There are some intriguing new half back partnerships in Super League this year -

Walsh/Burns at Saints
Kelly/Campese at Hull KR
Dobson/Chase at Salford
Roberts/Gale at Cas
Dureau/Carney at Catalans

I'm looking forward to seeing all of them. I also hope that this season sees a reversal of the decline in standards of the last few years.

I think we are strong throughout the team and I expect big seasons from Joel Tomkins, Josh Charnley, Matty Smith, Micky Mac, Faz and Lockers of course. I'm looking forward to seeing Williams and Hampshire develop. And I fervently hope that Lee Mossop gets back to full fitness.

Bar Gale, all are overseas players. That's a very sad indictment of what's happened over the last few years in producing quality halfbacks through the academies.

Really looking forward to seeing billy bostons statue errected just to annoy the football lot

Yes, as ever, you make a good point.

I'm really only talking about it from a spectators viewpoint. I think it's good for Super League that the likes of Walsh, Carney and Kelly are playing in the competition. The standard will hopefully improve.

Of course Wigan are doing their bit to give the youngsters a chance and let's hope that Williams and Hampshire can succeed. Warrington haven't gone the overseas route to be fair and Leeds seem keen to bring Sutcliffe through, and they did bid for Ryan Brierley.

Interesting debate; does quality always come through? Do overseas players stop British talent from succeeding?

My view is that there are enough spots in Super League for quality to emerge. Youngsters generally get their chance and if they are good enough they stay in the team. On the other hand, the current system doesn't help. I would favour a return to U20s or even an U21s team to give them a little more time to develop.

As aboveus says, at least Wigan have made a real effort to bring youngsters through (to the benefit ultimately of other SL clubs, as well as us). Most SL coaches don't seem to have the faith in their youth that SW does.

Anyway, the only ones on that list I really rate are Walsh (always liked him at the Panthers) and Carney. And Carney, anyway, in my view should never have been let into SL. Why should we take the rejects that (even) the NRL think are unacceptable?

The NRL haven't actually banned him though after Cronulla sacked him for a leaked social media photo that showed him urinating in his own mouth, no other NRL club offered him a deal.

I suppose the simple fact is that whilst we may not particularly like him and whilst we don't rate him very highly as a role model, he is free to work here. And the bottom line on this is - Super League is far inferior to the NRL, so if a player as good as him becomes available, someone will offer him a deal.

I am looking forward to seeing him play and I hope, just like Joel Monaghan did, that he manages to turn over a new leaf. Though I think you'll get short odds on him not lasting too long at Les Cats as he does seem to be a lost cause.

We took some frightful stick from over the hill about us playing with two overseas halfbacks around the times of Barrett and Leuluai but in truth I can't blame Saints. They produce as many young players as anyone pretty much and haven't had much luck on the young halfback front.

Saints and Catalans have the best halves for me but I'm happy with our lot especially the options and depth we have.

And like Gelling...............

The NRL may not have banned Carney, but they would surely have had to approve any contract with a new club, and, as Blake Ferguson and Russell Packer have found out, this is not (rightly) a rubber-stamping affair. Joel Monaghan was a bit of a different case, and, as you say, he has applied himself well at Warrington. Carney has had plenty of 'last' chances.

And if SL is as inferior to the NRL as some suggest, it's hard to imagine why the like of Asotasi and Pettybourne weren't instant world-beaters over here. Whereas in fact...

It's not that hard to imagine at all.

Asotasi came over for one last payday, underestimated the challenge and couldn't adapt to Warrington's style after the ultra conservative approach of the Rabbitohs.

Pettybourne played his NRL career as a second rower. After his success playing prop in the World Cup SW played him there exclusively. However, in hindsight he was probably played out of position.

More instructive of the relative merits of the two leagues might be the case of Luke Walsh. Journeyman pro with Penrith, nowhere near representative honours in spite of NSW losing run (before this season), yet lauded over here (rightly) as the standout scrum half in Super League. In his time the likes of Pearce, Maloney, Carney, Soward, Kimmorley, Jamie Lyon, Wallace, Campese and Trent Barrett were all picked at half back for NSW.

Wasn't Luke Walsh in the top 10 of the vote for the Dally M player of the year in 2013?

I remember reading that when he got installed as a 50/1 shot for man of steel.

Luke Walsh was in the top 10 of Dally M voting in 2013, joint 7th I think. Hardly a "journeyman pro" status mate.

It isn't nice to think about but I must admit the Walsh & Burns partnership has the potential to be top quality in modern day SL standards. A relative of mine who lives in Sydney and is an avid Penrith Panthers fan was telling me about how well they clicked with each other in their 3 years playing together at 6 & 7 a few years ago.

Although I worry about the hole that Blake Green's absence leaves for us I am genuinely excited about George Williams. Although he is young, the rate of improvement shown last year was superb and he could really go to the next level with the starting spot. Throw in Matty Smith who has improved massively to become a top organising halfback and a pivotal part of our team; we have a really good, all English mix.

Hopefully, now Williams is playing 6 as opposed to 9 he won't be doing as much defensive work and he'll avoid the burn out he seemed to have midway through last season. We can always put Powell or Hampshire in if he is due a rest.

Exciting times!

Ok. Poor choice of words. The point remains. He's the best half back in Super League but didn't get near the Aussie or NSW rep teams did he. Not knocking him. But the poster was suggesting that Super League is on a par with the NRL I was using the example to illustrate the relative strengths of the competitions. Which I think you know anyway.