240 replies to this topic

[ShotgunGold]

It would help if le Catalans didn't pack the team the foreign players like Webb and Anderson.

Not really Catalans fault is it, I think I'm right in saying they provide more to their national team than any other Super League team do.

They need a second SL team the French do. I don't see why it has to be Toulouse either if we are admitting small towns like Widnes and Wakefield in then we should admit Carcassonne in as well. They would make a great second French team.

[barrowraiderskid]

Because most teams have 2 kickers and the likes of Aus, Queensland and NZ have 3

With most kicking going through Sinfield it makes our kicking game easy to read and as good as he is he lacks the real attacking accuracy of the likes of Thurston

Myler just isn't the right option for Sinfield

I do have to agree. Aus have Cronk Thurston and Smiths who's all kicking games are equally as good and Sinfields whilst all are brilliants passers and ball players.

I think Tomkins or Roby needs to develop a kicking game to accompany Widdop and Brough/Sinfield in the halves.

(Don't get too vocal about needing a kicking game though, Wilkin will be made captain before you know it)

[Wakefield Ram]

Think the worrying thing is how many of the England team would get into the Australian team?

Ryan Hall, Gareth Ellis, James Graham.....

From the NRL games this season, we don't look anywhere near good enough to challenge for the World Cup. That Sinfield has to play out of position to fill a half back shortage just shows how weak we are. Andy Farrell switched to half back for GB twenty years ago and that didn't work either. Maybe I am being too harsh, but France looked very slow and pedestrian and England were not much better.

We seem to lack world class players.

[Dave T]

We dont need to worry about how many of our players would get into the Aussie team.

We need to keep our heads down, work as hard as we can to improve and be the best we can.

If the Aussies are better than us then so be it.

[Dave T]

Because most teams have 2 kickers and the likes of Aus, Queensland and NZ have 3

With most kicking going through Sinfield it makes our kicking game easy to read and as good as he is he lacks the real attacking accuracy of the likes of Thurston

Myler just isn't the right option for Sinfield

Leeds play with one key kicker, so do Wire, it works for them.

Those Aussie players are not picked cos they can kick, thats a bonus. You only really need 1.

Ive been pleased with Myler and Sinfields link play. Getting the ball out to the talent like Hall, Tomkins, Watkins and Briscoe is the key for me.

[barrowraiderskid]

Think the worrying thing is how many of the England team would get into the Australian team?

Ryan Hall, Gareth Ellis, James Graham.....

From the NRL games this season, we don't look anywhere near good enough to challenge for the World Cup. That Sinfield has to play out of position to fill a half back shortage just shows how weak we are. Andy Farrell switched to half back for GB twenty years ago and that didn't work either. Maybe I am being too harsh, but France looked very slow and pedestrian and England were not much better.

We seem to lack world class players.

Burgess, Hall, Westwood, Hock, Ellis, Graham all could argue a place. The Aussies seemed incapable of tackling Crabtree and Robinson when they last played them. Luke Burgess seemed to easily compete in the NRL, and he was a worse player than Mossop, Harrison Morley Carvell and than Hill is now. If you put Tomkins in the Aus team would he do significantly less damage than Slater arguably not. Briscoe could be better than Aussie winger in a years time, Uate was playing for Aus last time we played them and he was gash during origin. Reed seems to compete in the NRL just fine. Then Watkins seems to have just 'it' he may be a good match with an injury free season under his belt. 9 6 and 7 they outclass us but that's the big difference IMO even though our number 6 plays with their 7 and 9 every week and doesn't look out of place.. We can beat them they arnt bloody supermen but we need to step upto there intensity level and we have lots of players capable. Although we were poor today.

Tbh your point seems very irrelevant as I'd of put 4 kiwi players in the Aus team which won the world cup, that's being generous also.

Edited by barrowraiderskid, 03 November 2012 - 08:06 PM.

[barrowraiderskid]

Leeds play with one key kicker, so do Wire, it works for them.

Those Aussie players are not picked cos they can kick, thats a bonus. You only really need 1.

Ive been pleased with Myler and Sinfields link play. Getting the ball out to the talent like Hall, Tomkins, Watkins and Briscoe is the key for me.

SL level and international level are very different.

[Viking Warrior]

Not really Catalans fault is it, I think I'm right in saying they provide more to their national team than any other Super League team do.

They need a second SL team the French do. I don't see why it has to be Toulouse either if we are admitting small towns like Widnes and Wakefield in then we should admit Carcassonne in as well. They would make a great second French team.

what would a second french team achieve? another retirement home for antipodeans thats what!!

[AndyCapp]

I dunno, they are also pretty easy to wind up too.

Stick him in and lets see some proper biff, the Aussies never seem to know what to do after a good dustup

Never noticed that before when GB/England have come out dirty or put a stink on.
That should be England's game plan if it has worked in the past.

[Dave T]

SL level and international level are very different.

same game though.

[Lobbygobbler]

I enjoyed the game far more than an Exiles game. We need to stick with these internationals - just tell the ref to not let England race into a massive lead with soft/undeserved penalties. We wont get these against the Aussies

[gavin7094]

Or perhaps England who have 13 teams in this league have just improved more.

How bad would France be if none of those players played in SL?

So the strategy was flawed from the start then? Putting 1 French side in was never going to work. So why did we do it?

[AndyCapp]

Burgess, Hall, Westwood, Hock, Ellis, Graham all could argue a place. The Aussies seemed incapable of tackling Crabtree and Robinson when they last played them. Luke Burgess seemed to easily compete in the NRL, and he was a worse player than Mossop, Harrison Morley Carvell and than Hill is now. If you put Tomkins in the Aus team would he do significantly less damage than Slater arguably not. Briscoe could be better than Aussie winger in a years time, Uate was playing for Aus last time we played them and he was gash during origin. Reed seems to compete in the NRL just fine. Then Watkins seems to have just 'it' he may be a good match with an injury free season under his belt. 9 6 and 7 they outclass us but that's the big difference IMO even though our number 6 plays with their 7 and 9 every week and doesn't look out of place.. We can beat them they arnt bloody supermen but we need to step upto there intensity level and we have lots of players capable. Although we were poor today.

Tbh your point seems very irrelevant as I'd of put 4 kiwi players in the Aus team which won the world cup, that's being generous also.

England will win next years World Cup in a Canter at this rate.
The regular build up is starting earlier than usually it seems.

[Scubby]

So the strategy was flawed from the start then? Putting 1 French side in was never going to work. So why did we do it?

In 2006 there were about 2-3 French full-time players. Now there are 20-25 French full-time players - how can that not be working? If there was a second French team in SL then we would have 40 full-time French players.

At the moment the French national side is like England V St Helens (minus Soliola, Puleutua, Hohaiha, Perry, Flannery, Meli etc.)

[markleeds]

If the Aussies are that good why do they cry and moan until they get an Aussie ref? Hopefully it all be neutral refs all the way in the World Cup.

[AndyCapp]

If the Aussies are that good why do they cry and moan until they get an Aussie ref? Hopefully it all be neutral refs all the way in the World Cup.

That would suit 99% of the Australian fans.
Not many good neutral Refs around but I would prefer an average neutral Ref than hear all of the whining.

[Johnoco]

That would suit 99% of the Australian fans.
Not many good neutral Refs around but I would prefer an average neutral Ref than hear all of the whining.

Except when there is a neutral ref, the aussies kick off until he is replaced with one of their liking. They are ok with refs not sending off Tony Williams but not if it goes against them.

But as we know, the ref is irrelevant because they keep telling us so.

[L Bow]

That would suit 99% of the Australian fans.
Not many good neutral Refs around but I would prefer an average neutral Ref than hear all of the whining.

Yeah I'm with you. It gets really boring listening to Australian officialdom whine on about needing their own ref.

[Exiled Wiganer]

In comparing us with the Aussies, I think we should consider whether we are stronger than last year. If (and it's a big if) we get a fit Burgess, and Hock controls himself better, we will be stronger in the forwards, esp if one of L Burgess, Mossop or Hill kicks on.
In Watkins we have a far better centre than Yeaman. In Sinny, we have potentially a useful ball player/main kicker. Widdop looks better equipped for internationals than Chase, so we could be stronger in the halves as well.
We beat the Kiwis easily, and gave the Aussies a decent run at Wembley, but would need the Aussies to be weaker and all our troops fit, to beat them next year. There was a big gap between the teams.
They will be without Lockyer, of course, which is in our favour. If one of Smith or Thurston happened to be injured, then possibly, conceivably, that could throw them sufficiently... Still a long shot but we are closer than we were.

[L Bow]

So the strategy was flawed from the start then? Putting 1 French side in was never going to work. So why did we do it?

Why did we do it?

How about because you have to start somewhere!