Harry Stottle

The year before 2014 was Fev v Leigh at Headingley 9,164, no disrespect but what else would you expect the next year with London being involved?

Simple reason in my opinion being that it was expected Toronto v Toulouse would be the finalists, can you imagine the attendance at a neutral venue in England, it would have been not to long after Catalan got to Wembley and the ensuing dissapointing attendance that would not have been wanted repeating. Previously Championship finals had been at neutral venues as is the SLGF which is the correct way, the top 2 get the advantage of an easier passage to the final that is their reward for finishing higher up the ladder, finals should always be at neutral venues, no discussion needed.

Would that be for Leigh's sake, or the possibility of any particular club they would be subjecting to relegation....?

Yes he did prove himself and was previously selected for England but don't disillusion yourself, the way you talk he just has to put on a Rhino's shirt and he will be back to where he once was, there is nothing whatsoever that gives any pointers or indication as to how he will perform in present day RL, Eastmond has been a professional rugby player for (estimate) 14 years of which the last 70+% has been in a foreign sport, as I say I couldn't care less if he does well or proves a waste of time and money, the person at the Rhino's who made the decision to sign him has taken a chance.

Did Covid influence the decision to omit Toulouse from being selected to perform in SL this season in preference to an English based club? A club was being selected to bring the numbers back up to 12 clubs in SL, the problem will still be there if it effects Catalan, it would have been doubled if Covid prevented 2 clubs from France fullfilling the fixture list. Not for any other reason than a personal one, I would have preferred Toulouse had got the nod to be 'promoted' I think that the Championship is going to be one hell of a comp this season and also that my club is not ready or

If thats the case and Leeds do equate his wages which as you say to match that of the top earners in Union, I consider it a very brave if not foolhardy decision of the decision maker at Leeds Rhino's who has agreed the renumeration for someone who has yet to proove his worth in Rugby League, the Rhino's will not for their money be signing Kyle Eastmond circa 2011. PS, who else has Sinfield signed from Union for Top Dollar?

As they say "proof of the pudding is in the eating" we will see when he takes the field and has a few games under his belt whether his signing as been good or otherwise. I have read all through this thread and I am amazed nobody has ventured to make a comparrison of the "returning hero" with SBW a player who also spent time away on the dark side and returned with mixed interpretations of how he would perform, some said he would take the game by storm others were more conservative and declared he had been away to long, was to old and the game had changed in the 5 years he missed. I realise

Whoa, have we returned to the 70's & 80's, stage payments for 10, 20 and 25 games, extra if you get county honours, full contract and bonus if International status is achevied? Somehow I don't think contingencies such as you mention would be applicable today fcg.

I know (or think) you would not take heed of any disrespectful comments of any of your employees, if I could please place a comment of my own, I consider if your publication did not have Mr Schofield's input it would create a hugh void, I enjoy his columns maybe I don't always agree with him but I am as respectful of his opinions as I was of watching him as performer on the field of play. Off course he can be controversial but so can everyone of us who pen our comments on these pages, after all we personally are always correct, aren't we?

You totally astound me with that reply Micheal, for someone who is so positive in how we should do this or do that in how to improve our lot in Rugby League. You tell us ways and give us strategies by allowing everyone the benefit of your experience with what you do for a living in turning failing companies around this last post does nothing of the sort, can you not see we have a problem with player development which needs addressing we simply cannot produce enough of own in both numbers and quality that is the real issue here, but you seem to accept that and say there is a ready made source e

Of what nature Tommy? I had surgery last week I went to my dental surgeon, pray tell us more!

Then keep them "in house" in a properly run and organised reserve League, surely they will advance much quicker in their own environ, training and learning from their respective coaches and expierenced player's in the stratergies and game plans in theur own clubs, other than being loaned out to some other club. And from your side of the touchline Tommy if you were anything like me as a spectator it is wonderful to attend 'A' team games to watch and witness a lads development.

I am not going to labour on this subject much longer, a lot of it (like a number of other threads) are repeats of the same discussions previously argued, but I don't think that the physicality is an issue, I will also say that the enviroment on the field of play is a much safer place to be these day's, for good or bad dependent on one's stance the game has been 'sanitised' far from what teenagers of Mr Schofield day were subject to, and the forwards were not getting a rest every 15 or so minutes.

I have not bothered to check if any overseas player's on those club registers did not take the field in those games, but one thought did accur to me when in another thread we were discussing academies three out of the four finalists you mention were being lauded (and quite rightly so) as the flagships of our clubs in producing player's through their respective programmes, so is it not exactly the same respect that how some clubs are fearful of relegation the same can be applied to the other end of the division that there is a fear of not winning silverware that prompts clubs to look overseas

Last count there were 90+ overseas player's employed in the British game.