Confirmed: Australia v Tonga 20 Oct // NZ v Tonga mid 2019

[paulwalker71]

20 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

They're a team of mercenaries....

Except they barely even get paid for the privilege 

[Odsal Outlaw]

2 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Why would England want to tour? For all the talk about not getting enough test matches and trying to build the international game, how about getting more bloody tests in the Northern Hemisphere?

The French are on your doorstep and they need the fixtures. The NRL have gone on to organise their own tests, time for the RFL to go about organising their own and building the sport in their own backyard.

And what do you think the RLPA/NRL/ARL will do if Eng play France and call up all the NRL based players? What will their excuse be then to ensure mid season means mid season in sydney?

[Dave T]

37 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

Except they barely even get paid for the privilege 

Aye, they are some of the worst mercenaries I have ever known, some of them taking huge paycuts to represent the nation of their parents and grandparents.

[Allora]

1 hour ago, GeordieSaint said:

I don’t doubt that - you lot are structural machines and don’t make many mistakes. Boring as sin of course but very difficult to beat. I don’t see Tonga turning you over at all. It’ll be good to see you playing them though as I do think you, us and the Kiwis should be playing Tonga, Samoa, PNG, France et al far more often.

Not making many mistakes is not boring IMO, its playing the game at the highest level.

Boring as bat ###### those Kangaroos

 

 

[GeordieSaint]

29 minutes ago, Allora said:

Not making many mistakes is not boring IMO, its playing the game at the highest level.

Boring as bat ###### those Kangaroos

 

 

 

[B rad]

5 hours ago, Allora said:

Australia will beat Tonga by 15- 30 points every day of the week.

That's what England and NZ thought last RLWC too. 

 

3 hours ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

They're a team of mercenaries. Aussies will be alright with a 3rd string outfit

How are they a team of mercenaries, they hardly get any pay compared to what they could be getting. That has to be the dumbest comment ever on these forums. Congratulations that's quite the prize. 

[frank]

14 hours ago, Allora said:

The Kangaroos are the Kangaroos, have they ever put out less than full strength teams.

Your logic makes no sense, if they did put out a second string side it is still the Kangaroos.

Australia will beat Tonga by 15- 30 points every day of the week.

Obviously you don't know the Aussies.

 

 

[17 stone giant]

That's good news about the NZ v Aus and Tonga v Aus matches. Hopefully both will get sell out crowds.

Will they be available to watch in the UK?

[Allora]

12 hours ago, frank said:

The Kangaroos are the Kangaroos, have they ever put out less than full strength teams.

Your logic makes no sense, if they did put out a second string side it is still the Kangaroos.

Australia will beat Tonga by 15- 30 points every day of the week.

Obviously you don't know the Aussies.

Which part are you talking about Frank?

The under strength team or the score?

 

[Allora]

21 hours ago, B rad said:

That's what England and NZ thought last RLWC too. 

 

How are they a team of mercenaries, they hardly get any pay compared to what they could be getting. That has to be the dumbest comment ever on these forums. Congratulations that's quite the prize. 

I am not concerned about the expectations of NZ or England.

NZ were absolute rubbish in last years World Cup, nearly everyone beat them.

England have been run close by many fringe nations over the years, beat by Italy, run close by PNG, close with Tonga recently.

Its nothing new.

 

 

[B rad]

7 hours ago, Allora said:

I am not concerned about the expectations of NZ or England.

NZ were absolute rubbish in last years World Cup, nearly everyone beat them.

England have been run close by many fringe nations over the years, beat by Italy, run close by PNG, close with Tonga recently.

Its nothing new.

 

 

You may be right. I wouldn't be surprised if Australia ran in a decent win. There are other factors though. For one Australia for the first time don't have a super star in their team. The retirement of Smith, Cronk, Slater and Thurston have puts them in a position I don't think they have ever been in before. Inglis is a super star but his days of busting tackles to run 80 m down the field to score are over. He isn't the super star he use to be.

The other thing is they will be playing a fired up, very strong Tonga in front of a very passionate loud supporter base. It is a lot more important to the Tongan players to win then it is to the Australian players. They will be more motivated. 

The one last thing is Tonga, unlike England don't have that mental monkey on their back. Tonga have never played Australia before. Sometimes I think England are half beaten before they get on the field because of all the previous near wins and dominance the Aussies have showed over them. For the Tongan players its a fresh start with no history between them. They don't have the mental baggage of years gone by haunting them. 

 

I think it will be close and a Tongan victory is defiantly a possibility if they can keep their cool and not make silly mistakes.  

[Allora]

1 hour ago, B rad said:

You may be right. I wouldn't be surprised if Australia ran in a decent win. There are other factors though. For one Australia for the first time don't have a super star in their team. The retirement of Smith, Cronk, Slater and Thurston have puts them in a position I don't think they have ever been in before. Inglis is a super star but his days of busting tackles to run 80 m down the field to score are over. He isn't the super star he use to be.

The other thing is they will be playing a fired up, very strong Tonga in front of a very passionate loud supporter base. It is a lot more important to the Tongan players to win then it is to the Australian players. They will be more motivated. 

The one last thing is Tonga, unlike England don't have that mental monkey on their back. Tonga have never played Australia before. Sometimes I think England are half beaten before they get on the field because of all the previous near wins and dominance the Aussies have showed over them. For the Tongan players its a fresh start with no history between them. They don't have the mental baggage of years gone by haunting them. 

 

I think it will be close and a Tongan victory is defiantly a possibility if they can keep their cool and not make silly mistakes.  

Tonga do not have the halfbacks or on field generals to take control of a tough opponent IMO

[B rad]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/finals/tevita-pangai-jr-is-caught-between-representing-australia-and-nsw-and-tonga/news-story/bb8be7baf15ad471e22b155363876e02

Australian selectors have reached a new low in sportsmanship trying to entice Tevita Pangai  jr over to the Kangaroos for the up coming tests. There is a bunch of guys who played State of Origin this year and for Australia last year they would have to over look to pick him. To target one of the best players from a up and coming nation your about to play for the first time ever when your nation has more depth then anyone is not in the spirit of the game. 

[deluded pom?]

2 minutes ago, B rad said:

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/finals/tevita-pangai-jr-is-caught-between-representing-australia-and-nsw-and-tonga/news-story/bb8be7baf15ad471e22b155363876e02

Australian selectors have reached a new low in sportsmanship trying to entice Tevita Pangai  jr over to the Kangaroos for the up coming tests. There is a bunch of guys who played State of Origin this year and for Australia last year they would have to over look to pick him. To target one of the best players from a up and coming nation your about to play for the first time ever when your nation has more depth then anyone is not in the spirit of the game. 

There’s nothing in that article to say Australia are looking at selecting Pangai other than McGuire’s comments and the writer’s speculation. Having said that I wouldn’t put anything past the Aussies, especially Meninga.

[Yorkshire Knight]

44 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

There’s nothing in that article to say Australia are looking at selecting Pangai other than McGuire’s comments and the writer’s speculation. Having said that I wouldn’t put anything past the Aussies, especially Meninga.

Meninga is championing the international game so I doubt he'd select Pangai

[deluded pom?]

9 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

Meninga is championing the international game so I doubt he'd select Pangai

He picked Radradra. What he says and what he does are two different things. He’s Australian. Win anyway you can is the mantra.

[Southerner80]

On 9/6/2018 at 9:48 PM, Allora said:

Tonga do not have the halfbacks or on field generals to take control of a tough opponent IMO

I agree. I can't see them staying with Oz as who is their hooker or HB who is near Maloney, Munster etc 

[ghost crayfish]

6 hours ago, deluded pom? said:

He picked Radradra. What he says and what he does are two different things. He’s Australian. Win anyway you can is the mantra.

Unlike those noble English gentlemen, who would never poach a player from a neighbouring second tier rival, or for that matter pick any player who had played senior rep football anywhere else. Well... except Ben Currie from Ireland, and Chris McQueen from QLD.

[ghost crayfish]

6 hours ago, Southerner80 said:

I agree. I can't see them staying with Oz as who is their hooker or HB who is near Maloney, Munster etc 

The weakness is more glaring this year because I think Hingano (their RLWC halfback) is out injured.

[B rad]

2 hours ago, ghost crayfish said:

The weakness is more glaring this year because I think Hingano (their RLWC halfback) is out injured.

They will have Sione Katoa come in, which isn't ideal because he is a hooker, but at least still a good player. 

[Abicus]

 

So interesting thing to note

This game may have already nearly sold out?

All Platinum areas have sold out.
Gold Uncovered and Silver uncovered - the two lower tiers - are down to limited availability and single seats only. Tonga supporter section - lower stand of the southern side - is also single seats.

http://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows...LTickets&utm_medium=Web&utm_campaign=2018Test

[deluded pom?]

3 hours ago, ghost crayfish said:

Unlike those noble English gentlemen, who would never poach a player from a neighbouring second tier rival, or for that matter pick any player who had played senior rep football anywhere else. Well... except Ben Currie from Ireland, and Chris McQueen from QLD.

I don’t disagree. I was responding to someone saying that Meninga wouldn’t do that sort of thing. I know full well that two wrongs don’t make a right. It’s funny though that one of your examples, McQueen was selected by an Australian coach and having previously played for Queensland has no relevance to him being picked for England anyway.  Unless I have missed it and Queensland declared independence overnight they are not a country. 

[ghost crayfish]

1 hour ago, deluded pom? said:

I don’t disagree. I was responding to someone saying that Meninga wouldn’t do that sort of thing. I know full well that two wrongs don’t make a right. It’s funny though that one of your examples, McQueen was selected by an Australian coach and having previously played for Queensland has no relevance to him being picked for England anyway.  Unless I have missed it and Queensland declared independence overnight they are not a country. 

Fair point... Still. Just sayin everyone does it. I don't agree with it - particularly in Australia's case because their depth is so good - but England and NZ are also guilty of doing it... So the "he's Australian" comment is what I was responding to. 

[deluded pom?]

47 minutes ago, ghost crayfish said:

Fair point... Does mean he's not a pom though. Still. Just sayin everyone does it. I don't agree with it - particularly in Australia's case because their depth is so good - but England and NZ are also guilty of doing it... So the "he's Australian" comment is what I was responding to. 

Fair enough. The days when England would always play strictly by the rules in any sport are long gone. Unfortunately IMO.