The Frying Scotsman

How long ago is that? Like 25 years ago or something?

They won't.

Will be tough, but I really hope they can get the win though. Would love to see them beat Whitehaven.

Would be a good signing for St Helens if need to increase publicity, visibility, and social media presence. Hurrell has over 4 times as many followers as the St Helens club do.

So, I was talking to one of the players I used to coach tonight, (ex Lebanon international) and he played in this tournament last weekend. His team actually won it in fact. I had a really good chat with him about it, and he said the atmosphere was fantastic. He said there was a team from Montenegro as well as Serbia, and about 18 mens teams in total as well as 8 women's teams, and even a few U19 teams. He has actually played in the last 3 tournaments, and says he plans to keep going back. Sounds like a really great event, and a useful contribution towards European development.

Voted.

Thanks. So basically @Martyn Sadler is using isolated examples from about 50-55 years ago. The same time that players worked down coal mines all week, and the Challenge Cup Final was the only game live on TV all year.

When was that??

"Our" version of rugby. Careful.... You are coming across as the sort of Man from Workington whom Rugby League is renowned for. Narrow minded, wary of outsiders who don't come from "rugby league towns", unwelcoming to newcomers and constantly harking back to some kind of mythical good old days, when RL existed as a northern game for northern people. No wonder attendances continue to dwindle with the likes of you in the crowd.

OK. How much do they get paid to run out in these international games? They are asked to put their body on the line, risk injury (and a potential new contract), all for what? The so-called "prestige" of running out at Rochdale "stadium" (a non-league soccer ground) in front of a handful of fans.* If it is worth the players' while financially, and in terms of exposure, endorsements etc.... I'm sure they will all be happy to turn out. They are professional players after all. If they are expected to do it to avoid "contributing to hamstringing the games progress," then I guess a good few of them CGAF and will find better things to do. *That was where the Fiji game, their next scheduled match, was to be played

50 years ago? When all players were basically amateur, none did weights, size and strength was pretty limited, and collisions were nothing like they are today. The game has (thankfully) moved on a lot since the 1970s. Unfortunately some fans have not.

Absolutely. Remember they were beaten by BARLA? The full French national team, beaten by a bunch of guys who play for fun, and paid their own costs to tour. France were shambolic.

Sure. I was using the MoS as an obvious example of a 'top' SuperLeague player who is in no way a 'star'. There are others too. It doesn't really matter who the "star" player is, the game just needs one. As it stands, we have none, and my point is that it looks very unlikely that we will ever have one going forward.

Agreed. It is simply down to that. @fighting irish you have obviously been searching, reading, and contributing to union websites. I don't see any ads for union products, everything I do see though, is linked to my search history. Same as Gav Wilson, and probably everyone else on here. Ease off on the union stuff and you hopefully won't see any more of these ads that you "hate so much"

No.

Aye. Re-jig the voting any way you like. Paul McShane will still never, ever be a "star" player.

Exactly what I was saying above. How on earth will the game in England ever produce/retain a star player in its current state? Financially, Superleague is not attractive to star athletes, and with the NRL and union offering far more money, visibility, international games, perks etc, I can't see a way out of it for English Rugby League. Just an idea: Perhaps keep making players smaller? (IE: speed the game up more and more, as they are doing currently, with a view to the optimal athletes being too small for union?) It would not be my choice, and I would probably drift away from the game if that happened, but I am not the target market that RL needs to address.

Ignoring the patronising nature of your response "son", I will grant you that your point about Tomkins is relevant. If someone is on 300k a year, there is a reasonable chance he would stay in SuperLeague. (Although if he had genuine 'star' appeal, he might well be tempted by external offers). 300k though - would mean he would have to be a marquee player, off the cap, as it is about 1/7th of a whole squad's salary cap. But are you really trying to tell me that the current MoS could EVER be considered a "star"?? That was the point of my comment. The league has regressed so far, that the so called best player, is not even being chased very hard by NRL teams. It is embarrassing.

I think you make a very relevent point. However. How is the game in England EVER going to produce a star again on such paltry wages?? As I commented on another thread, the "bums on seats" players will now inevitably be tempted away to the NRL ( or more likely.... to a "rival sport"). 20 years ago was a different world..... A SuperLeague dream team made up of top quality players. Now.... The man of steal is a little fat hooker who nobody in the NRL has even heard of, never mind wants to sign! Rugby League wages are low, Salary Caps are constrictive, and worst of all....budgets are pathetic at clubs for coaches, support staff, S&C etc etc.... What "star," is going to want to stay in English Rugby League on these circumstances??

Interesting to hear him say they hosted Aspatria. I didn't know they had a Rugby League club there. Are they any good?

When was that?

Some people on here think it still is, John.

What..... Helping out clubs? I very much doubt it. Normally international governing bodies supply a bit of assistance to national federations. They don't dole out Rugby League balls to individual clubs.

I have said this before, but if the Cap is in place to protect the clubs.... Then why not allow clubs to spend a certain percentage of income on salaries? (Up to a certain ceiling, but allow clubs who generate more, to spend more). That isn't why the Cap is in place though ..... Despite what we are told. It is in place to protect these underachieving deadbeat clubs who have been playing in ramshackle stadia for the last 100 years and have no real ambition to do any better. The Cap is so low now, that any real quality players will simply be out of clubs' reach financially. Other alternatives either in Rugby League or in a rival sport, are simply too attractive by comparison. It HAS to change.

Not really. OK... They have a proper bus now. They previously travelled on a kind of glorified minibus thing. My point was simply that his idea expects élite professional teams to be mixed up with clubs that are barely above amateur. Can West Wales Raiders for example, even be trusted to turn up with a full team away at Catalans ... And then again away at TO XIII?? I suggest they would struggle to get their strongest team out for two away trips to France. They are barely capable of getting 17 players out every week for domestic fixtures.