Maximus Decimus

I don't follow it at all, but I did see a game once and I understood why people prefer to watch it live. The size of the pitch is quite impressive. I also saw a SOO match at a large oval and understand why people don't like watching RL in one. Thirdly, I saw a game of Union at Suncorp with 25,000 there. The stadium was awesome, but the match ended 6-3 which was God's way of punishing me for going a Union game. The Queensland Reds would kill for that crowd figure now for a regular season game.

The NRL is definitely going well and it's been a pleasure watching it this year. Comments seem to be really positive as well. It is remarkable as well considering the fates of Football and RU in Aus both of which have had real slumps. At times in the not too distant past, both have competed with RL but while RL has retained and even gained support they have collapsed. On a different thread, I said imagine if Bradford Bulls fortunes had occurred despite staying successfully and across the whole of SL and you'd have an idea of how they're faring. As for the perennial AFL-NRL argument, most of it is petty and biased. If the roles were reversed, most of the anti-AFL people would be using the double crowd figures as proof positive that NRL was more popular. The reality is that AFL probably is more popular, but by nothing like as much as x2.

To be fair, it looks to be a classic example of a double-header. There are many sports that report the crowds this way. I went to the opening game of the 2013 World Cup between England and Australia and there were 43,000 or so there. I stayed for the following Wales-Italy game and it is generous to say 10,000 were still there. On this forum, I was in the minority for arguing that they shouldn't both be counted as 43,000 when it comes to the average. Most sports exaggerate, but I've never understood the legality of it as I thought it was linked to tax. I saw an A-league game recently that was announced as 3,300 and no lie 1,000 was a generous figure. However, surely if it was about tax that would cost them money?

Yeh that was another I thought wouldn't happen.

Of course I'd be interested. People seem to get that Fury doesn't look great against lower opposition but that can't apply to AJ. With the state of modern boxing, I'd just be happy to see it. At one point it seemed like it was destined to happen but now I'm doubtful it'll ever happen. One positive on that front is the upcoming Davis vs Garcia fight. Finally two undefeated fighters with a lot to lose putting it all on the line.

In my experience, people are only really into the main event in any significant numbers. It was a decent fight, but AJ didn't look great. Fury will probably go for him now.

I heard Loreen's new effort for Sweden and it sounds exactly like a Eurovision winning song.

I wouldn't buy it in a million years. I am vaguely interested though.

Sadly it is the biggest fight of the year, at least until we see Davis-Garcia or dare I say Fury-Usyk. The boxing community is divided about whether it is good for the sport. Personally, it doesn't feel good regardless of how many will watch or be interested. Once boxing has been turned into a total sideshow it won't be able to suddenly gain credibility again.

I'm not sure how related the series is to the book. I think it was a classic example of a book being too much for the film to do it properly. They basically focused on the sporting drama side of it, when in reality the book was about something different entirely.

Just watched the Friday Night Lights film. As usual it didn't translate very well and they hollywoodised it.

It's such an eye-opener. While it's in some ways impressive that high-school football is so prestigious, it's also quite horrifying how it is in place of education.

Tbf 5 years is somewhat incredible, especially in an ultra-competitive sport like American Football. There are many sports where if you haven't played from a child you can never quite catch up. I've just finished reading Friday Night Lights and it was a real eye-opener to the sporting landscape in the US. Whilst converting American Football dropouts to RL would be difficult, the likely difference in quality and quantity of athlete would mean that it would likely be fruitful. However, it's all pie in the sky anyway. They're far too insular and RL isn't attractive enough to sway any of them in sufficient numbers.

Well it's been smashed today, a Scandinavian player averaged 33 without ever getting to a double. That is just terrible luck! Just to make it clear so I don't sound patronising, if I easy had £500 to spare and no work commitments I would absolutely go to Q school on the off chance of playing a top player (Barnie was there last year). Accounting for nerves and embarrassment, I've always figured I'd probably be a disaster but I'm confident I could get more than 33! I'd just throw with my eyes shut.

Q school started today, although nothing is decided just yet. This is the bit where literally anyone can enter, and I always love looking at those people who've paid £500 but are absolutely terrible. There was a guy in the UK today who average 45 without ever throwing at a double. For context, a blindfolded person could expect to get over 38. There was a worse average in Europe (39.1) with a winning average of only 44 or so, but these two were stuck on double 1 in a number of the legs.

No, it's purely based on following Widnes RLFC. It's roughly 3 years to 1 year. They were World Club champions during my first game, and things have been slightly more turbulent since.

I'm 103 in Widnes years.

Played the game of his life. Fair play to him, this can never be taken away now. He's done it, absolutely made up.

Unbelievable Jeff! Nice for Mardle to do an 'I can't spayk!'

Yeh I think it's key for him to start well. MVG looked so comfortable last night, it was almost like he couldn't miss at times. That 128 average set was just something else.

There are a number of words which are basically a result of a misunderstanding of the spoken language. The main example I'm thinking of is 'a notch on the bedpost' which was actually 'an otch.' There are a couple of others which my memory cannot hold.

Smith started like a house on fire here.

My thought about Dimi is usually about how long he can keep the dance going for. It's one of those things he can't just stop but then does he do it when he's 50, does he trial a new dance at some point?

Tbf Smith does the same, but he's the local lad so I let it go!

I'm going the opposite to a point. I think MVG is unstoppable in this tournament, I predict he wins the final by multiple sets. Not only has he eased through this tournament, he has the highest average of any player this year by some way. He also has an amazing record against Dimi; I used to like him but he's become a bit full of himself especially after his Anthony Joshua moment yesterday. I was really impressed by Clemens last night, and not so impressed by Smith. Smith's game is built on how easy he can hit the 180s, but it just isn't happening this tournament so far. Clemens on the other hand, wasn't overawed by the occasion or put off by the shenanigans. They had record viewing-figures in Germany yesterday but he played his best game rather than bottling it, that is certainly a good quality to have. He also kept it up across the game; the one question mark was where he was having a bit of double trouble at crucial points. Smith would be able to punish him whereas Price wasn't able. I predict for tonight we'll see MVG win 6-2 and Smith 6-4.