Utter nonsense yet again.

Clearly Ben Barba is World Class. He's currently the best player in the SL. If he's not World Class, then our entire competition is devoid of World Class players. Which is a ridiculous thing to believe. So what he's been behind Slater in the pecking order? That means nothing. In your even more moronic third paragraph, you contradict your own argument saying that it's only because of an error in selection that Houghton didn't play. How is that any different to Barba not getting selected?

And as for Hodgson being a "plodder/error strewn type", words fails me. You constantly reach unsurpassed heights of stupidity.

Roby proved yet again that he was the best hooker in our competition as far as I'm concerned. I think it's only partisan, blinkered support that could claim otherwise. Which we've always been guilty of to be honest. I think we have some great professionals that compliment our overseas players, but I don't think we have an English player that is the best in his position.

Bookies give us 10 start

St's on Friday is a tough game as its away and the 3rd game in 7 days over the Easter period which makes it even tougher. The pitch at St's is still bloody awful (can't believe that it hasn't been sorted as it was poor last season) and will certainly take the juice out the players.

The fact that St's are playing the same squad as Monday could be where its won/lost if we have fully fit Danny, Shaul, Carlos & Sika back in the 17 and also Lane who's been impressive. o

Do think we have a chance but only if we cut out the stupid penalties we are giving away of late and the basic poor errors.

For me it is a lottery due to the 3rd game in 7 days.

I’ve not used international caps to say Roby is world class, I’ve used them to say he’s considered to be better than Houghton by the England coaches seen as he gets chosen over him. How hard is that to understand. As I said earlier if you are going to use international caps to say a player is world class then Matty Smith and LMS would be world class when clearly they aren’t. It’s also like saying Ratchford or Lomax are world class because they start for England but Barba isn’t because he doesn’t start for Australia, completely illogical. Also, you wouldn’t say Barba is one of the best fullbacks in the world? Funny how all the Cronulla fans would love him back.

That last paragraph really is worrying. You say that Houghton takes the pressure off the forwards with his defence. Roby averages 48 tackles a game so far (not including the Widnes game because he was rested for the last half hour) which is just as much as, if not more than Houghton does and Roby is 32. That statement about no other Hooker being able to do that is therefore a lie. Also how can anyone call Daryl Clarke and Josh Hodgson error strewed or plodders? One is a man of steel winner who’s been in good form this season and the other has more than established himself in the NRL. To say either have failed at the top level is just a blatant lie.

What on earth does challenge cup wins have to do with which player is better? Hull won the challenge cup not Houghton so comparing team achievments is illogical. And one MOS definitely doesn’t prove that Houghton has been better for the last 4 years. I also like how you don’t compare the two for the years before. And we are clearly forgetting the 45-0 game at the Magic last year as well.



So, when Houghton has the chance to step up to a higher level but doesn’t he’s loyal but Roby doesn’t have the ‘bottle’ when it comes to him?

Whilst Roby has been world class in his career to say he is today is stretching it a little, that said he is still a very good player. Danny Houghton for me is up there with Roby in terms of ability and although they play at 9 they are still different types of players but go about their roles very well. For you to say Houghton is no where near Roby shows you to be very blinkered and little knowledge of Houghton.
As for international honours adding weight to your argument that's another non starter as successive coaches for the national side (even the great Wayne Bennett himself) have continually picked the same old faces and from same clubs rather than truly going on form (regardless of club they play for) otherwise Kevin Brown must be world class

by your thought process.

this time last season and for 75% of it this saints squad minus Barba was the worst in livung memory according to most saints fans on their board last year, including with the likes of roby!

now they have arguably the best player in the comp playing week in week out they are now the benchmark! as for our friend from saints who posts on here, i'll expect he will disappear again next season once Barba goes back to the NRL as he wasnt around last year much irrc

I disagree, he still is. Near on 50 tackles and 100 metres every game for someone who’s only got a few years left is phenomenal. Houghton is a good player, very good at times but every pro/ex-pro is only complimentary of Roby. Michael Shelton said he was the best players he’s ever played with and called him a machine. Houghton definitely has never been at the level of Roby. Also I wouldn’t say they are that different, they both play 80 mins most of the time, they both put in 40+ tackles a game. If anything I’d say they’re quite similar.

As for the part in bold, for the last time, I am not saying Roby is world class based on him being chosen, obviously if that was the case then every player at the World Cup would be. I am saying he’s world class based on what I’ve seen throughout his career. Also, I’m saying that the fact that he gets chosen over Houghton regularly shows how he’s seen as better than him. That is literally a fact. His performances at the World Cup showed he’s still world class, he outshone Hodgson and was one of our best players. Roby is a considerable amount better than Houghton and that’s not me saying Houghton isn’t a quality player because he is.

... can we cancel our home game against saints, I don't think I can cope with any more of AS108's ramblings.

John Bateman is a better left centre than Mark Percival. Surely you agree?

I'll second that, we have enough of "our own" posting tripe without AS108 spouting ruccish too.

So what the are you going on about it for????

Wayne Bennett and his assistants obviously thought so, I personally would disagree but at least Percival did get in the squad and play.

And you do realise that a lot of Hull fans would also "personally disagree" that Roby is better than Houghton?

Exactly, Hull fans would. If you were to go and ask every neutral in the country who’s better then at least 85% would say Roby. Percival did actually get in the England squad yet Houghton didn’t and two players did before him. It’s genuinely concerning that Houghton vs Roby is even a debate. Both have played in quite poor sides, Roby has always stood out, Houghton only in the last few years where Hull have been better as a team. Not to mention Roby has 5 dream team appearances and a Harry Sunderland trophy.

yawn, we get it, a St's fan prefers a St's player

IN YOUR opinion he's world class, he isn't the best FB in SL over the last 5 years, he's not the best player in SL this season either.
YOU said there were no world class players, i haven't.
My third paragraph doesn't contradict as i haven't said Houghton is world class.
Clearly your rant is far more moronic given you can't read nor work out a basic concept or three


Hodgson nor Clarke have done anything of note in an England shirt, massively off top interational level.
Get back under your bridge, you're clueless sonshine

In most people’s eyes he is world class and he definitely is the best player in SL and the best FB over the last 5 years. Go on then, who is better than him in SL? Whilst your at it which FB over the last 5 years has been better?

By saying Barba isn’t world class then you are saying there are no world class players in SL. The opinion that Houghton is better than Roby is bad enough but saying Barba isn’t world class is insane.

if he (Barba), is "World Class" why isn't he playing in the NRL and first choice to play for his country?

Roby! world class that lad

Robys better than Houghton and Barbas better than shaul. Sneyd is better than richardson and kelly is better than whoever will be at stand off. Our 3/4 are better than saints imo and forwards pretty even so if we play well we should be in with a big shout if winning it. Walmsley is a massive loss for them and more or less evens out watts as a loss to us.

We've proven in the last couple if years were better than saints if we play to our potential but the problem is we rarely seem to

Confident we will get a result tomorrow. Dont believe the hype just because they have strolled past a few whipping boys. Leeds outplayed them. Wigan game could have gone either way. Without Walmsley they just don't have the firepower to cause us enough problems. As long as we are disciplined and don't cough up too much ball in our own half we will win. Roby is great, Barba is great, Thompson is playing really well, Percival is capable. The rest of the team is nothing to write home about at all.

Roby's past it now, has been for the last 3 years. Never was world class, you can only claim to be if you go to the NRL otherwise its like saying a Glasgow Rangers player is. Cam Smith has been far and away the best for 10 years at least.

Bang on the money IMO

Roby me and the lads were talking about last week, and we all pretty much agreed he has been the standout hooker for many years. Houghton is great and I love him, but Roby is better.

I am going anyway, and I reckon we will get beat by 10, but we have a chance that's for sure

One man team are the Saints, and that man will more than likely be gone next year, possibly this season, if his penchant for drug abuse returns.

Danny Houghton for me, years younger. Wouldn’t swap for the ageing James Roby