Ramon Rojo

Everyone could see the incredible effort and passion Andy Last put into stopping the rot at Hull. He was like a kid who'd found a Willie Wonka Gold Ticket. The man obviously loved being coach of the club he'd been so loyal to. The improvement on the pitch was worthy and genuine. You could see the hurt as his side failed to exercise the game plan in the play off semi final. The players let him down, the elephant in the room was that it could cost him his job. I wish Andy well for the future I personally reckon it stinks that he's replaced by an unproven assistant from a 'dead in the water' NRL struggler. The consensus of opinion from those classy Australian Commentators was that Wests were pretty much 'pants' last season. There'll be a lot of grumbling if Hull don't hit the ground running next March

Mid March start? I'm attempting to respect the reasoning & various suggestions but it's going to be a long bleak winter. Our game looks like being more or less off the radar. So much for the medical advice that watching a likeable sport keeps mental health issues away. There's nothing to look forward to, period. Would much prefer a drip fed introduction from late January early February, perhaps 2 or 3 games a week giving every club a balanced initiation fixture wise which gradually builds up to the full programme mid March onwards. Trying to cram the whole season in from March 11th with the World Cup looming seems to be a random punt at generating cash over product, never mind player welfare suffering from too many games in too short a period. Who is guaranteeing sizable levels of spectators will be let back in anyway?

The Cornish Rebels withdrew from the South West League during 2019 but they've got a new director who started last June. There are plans for them to start playing again at the brand new Sportva Kernow Stadium in Truro (once it gets built). Various media snippets reckon Shaun Wane has been positive about our game tapping into some of the unearthed talent around Cornwall (talent as in players , not the other )

I'm 150 miles south of Bristol. Irrespective of the player qualification criteria, any representative game against a World Cup side would be big news in the sport starved South West. Local BBC South West News shown in Cornwall drools over a kick & clap Union side that play the other side of Devon, there's also bits about the lower league under achieving Devon football sides, Plymouth, Torquay & Exeter. The point being that Cornwall has a population, many who've moved there from other parts of the UK, including Lancashire & Yorkshire, that are crying out for entertaining sport, you can add Somerset and parts of Dorset & South Gloucestershire to that list. The dross currently force fed from Devon is mind numbing. If a pre World Cup warm up game was organised for Bristol there would be plenty of interest from the media alongside a public starved of genuine entertaining sport. A sizeable amount of people would travel to a hub like Bristol for the event. I know I would

Watched the programme last night and thought it was really good. Yes the tour itinerary and the results could have been better but the behind the scenes insight was both intriguing and entertaining. What came across was the humble hard working attitude of the players and staff and how much they cared about doing their utmost to best represent the shirt. Ok there was a bit of swearing and the daft song they chose to sing was embarrassing but the programme certainly captured how genuinely serious the camp felt about representing British Rugby League abroad. Compare that to our show pony plastic footballers who spend International trips breaking covid rules, moaning about being tired, partying & taking girls back to the hotel. Very rare we get anything like this from the BBC. I reckon we should applaud the effort and show how welcome it was.

I went to some non league football matches down here in Cornwall when they started letting reduced numbers in. Only 2 out of the 7 clubs I visited provided the precautionary measures outlined in their make-believe risk assessments. Turned out a lot of the assessments were cut and paste off generic examples found via Google. The grounds were unsafe so I stopped going. No track & trace, everyone shoulder to shoulder in the stand when it rained, large mobs bunched together outside pitchside clubhouses on the ale all afternoon and much more besides. It was farcical. There's hardly any Police or HSE down here so they got away with it. The North will be different and I hope all the Rugby League clubs, big, small, whatever, do things properly when the opportunity to attend comes around. The authorities will be watching but it's also everybody's responsibility to follow guidance, both clubs and spectators. Stay safe, stay sensible

A major positive from the deal is Sky Sports News promising not to time the Rugby League headlines bar at the foot of the screen to ALWAYS coincide with the adverts break. Been bugging me for years that.

Mighty relieved the BT parasites didn't get in the back door, we might as well have booked the crematorium. We don't know the fine detail how the integral allocation of the Sky deal pans out but ballpark it could have been a hell of a lot more negative. Give some credit to the negotiating team, we've secured the future of the game for as long as could be hoped bearing in mind the global uncertainty we face. Let's remember the backdrop to the package was coloured in amidst a devastating pandemic. We have little clarity at the moment regards what may be afforded to the Championship & League 1 but there's no way they'll be cut adrift to Elephant Island. Have hope and belief, this is good news not a kick in the teeth.

Now Sky are resting easy with the Final they demanded we might get some genuine officiating? St Helens will miss that 14th man on the field that assisted them so productively in the semi final. Hopefully we'll get a feast of spectacular Rugby League with all the trimmings. Too close to call if the game's played fair and square. All the makings for a classic.

Always like visiting Craven Park for the unique Barrow experience. Loved watching Hornets at the charismatic Athletic Grounds but despite its better facilities it's not quite the same at Spotland. Last time Rochdale gathered in such an impressive new squad was back in the days of Phil McKenzie, Brian Dunn & John Woods. Living in Cornwall these days I don't get to see the bread and butter clubs as often but I wish both Barrow & Hornets good luck with their applications.

Rather than stick the boot into Catalans try applauding them for over 15,000 miles of travel this season. The continual lengthy trips away from home, significant lifestyle disruption, and personal hardship their families must have suffered deserves a massive thank you. Let's not forget the enormous amount of funding the owner banged into it as well, a tremendous gesture and something the whole of Super League must respect. Catalans are a welcomed and treasured addition to our competition. Long may they continue.

Think it's appropriate to mention the odd incident that was conveniently omitted from the coverage of the Catalans stitch up. The early doors dangerous head shot from Walmsley that never raised an eyebrow. Continual disruption of the game from Saints, especially the immediately healing knee that Walmsley was up and down with all evening. Amor having immunity from blatant offside situations. Waving of head injury procedures if you're a man down regards tacklers. Ignorance of repeat forward passes in fraudulent try scoring sequences. Ignorance of obvious obstruction that blatantly benefited a try. Both LMS & Lomax somehow escaping sin binning for brawling. Non stop whinging in the referees ear for 80 minutes. But other than these trivial little titbits St Helens played very well and I'm sure Sky will be thrilled they're getting the final they demanded.

Sorry, wrong button

Unfortunately Liam didn't sort out high tackles straight away. He let Walmsley off early doors for a significantly dangerous head shot. A stupid oversight from the referee which obviously antagonised a highly motivated Catalans side.

Hope Cazoo haven't got us on the cheap. The fact they got the primary shirt sponsor rights from Villa & Everton, who ditched mega buck gambling companies in the process, means they have the capability to certainly splash the cash. I agree with other contributors on this thread, its certainly a refreshing step in the right direction. Bravo