I'd never thought of Radders as a coach, but just for pure reputation and pride in the jersey he'd be awesome. Assuming he wants to be a coach obviously.

When I commented earlier about the 'grass being greener', I meant that genuinely.

I honestly feel that, for all sorts of reasons, RL is now the poorer option of the two games when it comes to young athletes considering their future.

My grandson plays for a local amateur RL club, and already, at his tender age, some of the lads - even those who are Wigan fanatics - are talking about playing RU in the future, not just because there are better financial prospects, but because the international dimension, and all the attached star status, have become huge.

RL on the other hand is desperately struggling to break new ground; if anything, it's sinking in on itself. We have next to no international game now (I think the ending of the GB and Aus tours was a disaster), and on the domestic front the only way many of our SL clubs can keep their heads above water (thus far!) is by the implementation of a salary cap that has basically ruled us out when it comes to the world's best players. The SC has even played its part in preventing us develop the next generation of home-grown stars, as we found out during the last World Cup, but that's another argument, and I'm not getting into that now.

You are right to point at all those ex-RL men who are currently involved in RU. I'd argue, though, that there simply aren't enough jobs in RL to make use of all that talent. Sure, we could find places for them, but out of the present SL clubs, how many are really viable? We've only got 14 in the top tier as it is, and, out of those, you've got to put questionmarks against the likes of Salford, Wakefield, Celtic, maybe even Cas and Hull KR. Crikey, you could even argue that Saints and Wigan have yet to assure their futures with all the issues surrounding their respective stadia. I don't think the Fords, Larders, Edwards's of this world would find anything attractive at all in RL now, compared to the opportunities in RU.

I have a terrible fear that RL's lifespan in Britain is limited. We keep going for anything Australian - it's almost as though Australia is our big brother, and as long as the game is flourishing over there, everything will be okay. The trouble is, Australia doesn't really care about the British game. They throw us their rejects and belittle all our attempts to compete with them. The way some of their commentators talk, you think they actually loathe us and would rather we were gone.

You're also right to say that parochialism will be the death of us. We are surely the worst in the world for this sort of thing. Wigan fans thought all was fine and dandy with the game in the early 90s, even though our chalking up regular 60-0 scorelines was killing interest at a domestic level. Now, Saints and and Leeds fans think everything's fine with the game, despite the fact that our talent pool and international presence have drastically shrunk. There's nothing like a bit of superficial domestic success to blind you to the bigger picture.

I only hope that what some people on here are saying is true, namely that RU is also building a house of cards that may soon collapse. Because the way things are at present it seems to me that that's the only way we'll make up any ground on them.

He's just passed his grade 3 coaching exams.

Excellent post mate.

You mention the lack of opportunities at SL clubs and them not offering opportunities for our players turning into coaches I’m sure that if even a self publicist like Hanley will go to a NL2 team others will be far more than content with the likes of Wakey, Salford, Celtic etc. The problems are as you pointed out we opt for the Aussie coach over the past players or the understudies like Vievers. There have to be enough good coaches at clubs who can make the step up to managers when the positions come available aren’t there?

RL needs to stop shutting the door on new ideas and new ways of thinking. If top coaches like Eddie Jones want to come to league we should welcome them with open arms.

For years RU struggled with the elite snobs who didn’t want RU to go professional because it would cause the death of clubs such as Orrell etc. They shunned RU players who went to League for the opportunities it gave them not only financially but skill wise. They didn’t want to lose the power they had in the game and resisted and resisted change for many years. Does this not sound familiar in RL?

We are currently struggling in a same way in RL with the smaller clubs who don’t want the likes of Wigan, Warrington & Hull to use the financial power they have. They are terrified of ‘heart land clubs’ being lost and some shun players such as Robinson & Lydon who have left us. They label them as ‘Judas’ and would be happy if we never see them again in RL. They, like those elitist in RU, are happy to watch a poorer standard week in week as long as it means it maintains the status quo. Would it be so bad if natural selection took place and teams that can compete do and the ones that can’t fall by the way side?

RL needs to get out of the rut it’s keeping itself in. Getting well known players such as Edwards, Robinson, Offiah, Ford back in the game would be a good start imo, people that care about the British game and the clubs in it. Then we’ve gotta look at overseas quota’s and the SC and try to work something out which encourages or forces clubs to produce new talent be forceful and don’t let small minded clubs find loop holes in it. We need strong direction from the top levels of the RL.

The sooner the British talent pool is expanded with more SL experienced players the more chance we have of a stronger international set up. This will benefit all the clubs even tho they don’t want to see long term.

Robinson's son is in the U14's at Wigan at the minute....how long for do you think?

Ex-players not having any involvement in Rugby League is a massive problem, and it seems to be one the game has created for itself. I know there are limited opportunities, but it also seems that Rugby Union values our guys experience and abilities more than we do. It comes across as a strange lack of pride in ourselves, we perceive ourselves as being 2nd rate

I seem to recall that Ashton's move to union was instigated not by scouts, but by his agent? Some players will go to union/NRL/NFL no matter what their club does. I don't personally see him as a loss to the game, and it seems he is now unsettled in union as well. Huge contracts can't buy happiness or satisfaction for some people.

On the flip side, let's suppose Robinson had been tempted to take over from Noble as head coach. Using his knowledge of union players, he brings in 3 or 4 of their untried young kids, at the expense of Wigan's home grown players. Would you be happy with that? I wouldn't, and I'm sure Sale supporters wouldnt be happy about him taking 3 or 4 RL youngsters at the expense of their own system.

As a new head coach, he has to get off to a good winning start, he won't do that by signing young RL players as long term projects.

I hope you're right. I certainly wouldn't have wanted Robinson as head coach at Wigan, which maybe is what he was angling for - he's nowhere near experienced enough. But I think his personality and presence could have been used at some level.

Unfortunately, whether he's involved or not. Sale are again after several of Wigan's juniors. It's a recurring nightmare at present.

I have seen a few people saying this on here and also saying the same about Gasnier, have i missed something in the press?

Sale will be looking at youngsters all over the North West, as will Wigan. as will Saints, as will every professional club in the north of England.

Why is it that they seem to think Wigans youngsters are easier to tempt? I'm discounting youngsters moving to be nearer to their families here, a la Ford and Farrell, before they get brought up, that kind of situation can be unavoidable.

On the coaches front, it's not an all things Australian is best attitude, in coaching that is a truism. British coaches are left behind in tactics, fitness, in pretty much every area of the game. Our best coach, Noble, is currently looking years behind his rivals at Saints and Leeds, even possibly Huddersfield now.

The reason that there aren't more British head coaches is that they simply aren't good enough.

I think British coaches fail to do a propper apprentiship, and i also think that in SL once they are sacked there is an ethos that they are not worth a second chance, i personally think the best learning experience is getting the sack.