I don't disagree that fundamentally a league in which every game is a challenge and the outcome is unknown until the last 10 minutes, is a good thing. However I am firmly of the opinion that this season is closer than others due to the lack of quality and consistency in the performances of Leeds and Saints.

The reason that I see this as a bad thing is that if "top" players get used to performing at a lower level then this impacts on the GB/England team as players are unable to raise their performances when we play NZ or the Aussies. This is witnessed by our poor performances in the WC, when in truth most of the players there were either exhausted by a long season (Saints in CC and Leeds in WCC) or are playing in teams that are unable to sustain an intensity in league games that is required to prepare for International matches.

For me improvement across the board is required, and the top two teams have both gone significant backwards, into the chasing pack. This, IMHO, is not progress.

Dsiagree.

Firstly, this quality point you make is intangible and unprovable either way.

However, I maintain it doesn;'t matter.

If our players are exposed to games each week where the outcome is uncertain they will improve.

I'd point to the Leeds Academy from the mid nineties. Won everything, every week and were champions about 8 or 9 years in a row. Very few made it to the first team (or struggled badly when they did) because they'd never been tested.

Oh, and despite what you say about Leeds and Saints being dragged to the pack who is one and two ? There's every chance the honours this year could be the same as last.

If we win at OT, we'll have to beat you again mate!

both sides are clearly off the pace compared to a couple of seasons ago,you also have got another trophy to go for,so imo it will come down to which team hits the play-offs with the best squad and which is in the best form.

Saints v Rhinos though imo

You make a good point about the Academy of the 90's and I guess that the outcome was an improvement over the lower leagues as our players filtered through.

I disagree with you about the players improving by playing in games of low intensity where the outcome is unknown. All this leads to is an explosion of decent quality for short bursts (witness Leeds at Wakey, and maybe the last 20 mins last night) by players who are capable of much more, as they have been coasting for most of the game. That doesn't lead to improvement, it leads to contempt, which is being displayed in the number of penalties we have conceeded this year.

I'd agree with that. We've had dodgy form all season plus we now have injuries and have to rely on the young players we were supposed to be drip feeding into the side (rather than throwing into it!). Leeds haven't looked like the side of last year either. However, we're both still in the top two positions which I think says it all really. If the other teams had moved up a gear or two then surely Leeds and Saints would be battling it out further down the table given our respective form?

A bit of both but this season every club can spend up to the full cap.

Personally I don’t have a bad word against out players or anything to do with the club atm because we are residing second in the league despite not hitting top gear. Rugby wise we are doing fantastic.

Entertainment wise is another matter!

Still think that Fartown will win the Challenge cup though.

The quality of the other teams has improved vastly over the last couple of years afterall who'd of thought the likes of HKR and the Giants would be where they are now??
There are many factors to consider also such as saints and leeds having a much shorter pre-season than the other teams,the other teams improvement,key personnel injured or not arriving to replace departed players.
One of the most important things people are over-looking imo is they way other teams "step up" with more effort and intensity when they face leeds and saints afterall ALL the trophies over the last few years have been ours and i believe none of the other teams have wanted to beat anyone more than us and saints.
Saying all that the table doesn't lie and we are STILL the top 2 teams yes we can play better and in the past we wouldn't of lost the games we have but this is the way MOST people hoped our comp would be isn't it??

That is a fair point*. They always say it's harder to defend the title than it is to win it. We are trying to do so for a second time. Look at the Dulls, for all their supposed greatness, they never managed to hang onto it for more than a season.



*and one which lets me have a dig at freefalling Bradford. thanks.

Lets see if you can do it again then

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Well we won't be playing the all salary cap conquering bulls at OT will we fella???