2018 sees us enter in to the 5th season of Super League Pod. So, I thought it would be good to lay down my five biggest hopes for the year ahead, in increasing order of unlikeliness.
1) England to be successful!
Let's start with an easy one, one that stays the same every year - that England are well supported, well covered and successful. The World Cup run was a positive. A test series against New Zealand maybe isn't the big draw end-of-season event that we wanted most for this year but with all three games live on the BBC, all three games spread across the northern heartlands and an England team on the rise, I'm hopeful of a good news story from our international side in 2018.
2) Growth of the SLP family
And I'm not just saying this so we get a bigger box of beer this year, but one of the true highlights of 2017 was the relationships developed with and between members of the SLP listener-base. We really have a great bunch of listeners and contributors that I'm proud to be a part of. The meet-ups increased in terms of number of times and number of attendees. We had people come see us from the other side of the Irish Sea, the other side of the world, the other side of the county and everywhere in between. We know of listeners who helped us and each other out throughout the year, with advice, support, charity donations, design gifts, you name it! It would be fantastic in 2018 to see all of that grow, to see more people get involved in the show and the community around the show in any big or little way that they want to.
3) All our big events to sell out
I've already got my tickets bought for the Challenge Cup Final, the Grand Final and the Summer Bash, as well as a hotel booked for Magic Weekend and my Wigan season ticket re-ordered. I reckon I saw more games than ever in 2017, both for the club I follow and as a neutral, and I don't want to slow down in 2018. I really hope there are plenty of others who feel the same way. I know it's dreaming somewhat to expect our marquee events to sell out, but really rugby league fans as a group and a community should be able to find a way to Wembley for that annual pilgrimage south on the day our sport gets real national recognition. We should also want to celebrate the end of the season at Old Trafford in what I feel is becoming an increasingly well organised event for our sport. Throw in a big weekend in Newcastle shared with all our friends from around the league and you have some great times ahead that we should all try and not miss out on.
4) Expansion to continue, and do so with a clear direction
Toronto were a real good news story last year, with New York and others keen to join the party. Toulouse were almost a Qualifiers team, but for one big injury I feel. London Skolars continued to develop an inviting match day approach and community reach, and there were a few southern wins over northern clubs in League 1 in 2017. Alongside the positives is the absence of Oxford and All Golds in 2018, doubts over the sustainability of others in League 1 and concerns about the South now West Wales side ever having a solid foundation. It really is one of the biggest challenges to place teams outside of the UK in the right places so that they won't be a flash in the pan, whilst also helping expansion sides in the UK reach and build on a sustainable local supporter base. I hope by the end of 2018 a much clearer and stronger sense of direction is reached.
5) Let the moaning all end, or at least take an extended rest!
This is probably the least likely to happen, but lets all find a way to see and express what we love about the greatest game a little more in 2018. Celebrate or at least applaud the remarkable pieces of skill we see week in week out, whoever delivers it (yes, even if it's Ryan Atkins or Carl Ablett). Don't cheer when an opposing player gets injured, or boo when a player for a team you don't like pulls on an England shirt. By all means critique what you see, express all your emotions and comment with balance on any new structure we do or don't get, but do make sure to look for all positives you can in the face of a world full of social media negatives. Find all the ways you can to celebrate and compliment Rugby League, without it being and someone else's detriment. I'm not saying don't say anything negative, just do so with balance and make sure your love for your team and your sport always shines through.
Let's look forward to an exciting 2018!
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Before closing out, I just wanted to add a note on today's biggest news story, with confirmation that Michael McIlorum and Anthony Gelling have both left Wigan Warriors. On a personal level, as a Wigan supporter, I wish both players well. I will miss both of them in their different ways and hope nothing but the best for them in their careers (other than when they play Wigan!).
For McIlorum, I think it's a good time to move on. After injury destroyed his 2016, he didn't have the best of years in 2017. He showed up great in the Cup semi-final victory over Salford and off the field enjoyed a wonderful testimonial year. Over that span, though, Wigan's greatest successes have been achieved with him on the sidelines. Wigan need to find some new direction in attack and rediscover their control in defence, whilst Mickey needs to be part of a team that he can inspire and lead in a similar way to how he helped Ireland perform in the World Cup. The Wigan crowd will miss some of those huge hits he could hand out though.
It's a close call, but I'll probably miss Gelling more of the two - he's an entertainer and a game breaker, you just never knew whether he would break the game open for you or them! I can't see any more development in him within the current Wigan set up, so I really hope a deal can be ironed out that gives him an NRL chance in Auckland. 2017 was, it felt, a stagnant year for Gelling in Wigan's colours. Despite hopes that his defensive discipline and play selection would improve as he matured, he didn't really take that next step. I think in a different environment he has the chance to do that, as he has all the skill and work ethic to be one of the best centres in the game, now it's about applying himself more consistently.
Both were successful for Wigan. They'll always have the medals and I'll always have the memories.
Thanks for reading!
Our #AskSLP festive special is still available to listen to if you haven't already.
Our 2018 predictions will soon be open for you to give us all your views ahead of a new Rugby League season, and we'll cover your predictions and ours in our season preview episode a week before the new campaign gets underway in only a month's time.
Mark
SLP
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