When you look at positions in SL It's interesting looking at whether they are home grown or from abroad. A theme seems to be we produce quality wingers and hookers but not so much half backs. The majority of half backs are from abroad. A big question for the game in England is are we producing them and they aren't being picked or are they not coming through at junior level so we spend the money on them from Aus?
I'm sure it will at some point divert to our club but the questions I pose are game wide as you can see from the players below
I've listed the players in these positions (Not all players as I will certainly of missed a few) and I'm aware some can play multiple positions, but I'm sure you get the drift.

Wire
(Half) Widdop / Austin (Wing) Charnley / Lineham

Catalans
(Half) Maloney / Drinkwater (Wing) Tierney / Yaha

Wigan
(Half) Hastings / French / Leuluia (Wing) Marshall, Manfredi, Burgess

Saints
(Half) Lomax / Fages (Wing) Makinson / Grace

Leeds
(Half) Gale / Lui (Wing) Handley / Briscoe

Huddersfield
(Half) Sezer / Gaskell (Wing) McGillivray / McIntosh

Castleford
(Half) Trueman / Richardson (Wing) Eden / Olpherts

Hull FC
(Half) Sneyd / Connor / Kelly (Wing)Feraimao / Fonua

Salford
(Half) Lolohea / Brown (Wing) Williams / Kear

Hull KR
(Half) Abdull / Ellis (Wing) Crooks / Minekin

Wakefield
(Half) Bailey / Miller / Hampshire / (Wing) Johnstone / BJB / Kay / Kershaw

Hookers - I won't name them all but
Wood, Roby, Clarke, Houghton, Mcshane, Leaming, Parcell, Ackers, O'brien

Yes we do seem to have a lack of quality at that moment in the halves.

Unfortunately, and Stevo mentioned this several years ago, how many halves these days gets switched between say 1 and 6. Rocky and Max are our own examples, but there are others. There has also been instances when a players switch from 13 to 6, Farrell, Sinfield, Sculthorpe and Cooke have been examples.

I ask sometimes is it lack of quality in the halves, or are their natural skills being coached out of them

I think you may be right with halves switching at FB. Tomkins, Ratchford etc have all done it.
From watching in the 80/90s there seemed to be more dropped balls so if a half tried something and surrendered possession you'd probably get it back quick. In the modern game you can get easily punished. I've been bored of football for years as structure has overtaken enjoyment for me. RL doesn't want to continue down its structured path unless it will go the same way. We've already lost the biff to a great extent, we don't want to lose all the mavericks.

Couldn't agree more there, and also with the football.

Although I do like football, I do struggle to watch a whole game, and only tend to watch highlights these days

Yep....currently got Spurs v Newcastle on in the background but only because it's either that or Socially-distanced, Eco-friendly, Black lives Matter, Celebrity Knitting on the other 242 available channels !!!

*** Update to the above...we recorded the Rabbitohs v Roosters match on Friday so have just watched that instead and OMG that is one of the best games of rugby we have ever seen !!!!!!
For those that haven't seen it yet I won't spoil the result, but for true rugby league fans out there, this is an all-time classic and has to be seen to be believed








Go watch !!

PS...sorry for hijacking your thread, Mick

Yes FIL, didn’t see that one coming after the first 15, like you say a great game, the Tigers v Parramatta was one to watch as well.

Don't worry mate, you've brought some life too it lol. Wasn't going anywhere

I wrote it before my date night with the wife. Sister came early so we could get ready and wife spent an hour doing her stuff. So I shut bathroom door for some peace and spent 50 minutes in bath writing and looking at crap and 5 minutes getting ready.

We seem to produce a fair amount of back rowers too, but can be a bit weak in the centres.

I guess the athletes who would generally be suited to the more creative positions in RL are hoovered up by football. The forwards compare well with their antipodean counterparts, but the backs are light years behind.