Had a think about this and thought about black forwards that had played for Leeds including Fleary, Farrell and Powell. None of them had the same level of vilification from opposing fans from what I remember. widening the net to all clubs and I could only come up with Sonny Nickle as a forward who generated similar levels of animosity amongst opposition fans.

I would therefore be generally of the opinion that the "hatred" is not really racist

I see where you're coming from with this but the alternate view would be that, instead of going after McIlorum, the perceived aggressor (but also not noted for being a soft touch), he made a beeline for a youngster in Bateman who, coincidently, had nothing to do with the original infringement. Now I'm not suggesting Bateman was an easier target as I simply don't know the ins and outs of it (although Wane is recently quoted as saying McIlorum is the toughest player he's ever coached) but you can see why Bailey gets the reputation he does. In contrast JP, for example, always goes directly into the heart of the problem, so to speak, when he dives in. I particularly remember the time against the Aussies when Sean Long was copping a bit of the rough stuff. I understand that I don't see as much of Bailey as yourselves but I would have to admit that my own impression is that he goes after the small or younger guys with a little too much gusto but I don't remember ever having seen him take on the genuine hard men. Again, I may be doing him an injustice but, as I say, that's my impression.

Didn't Bailey make a beeline for Bateman because of a "cannonball tackle" he received from him not long before? I may be wrong.

I think the problem comes from the fact that people remember too many of these incidents that didn't actually happen, whilst simultaneously forgetting about similar offences committed by other players. His card is quite clearly marked by some based on very little evidence indeed. Similarly I'm utterly perplexed by the regular demonisation of McGuire and Ablett as dirty or grubby players, I've seen a couple of occasions from both where they could do with winding their necks in, and for a while last year McGuire looked like he'd lost his marbles, but I wouldn't put either of them anywhere near the top of a league of dirty ba***ards.



Bateman seems to see himself as a bit of a hardman, so young or not he's put himself in the firing line. Regardless, it looked to me like Bailey was after McIllorum and Bateman grabbed him before he could get to him.

16163 views for this thread alone

Is this a record??

Come on, Bails was straight in middle of it and happened to grab hold of someone who also likes to start and join in with niggle.

All fair game for me.

Haha, don't get me wrong.. As a fan of the rougher side of the game I'm certainly not complaining! I was just explaining how it might be that he is perceived the way he is.

I have! Hull KR at home a couple of years ago. It was an afternoon kick-off and loads of them rolled up pished in fancy dress and some couldn't get in. I heard one scrote shout racist abuse at Bails as he was lining up for their kick-off. The Old Bill heard it as well as one of them had a quiet word in his ear. Personally I'd have had his arm up his back and in the back of a van pronto. Lucky boy!

Possibly so mate. As I said, you lot see him more of him than the rest of us. However I don't remember him ever squaring up to a Morley or a Hock but can remember several occasions where he picked a seemingly easier target. Maybe that's a just a misconception but, if so, it's certainly one that prevails across RL as a whole.

Regarding Bateman, I have no issue with the suggestion that he maybe sees himself as a bit of a hard man but, again, as a straight choice between him and McIlorum I think most would see him as the easier target. I was just giving the alternate viewpoint. Tbh I'm not sure there is a 'definitive' answer as to why he is seen the way he is. Maybe it's a combination of a lot of smaller things rather than one overriding reason...

The other point you make is actually even more interesting in my view and comes back to the 'Ours and Theirs' point that El D made. Taking McGuire as the example I think it's his gamesmanship and 'sneaky digs' that his own fans are happy to overlook but that turns opposition fans against him. Not unlike how Sam Tomkins was often regarded on here. Take the Wigan game as an example. In that game alone he kicked George Williams in the chest and, just before the Ryan Hall try, elbowed Bowen in the throat (quite a bad shot in my opinion that deserved a penalty, but that's another debate altogether! lol). Now, individually they may not amount to an awful lot but, in the same way that Sam's niggles used to infuriate opposition fans, not the sort of thing that goes unnoticed and tends to turn people against them. He's not alone here though by any means. I've already mentioned Sam Tomkins but you could equally put any number of players in the same category. Nigglers who never really did much that could be described as really bad, but who were universally disliked by opposition fans.

he went nose to nose with morley then sat him on his arris with a belting tackle a few years back.
i don't rate him. for me he's wasted his career. i saw him as a teenager and he was awesome. for me he should have been another peacock but coward? no chance. nobody who plays at any level is a coward

You never saw the 300 page Ryan Bailey thread obviously.

We know he is a cult hero for you BB but of Headingley is stretching things too far even for you. Opposition fans see him for what he is.

No I am not actually telling you anything - just expressing an opinion. IMO opposition fans see him for what he is - a cheap shot merchant with average talent.

So you think he isn't supported in the terraces?

yes, it must just be me who sings the 'he does what he want song'.

I'm glad our longest serving prop gets the backing of the terraces, so he should.

If it's cult, as in 'a system of devotion directed towards a particular figure', definitely not. If it is a 'relatively small group of people' or a 'misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular thing', then very possibly.
Overall Bailey has been a major disappointment. that disappointment has exacerbated as he has got older & seemingly started to believe the hype. He's not a bad player, just not a patch on what I thought he was going to be.