Brits in the NRL

[Dunbar]

10 hours ago, ghost crayfish said:

To be fair he's joined an awful team at an awful time. Aside from Jai Arrow, they should all be ashamed. Hopefully a good five month off season to get himself fully fit, combined with Holbrook going over there and getting the team back on track, will do the trick. 

Jai Arrow is a fantastic player. An absolute machine. If were assembling a squad of players he would be right at the top of the list.

[Manfred Mann]

1 hour ago, graveyard johnny said:

77 year old David Watkins  could have tackled better than  Kallum Watkins today, 

Kallum Watkins missed two one on one tackles, going high and getting fended off, and both of these misses led directly to tries by Newcastle. It was an embarrassing performance by Kallum Watkins. If he does not improve massively next year he will not be playing many more games in the NRL

It will be interesting to see if he gets selected to play the final game of the Titans' season next week.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Manfred Mann

[EastLondonMike]

The two missed tackles that led to Newcastle tries were really bad. He just didn't look interested enough.

I've said all along, he needs a good NRL pre-season and a re-focus. Hopefully Holbrook can get the best out of him next year.

The titans left edge looked even worse than the right edge where Watkins operates.

[DavidM]

Watkins shocking , but he’s been shocking all year . Five years ago maybe but he’s way off NRL level now

[wackojacko]

2 years ago he was in the World XIII. He was today but it's not been that long since he was top-class, his injury's clearly shaken him.

[graveyard johnny]

13 hours ago, wackojacko said:

2 years ago he was in the World XIII. He was today but it's not been that long since he was top-class, his injury's clearly shaken him.

2 years ago he was playing against hudds wakey and widnes  not nrl teams,  hes the the modern keith senior - shines at domestic level but becomes invisible at the mention of can of fosters 

[Scubby]

4 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

2 years ago he was playing against hudds wakey and widnes  not nrl teams,  hes the the modern keith senior - shines at domestic level but becomes invisible at the mention of can of fosters 

Less than 2 years ago he was playing against Australia and being top class. The lad is struggling but he is quality. Whether he gets back to that is up for debate.

[graveyard johnny]

14 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Less than 2 years ago he was playing against Australia and being top class. The lad is struggling but he is quality. Whether he gets back to that is up for debate.

there was ONE decent bit of play to my memory that culminated in nowt , fan feckin tastic 

[Scubby]

Just now, graveyard johnny said:

there was ONE decent bit of play to my memory that culminated in nowt , fan feckin tastic 

You memory is like a sieve then or you are just being obtuse. He was excellent all tournament, including against Australia. He is struggling now for sure, but don't rewrite history.

 

[Allora]

4 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

there was ONE decent bit of play to my memory that culminated in nowt , fan feckin tastic 

He was touted as the English next Greg Inglis at one stage, many years ago.

[Clogiron]

There's not many coaches or player's who come out of the other side of the graveyard that is Gold Coast Titans intact, Watkins entering it as damaged goods already was foolhardy in the extreme.

As to why Holbrook is kissing his coaching career goodbye by taking it on defies belief, he really must be desperate to get back to Australia (or leave StEllens)

[Allora]

Just now, Clogiron said:

There's not many coaches or player's who come out of the other side of the graveyard that is Gold Coast Titans intact, Watkins entering it as damaged goods already was foolhardy in the extreme.

As to why Holbrook is kissing his coaching career goodbye by taking it on defies belief, he really must be desperate to get back to Australia (or leave StEllens)

The Titans have the core of a good squad, they have shown what they can do several times this season.

They have a very negative culture it seems.

Holbrook will see this as his chance to add to his resume, a Titans that come halfway next year will see his prospects in the game shine.

SL does not get a lot of exposure in Australia, what he has achieved there is what he has used to leverage his NRL spot.

[graveyard johnny]

14 minutes ago, Allora said:

He was touted as the English next Greg Inglis at one stage, many years ago.

the next greggs pasty more like, shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as such a great player as inglis

[Oxford]

3 minutes ago, Clogiron said:

There's not many coaches or player's who come out of the other side of the graveyard that is Gold Coast Titans intact, Watkins entering it as damaged goods already was foolhardy in the extreme.

As to why Holbrook is kissing his coaching career goodbye by taking it on defies belief, he really must be desperate to get back to Australia (or leave StEllens)

Yeah not much in it, in'it?

 

 

[Clogiron]

Just now, Oxford said:

Yeah not much in it, in'it?

 

 

As with the situation at Catalan's the second picture might explain the attitude problems that seem to infest both.

As for Holbrook getting them to midtable with what he has to work with and no prospect of wholesale changes due to financial constraints has anyone seen him walk on water?

[Allora]

14 hours ago, wackojacko said:

2 years ago he was in the World XIII. He was today but it's not been that long since he was top-class, his injury's clearly shaken him.

Those World squads are a bit like Golden Boot selections.

An old boys Club that decide how many from each top big three get a spot to make the game look balanced at International level.

[Scubby]

3 minutes ago, Allora said:

Those World squads are a bit like Golden Boot selections.

An old boys Club that decide how many from each top big three get a spot to make the game look balanced at International level.

I agree with some of the blunt stuff you say but FFS.

England lost to Ausralia 6-0 in Australia 21 months ago, and have beaten NZ 3 times out of 4 last year. NZ beat Australia before they came to England last year, and then lost to back-to-back tests to England. How balanced do you want it to be? 

[Allora]

Just now, Scubby said:

I agree with some of the blunt stuff you say but FFS.

England lost to Ausralia 6-0 in Australia 21 months ago, and have beaten NZ 3 times out of 4 last year. NZ beat Australia before they came to England last year, and then lost to back-to-back tests to England. How balanced do you want it to be? 

I do not look at results where one team beats another and then this team beats that team that beat the other team.

The last series where England beat New Zealand 2-1 they were put through the cleaners in the final game of the series, that is never a good sign.

New Zealand are like the Warriors a hot and cold side,their fluctuating form may be detrimental to them going forward.

 

'

[Scubby]

4 minutes ago, Allora said:

I do not look at results where one team beats another and then this team beats that team that beat the other team.

The last series where England beat New Zealand 2-1 they were put through the cleaners in the final game of the series, that is never a good sign.

New Zealand are like the Warriors a hot and cold side,their fluctuating form may be detrimental to them going forward.

 

'

So it is only competitive when you say so?  Okay

Why is what you describe in the NZ series any different from when Origin is a dead rubber and the losing state strolls home in the third game? In fact, don't answer that it is a rhetorical question!

Edited September 1, 2019 by Scubby

[philipw]

8 minutes ago, Allora said:

I do not look at results where one team beats another and then this team beats that team that beat the other team.

The last series where England beat New Zealand 2-1 they were put through the cleaners in the final game of the series, that is never a good sign.

New Zealand are like the Warriors a hot and cold side,their fluctuating form may be detrimental to them going forward.

 

'

Turn it in FFS

[Allora]

1 minute ago, Scubby said:

So it is only competitive when you say so?  Okay

Why is what you describe in the NZ series any different from when Origin is a dead rubber and the losing state strolls home in the third?

I did not say that.

Rarely do SOO teams stroll over in  the third game.

[Allora]

1 minute ago, philipw said:

Turn it in FFS

Jog on..

[Scubby]

2 minutes ago, Allora said:

I did not say that.

Rarely do SOO teams stroll over in  the third game.

 

15 minutes ago, Allora said:

The last series where England beat New Zealand 2-1 they were put through the cleaners in the final game of the series, that is never a good sign.

2014 where NSW beat Queensland 2-1 they were put through the cleaners in the final game of the series, that is never a good sign  

[philipw]

5 minutes ago, Allora said:

Jog on..

In your dreams. You've got such a chip on your shoulder, and when people call you out in it, attempt to justify it with completely OTT claims. NSW pumped Queensland in game 2 of Origin this year - is that an unbalanced competition? 

Edited September 1, 2019 by philipw

[AB90]

22 minutes ago, Scubby said:

So it is only competitive when you say so?  Okay

Why is what you describe in the NZ series any different from when Origin is a dead rubber and the losing state strolls home in the third game? In fact, don't answer that it is a rhetorical question!

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.