MZH

Brough is a hugely talented player don't get me wrong. The reason I have mentioned his missed goal is to follow up what I have said a lot in the past. He just doesn't have the temperament for the big occasion. When the pressure is really on he too often fails to deliver. And that for me is why he has never played for England at the highest level.

How long term are we talking? For me the dream is to have 3 strong domestic leagues in the UK, US/Canada and France (and others if possible), with an expanded WCC (including the NRL). I am happy to have overseas teams playing across here if it is helping the game establish itself and grow in new areas, but long term I don't think a "world league" would work, and I wouldn't want it anyway.

I agree. You made heavy weather of it there when you should have been comfortable, and not for the first time this year. The point I am trying to make is that winning these games comfortably proves nothing about your ability to win the big prize. Saying that Warrington won't win anything playing like that is irrelevant. It's all about doing enough week to week, and then performing at your best when the big games come around. Castleford in 2017 and Saints in 2018 put lots of teams to the sword, but it didn't matter one jot when the knockout games arrived.

You almost commited hari-kari tonight but your idea of champion teams sounds like my idea of flat track bullies. Anyone can run up a score when everything is going right. Champion teams really emerge when everything is going wrong. Winning by 50 would have proven nothing about your title chances.

What's that? Brough fails again with the game on the line? Well I never.

Wow

Wigan are due a win I think. They haven't been playing terribly from what I have seen. They wouldn't be too far off the pace if a handful of 50/50 moments had panned out differently (Dixon interception, Hardaker missed goal v Hull). Salford are playing some great stuff and are well capable of winning, but I just fancy Wigan to finally snag a win. Wigan by 4

Yes Catalans are inconsistent but they usually perform well enough at home, the Salford game was unusual for them. And speaking of that Salford game this is their first home game since and they will surely be out to prove a point. Leeds are poor and their confidence must be shot to pieces. I can only see more misery being heaped on. Dracs by 16

All things being equal Hull should win this, but who knows? London have already proven themselves to be worthy opponents and Hull can look like champions one week and relegation fodder the next. We could win by 30+ or could get turned over. I don't sit on the fence often, but I really don't know how to call this one.

Not including Masi?

I agree with this. I don't like it when clubs get out the begging bowl and ask fans (many of whom are skint themselves) to chip in and help them. I like it even less when it happens because much wealthier people have bled the club dry. But this story should just be taken for what it is. Its a nice gesture by Widnes.

The problem for London is that the teams you would have expected to also be relegation candidates (Salford, Hull KR) have also started well and are ahead of them. The teams below them will be expected to turn it around. If it was say Salford sat on 2 points from 7 games instead of Leeds then London might be somewhere around evens.

If they are 4/11 to go down then theoretically they are 11/4 to stay up, but the bookies always take an edge so you would be looking at around 9/4 or maybe 5/2 if you're lucky.

I am referring to the boylesports odds, the 25/1 for Hull etc. The Betway ones seem to be more like what you would expect now. If you go on the boylesports site there is no relegation market to be seen. They might have been updated at some stage since the season began, but they aren't current odds.

Pretty sure those odds will be from pre-season.