This is what I find funny. The period in British RL that William gets all nostalgic about is the same period that saw the Aussies pull away from Britain and playing catch up ever since.

Exactly, even when we've won it whilst a great thing to celebrate and a nice thing to use the line "World Champions" I've never thought for a second we were genuinely the best team in the world as it's a one off game with a load of variables (location, preparation, salary cap etc.)

But to point at the NQC game as any real indicator is daft. I'll dismiss Sinfield and Peacock as they simply left.....but no McGuire, Falloon, Briscoe, JJB, Ablett and Ward, that's a third of what would be the starting 17. If people were being honest they'd admit that e game would've been very different and much closer had we had the chance to go full strength. Not even saying we would've won but if the team we had out could be drawing at HT I think it's a reasonable suggestion to say we'd have had a HT lead with a full team out, possibly even by more than one score and that we'd do much better in the 2nd half.

Sums it up.

Yup. I'd have no problem with reverting to winter, tbh. Yes, players struggle to master the winter conditions. OTOH their play would improve with conditions at the season's end rather than worsen as summer gives way to autumn as is the case now.

Why anyone would think any improvement in any facet of the game would come from playing more in November, December and January and less in June, July and August i honestly dont know. What is the logic? Is our games problem that not enough games are postponed? That its too warm? That people like standing at night in the freezing cold more than they like being outside on a warm summers evening? That our players have too much skill on the ball and need the conditions to slow them down?

No, my teams decision making and ability to catch and pass under pressure is always enhanced when it's p I ssing it down, they can barely see eachother and it's that cold they can't feel their hands.

But we should go back to a winter season because....well....erm....because that's what we had in the 80's. Whilst we're at it we should also bring back VHS, cassette tapes, Rick Astley and mullets.

You are making a huge assumption that NQC were playing to their optimum and they would not have been capable of upping their game if they had needed to i.e. the only team that would have got better was Leeds? It was close on the score card at half time but the reality was the game wasn't. It was only a question of time before the floodgates opened and so it proved.

We are not in 2012 - why not go back to 1972 when we last beat the Aussies? We are in 2016 and the results against the Aussie clubs are a matter of public record. What happened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 is more relevant as it is a truer reflection of the gulf - the increased salary cap in Australia has had a significant impact on the standards of the SL.

Ahhh I forgot the golden rule of WCC games......if the SL team wins or even if they hold their own for the opening 40 mins like they did on this occasion it's only because the Aussies weren't really trying.

I didn't say we were. I was just wondering if by your logic that in 2012 the WCC result hinted at the gap between the two competitions?

Or does the result only hint at the gap when the Aussies win?

Let me guess, the Aussies didn't try in 2012.

If you want to believe that good for you. Most if they are honest would not concur with your opinion

What is interesting is since 2008 the SL teams have won one game out of a possible 11 when pitched up against the NRL sides - if that doesn't tell you something you really are in denial

I thought we were talking about the current gap in standards between the two leagues - not distant history?

FWIW I think Manly tried as hard as Leeds did in 2009.

A factor in it being close after the opening forty was that Burrow won the coin toss and decided to play with the conditions at Leeds' backs in the first half. It was a sensible decision to use the elements and try and stay in the contest for as long as possible.

Some might say the plan eventually backfired given the second half ended 0 - 34 but at least the pretense that SL was matching it with the NRL was there briefly.

Nobody said they weren't trying - I was only challenging your assumption that the only team that would improve with Leeds fielding a stronger side would be Leeds.

Of course you could have been correct with a stronger side Leeds would have been in front - the sad thing is that actually believe that NQC would have had nothing to combat that threat!!