Having watched the match back on Sky, Gilmour's hand did brifely make contact with Smith's face, but his fingers were flat, not gouging. Gilmour did over-react. I don't remember seeing him behave like that before but probably he did more damage to Wilkin than to Smith since Wilkin quickly lay on top of Smith to protect him and you can see on the Sky coverage Gilmour carries on punching but it's Wilkin's kidneys that are getting it (I hope he's not injured as well!).

It was a fast and furious match and there was much dodgy tackling on both sides as well as some fantastic hits. Most players from both teams were actually very composed. Given the ferocity of the battle, we all could have done without Bailey being there and I'm glad his coach eventually saw sense and gave him a little cooling off spell, though it didn't have much effect really given his swinging arm and the obsession he had with ripping off Roby's shirt (much to the delight of the many females in the crowd!). Bailey is one weird bloke.

As for Pryce and him not being world class, I actually disagree. I think he's the one player we have in our team who is capable of performing, and does occasionally peform, at a world class level. Someone on Sky, I think it was Cullen, made the valid point though that in Australia he didn't have Long - that is, he wasn't partnered with the kind of player that tunes in with him (and vice versa). If a team is going to be effective it has to be in tandem. It's no good simply choosing individuals; the coach has to build a real team and Smith did not do that. He fell in with the mindset that since Leeds and Saints were the top dogs in the league then they must have the best players. In fact, that's simply not the case. It's just that as teams Leeds and Saints were the best performers last season (who knows what will happen this season). The team is the whole point, not the individual player. Put Pryce in with the right kind of sidekick and he is perfectly capable of hitting any NRL team where it hurts.

Is that the same Long who has consistantly terrorised international defences with his performances at Test level??...

quick question

Who was the halfback partnership in the 06 side that was the fist GB team in over a decade to do the Aussies in their own backyard?

I'm presuming it was your Saints boys??... .........Once again I direct you towards my original point that I haven't an argument with the fact that Pryce and Long (and several other Saints players) are the best Britain has to offer....my point is that just because they are the best GB has to offer doesn't make them 'World-Class'.

The line '1st team in a decade' gives us a clue to just how good British RL actually is...

I dont think thier world class either. I have simply argued that the gulf in class is not as big as the last tournament suggested. I just think that those players under-performed and are better than that. Yup there is a gap, its fairly big but not that big.



or how good the aussies are.

At the end of the day they have something like 10 times as many players coming through at each level. This breeds more competition and drives higher standards. Their excellent althetes predominantly want to play RL while ours want to play football.

I'd say our top players are very very good and many like Peacock, Morley, Gleeson, Senior (in his prime), Graham, Roby, Cunningham (in his prime), Ellis, Pryce would hold their own in an NRL club side no problem at all.

I agree, but how many would make the Aussie Test side or even State of Origin??...I think to be honest, its just that NRL is just more intense, and takes more commitment and focus from a player to maintain a certain standard.

Over here, in some weeks, some of the better players can get away with performing at 70 or 80%, whilst over there they wouldn't be able to get away with that.

I think the last bit there really is the nail on the head and I think the big problem is that there aint enough good players here to make enough good teams to create that level of competition.

The solution??? Cut out all the chaff like Celtic, Bradford, Wire and the other bottom feeders and have a 6 team league

I think you are both right. Due to the numbers coming through/waiting in the wings, the players have to be at their very best every week otherwise they are gone. Eventually it becomes second nature.

Our internationals know they don't have to be at their best every week to get picked.

SC, it's good to see you can debate without being a widge.

come on, lets stop this big love in right now