Bailey reminds me more of Sonny Nickle, a niggly player with a tendency to cause trouble on the pitch, as opposed to a player who was truly feared and respected such as Gorden Tallis.

It appears a fair proportion of leeds fans have to reply with personal insults & snides. Why not just make a reasoned arguement as opposed to trying to sledge valid opinion out of the way as your preferred mode of expression?
One wonders why so many fans have a tendancy to dislike you when the mearest hint of a truth sets you off like jackels on a lich
Bailey may well have 4 GF medals & that is a great personal achievement in the sport by any stretch but not having the respect of your peers takes the edge off it, physically he is very very capable but mentally just has the wrong attitude toward the sport as a profession IMHO (He isn't the first & certainly not the last).
I've said what I've said, you can pilory me, I don't mind, however I thought an open forum was for open DISCUSSION not silly child like insultsicon_confused.gif:
As it happens I think both Tomkins are not too disimilar to Bailey, younger one has far too much to say for himself & one day someone will belt him properly hard, his elder sibling walks the tightrope far too often for one still so young.
Maybe I'm a purest, I never felt the need to play dirty or bend the rules, just play as hard as I could. Sure we all make mistakes when under pressure & nowadays the game is as much about bending the rules to gain an advantage as the rugby itself however the RFL should make the game cleaner throughout via the coaches & on/off field officials to make the game more enjoyable to watch for fans from all sides.

You makes your choices...I was on the debating team at school and it has stood me in good stead in life & in business. To me the rationale is an easy path, mainly after years & years of practice, for others not. Retorting with child like insults belittles themselves & rather than stimulate debate actually puts others off from entering the discussion to put forward their viewpoint for fear of needless ridicule.
quod erat demonstrandum

Making you a Master Debater?

Not at all childish.

Like most of Baileys detractors you repeat and repeat the refrain that I've highlighted.

And yet neither the referees or disciplinary committee seem to agree with you.

How do you explain this ?

Debate...

As i said: think about it.

Is everyone on here of the same level of intellect and degree of seriousness ? Some might say you're rather supercilious and pompous with your proclamation of high debating prowess....and thus exposing yourself to an open season of ridicule at the hands of those with a proclivity of doing so.

I personally respond to each individual post on its own merits and will continue to do so and what you did or did'nt do at school won't change that.
Make a reasoned and well thought out post and it will get the same in return act like a tool and post total bullsh#t and it will get the reply it deserves.
Of course saintnickle34 could'nt post a well reasoned argument with actual facts to support those views so got the response his/her chelp deserved.

Well put Double M.

Ryan Bailey is the marmite of rugby league. If you get what he is all about they he's a very clever & important player. If you don't get it, you see him as someone who is a wind up merchant. There is more to a game of rugby than stats, and also more than meets the eye often.

Anyone who thinks he's a thug needs to look at why he has spent very little time suspended in an 8 year career at the top level, especially when compared with most other props in that enforcer role. The guy plays hard and niggly. But that's the game. It can be hard and niggly, those complaining about cheap shots and niggle should try to play the game, and you'll see there's far worse than Bailey out there. The fact that fans of all team have an opinion on him is testament to his ability to get under people's skin.

Bailey may well have won 4 GF's. Sam has not been a first team regular for 2 full seasons yet. Remeber......Mathers has won all domestic trophies and a WCC but I didnt see any of the big boys fighting for his services next year? Trophies and medals are a measure of the team not the individual.

And yet if you look at Mathers's performances in those big he's been one of if not the best players on the field.

Ryan Bailey has been a very important part of our success and 3 or 4 coaches seem to agree. Leeds are a big enough club to be able to sign a replacement for Bailey if they want, yet they don't and he still keeps getting picked week in week out. That seems strange for someone so apprantly 5hit.