THE reaction to Kyle Amor’s post-match interview and his reasons for having to say it in the first place tell you two things wrong with sport in this country.

Adrenalin still pumping, after the tears of triumph had been shed on the pitch, the straight-talking prop simply spelled out that there has probably been more time talking about the year’s numerous underdogs – than the eventual champions.

He was immediately shot down by some on Social Media for expressing this opinion.

Come on, debate the issue properly - don't just shoot him down, play the ball and not the man.

At least have a counter argument to what he was saying rather than resort to accusations of being a "bad winner" or "arrogant".

Or would we prefer it if our sports starts just simply played nice and trotted out anodyne quotes.

But going back to the substance of the argument.

It is true, we all like an underdog – whether they win like Sunderland in 1973 or are plucky losers, like Eddie the Eagle’s comical efforts at the Winter Olympics.

You see it in the popular affection for Frank Bruno over Lennox Lewis, while Tim Henman got his face plastered on soap powder for never winning Wimbledon and seemed to get more adulation than was initially forthcoming for serial tournament winner Andy Murray.

But sometimes are we guilty of finding brilliance, consistency and sheer will to win just too dull and un-newsworthy?

Take this year’s Super League – from the moment Kevin Naiqama bamboozled Dan Sarginson on the opening day of the season - Saints have had the bit between their teeth.

This crop of 2019 – fuelled by a sense of unfinished business – have been like a well-oiled machine this year.

Tough in the middle, classy outside - and a frightening level of consistency. Of course they deserved all the plaudits.

The only games they have lost in the comp have been when they sent depleted sides to London, and the disrupted one to Perpignan.

Just three league defeats in a long gruelling season, one fewer that 2006, with only the Challenge Cup disaster jumping off the page as a blip.

But the top ends appears to have been the side issue, and all year the talk has been whether Leeds would get relegated, how well Danny Ward has done at London, Wigan’s late revival and then, finally, the Salford fairytale.

For the first time in the summer era Sky did not televise the Saints v Wigan derby, opting to show a relegation clash instead.

It always seemed that the story was somewhere other than seeing Lachlan Coote exuding flair and unflappability at full back, Tommy Makinson displaying toughness and a spectacular finishing prowess to top the charts, two quality centres who have brought toughness and craft, Regan's pace - and hurdling skills. Yes, there was plenty to admire about Jonny Lomax being masterful again at six with Theo Fages' doggedness in taking the ball to the line and giving quick service being a fine cog in turning this wheel.

And that pack...a born again Big Al working in tandem with Luke Thompson, and backed up by an interchange that has never dropped the standards set.

Among them is, of course Matty Lees, who absolutely put his body on the line this year.

And, then there's a back row that has combined youth with experience, hard work in defence with penetrative running to complete a team effort led by hometown hero James Roby.

He ranks this as the best team he has played in - so hopefully we all can now just spend at least a few weeks basking in the glory of Justin Holbrook’s record-breaking class of 2019.