Fans are often prone to hyperbole, "we are miles off being competitive," "we need a whole squad overhaul," etc etc, but Rugby League is a very unforgiving game, and you don't have to be a long way off the pace to get a proper thrashing. In reality, in elite sport, the margins can be very fine. I'd say Wigan and Saints are a cut above, but there really isn't a huge gap between the rest, and a couple of good additions to a squad, or a couple of slight tactical adjustments, or just getting the players a bit fitter and more organised can make a big difference. I aren't expecting miracles, any sort of progress would be welcome, but I don't think it's at all ridiculous to suggest we could make the playoffs next year if we get things right.

See our previous target Connor Watson is making his debut for NSW. I'm still baffled why he rejected our offer to stay in the NRL.

Doesn't make sense does it playing with the worlds elite in front of 90,000 when he could be rubbing shoulders with our superstars at the MKM.

Would struggle to get in the team in any case. We'd have to loan him out to York to get some game time then pay him off.

Who were the coaching staff for that NSW masterclass today?

Watching the England v France game really does make you question the long term future for our sport.

International RL should be the pinnacle of any sport...and this is far from it. The game is being played in a stadium that's less than half full and as a curtain raiser to a championship game later(I think there were only around 5k in Warrington last year for the same fixture so can't just blame the french for poor crowds), it's not on a main broadcaster in the UK, in true rfl style, superleague+ / our league style there were problems with being able to log on...and the production of it is poor.

With the NRL seeming less and less interested in international RL, it feels that France is one of our best options for regular competitive international RL marches, especially as Catalan continue to produce more top quality players and hopefully Toulouse do too in the near future, so I think we should stick with it, but it needs far more promotion and effort put into it to make it a meaningful fixture. The players are only being paid £250 too and had to fly on a delayed Ryanair flight to get there yesterday!

It doesnt help when the BBC is the only terrestrial tv channel
They are not interested in Rugby League anymore and in my opinion only outbid Channel4 in spite rather an any appetite for the game.
Didnt like the KO time with Channel Four but the coverage and presentation was good whereas the BBC coverage is all over the place,BBC 2 BBC 3 red button and the odd game i think on BBC1.
Even worse neither the BBC or the RFL do any pre game advertising.
Its really pathetic
The long term future of the sport i think will rely on some sort of merger with the NRL but that wont be done until they get rid of the speadsheet Charlies IMG.
Its too expensive and clearly not working in promoting or adding value to the game and Super League clubs now are beginning to see the light.
No dount another huge costly mistake by the RFL.

It's a sad indication of International RL both sides of the hemisphere . One game run by a clueless bunch of skint imbeciles and another lot of cashed up insular looking
Fat blokes . We get promised an International calendar evert year but nothing ever gets delivered .
We still haven't heard anything on the ashes tour down under yet nor anything on the supposed World cup .
No wonder fan numbers are dwindling .

I tried to watch the match but the ourleague website kept having error code 503 (site unavailable) or would sit spinning forever when I tried to log in. I tried repeatedly from 5-6pm hoping to at least watch a bit of it, but eventually gave up. A bit sad when if it had been on a normal channel, I would have easily been able to watch.

Saw a bit of the cowboys/penrith game today. Clifford playing for the cowboys and schneider for penrith. Only caught a few mins as was on my way out

Good to see Asista back in the Leigh squad

Hope he has a strong 2nd half of the season

Asiata back fir Leigh on the bench. Chamberlain and Hardaker start

I'd be asking for a refund for the moneyball supercomputer if it's recommended we sign Hardakre, looks well off the pace tonight....maybe we have the 2018 version of the software and didn't pay for the 2024 update

This thread will now go into meltdown.