Damien

They have said on numerous occasions.

This is very true. Its pretty hard to think of anything iconic to do with the current generation of Australia teams and players. They just dont play often enough and in enough meaningful games for that. I dont think we have really seen this since the days of Smith and Slater.

The top clubs support Catalans and see what they offer the game and SL. Those clubs, and fans, that talk of financial value use it as a lazy excuse. The truth is they see Catalans as competition, either to get a SL spot or to stay in SL. Rather than improve and emulate Catalans its much easier to just try and get rid. Its real lowering of standards stuff.

That's a joke if true.

I think the Tottenham crowd was really disappointing. The stadium had been hyped to the max as the best in the UK and yet despite that and the new stadium factor we only got 51k.

If any team that is coming up to SL to make it 14 teams is only going to spend 800k then they shouldn't be in SL.

Yet Tottenham had a lower crowd than every final at Wembley since. Indeed the only final at Wembley, bar the Covid restricted final, lower than the Tottenham crowd involves Catalans and even that was only 1k lower.

Wigan have basically said the same. It'll be interesting to see who voted for this and who didn't.

That should be a definite no no. No funding then no paying expenses.

Actually scrap that, Id say they add more than many English clubs. They spend up to the salary cap, buy marquee players and play in front of good crowds. That enhances the quality and appeal of the competition.

No more or less than many English clubs.

That's not true though.

It's also relying on them not being concussed and of sound mind to give an answer. Plus its obviously relying on them not to lie too. We know that players will do anything to play and stay on the pitch and are their own worst enemies.

Again these things shouldn't be up to the player and players can be their own worst enemy when it comes to their own welfare.

Isn't this just what has been discussed on the Nigel Wood thread for weeks when it was first mentioned

Yeah, what we see so far is pretty much as I'd have expected. Of the people who do know about it, i.e RL fans, many of those that wish to go have said they will buy tickets closer to the time. This is entirely expected behaviour with Wembley holding 90k and no FOMO factor.

These things can't be left up to the players to decide.

80,256 at today's SOO.

Got another email today, on the back of today's SOO, about buying Wembley tickets.

I know, it was a general comment to the post I replied to about the complexities of concussion and its symptoms.

I much preferred the old rule where it was an automatic 2 week lay off. No subjectivity involved and no one put under pressure to play or pass a test they shouldnt. Neither can the tests be fudged which even the players mock for their ease to pass. Obviously more serious concussions should then be longer.

Some of the worst concussions I ever had, with hindsight really, are from cracking tackles where I got smashed. These weren't high tackles at all but to my torso where my head rocked back due to the force and/or hit the ground.

Well done to Hull KR's medical staff for doing their job and making the right call. It's not an easy job and medical staff are often under immense pressure to get players back out on the field. Good stuff and the way it should be.

The SL salary cap isn't a good salary cap and in real terms is now less than it was in 2001, when it was first introduced.