Wirral Warrior

Got to disagree. I think he thoughtful and provides really good insights from a recent top creative player and emerging coach. Really good technical explanations rather than tired cliches that many ex players use

The pre and post game punditry and analysis is currently really good . Jason Robinson and Jon Wilkin wre both enthusiastic, knowledable and extremely articulate in their presenting their opnions . Carney and Wells likewise. Agree sartorial standards have slipped , but that goes across all Sky Sports now. Similarly the BBC coverage is of a very high standard via Chapman and Woods etc The Sky Commentary team does require some 'rationalisation' in quantity and volume , but on balance I think they do a good job. To a degree you feel they are marking time until the new TV deal is finalised one way or another.

Fully agree. All parties have done a great job. Skill, effort, entertainment has all been in abundance. New rules have worked really well. Super League/RFL made the early call on using percentage wins as a foresighted contingency. Like every other walk of life in every other country , it is all about everyone doing their bit to ensure there is some form of return to normality as possible. I think RL both here and in Austraia have done better than most

Agreed...perhaps Joe Burgess doesnt cut the mustard at this level

You dont think Faz and Scully were greats?

Wonderful player and a wonderful career. Fantastic will to win attitude throughout his career. A good example was the opening match v Aus at last World Cup. I was at that game at Melbourne, and after battering their line for multiple sets , they got a breakaway which effectively won the match. Jammer was the only player who ran back full tilt to try and stop the try or at least force a harder conversion. Definitely in that group of Super League era greats who have played for GB/England along with Farrell, Scully, JP, Burgess , Morley and SOL. I wish him well however he wants to finish his career. Oh....and as an Evertonian, he has also got great taste in football

I know he tends to get some criticism, but fair play to Ralph Rimmer who used his 2 minute slot in the 8:27am sports bulletin on Today really well. He quickly acknowledged and effectively answered the issue about Covid related game cancellations, and then cleverly linked in the 125 Year anniversary and next years World Cup. Whilst doing so he got in the diversity and inclusion aspects of the game and the various competitions at the WC in order to make clear Rugby League was, and continues to be a pioneering sport.

Fully agree that the standard has been really good. New rules mean that you either adapt , be disciplined and speed up your game and be successful or fall by the wayside , probably with some heavy defeats on the way. My club, Wigan, more than most need to get the discipline imperative and quick. The shortned Play Off format has made it really cut throat - there will we can lose a Play Off game and progress , home advantage , Club Call ( remember that) etc . Its simple - Secure Top 4 , lose and you are out. The fitness of the squads is really going to show , as well as the depths of squad. So far , so good

Agreed about the RLWC in Aus. I went to 3 games in 2017 . The profile was embarassingly low as were the attendances. Not a patch on the the RLWC in Eng in 2013.

You are still not getting the basic point.... I am not complaining or banging on about no International Football this year whether it be Australia or even Wales. Not bothered. Does not make sense this year. Understood? I just found it interesting and annoying that a leading ' expert' on the game could provide such a narrowly focussed argument on the impacts of Covid ,without providing the listeners without a fully rounded argument on all the impacts. Gould is either inept as a pundit, or patronising to the extent that his argument of end of season Origin only impacting on his desire to watch Origin in mid winter in front of a warm fire and that players would be tired. Inept or patronising.......probably both.

I mention Mascord as he has an Aussie accent and knows that the Bulldogs come from both Cantebury, Sydney as well as Batley , West Yorkshire. Whether you are lost or not , at least the guy has some international perspective to draw on.....more so than the great Gus and his sychophantic presenter. Still dont think you are getting the basic point. Its a no brainer they, as we, have to make the most financially lucrative decisions to suit the sport their respective hemisphere's. No issue with that. These self-styled rugby experts should at least recognise, point out , reference all implications of the decision....which in this case happens to be the cancellation of the first Ashes Test Series in 17 years involving the national team. From my experience of watching RL in Australia it may not just be the experts who do not have any recognition of the international game. Maybe thats for another topic...

I would agree that there is a fair degree of insularity in the UK...the M62 brigade etc. However the point I am really trying to make is that the leading commentators on the game should have a broader perspective to keep people informed. If that same debate was happening on the excellent 5 Live Podcast and a change /extention to the Super League season meant we were to delay the Challenge Cup Final and/or Magic to post season, do we think Dave Woods would have referenced the slight issue of a planned 3 Test Ashes Series. Of course he would , as would Phil Caplan, Bill Arthur , Brian Carney , Chris Irvine etc . Non-one is saying that moving SOO to post season is not the most financially logistical move to make, but at least cancelling an International Series should have been referenced as a consequential issue. Thats my point - the insularity and narrow perspective. The only enightened Aussie commentators I hear on the sport appear to be Andrew Voss and Steve Mascord.

Just finished listening to an Aussie Podcast ' Six Tackles with Gus' and enjoyed the general discussion on the prospects of NRL return at the end of May and the threat that player discipline could jeopodise the re-start etc. The discussion , sorry monologue, moved onto the impact of the late scheduling of the Grand Final and then a concentrated Origin series. Not once was the impact on International Rugby even mentioned either by the host or the great Gus himself. In fact when the host suggested they move Origin as an end of season tournament, the great Gus said NO, absolutely not! No way would they move it , nor should they he exclaimed! .....and the reason...not because that would clash with International Rugby ( Ashes, Anzac , Island Tests etc). Oh no. The great Gus likes mid-season Origin in the depths of 'winter' because they can gather round the fire and watch the 'footy' and get big TV ratings, and of course the players would be too tired at the end of the season to play 'rep footy'. Not one refrence to the International game...apart from he mentioned the Warriors once...and it wasn't Wigan. Is this guy typical of Aussie attitudes ? He is an ex Origin coach , club coach etc so he knows the sport.... or does he? I thought dinosaurs were extinct? Thoughts?

Lack experience in some of the Wigan pack evident. Too often they were concentrating on hitting hard rather than smart. Too many gaps in midfield. Watson did have a plan for Hastings...step forward Kris Welham. Wigan too complacent; Salford the exact opposite.

Early in Ian Lenaghan's reign, Wigan used to be very pro-active in promoting games - they once advertised a Wire Match on TV and used to run 'The Big One' concept to target a particular game to get a big crowd . I think Leeds was the first v Leeds in 2009. They also used to use the London Broncos/Harlequins match as an opportunity for special promotions such as Sponsors days such Heinz Family days etc. Given the recent financial losses , marquee signings now and Central Park/Robin Park initiatives, perhaps there is not the budget to fund these special promotions. That said , it is interesting why everyone seems concerned about Wigan's attendances, which for the size of the town arguably still performs fairly well compared with clubs from bigger towns/cities?