There could be an element of truth in that, but it could also be bravado in the face of their first major defection to Rugby Union.

If we can afford him and he wants to stay - great. If we can't or he doesn't - he leaves.

No big drama.

At least you're not trotting out the "we can always develop another one" crap that we heard whenever a big name in Aus defected.

I hope he stays in League, simply because it pains me to see us turning gradually into a seed-bed for Rugby Union. But hey, few others seem worried, so maybe I shouldn't be either.

Pains me too (although this supposed seed bed is pretty darn tiny at present and Eastmond hasn't left yet).

Throwing cash the sport doesn't have at players whenever Union comes sniffing won't help though, we need to look longer term than that and look at why it is union can afford these salaries and we can't.

Apparently Eastmond is starting at scrum half for Saints in tonights game v Huddersfield at Widnes.

Wonder how many minutes he'll last.

5 penalties in the first 3 minutes following on from a penalty fest in the Salford game the other night - have a feeling Wigan might get penalised a lot in the tackle this season . . . . .

In all seriousness though, they seem to be clamping down big time at the PTB.

I've heard that there are now 3 levels of PTB
1. Attacker wins the tackle =quick PTB
2 Defender wins tackle = slower PTB
3.50/50 =normal PTB

Not at the game but nearly all the penalties 11/4 at the mo. are for PTB tonights ref told someone at Brook what I have just posted. Now 14/5 penalty count and Fa'alogo in the bin

Is Ganson the referee?

If so that says a lot. He was terrible in the England v Australia U18's game, looked overweight and was struggling to keep up.

Result, a lot of penalties.

Strange in the second game with a different ref that there were far less.

Yes he' is ref - leave him alone lol

20 penalties in 29 minutes.

It'll be interesting to compare the penalty count at the Wire v Wigan game on Wednesday.

That's ridiculous.