Spotty Herbert

No Cleary or Yeo for the Panthers, still no Papi for the Storm. Lucas out for the season, Hudson Young battling injury (as is Haas) and no Savala or Sandon Smith for the Roosters. A lot of Supercoach favourites have question marks against them for the run home. I just hope the Darrington Drovers make some dodgy choices this week, then have a successful end to the season.

Winning teams : Sharks, Storm, Roosters, Dogs, Warriors, Eels, Broncos Points : 299 Home wins : 3 Poll : 3

I think you've missed out an "or" between for and so! And maybe an "ee" at the end.

Perhaps the reason you are a skint SL club is that you have chucked a lot of money at substandard players from the southern hemisphere, trying to find a quick fix, rather than investing in young, local players who would be cheaper in the short term and may (may) hang around a bit longer if you demonstrate loyalty and a commitment to them.

36 extra Australians in SL at the same time the NRL needs another 60 (minimum) to fill up new franchises in Perth and PNG. What sort of quality are we going to get over here? Surely we have academy players and Championship / League 1 youngsters we would be better developing?

Good to see you posting again. I didn't always agree with you, but thought you always had a thought provoking take on topics.

Now try and do the same for Tino .......

Dearden man of the match and should be Australia 7 for the Ashes series.

Queensland have done the basics so much better. They've nullified any threat from Cleary, who has been totally ineffective.

I might be speaking too soon, but NSW are proving how hopeless a coach Laurie Daley is.

I thought Shiba would be outclassed and he missed 2 tackles early doors, but that was a perfect pass for the Papuan Coates to score.

Blues dominating, but Queensland ahead. Feels familiar.

It should be a comfortable NSW win looking at the teams. But, how many times have we said that and ended up lookin daft in the past?

Marky Mark by any chance?

I have 18 so long as Munster plays. I will have to use 2 trades, but Cleary is only 50/50 to play after Origin, so he won't be coming in to my team this week. Jacob Kiraz might be, though.

I've been thinking all day about this and trying to work out where the logic is. If its about moving to 14 teams in SL I can see why some would want it. However, could this be the first step to the RFL becoming a subsidiary of the ARL and Super League becoming a feeder league to the NRL? It would enable more young Aussies on train and trial deals to play in what would effectively be a reserve grade team for the NRL big guns, putting us on a par with the NSW and Queensland Cups. Whatever, I still don't like it.

It's ridiculous. It reduces the pathway for talented British youngsters to get a run in a top level team and its stupid timing. With Perth and PNG about to take a further 30 players each on full time contracts it just adds to wage inflation in the game generally. The extra overseas players coming to the UK will be lower standard, but requiring higher wages. It's a monumental self influcted wound.

Minchella?

Isn't Crighton returning to Union after this season? Don't think he has signed a contract with the Roosters yet.

Payne Haas has also had to have a cortisone injection in his back in order to play in Origin 3. If its this bad now, will he want to tour at the end of the season or just do whatever is necessary to be right for 2026? Assuming he doesn't declare he wants to represent Samoa anyway.

Reports down under that Liam Martin will make himself unavailable to tour, due to the impending birth of his first child. He will be a big miss for Australia.

Winners : Dogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles Points : 218 Aways : 1 Poll : Sea Eagles by 1 to 12 Graham's question : Emirates Stadium

I am in full POD mode now, desperately hoping to make up positions on the overall ladder. Anyone for Connor Tracey, A J Brimson and Latu Fainu?

I would agree with you to some extent, but many of the best NRL forwards have (theoretically) committed to Samoa or Tonga. I genuinely feel that the Australians may struggle for depth in the front row, particularly if Haas or Timo are unavailable.

Being born in England makes you de facto English. As far as I know, that is a world wide recognition of nationality (unless you were born in the USA and are part of an ethnic group that Donald doesn't like).