We need to stop flogging our top players. 35-40 fixtures in a season is ridiculous for such a ferocious product as top level rl. Hope the rfl build on this, they have a fantastic opportunity.

Yesterday was the first time I've ever felt absolutely gutted at an international match, such emotions usually reserved for Rhinos only! To keep roughly on subject, Widdop was fantastic, hopefully the end of one season wonder Chase in an England shirt.

Agreed.graham was that same player whilst at saints and burgess was ripping up the aussies whilst still 20 and at the Bulls in the 09 four nations.the NRL is a great comp. But we need to draw the line when it comes to giving them the credit for everything good about our game.saints and Bulls made Graham and Burgess,simple as that.

I have to partially agree with Old Feller certainly in the case of Sam Burgess and his brothers that there developments have been better served by playing in the superior competition and having a tougher outing week on week in the NRL. Graham was already much more developed than Tom George or Sam Burgess when he went to play for the Bulldogs so I think Saints can take pretty much all of the credit for him. When Sam Burgess played for Bradford he was a very good forward, now even the convicts readily acknowledge that he's the worlds best forward.

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... efeat.html Poor guy, clearly torn up - no blame to anybody though, great tournament.

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... efeat.html Poor guy, clearly torn up - no blame to anybody though, great tournament.

The difference the NRL has made to Burgess and Graham is marginal, but it has made one. Against Australia Burgess made some vital cover tackles which required him to read the play. That reading of the game has come from the NRL. Physically he always had the raw materials, but I'd argue he's just a better all-round player than he would have been had he stayed in England.

I think the difference would be far bigger if we saw SL outside backs in the NRL, and it would make an enormous difference to developing halfbacks IMO.

I would probably rate our best players on Saturday thus:

Burgess
Graham
Sinfield
O'Loughlin

Any of them below Burgess would have been MOM in most of the other England/GB sides I've seen.

Warched the match again yesterday. Still amazed by it. There were errors, but it was a real test match and I haven't seen many like it between any nations in 25 years watching RL. I also, having calmed down and in the cold light of day, can't remember ever seeing a starting front row perform better than that for anyone. I am still struggling to get my head round that being a loss. We've played so much worse than that and won quite a few times over those 25 years.