Waynebennettswinger

Correct me if I am wrong but aren’t the World Gold Council just like Cash Converters for posh folk? Really nice top and great to see those sorts of sponsors on a RL jersey. It is a fine line though between having that sort of ‘backing’ and the reality of more cash from a lesser name to help with club running costs. That said I am pleased to see my club moving from Cash Converters to Home Bargains sponsorship. Not that HB are a marquee sponsor but they are at least local, a growing player in the retail market and NOT Cash Converters or a gambling or alcohol company. Now just to get a replacement for Totally Wicked and Betfred

Really not sure what those criticising Toulouse’s recruitment expected them to do? As I understand it they are, like all promoted teams, well behind the 8 ball when it comes to contract talks as these couldn’t start in earnest until promotion was guaranteed. By that time the ‘best’ players had already signed up elsewhere. We have fans of one grand old club on here criticising their own club for shopping at Poundland and yet we are expecting newly promoted clubs to at least be going to Home Bargain. Where are all these wonderful available players? I am sure Houles & Co have done and are doing all they can. Sad reality it would seem is the best they can hope for now is, loan deals, an NRL star getting banned but being available, a top SL player getting sacked by their club or convincing such as Remi Casey to come out of retirement. Other than that maybe someone shines through from Elite 1 in time to join up. Whatever happens they will be criticised. i hope they stay up, I can only see Salford as real strugglers, but it’s very difficult for any promoted team IMO.

I work to help people reduce and prevent gambling harms and whilst this isn’t regulated by the gambling commission and does not fall under the general categorisation of gambling, it is certainly on the radar to watch out for. Bear in mind though things like loot boxes, skins, Bitcoin and regular investment can all fit under that umbrella, it’s complicated. Some will probably win big on it and many will lose and suffer in other ways. As my old Grandad said if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.

Digital images that you purchase. Any one can still copy them but you actually own them. Wayne Rooney and John Terry going mad for them. Happy to be corrected but I am not sure they are ‘regulated’ and it does seem a bit ‘bitcoin.’ You have to congratulate Warrington for being at the forefront of innovations but this is something that I would personally steer clear off. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/inews.co.uk/news/football-fans-warned-they-could-lose-all-their-money-on-nfts-promoted-by-wayne-rooney-and-john-terry-1298987/amp

Really good interview. I can’t recall one in this series with a current ref. Has there been one?

The only way Nathan Cleary would be coming to SL would be if he gets caught doing a ‘Monaghan’ or a ‘Barba.’

Which is very different when it is full of Liverpool fans on European nights that is certain. I have only been for RL and to take a French friend who was visiting on a stadium tour. This lad is a Bordeaux fan but loves the famous atmosphere at the likes of Bayern Munich, Anfield and the Camp Nou. You sum it up well as underwhelming as a stadium, as he certainly wasn’t blown away, again that would be hugely different with a full football stadium but having done a similar tour myself at the Camp Nou I thought that was an incredible venue even when empty!

Have to agree with some of the comments on here about Anfield. It is iconic but this is down to the atmosphere of those amazing European nights in particular. As a football stadium it’s very good, but I have been to 3 RL matches and as a venue for RL, sorry it’s not all that. Comparisons with Old Trafford are likely to cause the football fans on here to go nuts but having experienced both Anfield and Old Trafford as a RL fan there is only one of these venues that I would have major RL matches at and it’s not Anfield.

Great post. Interesting RLE interview with Mike Nicholas last week. He said ‘I don’t blame the boys, but Ben Flower is someone whose lack of contribution disappointed me. Gil Dudson is another who has rarely been available and it’s disrespectful’ No shock with Flower, less said about him the better but that doesn’t paint a great picture of Dudson. Still due to scarcity of top level Welsh talent, I guess they’ll select him regardless. it should be a real honour to represent your country but given the lack of importance placed on internationals in the game, it’s no wonder players are unavailable through their own or their clubs choice.

I think Jake Connor has great utility and X factor value off the bench or in a squad. Not sure Shaun Wane rates him and that is far more important than what I think

Similar player to Tommy Martyn and Lee Briers IMHO and they never really got a look in for GB at the time. I always enjoyed watching Danny Brough. Tremendous kicking game and a bit of a character.

Even as a Saints fan, who thought Scully was the business, there is no way I would look past Hanley at 13 in an all time GB team. Hanley was just incredible.

I would tend to agree with that. We did have a lad from Anfield who used to come over to train with us, long lost touch with so no idea if he still follows league but you’re right that there is little genuine interest in the city, football is just so dominant. When I was growing up in Merseyside I followed a football team just so I didn’t feel left out. I am too old to care about that now I do remember the lads playing football in my youth shouting 3 points to Wigan when anyone hit the ball over the crossbar! I gave up correcting them but this just showed how little they understood League, yet were aware of at least one clubs existence, I am not sure that would be the case nowadays.

I have a friend, from the Wirral rather than Liverpool, who has a season ticket for both Everton and Saints. I accept that this is unusual though.

Having lived and worked on both sides of the Mersey for nearly four decades I can assure you that Birkenhead is not more upmarket mate. Parts of the Wirral are though and those parts have Rugby Union, football dominates everywhere else on the Wirral and Liverpool. I follow RL as it is in the family, and I love it, we have taken friends and neighbours to watch Super League matches over the years, all say they love it but few stick with it. We even set up a team 20 years ago, Wirral Vikings and played against a Birkenhead Side. It all petered out sadly, maybe because we didn’t really know how to run a club from scratch and no real help was out there. Anyway I digress, a group of us watch Saints from Wirral and Liverpool, I am sure others go and watch Warrington, Widnes and even Wigan. There has always been a passing interest in these parts from some but truthfully, this is getting less and less over time. Football absolutely dominates for those who like their sport in Liverpool but we are also competing with so much more nowadays. As for a pro club in Liverpool…no chance, concentrate elsewhere. Those that are interested have plenty of choice and some great clubs in touching distance.

No idea how to delete this now in any case. Thanks anyway, probably is ok but if any doubt best not to follow

Oh apologies for that I will remove the link. It came via the RFL so I thought that would be ok.

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/shop/england-rugby-league/england-rugby-league-official-kit?utm_source=EnglandRL&utm_medium=Email (Header)&utm_campaign=official_kit The England RL jersey is down to just £25 until Sunday. As it clearly says 21, I think we can assume that this won’t be the World Cup jersey. Anyway decent offer for those that collect National tops.

Not many can top Poland and Swaziland!

I thought he was talking about Sadiq Adebiyi , yeah I think Levy has been at Saints and maybe Salford and Hull FC as well as Toulouse and Bradford. Been around, just needs to settle down and work on his game. Still young really but needs to start fulfilling his potential.

Not that I am aware of mate.

Sorry you can tell it’s the off season - which UK team has had most nationalities play for them? I don’t have the answer. No hard rules but I would expect the player to be born in the country or have represented a country as a heritage player. For my team (Saints) I can think of 15 — England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Fiji, USA, Italy, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, South Africa, Holland, New Zealand and Australia. As far as I can recall we have never had a player from PNG!

Jamal Fakir, Andre Stoop. Not sure where they were born but I think Abi Ekoku and Bright Sodje are Nigerian heritage.

Jan Prinsloo, Trevor Lake, Jamie Bloem. Du Toit who played for Wigan can’t remember his first name, a few Toits played for Wigan over the years but only the one Du Toit I believe.