Groundbreaking

Phil Clarke looks ahead to Millennium Magic and hopes that the crowds continue to take it to heart.

The sport of Rugby League embraces change far quicker and more readily than most others in the British Isles. Just over a decade ago we shifted to an American style system of Play-Offs to determine the Champion Team. It was ridiculed by some but was quickly adopted by most to the stage that we have had over 70,000 at the last two Grand Finals. The concept of taking all six games from the engage Super League competition to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was a brave one. Would anybody attend? Would the teams see it as an exhibition game with a resulting drop in quality? Could the sponsors feel satisfied if the event was poorly promoted? Could Rugby League attract any supporters from Wales? Did the numbers stack up or was it a waste of money? For a first effort I would say that last year was about a 7 out of 10. There were many things which went well and several others which didn't but that will always happen when you try something as ambitious as this. (Even when the NFL, the richest sporting league in the world, undertake roadshow games not everything goes to plan.) The action on the pitch did not disappoint with 332 points scored in the six games. Only the closely fought contest between Hull and Hull KR had less than 50 points in it. The aesthetics of the stadium make it look as though the pitch is twice the size of a normal one and we got to see fast flowing movement of the ball. We had the drama associated with all sporting classics with the last minute victory for Leeds in the last game of the weekend which meant that it would not only go down in Rugby League folklore but would receive massive publicity and be a point of conversation in the workplace for the next few weeks. This year is now the vital one in determining whether the concept is appreciated by the Rugby League community and if it is to become the third landmark event in the domestic Rugby League calendar. Can Millennium Magic establish itself alongside Wembley and the Grand Final? I spent some time looking at the attendance figures for the Grand Final since it's inception in 1998. It is interesting that it took five years to become embedded and attract over 60,000. Crowd figures alone do not tell you the whole story or whether it has been a success or failure but they are the quickest and easiest way in which most people will judge an event like this. For that reason it is essential that the figures announced in Cardiff are greater than the 32,000 that attended on the Saturday last year and the 26,000 who came to watch the second day's play. Look out for some great action over the six games that will take place in Cardiff but keep an even closer eye on the crowd. They are the ones who will determine whether the Magic is here to stay.

Now to this week's questions...

Phil, I see that Brian Noble has applied for the job at Catalans Dragons. Is that because he is tired of the wet weathwer up in Wigan or is he genuinely interested. What is your view?
Paul. PHIL REPLIES: Whatever went on last week was last week's news. Brian Noble has re-signed for Wigan and can return the English/French translation book that he's taken from Wigan Library! I suppose, just like most players, he was considering his options and testing his market value. He is a professional coach coming to the end of his contract. You can add to the mix that he now has a new boss, Noble was lured to Wigan by Maurice Lindsay and Dave Whelan. He now works for Ian Lenegan. The biggest dilemma now for Wigan is not who the coach is but how they are going to replace Trent Barrett if he leaves at the end of this season. Hi Phil, It comes as no surprise that Trent Barrett wants to return home. His performances this season have been ordinary at best, nowhere near the way he played last season. He's clearly had other things on his mind. Last season he failed to deliver in the big games often enough for me. If he goes now, who do you think Wigan will get to replace him this season. I'd love us to get Michael Dobson back and partner him with Danny Orr, a player Wigan shouldn't have released. And what are the chances of Fielden being homesick and asked to be released from his contract. If that happens we may well free up a third of our salary cap and recruit some players who will help to take the team forward.
Danny Norkus (Leigh) PHIL REPLIES: I must disagree with you Danny about Barrett's performances last year. At times they looked like they had Trent Barrett and 12 disciples and although he couldn't walk on water he did some miraculous things with one ball and 12 mates around him. It would not surprise me to see Michael Dobson back at the JJB. He hasn't played a first team game for Canberra yet this year and has instead featured four times in their reserve team in the Queensland Cup. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and it's fascinating to see how well Danny Orr is playing under Brian McDermott. I've said before that the Wigan number 7 jersey carries the greatest pressure in all of Super League. Like many Wigan supporters who write in to this website, you feel as though Stuart Fielden's performances have gone backwards since he arrived at the JJB. I don't know how much he is paid but the key to having a successful team nowadays centres around having a more even distribution of the total money available to players. I don't think that it would be a good long-term move for Wigan to recruit somebody like Darren Lockyer. They would then be in a similar position to the one now with Barrett. Leeds showed great patience six years ago when they started to introduce Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow. Their patience paid off. If Wigan want to be as strong as Leeds then they need to think long-term. Phil, Are you in love with Warrington? You insist they can make the Grand Final, and indeed are dark horses to win it. Listen, get your money on a Saints v Leeds repeat, with hopefully a different result this time. Saints were awesome against Warrington, despite being reduced to 15 men, two influential lads in Scully and Maurie, any side would go under losing those two but Kes was unbelievable both in attack, but more importantly in defence which helped us win the game. He is a true leader and we are lucky to have him. When you consider the lads we had out, we matched Warrington and then overpowered them. I can't agree with you on their chances...
Regards
Gary Wilton PHIL REPLIES: My family and friends think that I love to provoke an argument; I've missed my way in life and should be entering the Debating Championships. I believe that Warrington have the talent to win the Grand Final, but maybe not the consistency. Last Friday's game was one of the best I've seen this year, along with the Round 2 between St Helens and Warrington at Knowsley Road. St Helens were too strong for the Wolves in the second half, but I would love to know what would have happened had Meli not scored that interception try before half time? I agree with you about Kieron Cunningham and in the absence of Stevo was asked to select the Man of the Match. Kieron was outstanding, as was one of my tips for England, James Graham. As we hit the halfway stage in the Engage Super League I am going to start to compile my squad for England's World Cup. Let me know who you think should be in the squad of 24.