id dispute that,

i think the points you have made should be addressed individually rather than together

i think the 'wrestle' and slowing down the ptb are spoiling tactics, it isnt good defence to spoil the ptb area and allowing more spoiling in that area will leave the ruck a mess, and stop start games like last night (where incidentally, as i have said elsewhere, i dont think the ptb was well policed, it seemed random)

i think a better way would be to change the 10m to 5 at all levels below first team and maybe reserve grade football,

i think this would organically draw out some of the dummy half running (good dummy half runners have less space to work with, so shine a bit less so pure dummy half runners arent picked up, the game at youth and academy level doesnt need/want masses of dummy half running so it is practised less at that level, good quality half play unlocking tight defences becomes what is needed to players good at that are pushed more and practise those skills more, i also think it will improve the forward play at youth level, as big lads dominating because of their size will always have to work a bit harder and add a bit more to their game) whilst also not leaving us with a mess at the ptb

Spot on. We couldnt live with the constant amount of pressure on our line from Manly refusing to take 2 points. Their power in the tackle and footwork made us look pedestrian. After watching it again on the old sky+ Clarkey highlighted the amount of points they score in the first 20 of a second half. Manly proved his point in style.

No consolation to you guys I suppose but as a neutral I thought it was a brilliant match.

Manly seemed to cut through Leeds with real precision, but the Rhinos just wouldn't give up and got close at the end.

Hell, even the fisticuffs added to the occasion.

As someone moving over from the round ball game bit by bit, it was another positive for RL.

Has anyone found Ryan Baileys ars[sizee[/sizehole yet? I believe he dropped it somewhere last night, and hasn't seen it since...

Morley might want it on his mantlepiece

Another thing that the game reinforced for me is how much better some of the English players could be if they were to spend a year in Aus at a young age learning their trade. The structure that NRL sides use in attack is something you simply don't get in SL, and that same degree of structure is apparent in reserve grade here as well.

That combined with (unfortunately) a better class of athlete explains a lot about the gap between the two competitions.

All fair points but as already pointed out by longun the funding the nrl and it's clubs get for coaching etc is light years ahead of anything we get over here so it's no surprise really.

Last night proved that the best team in the Australian competiton last year was 8 (dodgy) points bettter than the best team in the European competition last year.

That's it, the bottom line.

funny how in the lat five years nobody has been pointing out how far behing super league the NRL is.
thats a tongue in cheek comment, we know it's better however the over reaction by some is amazing.manly have been the best club team i have seen in a long time and it was a pleasure to watch them.

Any other club in Super League other than Leeds or St.Helens, would have been beaten by a margin of at least 50 points, no doubt about that. Leeds were outclassed on the night but what a great advert for the game. My favourite part of the game, - Ali scooping the ball up one handed and setting the try up - genius. Stevo compared him to a Sea Eagle? Weren't we playing them? Oh clever Stevo!!!