Manxmanc

I'm in that camp, too.

I watched a number of BBC/Sky sports reports this morning which highlighted two sports which were still running as normal - horse racing and rugby league - and showed footage.

I'm now able to login in on the laptop. If want to switch from your phone, you should get most of the second half.

I can log in on my phone, but not on a laptop.

I thought it was just me.

Ottawa O Strength, I heard.

Ah, the Manx national dish.

I think it's good to have a variety of personnel, from the ex=players who can get across what it's like on the field, to the clued up strategist, even to the newcomer to the game who looks at from a different viewpoint. Jenna has the interview skills. She doesn't settle for a "We'll have to work on some things for next week", but digs down to the 'What will you work on?". Jon Wells knows his stuff, and its great to see newly-arrived antipodeans realising this. Brian Carney has great enthusiasm and appreciation of the game as a link man, and that fact that he comes from a very different sporting backround adds to his effectiveness. Barrie is a bit old school, but I think this is OK. He's able to bring across what's it like to be in the rough and tumble on the pitch, and is very enthusiastic. Terry is similar, but not perhaps as effective. I would prefer to keep Barrie and Terry apart for variety. Bill Arthur and Rod Studd do their jobs well enough but, again, I'd like to see them matched with a insightful ex-player. Some people pick on the northernerness of it all. Whilst having other voices helps to get across the game's wider appeal, I never think anyone should be apologising for their northern accent, or the number of northern accents on show. You wouldn't ask a Scotsman or Irishman to drop their accent.

Not forgetting Leigh Centurions, Rochdale Hornets, Swinton Lions and Oldham,, in addition to the two Super League clubs.

That's a more realistic view as their is, actually, some optimism at Salford at the moment. One selected crowd figure seems to have been used as the basis for regurgitating old arguments to the effect that there is little interest in RL in 'Manchester;'.

It all seems like a lack of effort to me - a programme is a potential source of income, from the cover price to advertising revenue. Perhaps it needs some supporters to produce unofficial programmes or fanzines to embarrass clubs into producing them.

I feel like I've been transported back in time. It's feisty, with bags of effort on show in a bog...but, it's great.

It's all looking a bit cross-code.

This is quite tricky. From a personal point of view, Israel Folua's views are very different to my own. That said, I am aware that players have returned or continued to play RL following prison sentences or convictions for drink driving. In effect, these players have been given a second chance and/or an opportunity to rehabilitate. In this case, the context is comment which is generally unacceptable to the general population in Western countries. Where we are concerned with firmly-held views, then the idea of rehabilitation is more troublesome. Is 'redemption' at all possible? Additionally, how do we gauge the respective undesirability or seriousness of these criminal offences against the views of an individual. If the the possibility of redemption is accepted, then how is this determined? In this particular case, it may be suggested that if Folau was to show respect for his fellow players, the fans and the general public, and refrain from comments that he is aware are widely unacceptable, then there no more that can be expected of him. I believe the answer is rooted in whether the general populace consider he should have a second chance.

I'm not sure why that is - I watched the game on my laptop and thought the picture quality was fine, with increased use of replays. It would be interesting to hear whether other people have similar issues. Not trying to make things worse, it could of course be a laptop issue.