Chris22

Last year, Welsby would have seen yellow for that. And I think it deserves a yellow. Contact was secondary but it was, at best, careless. The campaigning from the likes of Lee Radford has seen tackles like that punished by a penalty only. Not something I agree with. It was a 50/50 call for a penalty try. Hurrell was covering and may have got there. Liam Moore thought not which isn't obviously wrong and I've not a problem with a ref backing their judgement.

Our line up will probably be: Welsby, Ritson, Hurrell, Percival, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Lussick, Lees, Mata'utai, Sironen, Knowles Wingfield, LMS, Norman, Bell Some whispers that Hurrell may not play and if that's true, I'd expect Davies to come in for him. We're a little light in the back line and I'd expect Castleford to target us out wide. On paper, that squad is strong enough to win. But, jet lag, a limited week of training, media commitments and coming down from an emotional high means I think Cas will edge it.

Salford are doing some really good stuff on and off the pitch at the moment. Long may it continue!

Did London (or maybe Harlequins) play Melbourne in the late 00's at the Stoop?

Having sufficiently calmed myself, I think I'm now in a position to post a coherent comment! Our defence was incredible yesterday. It has been for years but showed it could hold out one of the best teams on the planet. Our fitness is probably on a different level to most if not all Super League teams and credit must go to our conditioning staff. There's little to say about Welsby and Roby that haven't already been said. I'll say it anyway! Jack Welsby has the world at his feet. He can stay with Saints and be the best player in this competition for years or have a crack at the NRL, where he would be a leading light too. All subject to injuries etc. Roby's achievements as a Saints player I don't think will ever be surpassed. Now to the unsung heroes. Mark Percival. Moved out of position, targeted all night with kicks, still coming back from a painful and unusual injury and was unflappable. A magnificent performance! Matty Lees. He broke into our team at a young age and is getting better and better. He and Walmsley were more than a match for Fisher-Harris and Leota. Curtis Sironen. A slow start to his Saints career but has nailed a starting jersey now and is becoming ever more influential. Finally, Jake Wingfield. He has now forced his way into the starting 17 and I have high hopes for him for the future. Was very pleased for Lewis Dodd too. It must have been a tough and lonely year for him in 2022. He deserved that winning moment. We are very lucky at Saints in some ways. Well, we are as fans. As a club, I'd argue it isn't luck that a massive proportion of the best young players are here and it isn't luck that our NRL recruits have added a lot to us. It's excellent future planning, years in the making. Our challenge now is to keep this team together. Walmsley, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbook, Makinson and Lomax are all reaching the latter stages of their careers. Welsby, Dodd, Lees and Wingfield all have the potential to go to the NRL, if they wish. And with far higher salaries and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you couldn't blame any of them for going. If we can keep our young players, our dominance can continue for a while yet. If we can't, then there will probably be a changing of the guard. As a Saints fan, I obviously want them to stay. From a wider perspective, I'm torn. Is it in our best interests for our talented young players to stay in Super League where we can enjoy them, or test themselves in a higher quality league and likely improve our international prospects?

I haven't seen them both so maybe not best placed to comment. Roby has won every domestic honour there is to win as a team (at least twice) and an individual, with the exception of the Lance Todd Trophy. He has also captained St Helens to every trophy available to win. The greatest player in a sport or a club will always be subjective because there are no defined criteria. And people can only comment on who the greatest that they have personally seen is. For me, in a Saints shirt, it's Roby.

Having seen little of Penrith over the last few years, I'm not really sure how good they are and possibly don't appreciate their talents. But the individual players are leading NRL stars and excelled in the World Cup, which says it all. Their record speaks for itself. We're going to find it tough. English sides always do in this match. Especially away from home in an Australian summer. Saying that, we are a good side. Our defensive structure gives us the best chance we could hope for. I worry about Hurrell shooting out of the line. He can get away with in Super League but probably not here! A hunch tells me we'll lose but will not be disgraced.

I am interested to see how Warrington react to the suspension. Warrington's work with their learning and physical disability sides has been sport-leading and a leading player being found to used language that discriminates against those with disabilities undermines the club's work, if the club deal with it meekly. I'll probably read the RFL's minutes / summary of the hearing before giving too detailed of an opinion on the matter, and possibly hearing what Warrington and the player have to say too. It shouldn't even really need to be said that using discriminatory language in relation to disability either in sport or wider society is never acceptable. Sadly, this thread doesn't reflect that at times.

Possibly a difference between NRL and Super League that when we dipped and made errors, we were immediately punished and fell behind. Good hit out, we looked good for a first semi-competitive hit out of the season and good to see the whole squad get a run out. Delighted for Ritson to get his first try for us. Next week will be a different game entirely but the chance to test yourself against the best doesn't come along too often!

The game has apparently gone because we are punishing people who use slurs against disabled people. Stop the world I want to get off.

If true, probably the consequence of the sport treating the international game as an afterthought. If we do that, why should we expect Government's to act differently?

I agree. The article about London Skolars potential takeover is one I haven't seen elsewhere and the interview with George Stokes was a decent read. I was critical of some of the articles of late so also right to praise the higher quality ones.

I'm hugely in favour of measures to make the sport safer and protect against head injuries. And hugely against the view that it's 'soft' to punish high tackles. Saying that, if we were to bring this change in at any level, the game fundamentally changes. Wrapping the ball and preventing offloads is a key part of defence and above waist height tackles are therefore essential. Of course, player safety is paramount. There is a head injury risk to tackling low too, if you get your head in the wrong place. This change may lead to more of those kind of injuries. I wonder if this change may not reduce head injuries but change the mechanism. I therefore wouldn't support this change in rugby league.

We've had referees leave citing bullying, homophobia and intimidation and allegations that Rimmer ignored formal complaints about this. Is it a coincidence that Ganson is suspended a month after Rimmer leaves? Given the nature and extent of allegations (over the last 6 years), it's outrageous this investigation has taken so long to be launched.

Next article: "You won't BELIEVE who Tim Street's tache says the sexiest rugby league personality is!"

The Northern Rail Cup in the mid to late 00's was outstanding, even the group stages at the start. I've never understood why we got rid.

I agree. League Express' online output is tedious. I assume those in charge look at what generates more clicks and therefore more revenue and have decided that this is the best approach. A paucity of quality all sacrificed for quantity. It must work and League Express are entitled to do as they please but I do actively avoid clicking and interacting with these clickbait articles. In some ways, it's a shame that this is what is needed now to draw in fans.

I'll probably do my predictions closer to the time but the side I struggle the most to predict is Hull FC. A side that consistently underachieve have appointed a coach that consistently overachieves, so it's really hard to know if Smith will drag them up or the club will drag him down!

I tend not to pay much attention to what Craig Harrison says. I'm still waiting for that story about Wigan from a couple of months ago that was going to be the biggest RL news story for years. I'd take almost everything he says with a whole heap of salt and in the context of the sole purpose being publicising himself and his clients.

A massive well done to Rob Burrow on being given the Helen Rollason Award, Kevin Sinfield on his special recognition award and to Lindsey Burrow too. Fantastic to see all three getting the recognition they deserve.

This sounds like very good news. Salford moving to Moor Lane with its 5,000 capacity struck me as a disaster and the first step towards a part time, mid table Championship existence. Staying at the AJ Bell gives Salford a shot at maintaining its recent success.

I believe that is 19 officials at the professional and semi-professional level who have left since Steve Ganson has been in charge of the RFL referees department now (two having returned). The referee pool is shrinking and that's bad news for the sport.

I haven't seen that. Did see Wellens say he would be comfortable with Bennison as a starting winger but not that he had first crack? Hopoate is a difficult one. His season was so interrupted last year that it became a risk to play him. Though when he did play and on the rare occasions that he did get through a match, I though he was very influential. He limped out of Tonga's quarter final and I haven't heard an update since, which does concern me slightly.

Here's hoping! I wouldn't be surprised to see Welsby at full back until Lomax retires, with him then moving to #6 after that.

I'd expect Saints to start the season, assuming all are fit with: Welsby, Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Hopoate, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Mata'utai, Batchelor, Knowles Subs: Sironen, Paasi, Lussick, Wingfield There is some competition for that wing spot, especially if Hopoate has a bad run with injuries again (though I expect him to start even though Bennison has been given the #5 jersey and we also have Tee Ritson on loan for the year). After last season's injuries in the backline, we look to have favoured depth for 2023. I also expect this to be the year where we see less of Louie McCarthy-Scarsbook (despite how good he has been in recent years) and Jake Wingfield force his way into the 17. Bell and Norman will also be pushing for a regular starting spot but I don't see them getting that in the absence of injuries. Ben Davies played a bit last year but I struggle to see a route to the first team in the absence of an injury crisis. I see a similar struggle for Sam Royle, who I was a bit surprised to see sign a new deal, when he could make the starting line up of several Super League teams. Like the earlier poster, I'm looking forward to seeing more of Delaney and Pemberton in 2023.