DavidM Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 I’ve said we can win it and I think on home soil we can . There’s been a levelling out at the top end of international competition . We may end up get smashed but I don’t think this comp is a forgone conclusion at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 30 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said: Let’s look at this objectively. The last WC SF/Final had this 1-6-7-9: 1. Widdop 6. Brown 7. Gale 9. Hodgson/Roby Are we saying that’s better than let’s say: 1. Tomkins 6. Lomax 7. Williams 9. Roby/Clarke? I’d take the latter every day. Now I am not suggesting we are going to win the competition. But the side is better than its being credited for; even more so with Wane at the helm. I get what you are saying but Lomax and Williams are just not good enough to get us home in big games. Their game management under pressure is just not there. That puts a huge amount of pressure on Tomkins and Roby who are no spring chickens. It may be arguably a better spine than 2017, but when all told we scored 1 try in 2 games against Australia in that WC and didn't even play NZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manfred Mann Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 4 hours ago, Scubby said: Campbell Gillard is head and shoulders above Vaughan who struggles to make his club 17. Campbell-Gillard qualifies for Fiji and will probably play for Fiji. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrian Mackem Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 1 minute ago, Manfred Mann said: Campbell-Gillard qualifies for Fiji and will probably play for Fiji. Does Fiji have that same pull as Tonga? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manfred Mann Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 1 minute ago, Cumbrian Mackem said: Does Fiji have that same pull as Tonga? Probably moreso because of the singing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 5 minutes ago, Manfred Mann said: Campbell-Gillard qualifies for Fiji and will probably play for Fiji. He played for Australia in the last world cup, so no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 3 minutes ago, Manfred Mann said: Probably moreso because of the singing! I love that before their matches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 1. Tedesco 2. Holmes 3. Mitchell 4. Turbo Tom 5. Ado Carr 6. Munster 7. Cleary 8. Campbell Gillard 9. Cook 10. Haas 11. Cordner 12. Fifita 13. Radley 14. Papenhuyzen 15. Finucine 16. Grant 17. Murray Just my rough guess. The best group the Aussies have had since 2017. Five full backs in the 17 crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunbar Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 28 minutes ago, Scubby said: 1. Tedesco 2. Holmes 3. Mitchell 4. Turbo Tom 5. Ado Carr 6. Munster 7. Cleary 8. Campbell Gillard 9. Cook 10. Haas 11. Cordner 12. Fifita 13. Radley 14. Papenhuyzen 15. Finucine 16. Grant 17. Murray Just my rough guess. The best group the Aussies have had since 2017. Five full backs in the 17 crazy. Six of those could be playing full back in 2022 with Josh Addo-Carr moving to the Bulldogs with am eye to the #1 shirt. "The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby. "If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Evans Thigh Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 5 hours ago, Scubby said: England has two chances - slim and no This WC has more of a 2000 feeling to it as far as England is concerned. That semi at Bolton was haunting I had this thought earlier. The style of play in the NRL has gone up several notches and the skill on show is unreal. SL seems to have stood still for some time. I can see us struggling with Samoa/Fiji/Tonga let alone Australia Formerly Alistair Boyd-Meaney fifty thousand Poouunds from Keighley...weve had im gid." MIPM Project Management and Business Solutions " Discounts available for forum members contact me for details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrian Mackem Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 1 minute ago, Tex Evans Thigh said: I had this thought earlier. The style of play in the NRL has gone up several notches and the skill on show is unreal. SL seems to have stood still for some time. I can see us struggling with Samoa/Fiji/Tonga let alone Australia This. It seems like every other week another talented young player makes his debut in the NRL added on top of those who debuted last season or the season before who are know household names and star players in the NRL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost crayfish Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 Take it easy, England fans! Think about how much of the good play the bulldogs produce is on the back of a Thompson charge and play the ball, likewise Souths with Burgess. Look at Canberra, who are totally reliant on Williams and Whitehead for their creativity. At Brisbane, Farnworth is probably our best back. Throw in the likes of John Bateman, Gareth Widdop, Sam Tomkins and you've got a large pool of players who are proven in the NRL. That's before even getting to the likes of Walmsley, Roby, Clarke Makinson and Lomax, who are all definitely good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 8 hours ago, ghost crayfish said: Take it easy, England fans! Think about how much of the good play the bulldogs produce is on the back of a Thompson charge and play the ball, likewise Souths with Burgess. Look at Canberra, who are totally reliant on Williams and Whitehead for their creativity. At Brisbane, Farnworth is probably our best back. Throw in the likes of John Bateman, Gareth Widdop, Sam Tomkins and you've got a large pool of players who are proven in the NRL. That's before even getting to the likes of Walmsley, Roby, Clarke Makinson and Lomax, who are all definitely good enough. I like your faith. I may get more pumped up come September Maybe when they release the new RLWC England mug! We have so much work to do. We need to learn how to score points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 20 hours ago, AB90 said: As all the above players play for either NSW and QLD chances are they will all be loyal to Australia. And all of them are born and bred Aussies. As will be well over 60% of the participants in the WC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmduck Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 I've only got Teddy, Cleary, Munster, Addo Carr and probably Tom Turbo nailed on. I guess Papenhuyzen has to be there somewhere. Forwards? Probably Crichton, Radley? Trouble is if you carry a spare 9 can you have Radley AND Papenhuyzen on the bench? Maybe no "real" centres, just Wighton, T-Turbo and Papenhuyzen? What about Latrell? The last Kangaroos to take the field had these forwards: Klemmer, Cook, Papalii, Cordner, Frizell, J-Turbo with a bench of Cameron Murray, Haas, Wade Graham and Vaughan. Cordner may come back very fresh and have a huge season? Wade Graham, No. The rest are all playing well. Then what happens if Qld wins SOO 3-0? You'd have to look at Grant, Su'a, Arrow, Welch,Kaufusi, Capewell. Also Holmes and Gagai. Gagai, at 30, is probably "too old" but he always turns up in big games. Maybe they'll just pick all the top FBs and not bother about having specific positions. Have a whole new game theory, "We'll score 60, what've you got?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo5 Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 If the NRL continues with their overreacting to “high” tackles we could see a large number of players missing the World Cup through suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balmain1969 Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Possible Samoa Team Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Ken Maumalo Stephen Crichton Brian To'o David Nofoaluma Dylan Brown Jarome Luai Payne Haas Tyrone May Josh Papalii Isaiah Papalii Jaydn Su'a Tino Fa'asuamaleaui Spencer Leniu Junior Paulo Josh Schuster Nelson Asofa-Solamona Coach: Sonny-Bill Williams, Andrew Johns, Matty Johns Most players listed have pledged allegiance if the listed coaches are appointed. https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/05/03/taumalolo-like-the-impact-of-johns-brothers-sbws-samoa-coaching-dream/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 15 hours ago, Scubby said: England has two chances - slim and no This WC has more of a 2000 feeling to it as far as England is concerned. That semi at Bolton was haunting It was far worse than the one off game in Sydney a few years later, I remember when England were lining up for another kick off late on shouting you're a disgrace England, Chev Walker promptly looked up into the stand and waved two fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unapologetic pedant Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 52 minutes ago, Scubby said: We have so much work to do. We need to learn how to score points. We could start by learning how to play the ball. The quick rollballs of the past few years have lead to an over-emphasis on dummy-half runs and bog-standard one-out hit-ups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 13 hours ago, ghost crayfish said: Farnworth is probably our best back 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Has the rules changed regarding having already played for a Tier 1 country? there are suggestions on these pages for players having already played for Australia or New Zealand turning out for a Pacific Island team, I realise the competition is a contrivance to put out the best players but before the squads are selected in my opinion there should be a cut of date whereby player's nominate which country they wish to represent, if they are not selected, tough, they sit at home and watch it on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmduck Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 I believe the current rule is that you can swap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 but you can't swap from Tier 1 to another Tier 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunbar Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 12 minutes ago, Farmduck said: I believe the current rule is that you can swap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 but you can't swap from Tier 1 to another Tier 1. I believe it is. And pragmatically is the best approach for the game overall. "The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby. "If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 42 minutes ago, Dunbar said: I believe it is. And pragmatically is the best approach for the game overall. Why is that Dunbar? As I say in my opinion a contrivance, I am firmly on the side of once a player nominates for one country, you shut the door on all others. It leaves open for perhaps people like Austin and Hastings to hopefully find a Greek, Italian, Welsh etc forefather to which they feel really attached to and wish to represent their country, it is as daft as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunbar Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 31 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said: Why is that Dunbar? As I say in my opinion a contrivance, I am firmly on the side of once a player nominates for one country, you shut the door on all others. It leaves open for perhaps people like Austin and Hastings to hopefully find a Greek, Italian, Welsh etc forefather to which they feel really attached to and wish to represent their country, it is as daft as that. 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. "The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby. "If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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