No, no it isnt.

Ok whatever you say. I'm not getting into an argument with you because you believe that you are right all of the time and anyone with a differing view point is wrong.

So SL and the Challenge Cup are neither intense nor meaningful? Right, sorry, I didn't realise that. I also ignored the fact that Manly came over here for a laugh intending to lose.

You claim that NRL is streets ahead, but where exactly is the evidence for it? Serious question. Does 'more intense' automatically mean better? What more can Sinfield do than guide his team to victory over the NRL champions? They win it's proof of how superior they are, we win it's proof that they don't care - nice and convenient for the nay sayers. Gareth Ellis went to Wests and got their player of the year each season for his first three - how is that possible when all Australians are so superior? Sam and Luke Burgess are having a huge impact at the Rabbitoh's, but how many people here rated Luke?

Only recently has Sinfield been given the freedom to do what he does best and lead the team around, and the results against Australia, whilst still defeats, were the most promising they've been in years, maybe if he had more players of his calibre around him we'd stand a chance? Next summer's our last chance to find out.

People who know far more about the game than you or I seem to think he's worthy, so maybe you're just wrong? Oh, and a final note, the likes of Cronk and Barba didn't test themselves against the best player in the world last year, so how can they be considered the best?

No, again, you are factually wrong. Kevin Sinfield lifted his 6th grand final trophy, his 5th in 6 years, in his 78th consecutive appearance. He hasnt missed a game since august 2010 which includes 2 seasons where leeds played every possible challenge cup game and every possible super league play-off game.

You do realise that every year we pit the best of SL against the best of the NRL dont you? There is only one team making excuses.

No, you are wrong. You are provably wrong.

Fantastic for Kev to get this award IMO. Makes you wonder why he didn't get the Man of Steel award too.

Looking at Melbourne Storm's results for last season, at a glance, I can see the following scorelines:

30-6
44-4
42-18
44-10

That's just in the first ten weeks or so, but it hardly lends credibility to the opinion that every game in the NRL is an ultra-intensive arm wrestle, does it?

Are you so deluded to think that SL is of the same calibre as the NRL? I haven't doubted for one moment that Sinfield is a good player, but by no means is he the worlds best. I also didn't say that SL and the CC are meaningless either. The have very few intense games compared to the ones I mentioned.

You have basically proved my point by stating that Sinfield needs more players of a higher calibre around him before England stand a chance. Sinfield hasn't played against or with the best. And someone who hasn't done that, can't and shouldn't be classed as the worlds best. The likes of Cronk and Barba play against more high calibre players week in week out than Sinfield.

As for the people who voted, we don't know who they are. For all you and I know, they could be Rhinos supporters (God forsake them

)

Because the man of steel is decided before the GF, and the golden boot is chosen by a panel of previous winners and greats of the game.

If Barba is the best he can't play himself. Lionel Messi doesn't play against the best in the world either so we can't consider him the best.

Sinfield is neither the best player in the world or the world's best player in 2012. He's world class* but he's not top of the pile.

*world class in the big games - he doesn't do it consistently week in, week out, or else Leeds would be higher than 5th. He if you argue he does do it week in, week out and Leeds still finish 5th then the rest of the Leeds squad must be extremely mediocre.

Au contraire, I can point to one piece of evidence (generally accepted prior to todays announcement) that states categorically that Sinfield is both the best player in the world or the world's best player in 2012. That you disagree with the fact doesn't change it.