The thing is, innate intelligence is like sporting prowess. You either have it or you don't.

We have always had players like Gaz Hock who, to put it delicately, aren't the 'sharpest tools in the box'. If they haven't got the wherewithal to start with, like in sport. If they aren't good enough, then your not in the team. That's life.

To put it another way, if you sent Gaz Hock to Manchester University, he will not come out with a degree.

Not technically correct. He could still come back with a honorary degree for his contributions to rugby league.

Hey Damo.............are you even sure that Gaz Hock can string a written sentence together ? I'm not. All he can do is play rugby, but he is/has ruined a possible great career.

Im not to sure about that it really isnt hard to get a degree. However i agree that just because a couple of players have outside interest, it doesnt meen they will all have the advice to do the same. I do however believe that gareth hock is one of the players with outside interests, orso I am lead to believe.

Making money is easy when you have it. Its making it in the first instance that is hard!

You do not have to be able to string a written sentence together to get a honorary degree. Whilst Gareth Hock has no doubt ruined parts of his professional playing career, he has a lifetime to contribute to rugby league in other capacities and if he does, he might get recognised for his efforts by a place of higher education.

I would suggest that even players from the hardest training squads have a decent amount of spare time. Clubs should (and I think do) offer options for learning skills or becoming educated in some way.
Whilst not many will make so much money they can sit back, plenty of players will earn a substantial wedge and make a big enough dent in a mortagage by the time they retire, meaning they don't need to be working as a brain surgeon to live comfortably.
Making sure that their players gain such skills and are set up for later life is a very positive move for clubs imo.

I'm not sure about the coach role.

I would like to see the RFL conduct a deep and thorough review of the game, from grass roots through to the England side, with a view to clearly understanding why we are not capable of producing a national team that is the best in the World.

This requires a small team with the resources and remit to interview and analyse at every level.

I think an ideal leader for that team would be Shaun Edwards. Intelligent, articulate, deep knowledge of the game, and the game's culture, commands enormous respect through his playing exploits, and has experience from outside the game. I'd like to see him teamed up with someone completely fresh, with experience of successfully building up an elite team to compete and win at the very highest level - Sir Dave Brailsford springs to mind.

Said it on another thread, where do people pull their fantasies from?! Great though Dave brailsfords achievements have been how does this apply to RL and his understanding of the game and the environment that surrounds it? Good for a laugh sometimes this board is.