thebrewxi

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/30/nrl-clubs-stand-firm-with-australia-and-new-zealand-over-rugby-league-world-cup "NRL clubs stand firm with Australia and New Zealand over Rugby League World Cup" I love this headline! the NRL clubs are Australia and NZ. This is not new news! It is just basically the people behind the throne coming out and publicly saying what they whispered into their puppet's ear a week ago. Why is it a new thing, deserving new headlines, to give their side more credence?

Why have Souths and Raiders been put at front of house to deliver this message from the 16? Is it because they are the only clubs with more than 1 English player, to apply a bit more informal pressure.? If so, that stinks.

Best comment on CKs yet though... whatever happens, Australia and NZ won't qualify from their group, therefore will need to go through qualifiers for the 2025 world cup. I'd love to see the Kangaroos have to go off to Chile and Vanuatu between SOO matches.

He was sort of suggesting due to the NARL, USARL turmoil over there, plus distance they haven't been approached.

As an outside bet, Serbia and Norway are being suggested as easy to organise choices to replace NZ and Oz. Norway: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

He's also suggested 2 of Serbia, Spain and South Africa have already been sounded out to replace NZ and Aus...

Just listened to Chasing Kangaroos from the last few days, and Mr Carbone is thought provoking as always. He's mentioned that the League World Cup 2021 is getting £25M funding from the UK government (which is more than the Sky broadcast deal) as part of the levelling up and "open for business" government narrative. If the World Cup was to be staged in 2022, that narrative changes and the 25M is not on the table any more. Surely if this is the case then it's World Cup 2021, or not at all.

And the golden boot isnt really a thing is oz. It's the Dalley M that they think is the best player in the world.

you mean, you can't believe the NRL clubs have done this.

Yep, that is what's coming. If the NRL eventually do see the benefit of internationals in say 10 years time, they will do it under their own NRL World Cup banner. The fact it might kill the professional game off in Europe whilst getting there I don't think has even registered. Remember when the big football clubs tried a coup for the European Super League earlier this year? Is that coup attempt any worse than this? The only big difference is I haven't heard any one Australian fan group coming out and condemning this. I'm assuming they are all complicit with Fox and their NRL clubs I guess. History doesn't seem to be part of the psyche

But, assuming we keep the same sort of dates for 2022 as 2021, the latter stages of the RL WC will be lost in the build up to, and start of, the Football World Cup. I genuinely can't believe people in Australia are suggesting it is moved by 1 year. No other sport tries to go toe to toe with a Football World Cup. I don't think Australians have a grasp on world sport, and League outside of their own country. Perhaps if it was moved back to July August time it might work. Let's see how many Australians suggest that as a compromise.

But, when the Aussies' withdrawal from the World Cup eventually leads to a huge hole in the RFL's balance sheet, and then the UK government and broadcasters ask for their money back... when this happens, and the English game has to go back to being semi pro.... where are the Raiders going to get all their decent forwards from? That's the big question.

I missed off David Fifita for Tonga!

I subscribe to Watch NRL, and after being away all weekend I've binged ove rthe last 48hrs, including on NRL360, NRL Tonight, etc. The one sided coverage of the pull out on Fox, when the world cup actually gets a mention, is incredible. All the usual suspects (bar Wayne B), coming out saying it is the right decision, postpone until 2022 (they genuinely have no f&^%ing idea about the actual World Cup happening at the same time, nor how much the RFL and League in the UK is banking on the League WC for it's future) It's been like watching North Korea News Corporation.

Let's assume the World Cup goes ahead, and Australia and New Zealand don't bother turning up. But let's also assume the NRL doesn't block any players who want to turn up and play for countries the IRL currently says they are eligible to play for as second tier nations. I appreciate this is a big ask, but really really hope the NRL, or the individual clubs, don't block Tongan, Fijian etc players as I think this will be the NRL vs the IRL and will kill off meaningful internationals for years and will have irreversible damage for the professional game in the UK. But anyway, assume NRL players are free to come. In a perfect storm, what players could we see at the World Cup?: Italy: James Tedesco, Paul Vaughan (he isn't scared of Covid anyway!), Nathan Brown, Jack Johns Samoa: , Brian To’o, Josh Papalii, Jarome Luai, Junior Paulo, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Payne Haas, Jamayne Isaako, Ken Maumalo, Leeson Ah Mau, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Fiji: Daniel Saifiti, Tariq Sims, Apisai Koroisau Serbia: The Trbojevics, Nick Cotric Ireland: does Luke Keary qualify? Not sure. Similarly Nelson Asofa-Solomona? Wales: Tyson Frizell Cook Islands: Valentine Holmes, Jordan Rapana, Joseph Manu, Zane Tetevano, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Joseph Tapine Lebanon: Mitchell Moses, Josh Mansour I've missed off PNG, but they are pretty good rounding up a team anyway. But suggest Xavier Coates would usually be holding out for a Kangaroo jersy Tonga:....... too many. Have I missed anyone? Samoa look a bit tasty! Cook Islands don't look too bad either.

This is all good thought provoking debate. I hadn't really considered the insurance of the players and impact on NRL. Can anyone explain what happened when all the tongan lads decided to play for tonga and not nz and aus; who covered the insurance? Remember when Thomas Leuluai broke his leg playing for the Exiles; who covered his insurance?

I now suspect the nrl plan is f the world. The world cup will die a death, everywhere other than the nrl will ho semi pro. Then in 20 years times some dik head will come up with the idea of the NRL world cup. The sport is f%#&ed.

You know when we have those theoretical conversations on here about what if Trbojevic played for Serbia, what if Tadesco played for Italy, Moses still played for Lebanon, Cook Islands had first pick of eligible players, etc.......

I am a long way from being describe as younger, mate. But thanks. I didn't mean round them up and kill them, o should have been a bit more sensational tbh. What I meant was I assumed these were old boomers moaning and that inevitably they would die of old age at some point and younger people with more progressive attitudes replacing them in the world. I fully accept I might be wrong it might have been a load of millennial women moaning. When people moaned at your OH in the past did you say "fair enough, apologies for offending you, we'll leave" or did you think they were pricks and and told them to mind their own f ing business. That's all I was getting at really.

Where the f in England was this!! Hopefully you visited some parochial backwater which will inevitably have their attitudes changed by old people with sad views dying out.

Just keep playing and improving for the next couple of years. Hes very young. I suspect he'll get his chance for quite a few caps.

No, opposite clearly. I'm Hodgson's biggest fan and, although he has had a poor season this far by his high standards, he is still my first choice hooker by a long way. I appreciate I am in the minority on this forum where most seem to hold Roby in god like status and seem to see hogson as a slow one trick pony who takes an age to pass, which I just don't see watching every Canberra game for the past couple of seasons (but far from every Super League game). But that's why we like these "pick you england team" threads, right. I'm currently having a debate outside this forum where we botj agree Walmsly and Burgess should be in the team, but my mate is adamant they cant be on the pitch at the same time. It's all opinion and madness but I love it.

No.

I must admit chaps, in that game I remember there was a little spell where Burgess looked really good. I cant remember when in the match it was but I do remember a patch in that match where he seemed to be involved in everything down the middle. Hed still walk into my england team, despite me thinking hes had not his best season so far.

Has he? Really? I dunno. Hes been alright, far from poor. But I wouldn't say hes been one of their best in an okay team. I think Whitehead has been the best performing of the NRL Brit forwards over the first part of the season (although different player to burgess)