AB90

I don't think they would finish bottom but would be confident in no higher than bottom four. As someone mentioned above, the Dragons who came second last in 2019 probably have a man for man better squad than Saints. Saints are based of a physical power game played up the middle which gives the backs space to attack. In the NRL they would not be able to steam roll teams like they do in super league which would negate their backline which in comparison to most NRL sides is poor. North Queensland Cowboys came 14th in 2019, one spot above the Dragons with the below starting forward pack. Would you take the below or Saints? 8. Jordan McLean (former Aus player) 9. Jake Granville (decent hooker) 10. Josh McGuire (former Aus player current Qld player) 11. Coen Hess (2018 Qld player) 12. Gavin Cooper (2018 Qld player) 13. Jason Taumalolo (Consensus best forward in the world)

Think you being a bit harsh! I would take Makinson over Brett Morris any day if the week. Walmsley is better than Tetevano. Imo Knowles would there or there abouts on the bench

Decent chance against the Roosters at home. If played in Sydney with the travel, time zones, heat, short turn around from the previous week etc probably lose by 30 + imo. If you have a combined 17 of saints and roosters, how many saints would make it? I'd say Thompson, Roby, Makinson starting. Knowles and Walsmy on the bench. Thoughts?

Watkins is starting to concern me. I can understand attacking wise he doesn't have that speed or explosiveness back yet to get around defenders or through gaps. Completely fine. But some of his tackle attempts were pathetic. The two tries he let in he was in good position to make a standard legs tackle. Didn't look as if he even tried.

Forgot about that one. Fair play. I guess proof will be in the pudding this October and November.

Not 100% what you mean by this? We have lost every single game to the Kangaroos since 2006. Home and away. In those previous 3 tests that were in the Southern hemisphere, Australia had a huge advantage. Agreed.

One thing I would say on the recent England/New Zealand results is don't underestimate the how big of a factor home field advantage is. Genuine question - when was the last time England/Great Britain beat the Kiwis in New Zealand? We lost in 2014 and got spanked in 2010 Four Nations. Lost in 2008 world cup. GB lost both Tri Nations game in 2006. Memory is a bit fady after that. Point is, having all the recent series in England the past few years has helped the results.

100% agree with players. Teams, I'm not so sure. The gap in class between the Kangaroos and England is much smaller than the gap between the nrl and super league. Meaning our top end talent competes just fine. It's the drop off after that where the difference is.

Any England player would walk into an nrl team. Spine players it would depend on the team but there would be numerous sides that would take there services.

Fair enough on the top 50 in 2016 but I only asked the question as that was the only time he made it. And as I have said, hes a good player. There are 480 nrl players at any given time so being in the top 100 puts you in the top 20% (close to). Doesn't mean the remaining 80% are useless. I would say the next 100 are all very good players. My point was, if Coote is your 1st, 2nd or 3rd best player (if think it's safe to say hes in Saints top 3) your not going to have much success in the nrl. And I don't mean to go ###### for tat here but the below survey is from the 2017 top 50 where an initial top 104 players have been selected for consideration. If you scroll down to the Cowboys nominations you will see a certain name missing. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/buzz-rothfield-how-to-pick-the-top-50-nrl-players/news-story/533e3fdb1c4c1a41b9bfbdf680b30ba1

Where was he ranked in 2018? Pulling up a list from a season played 4 years ago seems very convenient for your argument!

Hes decent player. Every team in a salary capped sport has decent to average players in their team even the ones that win grand finals. Lachlan Coote wouldn't be close to being in top 100 players in the nrl. The fact that hes in the running for man of steel is concerning.

Hes a half decent player don't get me wrong but in 2018 he did get dropped from the Cowboys to reserve grade due to his poor form.

They would probably finish bottom two. Realistically, half the starting 17 match day squad would be reserve graders in the NRL playing in NSW or QLD cup. Any team in the NRL that has Lachlan Coote as there best player will get no where near the 8. If you combined the best match day 17 between Saint Helen's and the worst team in the NRL being Gold Coast Titans - which team would be more represented?

We are in a tough predicament as it is really challenging to change the grow a game where sporting cultures have been established decades or even centuries. Look at rugby union in Leeds. The RFU would kill for a greater presence in Yorkshire (specifically Leeds) and they have tried everything to make Yorkshire Carnegie a success but it has failed miserably due to what rugby league faces in non heartland parts of the country. Leeds is a football and rugby league city which is ingrained within its culture. Culture is tough to change.