marklaspalmas

Which four teams make the semis? 2008 had a loaded group A with three teams to the SF, didn't it? The draw will be crucial.

I'm not convinced your idea makes 12 the "perfect number". However, it's a ten team comp. How will they make that work?

Ah yes, ta. Just looked it up. A stacked 'super group' of four then and a muddle of all sorts to get some semifinals. Urgh.

Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but how will a ten team competition be organised? Was it 1995 when there were groups of 4, 3 and 3? It's a difficult number.

I hope you don't mind Gazza, but I changed the title of this useful thread.

Superb value that offer

I rate England and I thought he was v.good v Halifax. A Bateman-style player, not the biggest, but a scrapper, a disrupter and a tough competitor. You've got to expect a few penalties, but I like him in the team.

All average signings but to be honest the "hype" was pretty muted with all these players, wasn't it? Four of those players were simply a punt on ageing players at their last club, and the other an unknown aussie.

Probably worth a thread in its own right. I think expectations play a huge part. Leo Casey was a solid enough prop, but the large transfer fee created an expectation he couldn't libe up to. Etu Uaisele was a decent NRL winger and looked the part, but never really settled. Ryan Verlinden's reputation just got bigger and bigger the longer we waited for his visa. Disappointment was bound to follow. Tales of Joey Leilua's amazing pay packet created an unrealistic sense of what he'd do. Cam King, Nu Brown had injury histories and so perhaps seemed relatively unheralded. They were allowed to settle and get on with it. As has been said, Brett Daunt had an impossible act to follow, but Mark Aston's transfer was set up to fail. With Currier, the injury was unlucky, and he was nowhere near the same level as the player he replaced. But who was? We'd have been better grabbing an import like Greg Austin or Iva Ropati with no transfer fee and making do. But the pressure was on the club to make a big statement.

I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it

Or Hooley at FB and German at centre if Hardo isn't ready......

I don't think anyone could possibly disagree with any of that.

Back in the day there used to be a show hosted by Brett Kimmorley looking at NRL Tactics. I always enjoyed it. I imagine it's long gone. What would be the equivalent show these days? The only show I've seen so far in 2024 is that one with Matty Johns and Tallis, etc. Not really my cup of tea

Sorry, mate. It does look at way, but isn't. The perils of posting online. The first list was clubs who were given a gilt-edged opportunity/ a poisoned chalice (delete according to your POV). I don't necessarily count that as favouritism, but IMO it was a definite opportunity. The second list was simply clubs invited to have-a-go under their own steam. I don't want to fall out with you over this misunderstanding.

Yes. I lost you. Sorry.