think the World “Our fans are great and it really does help side was former Great Britain international Club Challenge will be theirs.” spur you on when they get behind you. It and current Widnes Vikings coach Denis The current Wigan Warriors side had an looks like the stadium will be full and there Betts, who has fond memories of the World incredible 2010 season winning the League will be a great atmosphere. Club Challenge. Leaders’ shield and the Engage Super “I hope that we will be successful, we will “Playing in the World Club Challenge was League Grand Final against local rivals St concentrate on our own performance and one of the most surreal experiences of my Helens and Warriors captain Sean O’Loughlin we will do what we know we can do well.