Championship Talk: Wembley awaits

CHAMPIONSHIP TALK

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.

Wembley awaits

YOU only needed to take a look at the final hooter scenes at Sheffield and Leigh last weekend to see that the 1895 Cup has value as a concept.

       

The Eagles’ gritty win over Batley and Widnes’ thrilling triumph at the Centurions were greeted with unmitigated glee by players and supporters alike.

       

That is what it means for people to get to Wembley, something both clubs and their fans have not experienced for over two decades.

       

Now Sheffield and Widnes will take their place on the country’s biggest stage in the inaugural 1895 Cup final, to be held after the main event of the Challenge Cup final.

       

That scheduling has been one of the main criticisms of this season’s competition, with most feeling that a slot before the cup final would be more attractive to the clubs involved.

       

The other has been the inclusion of midweek fixtures in the early rounds, leading some clubs to take it far less seriously than others to focus on matters in the league.

       

Perhaps the moving forward of the early rounds to pre-season could be a way around that.

       

Both issues need looking at for next year, with well-placed observer’s concerns taken into account.

       

But the competition looks to have real value for clubs at this level, and it would be great to see the final galvanise both the Eagles and Vikings after difficult times in recent years.

       

Off the field, it was great to see Doncaster chief executive Carl Hall recognised for his services to the sport as he started his new role vice president of the RFL last week.

       

It went under the radar somewhat due to the profile of Tony Adams, but the appointment of Hall should not be overlooked.

       

The New Zealand-born 49 year old has dedicated the vast majority of his adult life to rugby league in this country after joining the Dons as a promising teenager over 30 years ago.

       

Spells at Bradford Northern, Leeds and Featherstone followed, with brief stints at Hull KR and York also thrown in, before he later turned his attentions to a career in administration in South Yorkshire.

       

In 2009 he helped put together a group to save the Dons and has been involved ever since, running the club on a day-to-day basis.

       

Hall has always been a passionate yet considered voice on the game’s key issues - particularly during the political upheavals of last year - which should serve him well in his new central role.