Read the majority of the article, and I somewhat agree with some of the points made. However, I felt there was a counter to most arguments.

You seem to have made your mind up and derided almost every facet of the game, both on and off the field. On the field, I feel Friday's game between Catalans and Saints served up more or less everything you could want from a sporting contest. The point on all forwards carting the ball up and being the same isn't valid. From the Catalans team alone, how can you put Menzies, Paea and Pelissier in the same bracket of player? Menzies is a joy to watch as a wide running and creative second row whilst Paea's sheer power and explosiveness is also stunning. If you no longer find the exploits of those 2 differentiated and interesting, so be it but I would question your appreciation for the game and your understanding as a result.

The governing body often gets derided. Whilst it's decisions are not often popular, it's role is to safeguard the future of the game in what is an increasingly crowded sports market. Towns like Leigh and Featherstone aren't the future, as upsetting and blunt as that may seem. Expansion is important to our game, however I agree plonking a team in Super League (Crusaders in Wrexham) isn't the answer. Going forward, I can only think that France is the answer due to their clubs with history and substance. Whilst most Rugby League towns are not big, towns like Carcassonne, Toulouse and Avignon for me hold the key. Focused expansion in those areas, all of which have a deep routed love of Rugby alongside populations more than capable of sustaining Catalan like attendances are the future. This excites me (if progress was made) rather than deflates me because I'm not going to be able to go to a ghost town in Yorkshire or a manufactured bland stadium at Leigh. What needs to happen is a concrete plan to be put in place for the next 10 years. An English/French league for me, would carry more weight in the sporting climate we find ourselves in and would be enticing to (open minded, forward thinking) fans.

We currently have too many teams, I don't think their is a question about that and there are far to many mediocre players playing in Super League but if games like Friday's (and hopefully tomorrow's) leave you feeling down about the game, then so be it but I can't understand it.

On copying Australia, I think you are spot on. This country is different in all sporting aspects and following their lead just doesn't work.

As I'm beginning to ramble, albeit in the knowledge I could go on for a lengthy amount of time, I hope you rediscover your passion for the game and to be honest, have no doubt you will at some point, as ours is a game that never really leaves us once we have the love for it.

Fair comment, balanced out by half the clubs in SL not being good enough for SL

A bit weird that he's not harking back to a time when Saints were successful, but rather a time when they are worse than what they are now!

In itself the article is fine, with many good points worth discussion.
It is the fact that it only highlights negatives rather than a balanced view that make it less worthwhile.

If he could bring himself to see some of the positives in the game, or even the negatives of the past he may find a different conclussion, rather than the game is dead.

At the same time, I know at Saints of fans who have bought their first season ticket for years, including ones for their kids too. Attendances across the board appear to be growing so these must be a new generation of fans and old fans returning to the game now that it's more professional. Someone may wish to argue about the professional aspect but I bet if you looked at clubs' business plans from 1990 you'd laugh.

Interestingly the Championship isn't as methodical as SL, so maybe the Saints fan would be better hoping that Saints were in this league? I do enjoy watching the Championship because it's not as polished on the whole.