One from Alick Mulhall, our Ipswich branch chairman!
Like a lot of other fans, we pay into the Huddersfield Giants lotteries.
We never thought we would win a prize. In fact, we think the lottery had forgotten our names altogether.
So you can imagine the surprise when an envelope addressed to my wife arrived. The letter inside announced the news that she had won not £10, not £25, not £50, not £100 or even £1,000. No she had won two seats in the Directors Box for the Featherstone game.
Having got over this anti-climax, I tentatively asked her who she would be taking as her partner. She thought and said in all (mock) seriousness Anne her best friend.
I politely informed my wife that she could not take Anne as her best friend knew Sweet Fanny Adams about Rugby League. I mean, even I know more about the game and that is not saying much!
There was a dress code which is “no jeans, trainers or replica shirts and a collared shirt needs to be worn by men”. Great news: I would have to fork out for a whole new wardrobe including (going the whole hog) a collared shirt and a tie. It’s a bad time to learn Moss Bross no longer operates!
Anyway, suitably attired I decided there was no way I was going to enter the Director’s Box without having drink taken. First job stop at the Turnbridge WMC for a pint of the hand pump.
Our mates looked at us askance. Most of them did not realise I owned a shirt and tie not to mention trousers and a jacket.
Settling down, we began to discuss the Giants and their recent poor performances. There is great disappointment that those who support the club by buying season tickets, replica shirts and souvenirs are being kept in the dark about what is really happening at the club. We are fed promises of a better tomorrow, told the team is too good to go down and there is still “improvement” in the side.
Well, the facts are that today’s sorry situation was not what was predicted last year, that the team is bottom of the Super League table and is fighting for its life to survive in that league. Why has this happened?
The club’s attitude seems to be like the Queen “never complain and never explain”. In the absence of any real information rumours abound. Perhaps like Formula 1 Rugby League feeds on rumour and that’s fine when the team is at the top of the table. Only we are not.
We are bottom of the table and we would like some answers please. Believe you me we would far rather discuss the Giants’ chances at winning a grand final than their ability to survive in Super League.
We departed with much good natured advice on Directors Box etiquette: how to clap and wave with one’s hand whirling like a windmill. I nearly got it right once, I learned how to do it with the first two fingers of my right hand closed together!
So to the match: the Giants had a good game against lesser opposition. The forwards ran with intent and one or two with real venom, which Featherstone found hard to handle. Possession was respected for the most part and it was overall a much-improved performance. There is nothing like winning to boost confidence.
It was all going well until one of our nameless star players took the ball towards the end of an attacking move and two-handed blindly threw the ball back in a Hail Mary pass over his head. The ball was caught by a Featherstone player and a try resulted. The last time I saw that sort of pass it was made by my daughter then aged eleven in a Netball game! Why an earth did he not take the tackle, get up and play the ball?
It was “showboating” and I suggest that the Giants have not done enough this year to show off even in front of lesser opposition. More seriously, I wonder if the Giants are not taking their current plight seriously if that is the attitude on display.
Anyway, we won and now on to Batley.
At the end of the game we were invited into the Revell Ward Suite to have a drink. There I saw such luminaries such as Chris Roberts (who unseeing walked right past me) chatted with Maurice Oldroyd (BARLA founder) always a pleasure and also with one of the Directors Keith Hellawell. I also shook hands with Ken Davy.
It is such a pleasure to name-drop, especially in front of the Committee members of the HGSA. See you for the Broncos’ match boys.
