Come on, let's not get too down hearted. On the showing of Wigan and Warrington, there is not this gulf people are talking about between the SL and the NRL. Brisbane and St George will both fly back knowing they've been in a game as intense as their own league.

We know what rugby league is like sometimes. If one team doesn't do the basics right, and the other team gets it all right, then they will potentially pummel them.

Last season, Catalans tore us a new backside at their place. They turned up and we didn't. That 42-0 score line wasn't a reflection of the gulf between the two teams in general.

These things happen, it's not nice to be on the receiving end. It's just what happened on the night unfortunately. I guarantee South Sydney will have a few big defeats put on them this season because it's impossible to get it right in every game The lads will learn an awful lot from it.

There is between Barca and Real Madrid compared to the English teams. It's as big as the top NRL clubs verses any of ours.

Only difference is the likes of City, United, Arsenal etc have no excuses unlike the superleague clubs.

2-1 Id hardly 39-0.

Hopefully the new SL format will encourage more teams to compete in more games. Salford apart (showing classic signs of a hastily assembled side) there does seem to be grounds for hope on that score.

I do understand that its human nature for many people to "get by" rather than keep trying to improve, but there are plenty of examples of individual players who clearly put in more work on parts of their game than others. I'd say Graham and Peacock in the forwards, and going back the likes of Edwards (IMO a fairly ordinary player who made himself good through hard work) and Hanley are exactly the sort of attitude we need more of.

As an aside, I think people sometimes underestimate the physicality of the NRL compared to SL. Souths for a couple of years, the Roosters with SBW (particularly 2013) and Manly for a number of years are brutal sides to watch, as well as having speed and skill. Its not just sheer size either. St George have got what many consider to be the weakest pack in ther NRL, but Warrington didn't walk all over them as many sides did last year.

It's impossible to have a great set of forwards AND a great set of backs under the salary cap these days.

And no team has ever won SL without a very good or excellent pack.

This. As I said to a few friends after the game, Super League is the NFL Europe to the NRL's NFL. The NRL is so far advanced that it sets the standard to aim for throughout the game. I think it's safe to say that will probably remain the case for the rest of my life. It's also why I agree with Russell Crowe's opinion that club footy is the way to grow the game. RL has intense rivalries and coupled with a tremendous product on the field, it can sell. The NRL is the flagship of our game and if that grows it will have a knock on effect for us because, entertainment wise, Super League is a five star product comparable with the best of any other sports. As long as it remains entertaining i.e. professional, that will always be the case.