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Will it ever change? The Clubs are the employers of the players. The Clubs win the massive TV deals for their product. This game does not compare to other Sports where there are massive Media deals to showcase Internationals, in many cases its lucky to break even like last years World Cup. There is a saying in Sales that a product is only worth what the market is prepared to pay for it, its a fact. Last years World Cup failed to live up to expectations at the grounds for many reasons, I went to the Semi and Final and was disappointed to the point I probably will not go again. England can not be critical of the Southern Hemisphere when their own back yard is a total shambles. The fact that PNG, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga have been brought on, has much to do with the NRL, Australian heritage players and the opportunities they get. The GB tour will be a disaster IMO, may as well call it the Titanic tour.

This option below would have been far better for all concerned. The Great Britain tour will lose significant amounts of money that this Sport does not have, especially in the northern hemisphere. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/11434205/australia-propose-kangaroo-tour-in-place-of-2019-british-lions-tour

What is the point of The Great Britain Tour? I can see no purpose that it serves whatsoever. I think it will be tough to sell and may incur a heavy financial loss.

This Game.............. It sets itself up to fail again and again.

I have no doubt that Aussies and Kiwis will not embrace a Great Britain concept. It makes no sense at all. The Nines series that has been played in Auckland for the last few years has been dying off, why would you persevere with it? You wonder why the game is in trouble, look at who is managing it If I had to rate Peter Beattie out of 10 he would would be 0

Has there really been a meltdown in Australia? a few tweets or off the cuff comments hardly makes a meltdown. It has had hardly any coverage in the media, about the same as when an Aussie has won it over the years its always been an Award that was never clearly defined and as some posts state above it is selected before the current Test series is complete (as has been often the case) to fit in with an Award ceremony. Well done Mr Makinson you are a deserved winner of the best player in the International games this year, condolences to Elliot Whitehead.

It must be a basic role for that sort of money. Sales Reps are on as good if not better money than that.

Bennett is not as highly regarded in Australia as many on this Forum think. His record is not disputed. In many other regards he is disliked by many, other than half of Brisbane. His voice does not carry that much weight in Australia as many think.

The Australia PM XIII is a concept that has been going for many years to build PNG pure and simple. They are never going to play any other games.

I am pretty sure in the past there have been some years where a player has won the Golden Boot before the conclusion of a Test series.

The Golden Boot is not awarded for Goal kicking though is it? Any kicker will get that many when you are putting 80- points on one team. The article below talks more about his Club form than Test prowess. https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/20909083

Cheers Ducky. All journalists then. Whenever I see Mr Mascords name I switch off immediately. May as well pick it out of a Hat, It must be an English players turn I think.

I thought it was decided by a number of journalists and some other experts. It would be better if the Panel was announced, it should give the Award a lot more status and credibility. Having some unpublished/rarely published Panel decide the Award makes it appear average IMO

Plenty of players have won the Golden Boot award and performed pretty average in that seasons Test matches like Kevin Sinfield. Australia have played two Tests this year does that not count. The Golden Boot seems to have a committee that decides that there has to be several players from each of the "Big Three" nations regardless of some of the players Test form and then pick a happy ending. Who are the Judges again, some media people trying to sell magazines? This article below sums up the situation IMO https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/shaun-johnson-golden-boot-award-undermines-legitimacy-of-worlds-best-player-title/news-story/3de323a5db125b13c47da66a0599c8d7