Briers should ask Storm's Danny Williams how to hit from behind. He might have deserved more than a slapped wrist then.

Are you alluding to the infamous belting of Mark O'Neill in 2004 which saw Danny Williams suspended for 18 weeks? Wish I could find a video of that incident but no luck.

That's the one.

A lot of the problems that people complain about now, were problems in the past too, in fact on the face of it the late 80s and early 90s were worse when everyone was part time apart from Wigan who won everything.

However I too have lost some interest in the game ironically at a time when Warrington have been doing better too. I think the real reason is that the quality of players is not what it was. Back in the day there were always problems in RL but when you had guys like Hanley, Schofield, Edwards, Offiah, Robinson, Davies, Scott Gibbs playing it made the game more watchable.

Even in the mid 2000s there were quality players around in SL like Lyon, Lam, Swain, Blacklock, Farrell, Sculthorpe, Cunningham.

There has been a general downward trend in playing quality at the top end. A lot of the best players in the game are ageing players (lots of them at Leeds or Warrington) and when they go who knows where the game will be.

I think a few people are spot on. The game is dying a slow, painful death in this country. At least in the NRL you do get the tables swapping about. Look at this year with Brisbane, St George and Wests all near the bottom and a resurgence of Cronulla and Newcastle near the top. Sky give us crap coverage because that's all they have to do as no one else is interested in showing the sport. The media give us even less. Not even talksport commented on the playoff results last weekend that I heard. Until BT come along with their wheelbarrow full of cash its only going to get worse with the Dr paying players top money to play in front of 3000 people.

One word for the RFL'S.......GUTLESS

it's now open season for the remaining games.....punch an opposing player from behind stick in an early guilty plea result NOTHING

No action taken by the knob with the head cam on the day, no action by the suits at Red Hall, where's the consistency is a stray arm from Maguire on a player go down from a tackle from another player worse than a more deliberate punch to the head from behind I think not, but one gets a match ban the other gets zilch!!!!

rlBriers did not punch Ablett from behindrl

Lips up off the floor now fellas.

Briers was lucky to have touched Ablett with that feeble attempt, and the guy saw it coming, not from behind. A fine is enough, it wasn't like it was pre meditated, just lost his rag for the 2nd time in his career. Ablett seems to be getting a knack ticking players off to the extent they want to punch him in the head, maybe he should have a look at what he's doing.

Meh! He was never going to get banned for that. Abbo seems to be able to push Briers' buttons which wasn't a bad thing in last years GF especially when he trampled him in the dirt when scoring after getting a couple of penalties out of him. If we get through and they pick us I'd want to see Briers play. Might just be the focus we need for another big performance in the Final Eliminator.

Guys, these things have a funny way of getting worse before they get better. I predict that someone will go for something very similar to what Briers did before the seasons end ( most likely a Leeds player).

Dont forget Wires attempt to take Sinfield out of the GF with Monahans head butt challenge on Sinfield. Unintentional my Ar$e! Wire know the refs don't have the bottle in big games and they know which players can get their hands dirty with little consequence.

Massively embarrassing over reactions from some Rhinos fans on here.

Do you have a photo of when the punch lands because that shows absolutely nothing.

true. but refs all season have said a punch to the head is a red card.
if he got a yellow then thats something.
the problem is child did nothing

I more concerned that, as has already been mentioned on here after Lee's punch, Wire visibly fired up and Leeds wilted.

THATS what folk should be getting steamed about.

And after all, its not as if in the past we havent seen the benefit of some dubious calls.

Just let it go.

Childs is useless. The RFL Disciplinary is wholly inconsistent. The Sky is up.

Why should any of this come as surprise and why does any of this, which has been the case forever, mean the game is dying?

I wonder how many of those proclaiming teh death of the game actually attended in the 70s and 80s when things were much, much worse, whatever old farts looking through rose tinted glasses may tell you.