I would suggest with the likes of hauraki cross, bailey Ali we are already there!!

Tbh the SOO game last week was a great game, TS mentioned a few years ago that were getting closer to matching the Nrl, but he said last season that SL has taken a step backwards and the Nrl has moved forward, IMO he's spot on at times the rucks in SL are absolutely shocking! And id go as far to say more lying on holding down goes on in SL than in the Nrl.

I think there is more holding down in the NRL but it is more controlimg the ruck

I think there's more intensity and more dominant tackles in the NRL, hence more latitude allowed by their refs for the defence to compete on a level playing field against the team in possession.

In SL you'd think it was a crime if a defending side didn't "mooooooooove" away from a tackled player and retreat 10 metres within a nanosecond of any tackle taking place.

I watched the dragons vs wests yesterday and even in a comp as competitive as the Nrl st George are are cut above, and that's mainly down to the attitude to defense Bennett has instilled in them, I think before yesterday they'd conceded less than 100 points in 9 or 10 games that is an amazing record

It amazes me that such a miniscule difference in refereeing style between the NRL and ESL can have such a massive influence on the spectacle.

The NRL ref’s allow about a second and a half longer in the ruck than in ESL but the knock on effect gives us two very different games.

One results with a game played at a blistering pace, higher scoring with smaller more agile players having much more of an influence.

The other played at a slightly slower pace where a more tactical and structured approach is required resulting in a need for a higher skill set and more spectacular scores.

It’s horses for courses.

There you have it....the answer to our prayers...James Corden as our new prop forward.

Or Bradford as late as 2005? Our swansong before we became crap when the money (that we never really had) ran out and the world and his dog saw who won the Hetherington/Caisley pìssing contest.

Still think SL will struggle to see a better all-round team than Bradford of 2003.

Leeds 2005 team was far better than any of those sides. It might not have actually won anything, but that was down to disruption when it mattered rather than the quality of side. The rugby played that year and the quality of that side eclipsed any of the championship winning sides of that decade.