No need, the minutia of 'in game' stats holds only a passing interest for me.

Well it had to come sooner or later didn't it.

Bailey is rarely an eye-catching prop but he does do the unfashionable work (and alot of it) very well. I'd still like to see abit more out of him going forward (like friday night), but he's more than worth a place in the team.

Thing is though Gareth, although the oppossition fekkwitts hate him, he isn't actually playing the same sort of game that made them hate him in the first place.

He is not the cheap shot merchant he is made out to be. He actually contains his aggression very well and channells it in the right areas. Infact if some of these morons took the bias away they would see that Bailey actually receives many more cheap shots (in order to wind him up) than comes close to what fans say he does. On Friday he copped two head high tackles from Fozzard in the first 10 minutes which never got a penatly.

In my opinion Bailey is not protected enough from refs, but is very quickly penalised if anything is 50/50.

But of coure like you said, it adds to the excitement at the ridiculous rage it puts oppossition fans in.

I couldn't agree more.

How did you keep a straight face????

That yours as in opta is it?.

Opta where the team's missed tackles = 3 while the individual players = 66?

Opta where a Paul McShane offload (to Lee Smith) is a try assist but an identical Paul McShane offload (to Ryan Hall) isn't?

At least they now realise McShane in number 26 and not 25 so that's a step in the right direction.

Opta where a Danny Buderus pass (to Ian Kirke) almost from acting half is a try assist but a Matt Diskin pass from acting half (to Carl Ablett) isn't? (OK there was a small difference with that one. I was just trying to figure out the 5 of 11 Leeds' tries that were individual efforts.)

I guess if it's all standardised and applied consistently to every game it'll make the results credible but I don't take them at face value.

I'm not cut out for this attention to detail.

Note to self: never, ever, ever used damn stats to back anything up, it just creates far more problems than it deserves.

theboodbath was never a geek, he ain't gonna start now!

No I can't answer for Opta either.

The thing with Bailey is there are a lot of opposition fans (and one or two Leeds fans) that still judge him against his impetuous youth. I think we all remember when he was breaking into the first team and could be ‘over zealous’ at times but Ryan has matured both physically and mentally over the last couple of years and has settled in fantastically as a reliable, hard working squad player.

Ok so he aint gunna be a Golden Boot but there’s not many props that I trade him for – lb for £ worth every penny.

No offence intended. I am man enough to listen to reasoned debate and accept it when I am wrong. My 'evidence' is non existent...it is purely based on perception. Why do I have that image of him ?? Is he totally innocent of such a charge ? I can believe he might have matured...and on last Friday's performance he more than justified his selection. I just hope this is the new Bailey and he is here to stay. Contrary to what you might think in your undoubted erudition...I am not a "". Respect !

To be fair Ryan does not help himself. Paul Sculthorpe told me how Bailey is always mouthing off in a game. Asking players to run at him etc.... but the guys a fairy

You don't really understand how forwards work do you ?

Now that is harsh. Just because Sculthorpe's body is too soft to stand up to the rigors of professional Rugby League there is no need to call him a fairy. Not all players can be as tough as Ryan bailey.

Scully, Keiron, Jason Cayless and Danny Sculthorpe called him much more worse than a fairy. That was my word.

The hard man that is Jason Cayless???

What piece of soft sh*te. Nearly as big a piece as you.

Why do you get so defensive when somebody says some home truths about your players ? Every team as there less like able characters. Ryan Bailey is not only one for opposite fans but also players. Which i think speaks alot imo.

I don't care if other teams dislike him, i rather like it in-fact. It says a lot about them and you. But a fairy he isn't. And I'm glad you can form an opinion all on your own. Well done.

Or is it just Saints players that dont like him? Maybe he whoops when he goes into tackles.

Yeah i can see them all now slagging him off while doing their naked conga after another grand final loss.
It must be really hard to take when you've lost another grand final to a fairy who whoops after every tackle !





















P.s I think the likes of fozzard and morely would beg to differ.

Scully is made of digestive biscuits. Keiron is scared to play in test matches. Danny Sculthorpe is simply a very average player and Cayless has been anonymous in the last two grand finals.

Maybe, just maybe, these players don't like him because he gets under their skin and, the Saints players in particular, generally comes out on the winning sides in big games.

This is not me being defensive. This is me explaining the alleged bitter comments the players you mentioned have, allegedly said to you about a fellow professional. Of course, the likelihood is you're making this all up.

Either way, I could care less what players who can't beat bailey in a final or fans think of a player i consider to be an integral part of our success. That he gets under your skin and or allegedly gets under the skin of the players you idolise is a great big bonus.

HTH

I'm sure he'll care what other teams' players and fans think of him, when he's showing his kids the winners medals he's earned in his career.

Got to have 6 already at the age of 25, which is pretty good for his first 6 seasons

Well put, that hit the spot G.



I see your still swimming against that tide. Bravo old boy.