AB90

If the WC does go ahead and the 2 week mandatory Australian & New Zealand hotel quarrentine is still in place I can see a lot of the southern hemisphere players withdrawing from the competition. Players are only going to get roughly 6 weeks off so I can't imagine they will want to spend 2 of those weeks stuck in a hotel by themselves. The New Zealand Warriors are currently based in Aus. They will be dying to get back to NZ to spend as much time with their families.

Paasi and Mata'tuia are proven internationals? If you say so!!!

Yeah, it's a tough one to balance I guess. I personally don't buy the whole, if we reduce the amount of foreigners from SL the English nation team will improve. There are far more 'non Australian' players playing for Aussie clubs than 'non English' players playing for English clubs. And for good English talent, the cream generally always rises to the top. Most of the time these 'bang average' imports are taking spots from English players that will never be good enough to play for England. Quick question - You guys signed Pasi, Thompson and Mata'tuia this year. Were you disappo

They may be a step up but I wouldn't say a 'clear' step up. They are there or there abouts the standard of Naiquaima and Hurrell (and Moga has played for Samoa). I'm just saying that they are similar or better standard to some very good SL players that have come from the NRL - Teveta Satae, Ligi Sau, Kelipi Tanginao, Carlos Tuimavave, Luke Yates, David Fafita, Willie Isa etc. I'm sure Saints would be happy to take some of the above names.

On paper, some ageing or average potential nrl signings are not exactly what we want but they can add to SL. Copley and Moga maybe bang average for the NRL but they are no real different to Nequama and Hurrell before they came to SL both of whom were the 2020 dream team centres of the year. Some of the best players in SL are NRL squad/fringe/reserve grade players. We shouldn't dismiss these types of signings just because most people here haven't heard of them.

A significant number of those Pacific Islanders are Aussies.

Quick question Dunbar - how do you feel about the Pacific Island teams? The Tongan side that beat both GB and Aus in 2019 only had one player that was born in Tonga (Konrad Hurrell). 16 of the 17 players were born and raised in either Sydney or Auckland. Not trying to prove a point, but just curious as to your opinion.

It's really not that ridiculous and some would say it's actually quite practical. Yes - Sydney clubs won't fly interstate that much which they already don't under the current structure due to having 11 teams all within a 3 hour drive of one another. I'm struggling to see your point here as this 'unfairness' you speak of already exists in the current format.

He played for the junior Kangaroos side against France in 2019 which would indicate he'll be playing for Australia.

It will be interesting. The reality is he is still a very, very good NRL halfback. Out of the 16 starting half backs (number 7's only) in the NRL I would probably rank him at number 4. With only Nathan Cleary,Jerome Hughes and Mitch Moses ahead of him. I'd take Williams over very good halfbacks like Adam Reynolds, Daley Cherry-Evans, Mitch Pearce, Luke Brooks, Ash Taylor, Kodi Nikorima, Chad Townsend etc.

Just realised you said 'channel 9' coverage! Watch NRL app is only fox sports. Fox have all the games and far more shows and content

Watch NRL app has everything. I think its roughly £120 a year (could be wrong on the price)

But Luke Thompson wouldn't be anywhere near a SoO team so that slightly contradicts your selection policy. You keep mentioning these average nrl players that have never played over here? What, Chris Heighington and Chris McQueen? That's two players over the last 10 years. What we also know is that picking SL players has also failed every single time.

Hastings fell out with the Manly captain and coach. Hardly a reason to be hounded out of an entire league. But yes, I believe he came here to get away from the nrl fish bowl and sort out some personal issues. Of course there are examples both ways but the chances are, if your an average or below average nrl player you will most probably be a good SL player. Farnworth looks to be an above average nrl player which would indicate he would be a top level SL player (he may not be, but chances are he would). No different to a below average SL squad player moving to the championship.

I think your being pulled up by posters on the Bateman point because you saying he doesn't worry the other top nations (I disagree as I think his unorthodox play is exactly what would worry them) but you haven't listed the alternatives that would worry them. Ben Currie, Mike McMeekan, Liam Farrell, Jack Hughes.....are these the players your suggesting that will 'worry' the top nations? Non of them are overly physical and even though they are bigger than Bateman they are no where near as physical as him. So if the players above are the alternatives, then no. It's a clear start for Bat