Dunbar

I enjoyed the game this morning as well. It was excellent. You have to read the points here in the context of the original post that said our games were an embarrassment and the gap to the NRL widening. I was merely pointing out that both teams kicked the ball out on the full, Jennings bombed a sitter, Clearly dropped a ball under no pressure etc etc. This isn't to say it wasn't a good game with plenty of skill and intensity... just that it wasn't perfect and Super League games are often flogged for the errors and yet we praise NRL games and are happy to ignore the errors for some reason.

A good game of Rugby League is a good game of Rugby League. As I said on another thread, we have the NRL, Super League, Championship and Women's Super League games to binge on this weekend. I don't care about the relative strengths of the leagues and who would beat who if the leagues played each other, some games will be good and some average. Luckily we have had some good games so far and more to come.

My thoughts on the Smith vs. Roby debate. When they were both at their very best... Defence - can't separate them. Both had a huge work ethic and technically excellent. Distribution - the best in both hemispheres. Smith was maybe a bit more scheming than Roby but they were both superb from the base of the ruck in getting their teams on the font foot. Kicking - clear win for Smith. The best kicking game from a 9 bar none Running - clear win for Roby. You could add in the goalkicking of Smith and his captaincy/tactical brain that perhaps Roby only developed later in his career but I genuinely can't separate them. Although, I am with bobbruce, if I were to pick the best 9 I have ever seen when they are all on the very top of their game I would go with Cunningham. He was an absolute match winner and unstoppable at times.

This is absolutely critical. No reason at all that Rugby League cannot be accessible to everyone, you just adapt so that the most suitable parts of the sport are the most relevant to each format.

Clever play there from Fax to wait for the winger to start getting to his feet. Could have been a fluke of a try.

Great cut out pass for the first try.

But some of the errors this morning were just poor. George Jennings bombed a stone cold try by dropping a gift of a pass? I'm not going to buy the argument that the errors this morning were because of how good they are. They were just errors.

My Rugby League insight perfect as always!

That's a tough forward pass call.

Big 15 minutes this. On momentum you have to favour Bradford.

Have to say I agree with this. Had a great evening at a Grand Final when my wife and I were surrounded by some wonderful Bradford fans and also had a few poor experiences with loads of drunken idiots around. It's luck of the draw of course how much you see but I wouldn't take my family to a Grand final but I would to Wembley as the daytime kickoff is a better atmosphere for a family.

To be clear, I wasn't proposing anything. Just assessing some of the pros and cons of each system. As I said, I am not partisan in this.

Yes, I thought someone would come along and explain how there were more errors because they were better. Is kicking out on the full a sign of how good they are too?

Well Melbourne didn't miss Cam Smith all season until today. They have been overwhelming teams all season and haven't looked at all like they have missed the tactical brain and captaincy of Smith. But today they were too frantic when they needed a cool head, they made 4 times as many mistakes as the same game last year and they made basic errors and kicking out on the full. You would have expected Smith to have made the difference to grab the team by the scruff of the neck and force the discipline and pressure needed. That's why he was a champion player.

Just checked. Melbourne made 16 errors today. In the same game last year against the Raiders they made 4. As I say, very entertaining but not the masterclass that we are making it out to be. In our game we are critical of every error but for some reason we forgive it in the NRL.

It was a good game, I really enjoyed it. But far from infallible. Yesterday Manly made 17 errors and there were plenty today as well including two kicks in general play that went out on the full by about 15 yards. Good players and exciting but lacking in the clinical execution we typically expect of the Aussie game.

I think there is a sensible conversation to be had on the playoffs and the Grand Final approach to naming the champions. I am not particularly partisan on any approach and am happy to enjoy the rugby but on both sides of the argument. 1. The Grand Final is a huge success and certainly creates a dramatic and high profile end to the year. The rest of the play offs less so of course. 2. There is a real perception - often articulated - that the play offs mean that the regular season 'doesn't matter' as long as you get in the play offs. We had this discussion recently with people saying the league leaders shield was a meaningless trophy. This is far more evident here than in Australia where the regular season games are seen as meaningful in and of their own right. I think there is a powerful argument for a league leaders are champions approach. Firstly I think it would change the perception of the regular season games and probably instil a different attitude in players, coaches and fans. Secondly, I think it would also reinvigorate the Challenge Cup with the final becoming the 'big' final of the year and bring it back to the fore. I like the fact we have stuck with the play offs and the Grand Final and it has become an institution but I wouldn't dismiss a different approach out of hand.

Surprised this thread hasn't had a lot more positive response seeing as though everyone moans about the same teams in the Grand Final year after year. It will be great to see a new team at Old Trafford and it is a win win. Either Catalans which is great for the league with the French coming to the fore or HKR as underdogs playing a superb brand of Rugby. What's not to like.

I believe it is the latter. These are the top scorers and the winner is already one of them.

I'm keeping track of all your posts I don't understand. Pleased to say that out of your 77 posts so far, I don't understand 189 of them.

Last night Wigan lost to Leeds who played one game less in the regular season. Tonight Wire lost to Hull KR who also played just one game fewer.

It was an incorrect play the ball. The frustration though is that it was closer to being correct than every other play the ball in the game.

Brilliant individual try.

But the Adam Hills head on the false leg is superb and shows the spirit and the fun of the PDRL... what a success that has been. Everyone involved should be very proud.

I don't think Brian knows who Adam Hills is!