arcticchris

The set restart rule is one of the best innovations of recent years for me in terms of speeding up the game and the flow. I would not be opposed to an extension of the 18th player concussion sub to allow 2 players to be named for that purpose so that you can cover both forwards and backs more easily. That would be a fairer way without extending the benches which only benefits the clubs with greater depth.

Hopefully Radley gets himself sorted out and back to full form and fitness as he is clearly our best 13. Will Pryce and Lewis Dodd could contend if they have outstanding years and fulfil their obvious potential. Matty Nicholson was doing very well at Canberra before getting a long term injury and returning too late to make the Ashes squad.

You would be surprised then to watch touch rugby at a semi elite level or higher. It’s ridiculously fast and a top female touch player can easily embarrass a good men’s professional rugby league or union player if they are not used to the different rules and rhythms of touch or tag rugby compared to full contact rugby of either code. 6 on 6 touch with a 3/3 male female split on each team is played on a half length rugby pitch but full width so each players zone of defending is far higher than 13 a side full contact. It would not shock me if the Aussie women’s touch rugby team could beat a lower ranked men’s championship team from this country.

Who else do you honestly expect to attract at this point in time?

What an era that was when the quality of the Kiwis in Super League was a very close match to those in the NRL.

Munster for me was at best 3rd most important player in the Ashes series and Casey McClean was my player of the match in the first 2 kiwis games. Harry Grant should get it but no complaints if it’s McClean or Dylan Brown.

That may change in time. Look at cricket which at first tried to shun franchise cricket but the weight of Indian money eventually ended up with even Test Cricket being compromised in many countries.

That usually ends up running into trouble when there are too few viable kicking options and it’s easier to key in maximal pressure on the main playmaker on the 5th tackle. You might get away with it your full back is a creator as well.

Potential to make a similar impact as Ipape?

Cant remember where I saw it first but he was linked with York even before they were confirmed for SL.

Oh ffs I clearly did not take full notice of the thread title.

Micky Mcllorum - Most people just see the frequent mindless thuggery and don’t appreciate what a tough defender and game manager at 9 he was and how often he kept Roby quiet in Wigan Saints derby games.

There was a couple of years where they Whitehaven side were a tremendous team but didn’t most stay there because they had good jobs with Sellafield power plant where it was too big a risk to go full time at another club in Super League.

I think Australia 22-14 but hope we can get off to a fast start and defend heroically to win 20-16.

It’s a difficult call. I went Tonga but not by a whole lot and I am not greatly impressed by their 9. Australia lose a lot with Payne Haas picking Samoa but where they have a huge advantage over everyone else is hooker with Harry Grant the only real elite player at hooker currently in the game.