The best player in the SL era for me.
Regret we couldn’t sign him after his spell done under.

It’s almost as if Saints really aren’t as good as people have been making out and it’s the just a cold hard fact that the standard of SL in the last five years is the lowest it’s ever been.

In other news, the salary cap and owners that are prepared to invest in their squads are leveling the playing field? Now you could argue that this has led to a poorer product and lower standards BUT having your average SL team bloody the nose of a World Club Challenge winning team is a good thing IMO on every front.

I fully expect Saints to be back to normal next week.
I do subscribe to the view that the effects of the WCC efforts take a couple of weeks to show themselves.
These sort of results are good for the comp though.

At this early stage relegation looks to be between Wakey and Cas.

Anything that gets rid of those stains on the competition out of the league has to be a good thing.

Fine traditional clubs, but how they have been allowed to stay in the league in their godawful facilities has been a joke.

In fairness Wakefield are doing a lot of work at the stadium now, but also a bit late in the day. Both Cas and Wakefield should have been removed long a go under the criteria RFL had set out a long time back. I know Bradford not in super league these days but never got the love in with Odsal.

The World Club Challenge is just an expensive pre season friendly however it’s glossed up.

I've agreed with Duckie at least twice this week.

I need to go for a lie down...

We can only make such comments as we have the reality of the HJS being built. Should we have met with resistance from Warrington BC and other stakeholders, we'd be in a similar circumstances to Wakefield. The same may apply to Cas, but I honestly don't know, as I haven't read about their particular journey to new/improved ground.

I’m not that surprised by Leigh. They’ve signed some flair players and have a buzz about the whole operation that’s lifted them. And the fans are buying into it. Good on them I say, decent ground and a good away day for the fans no doubt.

Nothing against Wakefield and Cas but they’ve had over 20 years to get their houses in order regarding the stadium, even with a less than helpful BC. They could have even pushed for a ground-share of a basic but decent facility, which was originally mooted. Cas have had some decent success on the pitch but the neglect of forward-thinking is now catching up with both clubs. Change or die I guess. Too late for Wakey it seems.

Totally agree. And if we were still at Wilderspool, Leigh were still at Hilton Park, Saints at Knowsley Road, etc, I'd also expect us/them to ne kicked out of the league.

The point is, those 2 clubs have managed to survive during a time when the league was trying to progress into the 21st century and actually look like a progressive looking sport, which isn't really achieved when facilities like Belle Vue & Wheldon Road are still in the competition.

Featherstone going well just now and their ground is better than both Cas and Wakefield, either one of those goes down they may find it hard getting back in.

A ground share was on the table for them by the council. Both teams could have sold their facilities and had a brand new multipurpose stadium.

I don't disagree with you either, in that there has to come a time when the RFL draws a line under the timescale for facilities to be brought up to a certain standard. I was trying to make the point that for the clubs in question, it can be easier said than done, when planning permission and other obstacles are, more or less, insurmountable.

I'm not sure, other than Widnes, that there are any clubs outside of SL, who have a stadium that is up to scratch?

York Halifax Fev Sheffield I think off my head.

Salford playing a blinding first half again.
Can they play for 80 minutes though?

When it comes to expectation & then lack of actual achievement & performance, who do we reckon are the most frustrating for their fans?... us or Hull FC?

Be surprised if they gave up a 26 point lead this time.

Would say it’s equal, both teams have been very frustrating, like us Hull have been bigged up for many a season.

I'd argue that we, at least, have tended to get top 3 or 4 finishes more regularly than Hull (obviously not last year) and we then bottle it in the play offs.

Also, is it my imagination, but Hull do seem prone to taking some proper hidings as well - even we have inflicted a couple at their place in recent times?

York is a nice stadium for RL and would make a great weekend away for opposition fans. I’m sure they would be a viable super league side if they could build up the product to attain crowds similar to Huddersfield or Wakey.

Well they took an hiding today.

Hull 14-60 Salford.

Can’t see ‘Sack them on tele live’ putting up with TS for much longer if Hull gets another embarrassment like that.

Hull fans pretty much want a complete new team reading their forum, some even suggesting Smith gone before the season is even over. Oh and they got Saints next week on Sky oh joy.

Can't see it, but imagine if they beat saints - would be absolutely hilarious.