Maloney baloney: James Maloney's comment that everyone in the game bar the players are "accessories" will haunt him. Credit:AAP Todd Greenberg may have simply seized a free hit in the cynical PR war over pay when he criticised Maloney – but Greenberg was right. From the RLPA's perspective it was a great way to alienate the people they are trying to win over – the public. A World Cup without NRL players would be more genuine than one including them Cameron Smith's comment in the Sun-Herald about not wanting to boycott the World Cup because it would hurt developing countries is interesting.

What if?: Cameron Smith's comment in the Sun-Herald about not wanting to boycott the World Cup because it would hurt developing countries is interesting. Credit:Melissa Adams Many of the sport's minor countries agonise about picking NRL players with only tenuous links to those nations in preference to domestic players – many of whom helped them qualify. The lack of incentive for domestic players in places like the United States, Ireland, Italy and the Pacific Islands is a real issue for the game. Plenty of officials in these places would relish a World Cup without NRL players, in which the Australian and New Zealand teams would be significantly weakened and their own local toilers could be given the experience they deserve. England would be unbackable favourites in such a tournament, of course. However, a poor-performing World Cup would badly hurt developing countries in terms of funding – no argument there. Gracious losers

You have what you believe to be a certain penalty try denied in an 18-14 loss. You are called back for a forward pass when your winger crosses for the "leveller" in the final minute. It's a final in front of 70,000 people and a global TV audience. What do you say about the officiating? "Referees have a tough job, as tough as us," said Wigan's Liam Farrell, involved in the forward pass, after the Challenge Cup final. "It was forward," said Joe Burgess, the scorer of the last-ditch try that wasn't. "He give it as a no try, a knock-on, and I've got to accept that. If I start whinging and complaining, it's not going to change the result," said Tony Clubb, the man who believed he was illegally stripped over the line. Refreshing, right? "Baby Giraffe" Burgess admitted kicking on the second tackle in the 75th minute was "poor from me ... I thought there was less time left".

The Big Apples? In April we brought you the news a New York City team was preparing to enter the English leagues. The item, here in Set of Six, spooked those involved in the bid who had been ordered to keep it secret by any means short of poisoning people. Well, more detail has now emerged. London's Daily Mail reports Knights assistant coach Mick Potter will be in charge, the team will be admitted by 2020, Toronto chief executive Eric Perez will be the boss, talks have been held with the NYC mayor's office and an announcement will be made before the World Cup starts. If Britain's Rugby Football League returns to granting franchises – as happens in Australia when there is expansion (remember that) – and abandons strict promotion and relegation, New York could go straight into the Super League.

Fonua prepares to become a Tiger Unlucky not to be given the Lance Todd Trophy as Challenge Cup final man of the match, Wests Tigers signing Mahe Fonua says he will return to the NRL a completely different player to the one who left Melbourne in 2015. "I've matured a lot coming over here," said one of Victoria's few home-grown first graders. "I've been given the chance to play each week, make mistakes and right wrongs." Fonua said he kept the news he was joining Hull teammate Gareth Ellis' former club from the veteran who will retire this year. Meanwhile, former Storm CEO Mark Evans always argued the NRL could forget about playing matches in England unless the competition is on free-to-air TV there.

That being the case, perhaps the foundations for an Origin at Wembley will begin to be laid this Thursday when Brisbane-North Queensland is shown on a new free sports channel. Jimmy Jack looks back Iconic Balmain fullback Garry Jack has become quite the Tweeter. After Kirisome Auva'a scored a try for Parramatta after only 12 seconds against Brisbane in round 25, 'Jimmy' told the Twitterverse: "The fastest rugby league try was nine seconds in 1992 in the Yorkshire Cup semi-final, by Lee Jackson. Loading