AFTER last week’s column, in which I reflected on the terrible news of John Kear’s death, it’s a great pleasure this week to be able to write about some much more positive things happening in Rugby League.

There is of course the news that we can now start referring to Sir Kevin Sinfield without having to explain to non-Rugby League supporters that we were giving him a designation that he richly deserved but that he hadn’t yet been officially granted.

But I’ll begin today by paying tribute to Josh Charnley, who has been in astonishing try scoring form this season, pursuing and on Sunday finally overtaking Ryan Hall to become the most prolific try scorer in Super League history with a hat-trick in Leigh’s 38-12 win at Bradford Bulls.

His 55th minute try at Odsal Stadium was his 272nd, giving him one try more than Hall.

Charnley has now scored 16 tries this season, six behind competition leader Maika Sivo, who has touched down 22 times.

In contrast Hall, who himself overtook Danny McGuire’s previous record in June 2024, when he touched down for his 248th try, has only scored six tries this season.

I’m sure both players will want to finish ahead of the other by the end of the season, especially if they both retire at that time, as seems possible.

I hope that the officials in charge of Super League are able to exploit this competition to be Super League’s record try scorer.

Both players are great interviewees and it would be good to see Sky Sports interviewing both of them together.

And with Magic Weekend approaching us rapidly, it would be great to see this contest between the two of them unfolding at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Leigh will face Warrington in the third game of the day on Saturday, while Leeds will face Bradford in the second game of the day on Sunday.

The RFL should be pushing this individual rivalry as hard as it can as we approach that weekend.

Arise Sir Kevin

Of course Kevin Sinfield should have been knighted before now, but it’s better late than never.

And of course he has accepted the confirmation of his award with typical grace and humility.

His record of fundraising for MND charities is wholly remarkable and it will continue later this year.

Sir Kevin had an outstanding Rugby League career and he has achieved some truly incredible things since retiring as a player, both in a career sense and in a fundraising sense.

We may regret the fact that he didn’t stay in Rugby League for very long after his playing career ended, but he has enjoyed extraordinary success as a rugby union coach and I’m sure that will continue for as long as he wants it to.

But Sir Kevin is inextricably associated with Rugby League and I would hope that one day he will find a way back into our game.

I would very much like to see him performing a role that combined being an ambassador for Rugby League with developing the game in new markets.

After all, he almost certainly has greater name recognition now than anyone else associated with our sport.

We have lost some superstars like Andy Farrell and Shaun Edwards to the other code, seemingly permanently.

I would hate to think the same thing would happen with Sir Kevin and that there would be no future role for him in the game he graced for so many years.

The big fella

Rugby League’s greatest points scorer, Neil Fox, also featured in the King’s Birthday Honours List, being awarded a CBE, which is a significant honour to add to his earlier MBE.

Neil, who scored 6,220 points in a career that ran from 1956 to 1980, was my hero when I was a young boy and he still is.

In my family Neil was known as ‘The Big Fella’ and I used to look forward to seeing him every week of the season.

His points total will stand forever, I’m sure, and I doubt whether any modern player will come within 2,000 points of his record.

Kevin Sinfield had a long career and scored 3,968 points and I don’t think anyone else will approach his total.

A year ago Sir Billy Boston became the first former Rugby League player to be ennobled with a knighthood.

In my view Neil Fox, given the scale of his achievements in the game, should also receive that same honour.

He surely deserves it.

And while I’m at it, I would like to congratulate Alan Parker, who has received an MBE in the King’s Birthday awards.

Alan is an absolute stalwart of amateur Rugby League in the city of Hull and he richly deserves this recognition.

It’s good to see someone recognised who has done so much for his community over so many years.

Championship financial sanity

The Championship will have a salary cap next year that will be designed to protect the clubs from themselves, to avoid any more clubs becoming insolvent, as we have seen recently with Salford, Featherstone, Halifax, North Wales Crusaders and some other clubs.

That decision was long overdue and I’m glad to say that the clubs, as far as I’m aware, all supported the new rules.

I’ve enjoyed seeing the Championship unfold this season.

Next year, with a more level playing field, the competition could be even more compelling.