Australian starting 13 for the world cup

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 16/05/2021 at 01:29, OriginalMrC said:

That's a scary team! Will take a miracle for anyone to beat them

Just got remember (or hope!) that being a team means something 

Well that or they treat it like a jolly and have too many drinking sessions while they are here. 

Can we issue them with a couple if grand of pub vouchers each when they land? 

 

[ghost crayfish]

7 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

If that's the case God help us, the lad is a work in progress at centre, his positional play and defence puts him - in my opinion - firmly in the basement of centres running around in the NRL, I honestly couldn't see him replacing a 3 or 4 at any other NRL club, seriously if Herby is our best back we may as well wave the white flag now.

PS just re-read your post dud you mean England's or Brisbanes best back?

Brisbane's

[Harry Stottle]

5 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Because I believe that a strong and competitive international landscape is the best possible opportunity for our sport to thrive and gain the much needed media attention and national awareness that we all want.

If the top tier of players in the NRL play for their country of heritage either because they are committing to that team or simply because they are not being selected for the Kangaroos or Kiwis it will create some very competitive teams like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.  That is good for the sport.

And the bottom line is that most of the Rugby League public don't care and all of the wider public don't care.  No-one will look at a player like Jason Taumalolo and say he shouldn't play for Tonga.  Same for the other nations.  And, perhaps most importantly from my personal perspective,  I genuinely believe that they are as passionate to represent these countries as any English player will be to play for England.

So you agree it (the WC or international selection criteria) is a contrivance?

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

5 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Because I believe that a strong and competitive international landscape is the best possible opportunity for our sport to thrive and gain the much needed media attention and national awareness that we all want.

If the top tier of players in the NRL play for their country of heritage either because they are committing to that team or simply because they are not being selected for the Kangaroos or Kiwis it will create some very competitive teams like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.  That is good for the sport.

And the bottom line is that most of the Rugby League public don't care and all of the wider public don't care.  No-one will look at a player like Jason Taumalolo and say he shouldn't play for Tonga.  Same for the other nations.  And, perhaps most importantly from my personal perspective,  I genuinely believe that they are as passionate to represent these countries as any English player will be to play for England.

Spot on. A very small number of English RLfans are far too obsessed with and put far too much importance on players place of birth. People can be incredibly proud of their heritage without been born in their Nation of heritage, anyone who’s seen Tonga, PNG or Fiji play in an International will have seen that first hand.

It’s sad some fans don’t seem to want to embrace that, our International game is getting really competitive. Look at the upsets we’ve seen against Tier 1 sides in the last few years,Fiji beating NZ, Tonga beating NZ, Australia and GB, PNG beating GB, that’s 5 occasions a Tier 1 side has been beaten by a Tier 2 team and every Tier 1 side has lost a game to a Tier 2 side relatively recently.

[Dunbar]

19 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

So you agree it (the WC or international selection criteria) is a contrivance?

To a degree yes. Of course the fact that many of the players representing the likes of Samoa, Tonga, Fiji et al are Australian or New Zealand born and played all their rugby away from the nation they will represent is not as 'pure' as one where players play in local leagues.

But, as I say, I believe that these players have hugely strong cultural and family ties to these nations and the communities in their adopted nations and so I am very happy to see these strong teams emerge.

As stated, I think it is massively beneficial for the sport overall.

[Dunbar]

8 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

If that's the case God help us, the lad is a work in progress at centre, his positional play and defence puts him - in my opinion - firmly in the basement of centres running around in the NRL, I honestly couldn't see him replacing a 3 or 4 at any other NRL club, seriously if Herby is our best back we may as well wave the white flag now.

PS just re-read your post dud you mean England's or Brisbanes best back?

Have you ever seen Farnworth play Harry? I mean in the flesh.

[graveyard johnny]

21 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Have you ever seen Farnworth play Harry? I mean in the flesh.

his big test will come at the weekend against the roosters, i expect australias backs to play in a very rooster like fashion - lets see how he gets on saturday.