Dave T

The Wire v Saints crowd was Saints third highest crowd this year - in a game played in poor conditions where everybody must pay, that was bloody good. Hull attracted their 2nd highest crowd of the year, again, all pay. Every single year we hear that the standard has been poor. Why do people bother? I've enjoyed it anyway.

Graham is good at what he does, but I still don't class him as the best prop in Sl and never have (I'm sure he'll be gutted!). My issue with his style of play is that his actual metres per carry is pretty low, and nowhere near the other top props knocking around. Also, and this was seen the other night, his play the ball speed is often very slow. He often gets up looking as though he has been shot and slows the momentum down considerably. His stats look excellent because he plays most games for a long time. Whereas other clubs use 4 props and share the workload effectively, Saints are actually settling for fewer yards per carry, when actually by spelling him I suspect they could get even more from him. I suppose it depends what you want from your props, but personally I want them to make the hard yards, and have a prop who can up the tempo when he comes onto the field and give the team a burst of momentum. There is no doubt he is a very good tough player, but I'm not sure he is being used to the best of his ability.

Surely a measure of how popular these sports are at certain levels is Sky viewing figures. All sports have their top league and some international games shown by SS. engage Super League coverage more often than not outstrips RU Premiership coverage, often by a considerable amount. How does this then translate that more people want to read about the RU Premiership than engage Super League? That doesn't make much sense to me tbh. We can have no complaints at Test level, as RU tests often have double the viewing figures of a RU test, but tbh if we had half their coverage it would be a hell of an improvement.

I have praised Wigan's marketing efforts on numerous occasions this year, however I have also praised the RFL's too. Compared to most SL clubs Wigan's has been excellent, but I still have not seen them do anything that the RFL have not also done. Limited cheap seats for the Big One 2 - the RFL started that last year with

Sorry Allan, it looks like I am following round you on this board challenging your views, and that isn't the case! I'm interested in the above statement you make. What have Wigan done that was so impressive this year, that the RFL haven't?

I don't necessarily disagree with you on that point, but in such a competitive market, we need to use positive media wherever possible. We can only assume that the 300% increase stat is true, and if it is a stat that has been used in a context that makes it a real positive then fine. I have still seen no evidence, or anything that would make me question the honesty of this statement. I agree that it would be great to see actual detail behind this stat, but just because we can't isn't a reason to doubt the honesty surely?

You can request more info and raise the point without the negativity that was attached to your post. Jeez, we all know that the 300% stat was for the purpose of grabbing positive headlines in the media, not as a full statistical report of the game in Wales. There may be other reports knocking around, or you may be able to get more details from the Welsh RL, who knows, but simply knocking it for the sake of it doesn't really do anything for the game. Okay, there may have been 1 club and now there is 4, even if that was the case, isn't that still positive?

Are you saying that the release is not true? It may give limited details (intentionally) however I have no reason to doubt the 300% stat, and if they are basing the 'fastest growing' element on that stat, then fair enough, no lies there. This isn't an academic report or anything like that, it is a release about the fact that RL in Wales is growing, and they have tried to grab some headlines with statements that are hard hitting. What is the issue here. I could understand if you were just doing further digging and asking exactly how much participation has increased by, as that would be interesting to understand, but tbh your post just comes across as negative, unnecessarily IMHO.

Yep, you are right, but aren't we as a sport guilty of not spinning things positively? Why would you turn this into a negative, what benefit is there to that at all?

double post

Yep, I am genuinely excited by all 4 games. The Saints v Wire and Wigan v Leeds games are often classics, and almost always very enjoyable games, so on their own they are crackers, but with the benefits that go with a victory it has that added excitement factor. Hull v KR always have something about them, and with it being knockout and a huge crowd, this one should be very enjoyable! I must also confess to rooting for Crusaders as my 2nd team now, so I hope they can pull off a shock against Hudds in that one to keep up the momentum that seems to be building in Wrexham.

The Saints v Wire game was made all ticket a couple of days ago, so you'd hope that sales were going well at that stage. The silence since seems to be telling though.

Good one.

Any specific examples of somebody gettng sent off for throwing a punch and missing?

Whilst this has definitely been his best season, I feel you are overstating the step-up he has made. He made his name really in 2008 when he made the Dream Team and the England Team in the WC, working his way to being a starter by the time of the semis. He was one of the few to come away with credit. He was also very good last year, I just feel he has done a few things in big games (Wigan away, and Saints at home) which has got him a few more headlines. Ever since he moved into the pack you could always see he was going to make it there.

We are better positioned to win at KR than ever before, but that means ###### all! We look like we have a fit squad, which is crucial at this stage of the season, and I am excited about having Bridge back, although I would have preferred him to have had more than 1 first team game going into the playoffs. I hope we do go all out for this one, as with Saints' injuries a loss here could stitch them up and they could even struggle against the likes of Hudds or Hull. Of course this is all wishful thinking and they will win an epic battle! I'll leave the catchphrase to sam.

Just seems strange that this is then highlighted in the press, aren't all signings and movements between clubs subject to RFL approva?. Maybe they are well aware what a cynical bunch us fans are!

Why when there's something negative is it a dreadful mistake, but then when there is a positive it is lucky?

TBH there does seem slightly more to this than meets the eye. If he is a contracted Saints player, why did they need RFL approval for this move? I have no issue with the fact that he hasn't played for them this year, we gave a lad a debut last week, no big deal.

That doesn't necessarily make sense. Just because he was provoked doesn't mean that the provocation deserved a ban. They didn't decide to call him up, so they thought it wasn't too serious.

Here are some of the notes from the initial ban hearing: The panel have taken a great deal of time to come to the decision. You have been given credit for your long unblemished record in the game and the fact that you have pleaded guilty. In our view however this was a serious matter, virtually an assault by punching a player four times to the head who was on the ground, and although your opponent was allowed to continue with the game he did sustain a blood injury. Sounds like it was touch and go, and the comments almost invite an appeal.

I think that is the case. It will be interesting to read the notes when they are published, but based on the fact that he was sent off after only 9 minutes then in effect he and his team were punished for one game already, and that is often seen as enough punishment, maybe the 2nd panel went with that view.

Yeah, those bastards beat us twice again!!!

Nah, not having that at all. Players use their arms and legs to get players off them all the time (I'm not a big fan tbh - but it happens) and players very very rarely retaliate. The fact is that Radford attacked a player that was on the ground and not looking. Whether we think it is justified based on Bailey's record is not the issue, had Bailey done the same, it would have been one described as a 'typical Bailey cheap shot'.