Liverpool Rover

When Schofield was playing the game was largely part time so teams didn't have the time for defensive training as they do now. There is still a place for creative off the cuff play these days but there isn't as much of it as there was pre Super League because defences are more well drilled.

There’s player and team training, setting up the tactics and set pieces, hiring and firing your back room staff and scouts etc. On the early versions you could do most of a season in an afternoon. Now it takes all afternoon just to do pre season.

The Premier League can bluster all they want about throwing the six out, but Man Utd and Liverpool are their biggest cash cows and two of the main reasons the league is as globally popular as it is and sponsors and broadcasters won’t be as interested in a Premier League without them. A European Super League has been talked about for years and is now going to happen regardless of feeling. Everyone at the 12 clubs who had positions at UEFA have quit them and the clubs have left the body that allows them to play in UEFA competitons. Lastly why are Spurs in it? There is a long list of c

The Rovers of last year would have lost that game so it was a great win. The right edge defence needs to improve and Litten did get away with that strip right at the end. I watched the Ben Crooks try several times and I’m not convinced he pushed the winger over.

Having scrums and giving teams to space to attack the opposition is better than restarting with a PTB with a fully set defensive line so you know that the first tackle will just be a hitup.

I think we are due a win and if we tighten up our defence I think we will.

Leeds did well to stay in the game in the first half with their depleted ten but after the red card they were never going to win even with their poor choices of last tackle kicks and Saints not being at their best. Leeming played well and his kicking in the first half was good and I thought that with Dwyers second try that he was short of the line. With Clark, Hodgson, Dwyer, Leeming, Litten McShane etc there are a lot of good English hookers around at the moment.

We throw away a big lead and lose to a Gareth O’Brien DG in golden point. Seems familiar...

I think Mikey Lewis needs extra tackling practice after his attempt on Arthur Morgue in Extra Time. All the issues of last season flared up again as we were dominated in the tackle which meant that we couldn't get out of our own half in the first half and in the two games we have played this year we have allowed the opposition to build up big leads before coming back into it. Minchella should have started for me.

Catalans won’t be as up to speed as the other teams because of the lack of pre season they have had so I fancy Rovers chances here. Rovers by 8.

I would love a big budget EA Sports Rugby League game but I doubt that the game is high profile enough to sell enough copies to make it worthwhile. Australia maybe but not here.

You can only say that Elstones time hasn’t exactly been a success for the reasons that have been mentioned but I do wonder how much of a free reign he actually had, even though he didn’t come across to me as a visionary leader. There isn’t much point in getting a replacement if he or she aren’t going to be allowed to run things as they see fit because the clubs are going off and doing their own thing anyway. The one big thing for me that is holding Super League back is that club chairmenhave too much of a say in the running of the league and they will always put their clubs over what is

I phoned the doctors and said “I would like to make an appointment.” The receptionist asked “how about ten tomorrow morning?” I replied “No I only want one.”

It has been a summer pro sport for too long to go back now and there has been a whole generation who have been brought up on summer RL. Attendances at Thursday night games are bad enough now ad would be worse in the middle of winter.

I know that firms are having to tighten their belts during these times but we are now left with having a northern based bookmaker sponsoring all of the games major competitions. All this will do is reinforce the notion that RL is a northern working class game even further.