AB90

A good example is basketball as it is a popular sport throughout the the world with a dominant league. The World Championships were a few months ago (an event that occurs every 4 years). USA essentially sent their 'D' team full if young kids as all the top stars (Lebron James, Steph Curry, Kawai Leonard etc) withdraw to focus on their NBA teams. Playing for the USA national team in any tournament other than the Olympics really doesn't mean much to most players.

I know the NRL has its flaws but I do find it comical that people on this forum who live on the other side of the world feel they know more about the commercial sporting landscape of Australia than the NRL commission/hierarchy. The same commission/hierarchy that over the past 10 years have turned the NRL into commercially the number 1 rugby competition on the planet. But we, on a UK forum know better haha

It's not that simple. Sam Burgess played inside centre in union (the same position as majority of Tuilagis England caps) Burgess is a prop foward/lock in league. Put Sam Burgess at centre in the nrl he would get burnt left, right and centre and look very ordinary in defence.

Can't believe that even after the absolute shambles of a tour with zero interest from the public apart from a few old timers, we are still debating about bringing back GB Haha. Its actually comical. GB is done. Gone forever as no one cares. It's time to move on.

Im not opposed to throwing a couple of young kids in the squad but it can't all be at the one time or we will get destroyed. Latrell Mitchell debuted for the Kangaroos as a 21 year old with 3 full NRL seasons behind him. Give Newman and Smithies another season or two before throwing them in against the Aussies.

Always thought this. Would solve a lot of problems

Papua New Guinea: 1. Alex Johnston - South Sydney (NRL) 2. Edene Gebbie - Just signed with South Sydney (NRL). Wynum Manly in QLD cup for past few years 3. David Mead - Catalans (SL) 4. Justin Olam - Melbourne Storm (NRL). Starting Centre 5. Stargroth Amean - Barrow (Champsionship) 6. Kyle Laybutt - Townsville Blackhawks (QLD Cup) 7. Watson Boas - Doncaster (League 1) 8. Wellington Albert - Leeds (SL) 9. Wartovo Puara Jr - Barrow (Championship) 10. Luke Page - Burleigh Bears (QLD Cup) 11. Nixon Putt - North Devils (QLD Cup) 12. Daniel Russell - Contracted to NQ Cowboys but has not played. Plays for feeder club Mackay Cutters (QLD) 13. Rhys Martin - Leeds (SL) Interchange (from): Edwin Ipape - Wynum Manly (QLD Cup) Garry Lo - PNG Hunters (QLD Cup) Stanton Albert - PNG Hunters (QLD Cup) Moses Meninga - Townsville Blackhawks (QLD Cup) Top of QLD and NSW cup would probably be the level of the bottom half of Super League.

Fair enough. Personally, I just think Batemans a much better player from the 2018 series. He may of got there if he played for Wigan in 2019 (I beg to differ).

So you don't think playing with and against better players week in week out improves rugby league players in any way, shape or form?

I disagree with Bennetts stance on SL players but in all walks of life if you compete against or work with better people you improve your craft and ability. That is just Fact. Bateman has improved massively this year. Compare John Bateman from the last years test series against the Kiwis to now. Based off the 3 tests it is clear John Bateman is out and out GB's best player and has arguably been the best forward on the park. You couldn't say that last year (I believe Whitehead got man of series). Batman's surpassed Whitehead now and probably all other English forwards now.

Its a tough one but you can do a combination of the two. You can still look to the future and pick the best team. It is clear to all that Chris Hill, James Graham, Sean O'Loughlin, James Roby, Ryan Hall and Jermaine McGillvary are all past it at international level let alone in another 12 months time. Replace with Morgan Knowles, Liam Watts, Daryl Clark, Tommy Makinson, Ash Handley, Matty Lees etc (all will have another 12 month development). If we look at the Australian team there are only 4 players remaining players from the team that played in the 2017 world cup final (below): FB 1 Billy Slater WG 2 Dane Gagai CE 3 Will Chambers CE 4 Josh Dugan WG 5 Valentine Holmes FE 6 Michael Morgan HB 7 Cooper Cronk PR 8 Aaron Woods HK 9 Cameron Smith (c) PR 10 David Klemmer SR 11 Boyd Cordner SR 12 Matt Gillett LK 13 Josh McGuire Substitutes: IC 14 Wade Graham IC 15 Jordan McLean IC 16 Reagan Campbell-Gillard IC 17 Tyson Frizell Obviously they had an ageing team with some retirements but they didn't physical sacrifice results in order to build for the future. They have just selected the best team with players who are better or in better form in comparison to the 2017 team. Payne Haas and Josh Papali are better than Aaron Woods and Jordan McLean, Latrell Mitchell and Jack Wighton are better than Josh Dugan and Will Chambers, Nic Cotric ad Josh Ado-Carr are better than Dane Gagai, Luke Keary and Cameron Munster are better than Michael Morgan, Jake Troojevic, Cameron Murray and Victor Radley are better than Josh McGuire etc You can do both (IMO).

Plus, it's an ageing pack. Sam Burgess and O'Loughlin are gone. Graham, Hill and Roby all close to 35. Whitehead, Hodgson are both 30.

From a pure talent perspective Tonga have the better forward pack and outside backs. England/GB have a far superior spine players. What is interesting if you combine the total salaries of the two the Tongan team would probably dwarf the GB team. Salaries in sport generally determine who is more talented and better at their sport.

I wouldn't say they are bigger and stronger. Tom Burgess and Alex Walmsley were by far the two biggest players on the field today. If I were a betting man I would say Burgess and Thompson would be the two strongest. Pace, ball handling and skill in England is severely lacking!

Agree with a lot of this. You can never really win with English Fans. People forget that we used to play the 'super league' way and lose majority of the time to the Aussies. Then everyone one would go 'we need to be like the Aussies and be more ruthless and clinical, take our chances, don't drop balls, get repeat sets, apply pressure, hold possession etc' I,e the Wayne Bennett way. Just watch, if Bennett gets sacked and an English coach comes in for the Ashes series next year to play the 'super league' way, everyone will start complaining when we lose throwing the ball around, dropping it cold, making errors, having no structure in the wet and cold of November, I don't believe our overall players are 'inferior' as a complete blanket statement. But when people say Luke Thompson is the best front rower in the world after a great performance in the GF against Salford is a bit of a joke. 90% of the Salford team would be reserve graders in the NRL. Hopefully this also removes the myth that Saint Helens would apparently walk into the top 8 of the NRL. Top of Super League would finish bottom 2 of NRL.