Dunbar

Not a bad idea. Two years in Union for a suitcase full of cash and then 3 years at #1 for the Roosters. You should be an agent.

You know, I think you may be on to something there.

This pretty much sums it up. But a different case to RTS. He went to play Union in New Zealand to try and fulfil an ambition to play for the All Blacks – and certainly wasn’t going to make a lot more money (I may be mistaken but he could have been on less money than he was in League). Now, unless Manu grew up dreaming of playing Union in Japan, this is a shift for money. And that is fine, that’s his prerogative as this is his job. He will get a lot more than $1M per year. He can do what he wants and I will go on watching and enjoying the NRL and Rugby League in general.

Have to say, this doesn't make a lot os sense to me. Yes, the Super League Grand Final has surpassed the Challenge Cup final as the premier event of the year - but that doesn't mean you remove an event, it means you have two. There are plenty of loud voices inside Rugby League that Super League is too repetitive (loop fixtures), regular season games are not meaningful enough (and the League Leaders Sheild not relevant) and has not had enough winners (just 4 since the inception of the Grand Final). The remedy to that is not to remove meaningful knock-out games and a competition which has delivered Hull FC, Catalan, Warrington and Leigh as winners in the last decade over and above the teams that have also won Super League. Blowout games are a part of every sport - they are nothing to be embarrassed about or to make knee jerk reactions from. The game between Warrington and St Helens was superb and a great advert for Rugby League, while the final last year was one of the most memorable occasions in British Rugby League for a long time. Binning the Challenge Cup would be the biggest mistake the sport would ever make, luckily it is not going to happen. Edit: add to the above the Community and lower league sides getting the chance to play against semi-pro and higher league sides in the cup - I am sure such games (even in losses) will be a much remembered and a highlight of a player's season.

Sorry, which season did Farnworth struggle a bit?

I like Olędzki, I think he is a quality prop. He isn't going to be one of those tackle busting props but for a big man he is very mobile in attack and defence. You need a player who can play decent minutes, lead the line in defence and be agile enough to adapt his body position (which ghe likes of Burgess and Walmsley can't do). He could play a similar role for England that Lees did against Tonga but just a bigger body and not bullied as much.

It's a funny one. I would imagine a coach would prefer to speak with just one authority when it comes to signings etc rather than navigating the politics of 'the board'. I don't think anyone here would say it is easier to work with a committee than a single person. But the trust is the issue - I would definitely say a lot of coaches wouldn't want to have to ask the Director of Rugby for a signing, never mind have singings made without their input.

For me, Williams and Lewis are a little too similar, a good running threat and a creative short kicking game. But I think we would lack a long kicking game that Smith offers. Smith plus Williams is probably the best option with Lewis as back up (he did really well when given the chance against Tonga but Smith for the 3 match series was also excellent).

Seems like Robinson has gone down the same line of defence that the supporters of a certain US property developer and politician have with... "It’s not disrespectful to women because there has been no judgement when it comes to a criminal case in that way" I like Robinson and he is perfectly entitled to say that Jennings has been punished and is entitled to get on with his life but to suggest that a civil liability is not a benchmark and a criminal case is needed is wide of the mark for me.

I'm a huge fan of watching young players develop and succeed in our game but I have to say I can't see the attributes that Jon Bennison has to make him a top class player.

I wouldn't have brought it up if I knew you were going to invoke such painful memories.

One day I would like to see a post match interview when a player is asked "how tough was that?" and he replies "it was easy, they're proper soft".

Certainly a possibility.

As long as they do a post visit interview to ask how they felt it went.

Wire have been very good today, loads of energy and pace.