RL journalism is such a small church that it's incredibly rare that anyone says anything that is remotely controversial. The reluctance of anyone to do any real digging around the role of Nigel Wood over the past 9 years and how he's ended up at Odsal is a case in point. I suspect nobody wants to put any noses out of joint. More recently Ralph Rimmer's performance as the game's CEO is open to question but it seems that only supporters do that - it's radio silence from 99% of journalists. Can't imagine that being the case in a big sport.

We only have one weekly RL paper now (League Express) which is a classic example of a publication that avoids controversy or investigative journalism. The monthly magazines have little reach from what I see, especially compared with the pre-internet era.

Online there's a lot of hot air on social media but it rarely amounts to much and doesn't really hold anyone to account. I think that it's time for something new to do that. Anyone remember the Rugby League Supporters Association? That group made some waves in the 90s. Perhaps we need something like that again.

Anyway this has nothing to do with McDermott so I'll shut up.

He won't give financial backing to any other coach either

Carter's job first and foremost is to keep Wakefield solvent, and he's done a staggering job in that respect. He has my complete respect for doing so, because there's plenty of reasons for Wakey to have been a basket case like us. But the flip side of that is not being able to spend the full cap and needing a coach that makes a better side than the sum of its parts. Clearly JK has plenty of experience of doing just that, I'm not sure Brian Mac does though?

Danny Ward has also applied apparently.

Hasn't he ended up at Oldham?

Helping a mate out there apparently.