Archie Gordon

You are probably right. I expect Salford to be playing a full-strength team at the weekend and for the RFL to pretty much wave their hands about the Saints game. Back to normal very swiftly. Still, I don't remember any other club actively working so obviously against RL's interests in the recent past.

I think the Champo crowds are a bit underwhelming all round.

Deciding to go shorthanded *days before the game* is wholly different from deciding how to use a full squad *during* a game.

You've set off some false leads there. The main problem is really simple: (competition) integrity. They had more than 16 players available - remember that Rowley had a different 15 in mind that he reckoned would have given Saints a game - and they instead chose to go shorthanded when 4 or 5 of that 15 weren't cleared to play. I would say a secondary problem is player welfare (and some might feel this is more significant than integrity). Even if Rowley wanted to play the reserves because they knew each other, if there was a 17th and 18th player available, they should have been selected as cover.

Yes - let's see his silly 15-man squad. Must have been Sneyd, Watkins, Lafai plus 12 of the 16 from yesterday if all of the CC team are unavailable. It would take 30 seconds to dismantle Rowley.

Yeah. Ideally, the RFL would have set the narrative themselves on Thursday. They're getting an absolute pasting.

Yesterday was a bit of a shocker x2 in terms of the TV. But it was more an opportunity missed than a disaster. But I will remain angry at Salford.

If, out of 6 SL games on any given weekend, any are unattractive, that is on the comp not the broadcaster. In any case, Saints vs Salford was an attractive match up until Rowley decided to sabotage it.

I think so. I think you also have to be on £18k min to play in SL so it's a reasonable chunk. EDIT: Ignore - post above shows I'm wrong.

You're blaming the BBC?! Wow.

Nah. Let's get ready to grumble.

BBC look to have done a decent job with this. Poor them, poor us. Only shame is that Rowley is getting away with talking .

And now for the opening weekend's main event!

Do we have a Veo as back-up for next week?

Must be a terrible illness/injury crisis. #prayforsalford

You can't overturn the on-field official based on a blurry hand and a blurry ball. Well, you can I suppose, as they just have.

Poor old Ash Handley is showing his inexperience at centre.

VR is overused, technically poor, and Ben Thaler (not today thankfully) takes an age. And it's always worse in Perpignan (not today thankfully). I'd use VR only on a captain's challenge.

Nearly every PTB is roll ball.

All that time to get it wrong.

Is it now Tuesday?

I'll take breakfast and then pick this up after Ben Thaler has made a decision.

Garcia experiment surely won't last much longer.

Well that was a farce!

Yep. Let's get on with it. I hope this turns out to be Salford's final season in SL.