35 replies to this topic

[Wendall]

UK-based Australian Michael Monaghan says England are unlikely to pose a big threat to Australia in the Four Nations starting next week beause they are lacking international quality in key positions.

"If Australia are vulnerable I think the threat is more likely to come from New Zealand than the English. The English have a great forward pack but are lacking international quality in the key positions that decide big games, 1, 6, 7 and 9."

http://www.nrl.com/N..... Latest News)

Sad but true maybe.

1 Tomkins - Still unproven but had a great SL season, has potential there.
6 Brown - Never played Tests
7 Robinson - Never played Tests
9 Roby - Been around a few years but arguebly a lot to prove still as a Test hooker

If Monaghan think's we lack quality maybe he should offer his services to England, he would qualify on residence grounds now!

[1976PMJwires]

I guess its his opinion, but he can .... off.

it took him 2 years to find form and the last half a dozen games he was pants.

Roby punched above him in every game this season v's Saints.

Edited by 1976PMJwires, 12 October 2010 - 07:07 PM.

[Wendall]

I guess its his opinion, but he can .... off.

it took him 2 years to find form and the last half a dozen games he was pants.

Roby punched above him in every game this season v's Saints.

I agree its taken Mona's a while to find his great form as a hooker, he was pants at 7. And Roby has dominated him in the games between us and Saints so its strange he should pick hooker as a weak spot when our backs are weaker?

[1976PMJwires]

I agree its taken Mona's a while to find his great form as a hooker, he was pants at 7. And Roby has dominated him in the games between us and Saints so its strange he should pick hooker as a weak spot when our backs are weaker?

For me, Mona's is right to highlight Brown and Robinson v's the Aussie / Kiwi

but then again, Mona's needs to get his own house in place after Hudds taking the ###### out of us and they both played.

does make good banter though, when the 3/4th choice aussie wanabe's (poss even 10/11th) make comments against players they make their english pounds against.

[Wendall]

For me, Mona's is right to highlight Brown and Robinson v's the Aussie / Kiwi

but then again, Mona's needs to get his own house in place after Hudds taking the ###### out of us and they both played.

does make good banter though, when the 3/4th choice aussie wanabe's (poss even 10/11th) make comments against players they make their english pounds against.

Yeah as a Wire its made me think Mona's is a bit of a twit! Even though he has a vital point regarding Robinson and Brown.

But should a SL player be knocking us down like this?

[1976PMJwires]

Yeah as a Wire its made me think Mona's is a bit of a twit! Even though he has a vital point regarding Robinson and Brown.

But should a SL player be knocking us down like this?

no they shouldn't, as a Wire i wish he shut his trap.

but its his opinion when asked a question in OZ.

[Exiled Wiganer]

Tomkins and Roby are world class. Widdop looks good to me. I think our weakness is in the centres rather than in those positions. Monaghan is entitled to his opinion, though it hardly takes Stephen Hawkins to predict that England will struggle.

[1976PMJwires]

Tomkins and Roby are world class. Widdop looks good to me. I think our weakness is in the centres rather than in those positions. Monaghan is entitled to his opinion, though it hardly takes Stephen Hawkins to predict that England will struggle.

What makes them world class???


they haven't delivered on the WORLD stage, so they can't be World Class..... Yet (tomkins well be one day)

[ParisSurtout]

The only way to at least partly rectify the problem is to move Tomkins to 6 and Widdop to 1.

A year from now we may see Widdop as an experienced 6 for Melbourne Storm (it is not yet certain if Craig Bellamy will try him out there). If that happens then we can reverse their positions. But Kevin Brown is the weakest klink of the four postiions mentioned, and Tomkins at least has Test experience at 6, while Widdop looked good as full back against France.

Edited by ParisSurtout, 12 October 2010 - 08:21 PM.

[The Boy Saint]

Steve McNamara will be made up with Monaghan's comments. Written off before we even start? Brilliant!

No pressure but loads of motivation, our boys have nothing to lose and they know it. Lets put egg on those Aussie faces!

[ParisSurtout]

England have no chance without a dynamic set of players in those key positions. Roby is passable. But what a pity Eastmond has been injured. And also Danny McGuire would have been of some value if fit.

The future combinations should include Tomkins, Eastmond and Widdop. But the current injury to the talented Eastmond shows that England desperately needs back up in the key positions. It won't happen if the SL clubs insist on trying to buy success with Aussie or Kiwi imports in the 1,6,7 and 9 positions (Buderus, Monaghan, Orford, Leuluai, Berrrigan, Dobson, Chase, Sammitt, Dorn, Randall, Obst, Shifcofske, Brett Hodgson, etc).

Edited by ParisSurtout, 12 October 2010 - 09:26 PM.

[hindle xiii]

It won't happen if the SL clubs insist on trying to buy success with Aussie or Kiwi imports in the 1,6,7 and 9 positions (Buderus, Monaghan, Orford, Leuluai, Berrrigan, Dobson, Chase, Sammitt, Dorn, Randall, Obst, etc).

*sigh* I really wished you hadn't made the same exact point I was going to make.

[Just Browny]

He's right.

But the Aussies still aren't supermen, and we do have talent coming through. But I think that, when someone asks him the question, he's entitled to give a perfectly reasonable answer, and that was one.

[ParisSurtout]

He's right.

Thanks for your support.

[Dave T]

He's right.

But the Aussies still aren't supermen, and we do have talent coming through. But I think that, when someone asks him the question, he's entitled to give a perfectly reasonable answer, and that was one.

Yep, his opinion isn't that outlandish, although is a touch disrespectful to the likes of Roby and Tomkins who have been excellent this year, and should go well this series.

[Bulligerent]

Steve McNamara will be made up with Monaghan's comments. Written off before we even start? Brilliant!

No pressure but loads of motivation, our boys have nothing to lose and they know it. Lets put egg on those Aussie faces!

You're assuming that McNamara has the nouse to use these comments as a motivational tool.

[bewareshadows]

I'm sure Roby was one of the few to come out of the last embarrasment in oz with his reputation intact.

When they played over here last time, the younger lads, TOmkins, Eastmond all faired well.

We'll just have to see how good a coach we have in Macca, Saints where dealing with injuries all year and still made 2nd. If we blame it on no half backs that seams pretty light weigh to me, you have to adjust your game to the player you have and it's not like England are restricted by a salary cap when it comes to picking their halfbacks.

[petero]

I'm sure Roby was one of the few to come out of the last embarrasment in oz with his reputation intact.

When they played over here last time, the younger lads, TOmkins, Eastmond all faired well.

We'll just have to see how good a coach we have in Macca, Saints where dealing with injuries all year and still made 2nd. If we blame it on no half backs that seams pretty light weigh to me, you have to adjust your game to the player you have and it's not like England are restricted by a salary cap when it comes to picking their halfbacks.

Macca, that suits, especially after reading the comments he issued in an interview shown on Sporting Life R/L.

He was enthused over the fact that his players would be er: white water rafting, sailing from Auckland in an America's Cup, craft, golfing, etc and generally having, Quote: a fun five weeks !!

There was little, almost no mention, of training or playing against the two best teams in the R/L World. However he did conclude with the comment: we will certainly not be using hotels we have previously!!??

[Dave T]

Macca, that suits, especially after reading the comments he issued in an interview shown on Sporting Life R/L.

He was enthused over the fact that his players would be er: white water rafting, sailing from Auckland in an America's Cup, craft, golfing, etc and generally having, Quote: a fun five weeks !!

There was little, almost no mention, of training or playing against the two best teams in the R/L World. However he did conclude with the comment: we will certainly not be using hotels we have previously!!??

Whilst it does seem a touch strange to focus on these things, aren't these the things that were brought up in the review of the 2008 WC? I remember there being a lot of coverage at the time about how the players were bored during the trip which didn;t lead to a happy camp.

Perhaps the interview was based around that and what they are doing differently this time?

[Saint Toppy]

It won't happen if the SL clubs insist on trying to buy success with Aussie or Kiwi imports in the 1,6,7 and 9 positions (Buderus, Monaghan, Orford, Leuluai, Berrrigan, Dobson, Chase, Sammitt, Dorn, Randall, Obst, Shifcofske, Brett Hodgson, etc).

England don't lack quality (well maybe they do at 1), its lack of depth thats the issue. Lockyer, Thurston & Marshall aside, Eastmond & Tomkins are as good as anything else in the NRL. And as for hooker the aussies kept telling us Buderus was 'world class' but he just about been everybody's bitch since coming to SL. He'll no doubt use injuries as an excuse but the fact is he's been shown up as being decidedly average, in fact I think Leeds made a big mistake in selecting him ahead of Diskin in the starting line up every week. Take Cameron Smith out of the aussie side and there's no other hooker as good as Roby.

Monaghan is another one who's been shown up as being nothing special. Looked good in a dominant Manly side but aside from the odd good game he's hardly set SL alight.