Worzel

Because it's just better than any other town or city with an interest in rugby league? I'm pretty sure it's that

Unless orchestrated by an outside party like the CIA, or another internal historical power base like the army, most coups are usually the leaders fault too!! End of

No, the "we" is the sports elite comp. The clubs, collectively. Your "IMG followers" jibe is unnecessary, I don't follow anyone I've my own mind, and just prefer this path to our past despite some of its limitations. This isn't some sort of religious belief!

"We" is the elite level of the sport collectively, even if some individuals are less enthusiastic than others. This is what "we" have decided to do.

Not the same thing at all, a team or organisation is a completely different context. One child is - at most - equivalent to one player in my analysis. Teams don't fail because in the disastrous way you describe because just one player doesn't meet expectations. Parents don't get to choose (recruit) their children, they deal with what they have for better or worse. But in a sports or organisational team setting long-term performance is the leaders' responsibility. Always.

"New clubs" to spread domestic RL isn't a success metric. Increasing the value of media rights, which creates a more attractive investment environment later (whether for investors into new clubs, or investors into future additional clubs) is the success metric. But the first thing comes first. If we believe that the best way to do that is move to a closed comp, based on some quality criteria broader than "spend a fortune on your team for one season", in order to provide the ability for clubs to better plan for the long-term, then this is the right path. "Spreading" doesn't matter yet. Rugby league has often put the second thing first, with dots on maps, or grandiose dreams of new comps or random events. We've tried that for years.

When performance is this far under expectation it is almost always a fault of leadership: - Either you recruited the wrong people, whether the wrong "type" because you misunderstood the mission, or the right type but not good enough because you assessed them incorrectly (whether their skills, or their culture-fit)... - Or perhaps you recruited the right people but didn't coach and develop them well, or create a culture within which they could perform... - Or maybe you recruited the right people, did the development stuff too, but failed to performance manage them on the initial times that they under-performed and create an "improvement environment" So like I say this level of failure is always a fault of leadership. One player under-performing, that's his fault and you deal with it and move on. An entire team under-performing, over an entire year? That's your fault, or the people you hired to lead them's fault (which is also your fault), and so its a cowards way out to just cast blame downwards.

Too early to tell in the forwards and outside backs, but for the spine I think Williams at 7 and Lewis at 6 is the half-back combination that gives us the best mix

Saints just lost their heads when they went two scores behind, which is shocking from such an experienced side. They had 16 minutes left, plenty of time, probably 10 or 11 sets in possession, and yet they played like they had only 4 minutes left and needed to score on the very next set. Really weird stuff.

Yeah you're right that was my misread. Not that I'm still sensitive about it at all. Oh no.

I think everyone at Rovers knows the next 4 league games are the real test of the side. I enjoy teasing some Leigh fans, but genuinely don't have a clue how decent Rovers really are yet to be honest. It's a long season, and with hindsight we've have a softish start to it. We'll know one way or the other at the end of May I think.

You went there, I merely matched the tone, although your selective editing misrepresents what I responded to. Bit weak that mate. We didn’t choke in the final. You played a team with a genuine injury crisis, with Lewis at full back, Rowan Milnes at 6 and a NSW Cup scrum half who’d only got off the plane a few weeks earlier. We still stood up like men, didn’t moan about it or make excuses, and almost won regardless. Contrast that with the almost world-class spine you lot still put out yesterday, with all the expectation-managing “woe is me” nonsense about a decimated side before the match, and the “brave defeat” stuff afterwards. Its comical. Hopefully that’s a more considered, factual response and doesn’t seem like an odd comment.

Cry a bit more, it adds to the enjoyment

I was responding to a very specific point about two players defence capability, not Rovers ability to win games or trophies. But then you knew that.

The grapes they grow on the slopes of Castle Hill must be especially bitter this spring

….oh, only someone had thought of that in the last 2 seasons! Oh, they did? And got nowhere? I mean it’s almost like you’re imagining stuff eh

Sometimes the scoreboard doesn’t reflect the game. Leigh didn’t really threaten Rovers consistently, even though their good discipline and intelligent organisation gave them lots of possession and good ball. It always felt comfortable, for a tight game. Like we had another gear if needed.

Mate read my posts, I gave Leigh credit. We still battered them overall though. 2 disallowed tries and 3 daft dropped balls during line breaks, even the 1st half could have been very different. And I’m not falling for their fake “injury crisis” though… a side with Moylan, Lam and Dwyer running things? Cry me a river, the struggle is real…!

Why do I get the feeling you'd be licking your lips at the prospect? Mikey takes it every week pal, he's targeted week-in, week-out. He gets up with a smile on his face, and goes again. Sometimes laughing at his opponent. He's a character, and box office, and we love it. He's also humble as anything off the pitch, and nothing like the "players of that ilk" of your somewhat bitter imagination. It cracks me up how the same fans who decry our game not having any famous personalities, stars or characters who can cut through to general sports audiences anymore always seem to hate the ones that do - if they play for another team! Especially if they play well against your team it seems. Our sport needs more Mikey Lewis types, not less.

Precisely this. We can’t be doing “refs interpretations” like that, or we’ll end up like Union

To be fair that was good reffing to spot that Jez was downtown. Gutted though because it was a great “try”

It’s not quite as makeshift as Leigh like to make out, with 3 internationals in the key decision-making positions and some forwards back. I’m enjoying the spin though. Leigh definitely on top. Great defensive line speed, and pressuring the kicker on the 5th making Rovers lose their kick plan. The left edge attack has always been amazing, and they’re running riot today. To be honest Rovers have done well to hold that edge to one score. Hopefully we can step up the 2nd.

Halton was looking to offload the ball in panic as he was driven back, which is why he was holding it high, and why it was dislodged in the tackle. People with rugby sense know that. It was sent up as a try, at the very least there was uncertainty. I bet you think Minchella’s pass was forward as well! But this is dull now, we move on.

Keep daydreaming

If the ref thinks that was forward I definitely don’t want to be in a car behind him at some traffic lights, my insurance couldn’t take it