: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:01 pm  

EmmaMur01 wrote: Where do i find that then? http://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/podcast

EmmaMur01 wrote: Where do i find that then? http://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/podcast

: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:01 pm  

Matt23 wrote:

Hape has been excellent for Bath RU by the way. Smith will be an interesting one at RU, can't see him being as good at it as he is at league, mind.

Just going to say the same thing. Imo Smith will do well in Union he has skill, pace and is a good kicker, what more do you need

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:04 am  

There's not many 22 year old English backs who have the skill set to play all the positions Smith can play. He's probably out performed Webb at full back this year (I don't think there're many full backs in SL as good as him), and is starting to make the right centre position his own. He's a big loss IMO.

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:06 am  

I say i say you are foghorn leghorn and i claim my £5

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:12 am  

welovebluey wrote:

This is the down side to the salary cap: it's been at the same level for some years now, meaning that league teams can't pay anywhere near what union teams can and that promising league players will continue to be enticed away from the game by the lure of big union money. Surely this can't be good for league in the long run.

Agreed. The salary cap has to be looked at. I think there should be assistance given to clubs to poach from union (as Noble said not long back) and also to fend off RU from poaching our best young talent. Not easy to do i know, but we must do more to stop RU poaching our players.

The dire state of the international game is another factor. Improvements have been made but we're still a long way off. We need more top international games and (propper) Lions tours etc imo.

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:52 pm  

rpw wrote:

Agreed. The salary cap has to be looked at. I think there should be assistance given to clubs to poach from union (as Noble said not long back) and also to fend off RU from poaching our best young talent. Not easy to do i know, but we must do more to stop RU poaching our players.

The salary cap is doing a fantastic job. We shouldn't over-react because one player has gone to RU.

If the loss of Andy Farrell, Jason Robinson, Iestyn Harris, Henry Paul and their like didn't kill Super League then the loss of Lee Smith will barely register a scratch on its' skin.

The dire state of the international game is another factor. Improvements have been made but we're still a long way off. We need more top international games and (propper) Lions tours etc imo.

Where will the Lions tour now that the seasons here and down under run concurrently?

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:15 pm  

G1 wrote:

The salary cap is doing a fantastic job. We shouldn't over-react because one player has gone to RU.

If the loss of Andy Farrell, Jason Robinson, Iestyn Harris, Henry Paul and their like didn't kill Super League then the loss of Lee Smith will barely register a scratch on its' skin.

Where will the Lions tour now that the seasons here and down under run concurrently?

Agreed, problem is SL is hardly awash with quality strength in depth at international level. I'm just fearful that more players may go...

On your last point answer is it can't really be done... which is a damn shame and imo damages the game. don't really know what the answer is but we must have a better international game.

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:55 pm  

rpw wrote:

On your last point answer is it can't really be done... which is a damn shame and imo damages the game. don't really know what the answer is but we must have a better international game.

The only way to get a better international game is to get more nations who are competitive at the top level, and in particular get a northern hempisphere nation able to compete with England so as to give us a meaningful mid-season test.
Thats why teams like Catalans and Celtic are so important and why they deserve a franchise place at the expense of heartland clubs.
Making the likes of Wales, Ireland, France, PNG and one of Tonga/Samoa/Fiji competitive against England, NZ and Australia is the key, and the only way to do that is to have a domestic team playing at the top level such as Catalans or NZ Warriors.
A PNG team in the NRL would be great, as would an Irish or another French team in SL.

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 11:10 pm  

No, the key is for England to be competitive first. If England continue to lag miles behind then there's no point even talking about France, Wales, PNG etc.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:40 am  

The real key is to raise a flicker of interest amongst the Australian team to play anywhere outside their own country, to raise a flicker of interest in the Australian supporters to want to watch anything that happens outside of their own country, and to raise any interest, even a flicker, amongst British supporters who have a track record of almost zero interest when it comes to internationals - and I include myself in that number.