I was shocked to ready Manly Chief Exec. Grant Mayer's comment on the British SL being a... Mayer wrote:...second-tier competition which is for NRL players coming to the end of their careers. Full article here: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/rugby-league/Manly-stoke-fires-ahead-of.4993230.jp Those are shocking comments. I hope he's just trying to create some fire for the WCC and not actually serious. Although if he is it's very irresponsible and damaging for the sport to be seen making comments like that in the national media.

I was shocked to ready Manly Chief Exec. Grant Mayer's comment on the British SL being a... Mayer wrote:...second-tier competition which is for NRL players coming to the end of their careers. Full article here: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/rugby-league/Manly-stoke-fires-ahead-of.4993230.jp Those are shocking comments. I hope he's just trying to create some fire for the WCC and not actually serious. Although if he is it's very irresponsible and damaging for the sport to be seen making comments like that in the national media.

not sure what his motivation is for that?

he can only damage the sport on the world stage with that sort of talk....which ultimately damages his own club and his own job!

very irresponsible...he should be fined by the relevant governing bodies.

The ockers have been talking down us and our game for years.
Some of them are a bit insular and do see the ESL as exactly that; a retirement home for NRL players after one last big pay day, or for those who couldn't quite cut it in their competition.

Any player who plays in the ESL forfeits the opportunity to play Test footy (and for the main part Rep footy, though we have seen some very noteable exceptions).

Although when Leeds beat Manly in the WCC, we can all say how wrong they are and how it could be argued that the ESL is actually a stronger competition that theirs, like we did when Bradford beat Wests, and Leeds beat Canterbury...

In some respects he is correct.

Its an argument being bandied around at the moment about the amount of Australian and NZ players who are currently plying there trade over here.

Alot of them are sub standard and over the hill or just here for a paid holiday.

Maybe he would have more respect if we had more of our own home grown talent.

Other than that I guess he is just stirring up publicity for the world challenge game.

Like it or not the guy is spot on.

Historic evidence certainly backs him up.

Think he's trying to generate publicity for the WCC, trouble is he doesn't realise how damaging comments like this can be. Saying that he is only echoing the general preception of our league in Australia, something that England's performances in the World Cup did nothing to dispell.

On another point, good to see you back and posting on a regular basis Cath.

Thanks It's easier now I can fit near the computer and the baby's having some sleep during the day!

Without meaning to point the finger, our 2 most high profile Australians have certainly been 2nd tier so far, other than in fits and starts. At the minute I'm struggling to see how King got a game, never mind a test jersey.

I sort of agree with the comments.