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Are you sure England is better then Samoa?


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27 minutes ago, Young Blood said:

It's actually great that 5 teams have a real chance of winning the World Cup. That's 31% of the competition. I am not a huge soccer fan but does the FIFA World Cup have a percentage similar to this? 

A percentage is a pretty bad comparison when Soccer is played in every country. If you are looking for a percentage though its certainly feasible that 33% (a third of the teams in the World Cup have a shot of winning it). That's basically the 8 top seeds and the likes of Holland, Germany and Croatia in pot 2. Its also much easier for a weaker team to win in Soccer than RL too.

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26 minutes ago, Damien said:

A percentage is a pretty bad comparison when Soccer is played in every country. If you are looking for a percentage though its certainly feasible that 33% (a third of the teams in the World Cup have a shot of winning it). That's basically the 8 top seeds and the likes of Holland, Germany and Croatia in pot 2. Its also much easier for a weaker team to win in Soccer than RL too

It's that more because soccer a team win a game playing defensive all game and get a goal on counter attack? 

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36 minutes ago, Young Blood said:

It's that more because soccer a team win a game playing defensive all game and get a goal on counter attack? 

Essentially yeah but also things like getting goals from set pieces or corners. You also don't even necessarily need to get a goal, you can just defend and try and take a team to penalties.

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5 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

After watching today's game Welsby has to start for England. He's our in form player and wouldnt show the SH players any respect.

I'd consider him at 6 also

 

Yes, I think I would as well.

In fact, Tomkins at 1 and Lomax and Welsby in the halves wouldn't be bad at all.  If we could get Robby to extend his career by a tiny 6 games as well then that would be very useful.

Welsby makes things happen on a pitch and plays with confidence.  I really do think he has to start for England now.

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"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

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1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

Yes, I think I would as well.

In fact, Tomkins at 1 and Lomax and Welsby in the halves wouldn't be bad at all.  If we could get Robby to extend his career by a tiny 6 games as well then that would be very useful.

Welsby makes things happen on a pitch and plays with confidence.  I really do think he has to start for England now.

He was playing out of position but was better than any 6 in the league. 

He kicked well, was a running threat, creative and controlled the game. He also chased everything and picked Kasiano's pocket for his try

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2 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

He was playing out of position but was better than any 6 in the league. 

He kicked well, was a running threat, creative and controlled the game. He also chased everything and picked Kasiano's pocket for his try

I am not 100% sure and the Saints fans can confirm but I believe that Welsby was more of a half than a full back in the junior ranks and he certainly looks at home there.

"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

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1 hour ago, JM2010 said:

He was playing out of position but was better than any 6 in the league. 

He kicked well, was a running threat, creative and controlled the game. He also chased everything and picked Kasiano's pocket for his try

Welsby is the most exciting British player I've seen in a decade. If he was in a system like Melbourne they would be moulding him into a half back as they did with Cronk/Hughes.

He has similar qualities to Jerhome Hughes when he was younger. Now Hughes is one of the best half backs in the world but still runs like a full back.

Edited by Scubby
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14 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Welsby is the most exciting British player I've seen in a decade. If he was in a system like Melbourne they would be moulding him into a half back as the did with Cronk/Hughes.

He has similar qualities to Jerhome Hughes when he was younger. Now Hughes is one of the best half backs in the world but still runs like a full back.

We've got quite an exciting crop of young players at the moment. If they fulfill their potential then we've got a good base for a strong England team over the next decade.

Welsby, Dodd, Knowles, Harvard, Pearce Paul, Smith, Oledski, Leeming, Gannon, Newman, Wardle, Wrench, Pryce, Farnworth, Rushton, Hodgson, Young

 

Edited by JM2010
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6 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Any team that Australia pick will be inexperienced at international level cause we don't play international Rugby League. 

Someone described Isaah Yeo as the incumbent 13 for Australia the other day but despite being one of the form players for the last few years, the 27 year old has never played for the Kangaroos. 

The fact that Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic, two outstanding players and both 25, have just 8 caps between them says it all.  It is criminal how little these players get a chance to represent their country.  If this were Union they would be on 100+ caps between then by now.

That was me. I based that upon the Merit team that was announced at the end of last season for the Kangaroos. Surprised that he's yet to play for them, but in a sense it's his jersey to lose. It's been so long since they've actually played...

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1 hour ago, Scubby said:

Welsby is the most exciting British player I've seen in a decade. If he was in a system like Melbourne they would be moulding him into a half back as they did with Cronk/Hughes.

He has similar qualities to Jerhome Hughes when he was younger. Now Hughes is one of the best half backs in the world but still runs like a full back.

Jahrome Hughes is a brilliant comparison! I am astonished at how good young Welsby is. His kicking, chasing, and all-round inventiveness and energy offers so much threat. 

He's got something very special about him. His long kicking game was beautiful tonight in Perpignan. With Dodd out, I would be VERY tempted to go with him in the halves for England.

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6 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Jahrome Hughes is a brilliant comparison! I am astonished at how good young Welsby is. His kicking, chasing, and all-round inventiveness and energy offers so much threat. 

He's got something very special about him.

Yes some people can read his body language as arrogant but he is just switched on and a natural RL player. If his development continues he will be scary good by the 2025 WC.

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11 hours ago, Ray Cashmere said:

Gareth Widdop at fullback, John Bateman at centre and a 33 year old Kevin Brown at scrum half with Chris Heighington off the bench... 

I think the general standard of international competition will be much higher this year but I also think the best 17-20 players Wane could select this year create a much stronger side on paper  

As I said this year our true World Class players are Walmsley and Makemson- with Whitehead, Bateman and Tomkins just behind.

In 2017 our World class players included Olaughlin, Grahame, Burgess, Roby, Hall (then he was), Watkins ( then he was)

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9 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

As I said this year our true World Class players are Walmsley and Makemson- with Whitehead, Bateman and Tomkins just behind.

In 2017 our World class players included Olaughlin, Grahame, Burgess, Roby, Hall (then he was), Watkins ( then he was)

And McGilvary. He was pure class for 2-3 years around that time.

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8 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Yes some people can read his body language as arrogant but he is just switched on and a natural RL player. If his development continues he will be scary good by the 2025 WC.

I think he's actually quite mature and quietly confident. I don't interpret his body language as conveying arrogance.

I really liked today when he was adjudged to have knocked on how he placed the ball on the ground and ran back with a determined look on his face. You don't need shrieking and hand-waving in the face of a referee to convey that you disagree with their call. His shake of the head and short word after the call suggests a player with a lot of belief and class.

He has a poise to him that I am hugely impressed with.

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7 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

As I said this year our true World Class players are Walmsley and Makemson- with Whitehead, Bateman and Tomkins just behind.

In 2017 our World class players included Olaughlin, Grahame, Burgess, Roby, Hall (then he was), Watkins ( then he was)

I'd probably add, T. Burgess, Welsby, Farnworth and Knowles to that list 

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Something like this I think is a pretty exciting England team. Pace, youth and some experience (preferred selections in bold). It won’t be the best team on paper in the competition but could definitely do some damage.

1. Tomkins

2. Makinson

3. Farnworth

4. Percival/Wardle/Newman

5. Johnstone/Davies/Ashton

6. Welsby

7. Lomax/Hastings/Williams

8. Burgess

9. Leeming

10. Thompson

11. Bateman

12. Whitehead

13. Knowles

14. Clarke 15. Walmsley 16. Oledzski 17. Batchelor/Farrell

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Whitehead could probably be considered one playing himself out of a guaranteed spot so far this season.

Would be understandable to keep him for incumbency/experience reasons but with some compelling options like McMeeken, Farrell and even Batchelor waiting in the wings I don't think it's an overly outlandish conversation to consider having.

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Burgess at Salford has got to be in contention for the left wing, IMO.

Big, strong-running, has played in the NRL, and knows his way to the try-line. His physical attributes and threat could be an option to turn to.

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11 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Burgess at Salford has got to be in contention for the left wing, IMO.

Big, strong-running, has played in the NRL, and knows his way to the try-line. His physical attributes and threat could be an option to turn to.

I'd agree, he has good pedigree, but often overlooked

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