JohnM

The viewer is in no better position than the VR to judge that the ref has missed a forward pass to though.

There have been many and long and deeply analytical discussions on here and in the ranks of academia about the difficulties of judging forward passes - trying to interpret how the 3d path of a moving ball maps onto the 2d space of a screen. It is those complexities that have resulted in n the VR not pronouncing on apparent forward passes.

No it wasn't.

One thing re NRL. There's a huge job to be done here to get the UK media and general sporting public how big and successful rugby league is in Australia. 50k at the Suncorp today.

Enjoyed that half. Lots of scrappy mistakes but lots of youthful endeavour, too. Even with Hull FCs fightback, I can't see Cas losing. Ref doing ok but I'm sure if I was at the game I'd be less charitable. Reviews show he's right, though.

What effect do people think the red card caused and will cause? 1. Player and team punishment. The player is given immediate punishment for bad technique and his team mates suffer, too, having to work even harder when it's not their doing. Plus "pour encourager les autres" on both sides? 2. The coach(es) and players of all teams are reminded of the need to train in technique. At this stage of knowledge of the effects of contact with the head, I think that the high force/low force/mitigation/no mitigation is a reasonable attempt to quantify the seriousness of the offence.

...and talent, power, influence and more. If the management team were made up of exsisting RL and club administrators, I can only see disappointment. A track record in UK RL is the last thing I'd be looking for.

What was supposed to be wrong with the Sky coverage?

Leigh were, in my view, deserved winners...just, as the score indicated. Lots of ''what ifs" and "if onlys" for both sides. Superb break from Williams near the end, but not enough and too late. Deplorable attempts from both sides to referee the game, too, with another win for Leigh. Ref did well not to be swayed.

From Matt Shaw in a Leeds paper. "An early proposal Rugby League Live has learned of would have seen both the War of the Roses and the mid-season Test series take place, but it's thought that clubs aware of the plan were reluctant to add more games to the calendar or sacrifice a home game to make it happen."

J'accuse Jack Hughes.

Game over.

It's a cracker! A crowd baying for blood makes a real difference to the atmosphere as felt on TV.

Leigh down to 12 now. One of their players has just flapped his arms that much , he flew out of the stadium.

Remind me. Does the defending side have to stand back 5 or 10 metres at the ptb?

Penalty to Leigh? I must have missed something there.

I think it's been reported that someone has said that IMG are maybe thinking about asking the clubs if they want it.

Certainly the Australasian expat communty in London has never shown any real and lasting interest in the Broncos in any numbers, even in the days of The Stoop and Branson - in my experience. Nor have they shown much interest at RL as a whole, again, in any real numbers. The point I'm trying to make is, to steal and modify your words is "The big advantage the NRL would have going for it is that it’s an Australian sport that could come with all the hype and showbiz attached to it...if done similarly." To the younger Greater London potential market, SL presentation ( not the on-filrd action but the presentation, build up etc) must appear, if it appears at all, as staid, boring an unfashionalble. After all, it has been said that Australians are much like Americans but with an odd accent. And yes, Damien, London would have to play in a fitting stadium, hence combining the idea of a Vegas-style event and a big name stadium. All my flight of fantasy of course, but casting the ideas net wide. We could not afford for any NRL "takeover" to fail.

In my view, if there was an NRL club in London, the general sporting public may not immediately associate it with SuperLeague as it would present a more dynamic, exotic almost, image similar to the way NFL do it at present. Sort of bringing the Vegas event to London. Yes there is general knowledge of Super League in the South and in my experience lots of southerners turn out for England internationals there. But an NFL- like presentation of a London NRL team could well excite and attract the younger demographic. I have no evidence for any of this but faith is a wonderful thing as it needs no proof.

In my view, if there was an NRL club in London, the general sporting public may not immediately associate it with SuperLeague as it would present a more dynamic, exotic almost, image similar to the way NFL do it at present. Sort of bringing the Vegas event to London. Yes there is general knowledge of Super League in the South and in my experience lots of southerners turn out for England internationals there. But an NFL- like presentation of a London NRL team could well excite and attract the younger demographic. I have no evidence for any of this but faith is a wonderful thing as it needs no evidence. By the way, Swinton has never been a hotbed of RL. As far back as I can remember ,(1959) the club has struggled financially, being on the edge of RLs traditional catchment. That includes the two consecutive seasons when they won the First Div comp.

I trust he'll not be lost to the club and the sport after retirement. I'm sure he'll have a lot to contribute.

A pitch for my purely personal pick, in no particular order: 1. Edinburgh 2. Cardiff 3. Newcastle

At this point in the discussion of the IMG gradings, I feel I should remark that there was only ever one Horatius Cocles and all attempts to copy him are doomed to fail. "Haul down the bridge, Sir Consul, With all the speed ye may; I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play."

Maybe Angela Rayner is going to make them build on it at 13/14 houses per acre.

What were the other weekends? I think we should be told.