Mose Masoe’s stirring efforts to walk again make for stirring box office viewing

I am not against it in any way but I am so technically useless it all seems a bit of a hassle.

Idiotic, I know. For instance, I have never had much interest in YouTube, so much so that I only discovered how to work it through my television a few weeks ago when looking for a Joe Wicks workout ready for an energetic start to the kids’ ‘home schooling’ day.

Admittedly, I’ve soon got used to it. Indeed, at times, it has been my saviour.

Alphablocks is a nice, steady educational tool for the six-year-old lad when I might have to do some actual work of my own.

My eight-year-old daughter, meanwhile, doesn’t mind a bit of Cosmic Kids Yoga if she feels she’s not quite ready for Wicks and, instead, needs to ease her way into the day. I am not even on Facebook so don’t stream anything through that. I only ever get Amazon Prime if there’s a free offer on but my wife does sign up for Netflix, though only for The Crown apparently.

However, now that she has it, it has suddenly dropped way down her watchlist which is strange when you think – in the current climate – it would have been devoured.

Maybe I will have to get our money’s worth by taking a look at The Last Dance.

The longer lockdown has stretched on, the more I have found myself accessing more and more different providers to try and get some sort of sporting fix.

I’m not addicted to sport. Not in any way. Which may sound strange given I’m a rugby reporter. I got rid of Sky Sports some time ago. Back in the good old days, which seem so distant now even though it’s only been a couple of months, I was actually at many of the rugby league games they were broadcasting.

There was, then, never any urge to watch more of it when sometimes I may have been at four games in four days.

As for Premier League football, I’ll take it or leave it. In all honesty, MOTD and MOTD2 every weekend more than satisfied my demand there.

Yet, like many across the country and beyond, the urge is growing to watch some live sport. Any live sport. An appetite needs sating. Whereas for most it would be football – and some have already lapped up action from Belarus ahead of the Bundesliga’s return today – for me I would obviously prefer rugby league.

The BBC compilations of classic Challenge Cup finals have been brilliant and – thanks to YouTube again here – I did love watching back some old episodes of Rugby League Raw especially with colourful Featherstone Rovers coach Pete Roe at his gritty, lyrical best.

But I am counting down the days now until we can sit down and watch a live game once more.

And if, being behind closed doors, it means purchasing a Sky subscription or even paying to stream it through a club’s website, I more than likely would.

Understandably, season ticket holders may feel differently and there will be some tough discussions in the weeks ahead between clubs, broadcasters and fans.

But the important thing is there is a dialogue for it to happen. Hopefully, it will not be long.

In the meantime, though, given what is happening in Australia, we know some action is actually coming our way and in less than two weeks’ time.

Sky Sports announced yesterday they will be broadcasting live all eight games of the NRL’s return round which starts in just 12 days.

It is a real coup for the broadcaster who will also air every fixture of the following round as well.

Not only could it potentially see a significant surge in returning subscribers (let’s face it, I am going to get the credit card out) but also catch the attention of general sports fans who - still short of action - may tune in to see just what rugby league is all about.

With the NRL starting Thursday week (May 28), more than a fortnight before the Premier League’s planned return, there is a glaring gap in the market; the sport has a real opportunity to capture fresh eyes which can only, then, have a positive effect for the 13-man game here.

The best thing seen on any screen this week, though...?

For me, there is no debate; the clip on Twitter of Hull KR’s Mose Masoe walking unaided in his kitchen, with his daughters – “my two little home physios” – both nervously and excitedly looking on. Joyous. Box office.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor