He followed it up with a beauty of an opinion last week, prior to the Warrington game, when he said that at a push Ashton and King would make a combined side. The other bloke (with the glasses, seems a sensible chap) enquired about Williams and his response was 'for who?'

Lomax has been a cracking player and at his best was possibly a better all round player than Williams (although it was extremely tight IMO) but he's not even close now and Dodd has never hit George Williams level. I've mentioned Dodd many times and constantly ask the question of 'what is his strength?' Great passing game-No, Great kicking game-No, Organiser-Not really, Great running game-No, Support runner-Not really, Great defender-He's ok. Harry Smith has some limitations also but he knows his game and has nailed on strengths that everyone can see.

I honestly think the hype around Dodd is from a couple of years back before he got injured on GF.
He'd come in as a young lad with a fair bit of pace for a half but crucially playing behind by a country mile the best pack in the league. He looks like he's finally getting a bit of that pace back but that pack while still very good is nowhere near as dominant as it was a few seasons back, getting Paasi back mid season will be a huge boost if he's fully recovered but I think we can safely say we don't dread the sight of them anymore.

He was outstanding in the academy from memory and came in with a lot of hype. As you say, he was behind a great pack and he was full of confidence and looked sharp but that injury really does seem to have set him back. I think it's unlikely that his pace will ever get back to what it was before his injury, so you have to develop other parts of your game and so far, I don't see that he's managed it. In saying that, he did start the season well and I am surprised so much criticism has come his way, so quickly from the Saints supporters on the back of a couple of iffy games. It doesn't help when you have a guy most of the Saints fan base will be watching online, saying he should be twice the player than the current England number 7 and man of the series against Tonga is though. He doesn't need that pressure being lumped on.

To provide a bit of balance I actually find them quite entertaining and they've built up a decent little fan channel there which RL could probably do more of. Content that is a little tribalistic and provocative is probably like marmite but it attracts some attention and creates some talking points.

To be fair, they've done well as you say. I do think fan channels like that is something Rugby League needs more of, to build exposure but I think you can be entertaining and a bit more balanced than the main guy is. You choose your model I suppose and take what comes with that. They'll get pelters when they lose and views will be well down when they win and that is the nature of the beast.

I watch bits of the Leeds one as well (The Lot Pod) and that is another that is totally focussed on just their own club but that will again just come down to the mentality of the people running it. The Superleague Raw Podcast is run by Wire fans but is one that is focussed on the game and not just the club and to me, it's the one that does the best job.

This week's favourite bit of RedVee-ism is that it's no coincidence that players get banned when they seriously injure Wigan players as if there's some kind of shenanigans going on! If only we could get a few more season ending injuries hey? We'd be well set for the title with all those poor players getting banned

https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/107 ... f-all-time James Roby to be honoured by St Helens Council. Whilst I have no problem with James being recognised and honoured but the paper headline goes a bit too far. Roby is not Saints ‘greatest of all time’, Alex Murphy was streets ahead of him.

https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/107 ... f-all-time James Roby to be honoured by St Helens Council. Whilst I have no problem with James being recognised and honoured but the paper headline goes a bit too far. Roby is not Saints ‘greatest of all time’, Alex Murphy was streets ahead of him.

The other bloke is Dave Lyon he's a Everton fan

I thought you said he liked football Nicky!

Interesting to see Dodd and Clark dropped for Saints tonight.

Who are you? Mystic Meg?