fighting irish

Ok, what will it tell me?

Me too. Possibly for different reasons. I confess, I have half a dozen close family and friends, who have represented Warrington in the last 50 years but I saw myself as a neutral spectator for this match. In my opinion, the try should have been disallowed and the game restarted with a drop out from under the sticks. It's irrefutable that the Warrington winger touched the ball down, with his torso. Therefore no try was scored. I'm insisting it's absolutely undeniable. Not yet heard any HKR fans claiming (explaining why) I'm wrong.

Fair enough mate. I'd just like to have got it right.

I'll say it once and then I'll leave it but having our premier televised events decided on a refereeing error, in front of millions of viewers, is not a good thing. How on earth the video referee can judge that the Warrington man didn't ''intentionally'' ground the ball (with his body (between chest and hips)) is utterly preposterous. There's no doubt he did touch the ball down, but the touchdown was disallowed because he didn't mean to do it. What do you think he was trying to do? Break Dance his way to fame and fortune? Great game, great spectacle concluded with a complete travesty. It'll go down in history as a day of infamy.

Yes matey, you are right but I think it's still worth doing. I'm reminded of Sir David Brailsford, the former Head of British Cycling, who was known for his advocacy of "marginal gains," a philosophy that emphasizes making small, incremental improvements in every aspect of cycling to achieve significant overall performance gains. Also, regarding MP's post we need to find the small minority of would-be participants (in new places) that do like what we have to offer, and sell it to them but even before we sell it to them (participants) we have to show it to them and give them time to develop a taste for it. Going into virgin territory with a semi-pro club is getting the cart before the horse.

Surely this thread has gone right off topic now. Isn't it about time it was moved to the politics thread. I can stop looking at it then.

I remember Billy Connolly playing the pirate Billy Bones, in the muppet film treasure island. ''It's all great fun, till someone loses an eye''. Like when you find out your little girl is getting free kebabs at the local shop!

I'll take your advice mate, and not bother looking.

The countdown begins...

''....a fabricated culture war..'' ?

Ok then, if we're going down this road, here's a radical idea. In the name of diversity, equity and inclusion, why don't we allow RaRa clubs to play against all our RL clubs? We could let them have their own rules and promise not to criticise their sense of right and wrong (how dare we claim that our system of rules, is superior to theirs?). They can even set up their own disciplinary procedures and tribunals and adjudicate without our interference. It's only fair! To give these poor unfortunate souls a leg up we should also let them keep 5 points when they score a try and 3 points for a drop goal, while we have to stick to the 4/1 we have done for years. Just imagine how entertaining the games will be, when our lads are playing to our rules and they are playing to their rules? I can't see any real problems with this philosophy, can you? We can even let their blokes play against our little girls teams. Here's the kicker, anyone that complains, will receive the most extreme punishments of all. Gouging someones eyes out is as nothing, compared to claiming RaRa's rules are inferior to our own.

Thanks for posting this G. I'm always eager for news from the USA. Where's the best place (website) to stay abreast of developments states-side?

Why do you find this statement so unlikely that you classify it as the biggest lie in rugby league history?

Just noticed, one of my posts has been removed. But i don't know why?

Well OMEGA, I didn't hear Marcus saying it, but I definitely heard Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal) say it. He was helping Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) find Buffalo Bill, the serial killer she was hunting. He was hinting that the killer almost certainly lived near his (many) victims.

It's true, there isn't a great desire for rugby league beyond the heartlands but that doesn't mean there's no potential for growth out there. To quote Hannibal Lecter (played by that famous Welsh man from my home town) ''People covet what they see''. So they won't desire (covet) it, until they see it. We, have to show it to new people, skillfully and often enough until the desire is fostered amongst them. My personal experience tells me that this is relatively easy if you have the will, to do it. We have been utterly remiss in this regard, throughout the whole history of the game (in this country).

Here's a whopper, ''The game can't be developed in the UK unless the RFL do it for us.''

The lunatics have taken over the asylum my friend. The audacity of them, fixing you with that cold, reptilian stare and accusing you of ''avoidance''. Expecting to induce guilt. It's a system designed to keep us in debt. Credit rating agencies, banks and other lenders punish savers, actively discourage prudence and present saving as a kind of weakness and debt as a normal, even desirable part of life. It's clear the debt brokers have nothing but contempt for the poor, the lame and the weak willed. The yanks in particular, have accepted, even embraced easy credit as a means of projecting an image (to their family and friends) of a higher standard of living than they can actually afford. The promise of instant gratification masking the long term misery which inevitably follows. Further evidence of the financial sleight of hand perpetrated by these heartless sophists is that the explosion of debt runs alongside stagnation in real wage growth. Normalising the use of easy credit is one of the major drivers of wealth, upwards in our society from the poor to the rich. If our mentors really had our best interests at heart they would broadcast the fact that debt is anathema to long term health and happiness. Only to be used in very limited and strictly controlled circumstances. Regrettably, its Caveat emptor. You're on your own!

Goooo on Bob!

I'm not near enough to the families to advise anyone, but i'll keep an ear to the ground and let you know.

How many tickets have been sold?

Great player, nice lad. Very sad he was only 60. Just heard, Gordon Pritchard's gone too. Two good' uns. Two good Welsh lads. Too soon.

I like this and of course, it brings me back to the same old chestnut. It takes a long time to create habits. We are not making any effort to grow the grass roots participation numbers. This is an essential element of the long term process you refer to. ''We'' have neglected this responsibility since the formation of the Northern Union. Getting children to run around with a rugby ball, is the surest way of developing the RL habit you mentioned. Once they've played it (and loved it) the interest very often lasts a lifetime. Every fan(atic) becomes an advocate and the word spreads, organically. But we need to keep introducing young people to the game and providing opportunities for them to play, grow and to develop that love for the game. Getting it done, begins with accepting that this aspect of our work is an essential component in ensuring our sustainability. It's not a luxury we can long afford to neglect. If we know we need to do it, then we have to accept the responsibility to get on with it and stop whining and moaning that the RFL should be doing it for us. In my view, everyone involved in the game in any capacity, bears this responsibility, none more so than our amateur league administrators.

Is it a rugby league related visit Martin, or is he there for some other reason?

What a great story.