Jonty58

I think he should retire from the game all together. He has had his day.

Union Oz may win 1 game if they are lucky, it’s a game heading out the door down under. Rugby League Oz 3-0 Cricket who cares.

Just make the International game more of a Circus than it already is.

I think Smith will do ok if he gets the job. In saying that I only played at local Club level and have never coached anyone and I think I could probably do ok with the Roos.

I agree, but as you say even if your team is full of individual champions you still have to bind them as a team with a game plan to come out on top. Over the years Australia has at times had teams with half a dozen or more Club Captains that were often the key player or go to man in their respective Club team, getting so many dominant players to work together and deliver a game plan must be difficult at times. I think Smith will do ok in this regard, he is a highly regarded ex player from the modern era compared to Mal’s time in the game.

Not sure if Smith will need to have them running through walls, any top team should be doing that already at this level. I think Cam Smith is a very smart tactical Coach and will have the team firing on all cylinders, he will analyse the opposing team a lot more than Big Mal probably ever did. I think he may play a very different style of play more like the Kangaroos of the 80’s

I don’t rate Fittler as a Coach or Pundit. Cam Smith is one of the smartest minds in the game since Peter Sterling. If he gets the job he will take the team to another level IMO.

Edit

That does not sound like a confident decision. You cannot have the luxury of a halfback on the bench.

Sounds like an upstanding citizen.

They certainly improved that game. One of the best games I have watched.

Bad for both parties. The Warriors payed massive overs and Tomkins probably ended up at one of the worst clubs to go to at that time due to the fee they were prepared to cough up. I can’t imagine any other NRL Club entertaining that amount or even half that.

I don’t know, they are available in the news online. Tomkins fee was major news at the time. English rugby league star Sam Tomkins is on his way to the Warriors after what is believed to be a world record transfer fee. The Warriors have paid Wigan a transfer fee thought to be about STG700,000 ($A1.20 million) for a three-year deal, the two teams announced overnight. It is thought the 24-year-old fullback will be the highest-paid English player in the game with a salary near STG400,000 ($A685,000).

Maybe, Transfer fees would be a factor to consider in any business transaction I would have thought. According to the media Tomkins to the Warriors was $700k Bateman $450k to Canberra Its not chump change, I don’t know if that goes on the Salary cap or not.

It’s only what I read in the media at the time. It was revealed on NRL 360 on Tuesday night Williams texted the Raiders’ welfare officer to inform the club he didn’t feel up to training or playing this weekend, and later in the day the club cut ties with him. Williams defended himself and hit back at the club on social media after the story broke. Covid was a tough time for many people.

I was not referring to him specifically. It was all a couple of years ago and water under the bridge but.. Saying you want to leave at the end of the year and then not attending training or game day would leave a club with little choice. Transfer fees are not the norm in Australia like it is in Super League. I am not sure what happened with the large transfer fee for Sam Tomkins or Bateman when they left before completing their contracts. I believe Warrington have put a significant transfer fee on Williams, it will be a factor to be considered in any Club that thinks about signing him.

Unless you pay a transfer fee for an English player that does not get paid back if they break their contract I guess. Its rumoured Williams was on $2 million for three seasons plus a significant transfer fee four or five years ago.

If you say so.

I disagree. All good organising players can do what you describe above. IF he gets picked up by NRL Club he will struggle IMO. Let’s see how he goes in the Ashes.

As you say above. He played a style that became predictable and in his second season opposition teams shut him down once they knew his game.

Not sure if he would be that great at the Dolphins, he was starting to get found out as a player with some limitations at the end of his time at Canberra from memory.

I have been to several Origin matches in Queensland and never noticed the crowd flat or quiet. You can’t expect 80 minutes of mindless screaming though can you? Australian don’t do the singing or chant thing that much from my observations.

It is normally coldest just before dawn, not sure about darkest.

10.6 is extremely fast, was that on the Track with spikes or on the Field in boots?

God help Perth. I would have Cam Smith every day of the week for the Roos.