We the fans are complicit in the ineptitude of the RFL and the actions of some self-serving clubs. Time after time the RFL offer a plate of manure and the fans rub their tummy and say yum yum. We collectively have a huge voice that we never use.

We often talk about innovation in RL, but for every innovation we also have a gimmick. The 8s scenario is a gimmick every day of the week. A tier of complication which makes selling the RL product harder. Even if I thought I could articulate how the 8s work to the uninitiated, I'd frankly be embarrassed to do so. But time after time we meekly accept the absolute gibberish that our governing body bestows upon us. We say nothing, and we do nothing.

The RFL and the clubs certainly need to push the Comms agenda better than they currently are. However there is an element of tosh in the Journalists open letter. The I or the Independent has its own website which is 24/7. Indeed all other papers run websites which all have businesses paying for advertising. It's quite probable that the Independent get more hits on the website each day than papers sold. Though it's pretty dreadful to navigate. I do accept that the length of games is getting silly. I think the Leeds v Leigh first half took 57 minutes to complete with the same in the second half its easily past 10 pm and the press run.

However, I don't accept the whole argument put forward that if games finish after a certain time at night, it's not worth their time. Okay they might not sell a paper but all papers have a website, the more content and relevance of the content the more interest and views your likely to get. Secondly, there are plenty of games in SL still played on a Sunday with a number of clubs keeping this as their main game day. The Independent website, has it covered anything RL since August? Certainly not a match report. I think I managed to find the report (12 Sept) about on Oz player dying after a tackle.

There is a desperate need for the RFL and clubs to feed information in printable format, with images for website and paper format but the printed (and their websites) are not exactly bothered. And I would question how bothered they would be if fed the information.