Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Jim from Oz said:

1/  The Aussie players after returning HAVE to take eight weeks rest.  This PLUS the two weeks isolation upon return impacts upon the pre-season of their clubs’.

Again, this will involve ONLY about the 50-odd players/squad members of the two teams that make the final … everyone else comes home as their team is eliminated.

2/ Surely a compromise would be to include the two week isolation as part of the eight week break before pre-season.

I've seen the RLP{A rep already state his players are prepared to compromise in this way.

3/ By the way Steve Roach said he would be on the plane if he was still playing.

Yes … but V'landys would not give him that choice.

As I have previously said they don't have to have 8 weeks. In seasons gone by this has been waved due to international competition. 

[John Drake]

Getting a bit weary of people attempting to bypass the swear filter on here. 
 

If a word is blocked by our filter, it means we don’t want that word on here at all, in any shape or form.

If you can’t make your point without cussing, your point isn’t worth making on here at all, and will probably end up being deleted anyway.

Please take note. 

Thanks. 

[Damien]

Another myth debunked, all players could be vaccinated if they desire:

 

[Matterhorn]

Channel 9 "The Home of Rugby League" in Sydney,Australia - last thursday night buried the report of australia / new zealand withdrawing from the world cup into there sports section after NRL stories first. That's just how it is - NRL first then SOO in middle of year, rugby league internationals last. 

I'm sure a lot of people in Australia were not even aware of the rugby league world cup was on due to lack of media talking about it.

We know if the ALL Blacks withdrew from an international tournament NZ media would have wall to all coverage.

NZ winning world cup in 08 or beating aus in tri nations in the famous 24-0 or tonga beating australia last, these never got the massive coverage they deserved.

I think proceeding now will send a positive message to all Australian media that the rugby league world doesn't spin around the NRL. PNG the number one sport in there country, I'm sure they want to proceed. Tonga getting within a whisker of the last final I'm sure they want to proceed. Remember NZ got knocked out in the quarters last year so the way everyone is talking is like we are missing out on an Aus/NZ final if they dont come - maybe we will if it happened. But who knows it wouldn't surprise me if someone else did a Tonga & knocked of a few of the big dogs out like Fiji did with NZ.

[Damien]

34 minutes ago, Matterhorn said:

Channel 9 "The Home of Rugby League" in Sydney,Australia - last thursday night buried the report of australia / new zealand withdrawing from the world cup into there sports section after NRL stories first. That's just how it is - NRL first then SOO in middle of year, rugby league internationals last. 

I'm sure a lot of people in Australia were not even aware of the rugby league world cup was on due to lack of media talking about it.

We know if the ALL Blacks withdrew from an international tournament NZ media would have wall to all coverage.

NZ winning world cup in 08 or beating aus in tri nations in the famous 24-0 or tonga beating australia last, these never got the massive coverage they deserved.

I think proceeding now will send a positive message to all Australian media that the rugby league world doesn't spin around the NRL. PNG the number one sport in there country, I'm sure they want to proceed. Tonga getting within a whisker of the last final I'm sure they want to proceed. Remember NZ got knocked out in the quarters last year so the way everyone is talking is like we are missing out on an Aus/NZ final if they dont come - maybe we will if it happened. But who knows it wouldn't surprise me if someone else did a Tonga & knocked of a few of the big dogs out like Fiji did with NZ.

They don't have the rights to the RLWC, neither do Fox Sports. I can only conclude that is why they are giving this huge event the coverage they are.

[Matterhorn]

Also remember when the NRL competition finishes 8 teams will not be in finals football contention & after each week 2 teams bow out. So some eligible players will not be playing for 4 weeks probably having a few weeks break before joining there respective countries training camp.

The rugby league world cup some teams will only play 3 matches - 6 if you make it to the final.

I'll thrown in a lead up friendly match for most countries as well.

So can you see that the way the NRL is spinning this is it sounds like players will be playing up until grand final and then up until the final of the world cup.

Yes a small % will - good luck to them if you make a NRL grand final and final of a world cup.

But most players in the NRL & the world cup will be playing max 3-4 matches after september - you don't hear that being mentioned.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Matterhorn
meant to say max instead of min

[Jim from Oz]

28 minutes ago, Matterhorn said:

Also remember when the NRL competition finishes 8 teams will not be in finals football contention & after each week 2 teams bow out. So some eligible players will not be playing for 4 weeks probably having a few weeks break before joining there respective countries training camp.

The rugby league world cup some teams will only play 3 matches - 6 if you make it to the final.

I'll thrown in a lead up friendly match for most countries as well.

So can you see that the way the NRL is spinning this is it sounds like players will be playing up until grand final and then up until the final of the world cup.

Yes a small % will - good luck to them if you make a NRL grand final and final of a world cup.

But most players in the NRL & the world cup will be playing max 3-4 matches after september - you don't hear that being mentioned.

Yep, all of that.

The disgusting act is all about the NRL wanting to exercise its power and run the game for their sole benefit as they see fit and without ANY interference from troublesome bodies like the IRL.

[Matterhorn]

Yes why do all sports people want to represent there country - its the highest honor & a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Why are there golfers & tennis players on multi million dollar contracts in Tokyo now - as I said above.

Ash Barty who just won Wimbledon she could of had a few weeks break but couldn't wait to get to Tokyo to represent Australia. She didn't say I want to rest my body for the US Tennis Open coming up - if she did no one could blame her but she put country first.

Roger TVS - good luck to him as well - he is saying i want to be straight into playing rugby so potentially get picked when the  All Blacks tour.

Can we see the double standards playing behind the scenes here?

Justin Olam & Viliame Kikau probably treated like Gods back in there own country - are we really going to deny these guys that chance on the world stage. I'd imagine there would be every TV set in PNG tuned into the world cup when PNG play. Every win is treated like a national holiday. Remember we are probably talking about the best centre and best second rower in the world now & would make a world 13 if picked now.

[Chrispmartha]

 

 

good on him

[Jim from Oz]

6 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

 

 

good on him

Fantastic !
 

[Matterhorn]

Good on Jason

His decision to defect to Tonga before the last world cup lit the spark that started the resurgence in the Pacific Nations.

Just need more to become public now

[Gomersall]

https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-league/clubs-behind-rlwc-withdrawals-graham-says-c-3515145

[RP London]

9 hours ago, DoubleD said:

That’s what Gould and Vlandys are though - old school bullies

you could tell by the made up facts from gould.. 

claiming players were interviewed when the players are all coming out and saying "no we werent" and the RLPA saying there was no consultation... He then says that players are saying they want to play just because they dont want to risk not being picked next time round or being bagged (i assume he means by people like him).. yet surely if the ARLC are saying "you cant go" then they are risking more by going against that than they are by towing the line and admitting they were asked!

[Whippet13]

4 minutes ago, RP London said:

you could tell by the made up facts from gould.. 

claiming players were interviewed when the players are all coming out and saying "no we werent" and the RLPA saying there was no consultation... He then says that players are saying they want to play just because they dont want to risk not being picked next time round or being bagged (i assume he means by people like him).. yet surely if the ARLC are saying "you cant go" then they are risking more by going against that than they are by towing the line and admitting they were asked!

This is it, potential Australian Test players are well aware that if they come out and openly say they want to tour then they run the very real risk of being overlooked by Australia and for State of Origin in the future as a punishment. I'm sure that will be part of the "discussions" Cleary and certain others will be having with their players.

[Whippet13]

1 hour ago, Chrispmartha said:

 

 

good on him

My hero of the day.

He is right about the possibility of a new name on the cup, this is a huge opportunity for one of the PI nations to win it and that is no doubt driving player interest. That makes it tougher for any PI nation to pull out under ARL pressure as well as they do risk open player revolt.

[lucky 7]

10 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Gus Gould on Channel 9. The other panelists - including Paul Gallen - weren’t buying his BS either. His side seems to be losing the argument in Australia itself, which is encouraging.

.

Gould is a total 100% goose

[David Dockhouse Host]

We address the potential withdrawal in the latest rugby show 

https://youtu.be/mtJvdf8XhS0

 

[Szymala]

1 hour ago, Chrispmartha said:

 

 

good on him

What a man, a true leader ! Just what I hoped for. And now for the domino effect 

 

[Whippet13]

1 minute ago, lucky 7 said:

Gould is a total 100% goose

Watched this yesterday, Paul Gallen looked completely embarrassed by the whole thing.

[Matterhorn]

I'm just hoping Tonga v Somoa meet somewhere in the tournament

The anthems / the pre war dance  / the skill / the collisions / open rugby league - beats SOO - that is mate against mate at its best - gives me goose bumps

 

[RP London]

25 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

This is it, potential Australian Test players are well aware that if they come out and openly say they want to tour then they run the very real risk of being overlooked by Australia and for State of Origin in the future as a punishment. I'm sure that will be part of the "discussions" Cleary and certain others will be having with their players.

And yet some of them are openly saying this which tends to go against what Gould is saying, in fact it contradicts him completely.. 

I've said it a few times and i;m sure i will say it some more as each time he opens his mouth it just reinforces it but he is just a big bag of wind and the less we hear from him the better.

[RP London]

13 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

Watched this yesterday, Paul Gallen looked completely embarrassed by the whole thing.

totally... and a bit fed up as gould just talked over him and basically told him he was talking rubbish even though he was simply giving his opinion of what he would have done!

[David Dockhouse Host]

4 minutes ago, RP London said:

And yet some of them are openly saying this which tends to go against what Gould is saying, in fact it contradicts him completely.. 

I've said it a few times and i;m sure i will say it some more as each time he opens his mouth it just reinforces it but he is just a big bag of wind and the less we hear from him the better.

We go into Phil Gould's tweet in the show, break down his points. 

Biting his tongue start made me laugh disrespectful at best!!

There's more to come on this story I am hearing, not all is good but check out our thoughts on Phil Gould here 

 

 

Also, is Phil Gould's tweet still there, I couldn't find it again????

[GeordieSaint]

18 minutes ago, Szymala said:

What a man, a true leader ! Just what I hoped for. And now for the domino effect 

 

That decision may have just saved the World Cup...

Agreed about the leadership of this guy. 2017. Now this. Hope it works...

[GeordieSaint]

4 minutes ago, RP London said:

totally... and a bit fed up as gould just talked over him and basically told him he was talking rubbish even though he was simply giving his opinion of what he would have done!

I'd have shot back with a:

"people who have played International rugby and in the World Cup understand... etc etc"

Put him royally back in his box.