Below is a round-up of all the latest news from the world of rugby league over the last 24 hours.
Lee Radford sacked by Castleford Tigers
Shock news came this morning when Castleford Tigers announced that Lee Radford had been relieved of his duties. Just three games and three losses into the season was enough for him to be removed and the former Hull FC coach released a statement upon his departure.
Who next for Castleford and where next for Radford?
When a coach is sacked the first question is who will replace them and it’s followed shortly by where will that sacked coach go. We’ve compiled a 10 man list of who the Tigers could employ, and then also looked at what’s next for Lee Radford.
Every ban from Super League round three
The disciplinary report from the Match Review Panel is done and dusted and it’s provided more questions than answers in some cases. We’ve put together a comprehensive list of who is banned and for how long, as well as the reasons why.
Strong Super League attendances recorded again
Super League had seen strong attendances through it’s first two rounds and the third round has followed suit. One side even recorded a huge attendance of 15,000 plus during a round of solid numbers.
Social media reacts to Radford sacking
As is always the case when something major happens, social media goes into a frenzy. Today was no different so we’ve taken a snapshot of the response from Twitter and uncovered the thoughts of the fans.
Disciplinary Discussion
On top of the round up of all the bans we’ve looked further into the key incidents including why a Hull KR man is facing a huge ban, how Sam Walters escaped a ban yet a Saints trio did not, what came off the controversial eight-point tries and also the bizarre reason Liam Marshall’s name appeared in the Match Review Panel’s notes.
Bennett’s new boys in stunning debut win
The NRL saw a 17th team added for the 2023 season and who better to coach them than the legendary Wayne Bennett? The former England boss leads the Dolphins and he took them to a legendary first ever victory in the NRL opening weekend.
Wakefield boss backs pitch to “be a lovely field”
The surface at Belle Vue has been subject to heavy criticism and even an RFL inspection but it seemed to play well on Friday night. Mark Applegarth has also come out in defence of it whilst discussing his side’s efforts against Huddersfield.
Championship Round-Up
Sunday saw 10 Championship teams in action as round five saw some brilliant action. The highlights saw two comeback wins, a draw and one of the top teams shipping a massive 40 points so we’ve created a handy Championship summary.
Triple injury blow for Super League side
Round three of Super League is in the books but it’s not come without it’s issues for some teams. We’ve recorded all the known injuries and broken down who is out and who is a doubt, with one side suffering more than others.
Radford replacement odds revealed
The question as to who would replace Lee Radford was hot on the lips of most fans following his surprise sacking this morning. Bookmakers have been quick to price up their fancies as to who will be the next man in the job at Wheldon Road.
Community Club volunteers suspended for racist comments
The RFL have announced that three men associated with a community club in Sheffield have been hit with suspensions for racist comments. The trio had been found guilty of comments made regarding Wakefield Trinity’s Corey Hall.
Rob Burrow’s Dad slams “scumbags”
It was reported over the weekend that the amazing mural of Rob Burrow at Leeds Beckett University had been subject to a mindless act of vandalism. His father, Geoff, has now spoken out and called out the “scumbags” responsible.
Rangi Chase hit with drugs ban
It’s been a busy news day for Castleford Tigers and one of their former players has also found his way into the news. Ex-Tiger Rangi Chase has now been handed a ban by the UK Anti-Doping agency for failure of an out-of-competition test.
IMG grading criteria update
Since the announcement that sports management company IMG would be taking over rugby league it’s long been discussed how they’ll operate. What we do know is that clubs will be graded and we’ve now got an update on when that criteria could be released, and then also what it will look like.
Former Super League winger returns from retirement
Jy Hitchcox announced his retirement in November but it seems that he’s back for more with the 33-year-old set to return to rugby league. The former Castleford Tigers man has revealed to Serious About Rugby League that he’s set to return to action in his home of Australia. He’s also offered his opinion on his former club sacking Lee Radford and commented on any relegation fears.
Radford’s record analysed
He might have gone after three losses to start the season but what are the true stats behind his time with the Tigers? We’ve broken down all the data from his win/loss record to the player he used most during his 30 games.
Challenge Cup round four fixture information confirmed
The RFL have confirmed when the Challenge Cup round four fixtures will be played and also revealed which game will be given the prestigious BBC broadcast. All information surrounding the round five draw has also been released.
