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Last week's blog on the travails of Harlequins provoked a lot of debate on the importance or otherwise of rugby league in London.

Whether it thrives, or merely survives, I witnessed on Saturday, albeit a loss to high-flying Huddersfield that came with a huge amount of spirit in the face of what looked like being a walloping.

Joining me for commentary at the Stoop on a miserable early evening in west London was the Giants managing director Richard Thewlis. Hardly a neutral choice you may argue, but certainly insightful and passionate.

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As one of the most passionate men in the game, Harlequins coach was hurt by in a big way.

The 22-26 reverse from a position of authority leaves Quins rock bottom in a season which has already seen ahead of the renewal of Super League licences in a couple of years.

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was the most thrilling 40 minutes of the season to date. Trailing 20-0, they hit back to win 22-20 against the competition's form team and show that this herd of Bulls will fight hoof and horn for their coach Steve McNamara.

Yet this magnificent victory was tarnished by the news that one of Bradford's key men has suffered a severe injury setback. In a crushing blow, Bradford's livewire mascot Bullman will miss the next eight weeks after suffering a freak jogging injury. The furry favourite was kept under medical supervision overnight in hospital after tearing the calf muscle off his bone during a routine training run with .

"I thought I'd been shot in the back of the leg," Bullman, aka 35-year-old Mark Brown, told me this week. "It swelled up to the point the doctor thought it was going to affect my circulation so they wanted to keep me in for supervision. I have been told I'll be out for up to eight weeks so I may have to warm the crowd up on crutches, or perhaps get Bullboy to push me round in a wheelchair." I understand there are no plans to recruit a dramatic short-term replacement for the popular cheerleader.

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I spent Friday night in the company of one of the fiercest competitors in the game and a player I used to yell at as a teenage rugby league fan in Leeds.

I was 15 when I stood in the South Stand to watch make his Headingley debut. Fast forward 16 years and the England and Warrington prop forward was making his commentary debut alongside myself and Stuart Pyke on 5live Sports Extra for the game between

Moz was great company, enthusiastic and keen to learn the tricks of the trade from presenter Pyke before we went on air. He soon discovered how different a game looks from the commentary box and was amazed at how quickly the 80 minutes flies by when you are engrossed in each play as a commentator, rather than trying to read the game from pitch level and smash your opposite number into the middle of next week.

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