Exactly.

Put it out as friendlies and warm ups or saying the cup match is the only match worth anything is not exactly a sales mans dream. He can't sell that to anyone outside of RL. Hell even most RL fans don't turn up for friendlies.

But selling it as a series between SL and the NRL ie England v Austrailia, that's something the marketing men can sell outside of the game. Which will attract more corporate money to the game.

People bemoan SL not having any money, not being able to keep hold of the talent, but then in the next breath will call it all a waste of time and a friendly.

Sell it as a series of games between SL and the NRL and get the casual watcher to turn in, just like the casual watcher will take in a football game, a Cricket 20/20 or test match or a RU game.

More casual watchers is what the game needs. This series will then get people looking for the next big match, maybe MW, maybe the CC final, the GF or an international game.

So far its been pretty good, hope the boys go out and show what they can do tonight and bring the bacon home for Saints/SL and the UK.

He's not on about that, he means when club sides used to play the rest of the touring Aussie squads midweek.

For nothing, other than pride.

But Wigan played a team that finished 8th in NRL that went out in round one play offs. They brought 18 players over. Wayne Bennett said pre match that he didn't care about the result. Wayne Bennett said post match that he didn't know it was a series comp and couidnt beleive played golden point!

St George finished 11th in the NRL and was in the world series!


The Aussies ain't took this serious. I bet half the Aussies didn't even watch it. If we are going to do something like this, let's do it proper and not just pick any team who want to come over to come. It's pretty laughable really.

It may help if we also had officials who knew the rules. Just had a "tweet" from an aussie journo friend of mine. Extra time golden point is 10 minutes (5 minutes each way). So Wigan should have had the advantage of pinning Brisbane back in that second half of extra time.

Come on! remember the Aussie season has not even started, have you forgot even what Saints looked like in the first few games? but now with some real match time under their belts it is a different ball game.

And they still beat our top teams! That makes it worse that two poor NRL teams who ain't played any rugby can fly half way around the world and beat us in a game they don't really care about!

That's all lovely in make believe fairy dust land, back in the real world we had to work with what was available - and that was Brisbane, St George and Souths.

This is effectively a "proof of concept" series. It's far from perfect but it will prove that these games can be hosted, the fans will turn out, Sky will build them up, they will make money and they are close games.

Having watched the first two (and attended the Wigan game) I can safely say I very much hope we build on this, although I admit it's easier to "do a Bennett", talk everything down and don't even try.

I'm not trying to make direct comparisons but its important to remember State of Origin was a failure nobody cared about for a few years.

We should give this a good few years to grow as it clearly engages casual supporters.

We weren't playing NRL rules. Stop moaning.

Well what is the rule regarding extra time/golden point?

Agreed. I wouldn't be surprised if the top Aussie clubs are more interested in coming over next time, as it's been clearly demonstrated that there's a public appetite for it.

There may have been a lukewarm response to the concept from Aussie administrators, but I don't think their players can be accused of not caring after the two fixtures we've seen.

There isn't a rule as such for a friendly/world series as I imagine this will be the first time a golden point has been used to decide a game like this.

Therefore there is no precedent and whatever they chose to do for this match, or series of matches, is correct.

So because it's the first time there is no rule?
Give over.

If it's a straight 10 minutes then o.k. but that is unfair, would you agree?

If it's 10 minutes each way, no problem.
I'll try ask the ref on Tuesday or Wednesday on twitter.

Fair enough...you haven't bought into the concept which is usually the way of the average rugby league fan. And while all this happens union have quietly built a monster of a European competition. ... but you crack on and hope Leigh get back into superleague because it's only ten minutes away.

I'm sure Wayne Bennett can't sleep at night knowing he's not fit to be in a competition with a team coached by shaun long and Kieron cunningham. ..

Despair at league fans at times I honestly do.

They chose how they were going to settle the game, it was the same for both teams, nobody was disadvantaged. What is your problem?

It was completely 100% fair. Both teams had chances to pin the opposition in their own 20. If Wigan failed to do that or failed to keep their heads and not give penalties away then they only have themselves to blame.

Accept defeat graciously for once in your life and stop whining like a 12-year old girl. No wonder nobody likes Wigan, you never ever take responsibility for yor own downfall; there always has to be mitigating circumstances with you lot.