Alan Robertson

I don't think that a 14-team SL is a good idea, the standard is already low enough without spreading the talent even more thinly.

If South's win, Burgess will move into a very elite group of Brits (to win more than one Aussie GF) with Mal Reilly (and, if you include him, Bob Fulton).

In that case, the radio commentators needed to be able to tell the difference between Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo. Or, perhaps, they couldn't tell the difference between Coates and Oates. Either way, Coates played outside Cobbo.

Providing context for the below comment, I have watched and loved rugby league for over thirty years. However, sadly, any 'safe' version of rugby league would involve playing a game/sport that looks VERY different to what we watch now - in my opinion.

I agree with all of this. So much so, I can't add much (without going into unnecessary detail).

How would that be enforced?

Having lived in both Wigan and Australia, I prefer Wigan so I'm struggling to understand.

Thanks for letting us decide. I'll start, I can't see why it would be a conflict of interest. Can anyone else? Edit: if you're implying something as simple as "Phil could talk up players on commentary to get them better deals", won't coaches be able to make an objective decision? ie. make up their own minds independently of media beliefs.

I believe so.

Having been to both, I also think that Blackpool is better than Bondi.

Have a change of heart and decide that it's as 'easy' to run the World Cup as any of these alternatives.

Yeah, Canberra would have been perfect as far as I'm concerned. The NRL probably suspected that the players would have whinged at being based there during winter.

I completely understand your thinking. Considering everything, the World Cup simply 'had to happen' this year. It just had to ☹

Completely true, we've been bullied and I hate people who bully

Assuming that the report is accurate, I'm devastated

How big are you? Serious question, what size do people (typically) need to be to intimidate others?

The ridiculousness of the Thompson ban is what got me thinking about Brits being targeted. There's no way that an Aussie would have got banned for that. Like I said on the other thread, I also think that a sin bin was harsh.

Not at this stage but just wait a few weeks.

Also for Samoa - Nofoaluma, Taupau, Harris-Tavita, Su'A. The list goes on and on.

You might have missed him because he was born there rather than being 'heritage' but Stephen Crichton for Samoa.

Morley, Graham, Sam Burgess, George Burgess, Thompson aren't the only English players to ever receive bans in the NRL. However, in my opinion, they've each received one (or more) ban that was disproportionately large relative to their 'offence'. It feels like our lads get targeted at the NRL judiciary. Any thoughts?

I agree, what a joke!

It's the most over the top ban that I can remember. I don't think he even deserved the 10 minutes.

If it happened in SL, it would be poor SL defence. In this case, it was poor NRL defence.

Three games, that's outrageous, I thought a sin bin was harsh.