Chris22

Just for comparison purposes (yes, it is slightly out of date)

Tonight's news of no end date being placed on lockdown measures does impact us significantly. We may be tempted to delay the season further to maximise the prospects of fans in stadiums / clubs being able to make money. Even if that means delaying RLWC until 2022. These are incredibly tough times for rugby league clubs. Let's hope we can get through.

Very interesting read. In some respects, rugby union individuals gets more honours that you would expect due to class and rugby league gets less for the same reason. But there is also profile. Like it or not, rugby union has a far greater reach and profile than us which in turn leads to greater recognition. Some of the individuals referred to in the piece though, some trailblazers such as the first black man to captain a national sporting team should be recognised regardless of class or sport.

FFS! I'd like to blame a new year hangover but can't, now edited

It's a big year for the sport this year, especially with a new TV deal coming up and a home World Cup. I've put together a few key questions facing the sport in 2021! 1. Can St Helens go three in a row? 2. How will Leigh cope in Super League? 3. Will we see a new Super League winner? 4. How will Super League's new coaches go? (Watson at Huddersfield, Hodgson at Hull FC and Marshall at Salford)? 5. Will a non-heartland team get promoted to Super League this year? 6. How will Newcastle go in the Championship? 7. What does the year hold for rugby league in Cumbria, with two sides in League 1 and Whitehaven struggling in the Championship when games were played last year? 8. Will England finally win the World Cup? 9. When do we think fans will return to stadiums, if at all this year? 10. Will we get a new TV deal? What impact will it have on the sport? 11. Will Ottawa join the sport next year? 12. What impact will the World Cup have on the sport going forward? I've answered some of these questions in my blogpost (here if anyone's interested!). What do you think? Or are there any other key questions I've missed?

Shaun Ainscough's start to his Wigan career was unbelievable! He's gone on to have a decent lower league career but never seemed to live up to the initial hype.

An interesting thread, but academic qualifications aren't for everyone and good on the players too who achieve non-academic qualifications in readiness for their retirements.

Best of luck to him. Thought he was unlucky not to get a shot at the Hull FC job. I don't see what credentials Hodgson possesses that Last did not, apart from an Aussie accent.

Huddersfield only need to go up 1 place to make the play offs, so that is a realistic expectation with their recruitment. Once / if they are in the play offs, they are only one game from a semi final. The current structure suits a side like Huddersfield to have a decent run at the play offs. I can't see them challenging, but would expect improvement.

A step in the right direction. I have no questions of bias from referees, but having neutral officials in international games is a necessity to give a professional image.

Not read the thread so apologies for any repetition. Understand the disappointment in the decision. But any anger at Leigh is misplaced. If you want to criticise their presence in Super League, then you must also question Huddersfield's, Salford's, Wakefield's, Castleford's and Hull KR's (i.e. almost half of the current cohort). I haven't seen the applications so can't say whether the decision was right. But teams should not be discounted on the basis that they are in the heartlands. Especially when other heartland clubs 'offer' little or no more than them but happen to be in a Super League chair when the music stops. I would love to see London or Toulouse in. But the door isn't closed. A year to build, maybe for London to sort a good stadium arrangement, and to enter on full funding and a full pre season in 2022 may be better in the long run.

A lot to take in here. I like the video ref changes and the auto-sub for when a trainer calls for the game to be stopped to is a good change. I do like the set restarts, but I think teams should have the option to call for a penalty stoppage too, for example by making a crossed arms gesture or something similar. This would give a chance to consider a penalty kick, if that would be of greater benefit. Do not like a two point drop goal idea at all. The scoring / points structure of the game should not be altered lightly or vary across different competitions. I've almost given up on an international rules committee setting the standard rather than the NRL though!

Four RLWC games, Magic Weekend, Newcastle promoted to the Championship. It's set up to be a brilliant year next year for Newcastle in rugby league. They look to have a patient, sustainable approach to expansion and I wish them all the best.

The PPV point is an interesting one, looks like it's actively under consideration. If we're going to stream, I definitely think a small fee would be justified rather than giving it away for free.

Slightly off the point, but how do boxing and UFC avoid such actions, where the objective of the sport is to attack the head? Wonder if it's because that is the explicit purpose of the sport, and it isn't in rugby?

Like most others on here, I don't know the position legally. Although I very much doubt that the RFU would want to risk this going before a Court. I suspect a negotiated settlement is the most likely outcome. Should we worry about similar claims? Yes. We are at risk of similar action with potentially large liability for compensation payments and legal fees. Whilst we should be doing it anyway, it re-emphasises the need to take preventive action. We have made good progress by putting in place detailed concussion protocols. But we can do more. Significant point deductions for breaches of the policy for example. Secondly, and I include myself in this, we should stop lauding players playing with serious injuries. I accept it is hard for protocols to be put in place regarding this. You cannot prevent head injuries in a sport like rugby league. But you can punish attacks to the head and ensure protocols are stringent.

Interesting to see how Wigan line up next year. Mid-season, I would have said that Wigan should release Leuluai, but he finished the season strongly. But he ended the season strongly so did earn the contract. By my reckoning, that's Leuluai, Field and Smith going for one spot, with maybe a bench spot for the other. Wonder who will miss out? Would be a shame for Smith to be pushed out, he looks to have good potential.

Made it past £777,777 now! Apparently Derek Beaumont has made a several thousand pound donation, which is incredibly generous. Whilst this fundraising obviously shows the regard Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield are held in, it also shows how this very sad story has touched the public at large. A shame Sinfield can't finish his final marathon with a huge crowd to welcome him at Headingley!

I seem to recall reading that Salford and WIgan have linked with the Welsh RL and West Wales to provide a talent pathway, which seems a sensible approach. It would obviously take a while to bear fruit, but I hope the clubs stick with it. Wales, in particular, I have always felt is an undertapped resource, especially North Wales, being so close to the heartlands.

I thought the same. I was bouncing at home. If that was at Old Trafford the stand would have shook!

I'll reflect more tomorrow when I've stopped shaking. Unbelievable game. Two widths of a post decided it. Two very evenly matched sides. Nothing between them at all. Credit to Jack Welsby. One of two players to chase that kick. Once in a career it pays off. Even as a Saints fan, genuine sympathy for Wigan players and fans. A heartbreaking way to lose. Sport is joy and pain. This Wigan side will win trophies before long. They're building well. God I love this sport.

Worst thing about this thread is that both of these things will happen!

Yes...turned out the account's 'scoop' that Jackson Hastings was going to sign for Huddersfield was a bit wide of the mark!

Seen a few suggestions on here that Saints sent LMS back on the field having failed a HIA. The club doctor is Simon Perritt, who as well as serving as the Saints club doctor, has a leading role in the local clinical commissioning group, is an NHS practitioner and has worked closely with the RFL, including being the chief medic at RLWC 2013. He is vastly experienced and to suggest, implicitly or explicitly, that he breached protocols without evidence, is dangerous to say the least. To do that, he would risk not just his sports career, but his professional career. Now, it cannot be ruled out that clubs may directly or indirectly add pressure. And certainly, some doctors (like in every profession) are not 'clean'. But I think we need to be very careful when making statements questioning competence and ethicacy without evidence. Back to the main point of the thread, very sad to read of Stevie Ward's injuries. It shows the need to take head injuries seriously and ensure greater punishments for offenders to dissuade recklessness.

Yep. Whilst the run of GF losses clouds judgement, James Graham has won every trophy in the domestic UK game and all bar one on several occasions (plus Man of Steel). It's a record that many would envy.