Anyone know why Gareth Ellis is so upset with Stevo this morning, what's the old fool said now? https://twitter.com/gazellis12/status/7 ... 0671463424 .

Anyone know why Gareth Ellis is so upset with Stevo this morning, what's the old fool said now? https://twitter.com/gazellis12/status/7 ... 0671463424 .

The baffoon was moaning (getting carried away with himself because he was given too much airtime to rant) that the difference between NRL and Super League players is that apart from the odd huge drunken debacle story over there, they all look after their bodies, train hard every day and don't go out on the town until 3 in the morning.

Sam Tomkins rightly said "no, we do look after ourselves the right way" just before Eddie cut him off and ended the programme.

Steve should be given a few weeks off for that. It's slander! And it was right at the end of the show so he's left that thought there with the general public to go away with.

Don't get me wrong they are different physical beasts to Super League boys but he can't get away with that level of unfounded bull!

All will be well. Stevo will apologise tonight and he and Eddie will have some cringeworthy "banter" during the game.

is Stevo wrong? Our game is littered with unfulfilled potential. Just as 30 years ago for every Hanley wringing everything out of every ounce of talent he had there was a Schofield getting every drop out of every pint he had, no there are Ellis' or Peacock or Sinfield making the absolute most of their career, theres a Gaz Hock, or Jordan Tansey losing most of their career to Absolut.

Too true.

You see plenty of them in town on a Friday or Saturday night. Not that the Aussies are any different, but we're kidding ourselves if we think they are all angels and perfect athletes.

But that exact same situation applies in Oz too - with plenty of talented players not making the grade as a result of their attitude.

This isn't the reason for the gap in standards.... It's a fundamental difference in many aspects that affect the environment and culture from Junior leagues right up through to the top level clubs in the UK... There is no quick fix...

Our very best players will get close to or match their best, unfortunately though, we just don't have enough players coming through of that highest standard to create a consistency of intensity - that's where we need changes from grass roots all the way to the top to have more higher calibre players.

The gap below our absolute best players and group of 2nd best players is fairly significant, there just simply aren't enough 'top class' players. In the NRL, the group of 2nd best players are significantly better than ours, and they have far more 2nd best players than us. Part of it is simply a numbers game - more juniors playing = more talent coming through, but also those juniors are learning the game in a better climate, meaning they have better conditions for learning the basics (and pretty much all year round) - then throw in better junior league structures and coaching, and they're simply preparing more players from a young age to become top RL players.

That's then before we even start talking about the media exposure and subsequent money in the game in Aus opening up further opportunities for retaining the best talent (including making becoming a pro RL player the most desirable sporting career path in the first instance), better facilities, better/more sports science/coaching etc etc....

You could even then grow in some biological stuff around body types of Polynesians etc, but I think that's going too far, as elite athletes should be able to overcome issues associated with body types.

To me, what is clear is that players over here having a beer is a ridiculous 'explanation' for why we're getting hammered.

Very well said.

Stevo's is not substantiated by the NRL players who come over here, almost to a man everyone of them who makes comment on the subject says it's almost identical in terms of preperation, facilities, sport science, tactics and technical understanding.

They get better athletes and more of them into their system, they're subjected to a higher level of intensity every game, week in and week out, year in and year out. They don't carry below average players in their squad because they wouldn't get away with it when they played them. Unlike SL teams who are forced to carry below average players for a number of reasons including but not exclusively the salary cap, poor junior systems, not enough kids playing the game.

Mick Stephenson should be forced to appologise and explain his comments, the blokes made a good living for three decades off the back of the very people he's just slandered.

Every other week in Aus a rugby league player makes the tabloids for drunken buffoonery. If anything they are worse than us.

or just better reported.

Exactly!! How many knew that FC's Bowden was in court a few weeks ago for drink driving. If that was in the NRL it would of been reported extensively.

I don't think you have a vast difference between SL and NRL players, but i believe the NRL players are better educated and more aware of their position as a role model than the SL players.

Yes, that kind of tomfoolery just doesn't happen in the NRL.

regards and with thanks,
Catalans Dragons

Oh dear, i'd switched off long before then (although not as early as the Wigan defence did).

Stevo's at least 5 years past his sell by date, the sooner he's gone the better.