Victor the Inflictor

[Tex Evans Thigh]

16 hours ago, UTK said:

Yes the question becomes one of if/where he fits in, I think he almost certainly gets picked in a 24-man squad but he's not necessarily a lock for a QF or indeed the opener.

Playing Radley would require either him or Knowles to take on the role of prop at some point during the game with Walmsley, Burgess and probably Thompson as nailed on for 3/4 slots in a rotation. Choosing Radley would require the sacrifice of a bigger body in that 4th slot such as Oledski, the implications of such a choice should be carefully considered against prospective opposition in Samoa/Tonga. I don't think Radley would let you down here but Oledski could definitely offer strengths Radley couldn't and indeed vice versa, but it'll become a matter of preference and playstyle from Wane. 

Agreed, I've said it before but IMO McMeeken is a must for the 17 whether on the bench or starting and Whiteheads place in the side should definitely not be a certainty anymore. Farrell and Batchelor are compelling edge options that also offer utility value in the case of injury, Whitehead needs to lift his game before the WC to get selected.

You can easily fit in 2 players like Knowles and Radley. I don’t see it being a problem if they’re both on in the middle at the same time for say ten mins especially at the end of a half when fitness and mobility will get the better of size. I’d much rather have Radley in the 17 than say your example of Oledski who is in that group of people next up for selection.

[rhinos78]

No brainer, knowles starting 13, Radley on the bench with 2 props and a hooker. Would be great to have depth like that.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

The fact this has caused such a stir in the Sydney RL press tells you how much Radley is thought of down there. I'm going to steer clear of the whole 'he's not better just because he plays in the NRL' debate because it's fruitless, considering he's never played in SL and Knowles likewise in the NRL. Starting him as 9 and Knowles at 13 is a great shout though - one thing you could then almost guarantee is, no matter who we play, we're not getting broken down through the middle and will have 4/5 (including FB) strong ball playing options on the field at anyone one time in attack. Exciting and Wane need not worry about the accent - there's a video (which i'm struggling to find) of him doing a cracking Yorkshire accent somewhere! 

[Saint Toppy]

No Thanks, the Aussies can keep him.

He's already previously declared for Australia and played for the junior Kangaroos and their U23 team. He's only declaring for England now because he knows his chances of getting an Australian call up are slim based on his form over the last few years.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

26 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

No Thanks, the Aussies can keep him.

He's already previously declared for Australia and played for the junior Kangaroos and their U23 team. He's only declaring for England now because he knows his chances of getting an Australian call up are slim based on his form over the last few years.

The Aus part might be true - certainly for this World cup. But turning his back on Origin at 24 isn't the same as Chris McQueen rejecting England to play Origin...then declaring for England once he knew he wasn't getting picked for Queensland anymore. 

Edited July 18, 2022 by hunsletgreenandgold

[DavidM]

31 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

he knows his chances of getting an Australian call up are slim

He’s 24 , his career is ahead  of him . He’s at a gun side , how can you say his chances of playing for Australia ( and NSW? ) are slim ? I take it you don’t know him 

[Barry Badrinath]

nah thanks,  if he'd commited before now, maybe, but now he'd be stealing a spot from one of the lads thats suffered through the crappy covid training camps and everything, they deserve the right to be picked for england.

 

johnny come lately.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

Welcome Victor, definately an upgrade for Wane's England squad. Now if only he can convince fellow Rooster Leeds Lad, Sam Walker to declare for the Mother Country. England might have the makings of a team..

[Scubby]

6 minutes ago, Barry Badrinath said:

nah thanks,  if he'd commited before now, maybe, but now he'd be stealing a spot from one of the lads thats suffered through the crappy covid training camps and everything, they deserve the right to be picked for england.

 

johnny come lately.

What was he committed to exactly Barry. He is 24 and England has played 1 test in 4 years.

He probably saw the GB farce for what it was too. 

Players who make huge calls like that are usually torn for a long time. There would be no shortage of people in his ear since he was a kid.

[Davo5]

34 minutes ago, DavidM said:

He’s 24 , his career is ahead  of him . He’s at a gun side , how can you say his chances of playing for Australia ( and NSW? ) are slim ? I take it you don’t know him 

Well the same poster did write off another player’s career after 2 games as a 17yr old,I wouldn’t pay too much attention to be honest.

[DavidM]

7 minutes ago, Scubby said:

What was he committed to exactly Barry. He is 24 and England has played 1 test in 4 years.

He probably saw the GB farce for what it was too. 

Players who make huge calls like that are usually torn for a long time. There would be no shortage of people in his ear since he was a kid.

This argument that he’s taking a spot from someone ‘ more deserving ‘ . It’s not school sports you pick the best players available to you imo .

[Wascally_Wabbit]

33 minutes ago, DavidM said:

He’s 24 , his career is ahead  of him . He’s at a gun side , how can you say his chances of playing for Australia ( and NSW? ) are slim ? I take it you don’t know him 

he’s a chance, it’s no fait accompli, there’s another 3 or 4 as good, if not better, he has utility value, he also has a tendency to get suspended 

I still think he’s been given bad advice or he’s trying some self promotion in the hope NSW or Australia have a word, perhaps someone will pull him aside & let him know he’s only 24 & the potential rewards over the next decade could be enormous if he just shows a little patience 

 

 

 

[Dunbar]

7 minutes ago, Wascally_Wabbit said:

I still think he’s been given bad advice or he’s trying some self promotion in the hope NSW or Australia have a word, perhaps someone will pull him aside & let him know he’s only 24 & the potential rewards over the next decade could be enormous if he just shows a little patience 

Or we could just believe him.

[Davo5]

5 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Or we could just believe him.

Yeah it’s strange how Australian’s struggle with players who see a bigger picture & choose International & World Cup chances over their interstate rivalry.

[Wascally_Wabbit]

1 minute ago, Davo5 said:

Yeah it’s strange how Australian’s struggle with players who see a bigger picture & choose International & World Cup chances over their interstate rivalry.

I find the dilution of teams stranger, I think every player needs to ask themselves at the beginning of their career “what is my implicit nationality”?
based on family, birth, culture & stick to it 

I mean Radleys old man has probably spent more of his life in Australia & wouldn’t last 5 minutes back in blighty

Radley is born & bred Australian with pretty weak links really, how much real passion would he have for England? He certainly won’t be retiring to lovely Yorkshire or Lancashire, he’ll be back to being a quintessential Aussie as soon as he walks through customs 

I certainly wouldn’t want British players in our rep squads like that

[Wascally_Wabbit]

17 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Or we could just believe him.

That’s a personal choice, but what I said is a fair point, not based on money alone, potentially 5-10 years playing at the pinnacle of your chosen sport, the most intense contests available, where you forge a legacy should really be his priority

After this World Cup is over, he may not play another, he could potentially play the odd series against Australia or the kiwis, but I don’t see him heading to England mid season to play against France or Wales 

[fighting irish]

4 minutes ago, Wascally_Wabbit said:

I find the dilution of teams stranger, I think every player needs to ask themselves at the beginning of their career “what is my implicit nationality”?
based on family, birth, culture & stick to it 

I mean Radleys old man has probably spent more of his life in Australia & wouldn’t last 5 minutes back in blighty

Radley is born & bred Australian with pretty weak links really, how much real passion would he have for England? He certainly won’t be retiring to lovely Yorkshire or Lancashire, he’ll be back to being a quintessential Aussie as soon as he walks through customs 

I certainly wouldn’t want British players in our rep squads like that

This is a very valid point.

For that reason he might fail Shaun Wane's nationality test. 

[Dunbar]

32 minutes ago, Wascally_Wabbit said:

he’s a chance, it’s no fait accompli, there’s another 3 or 4 as good, if not better, he has utility value, he also has a tendency to get suspended 

I still think he’s been given bad advice or he’s trying some self promotion in the hope NSW or Australia have a word, perhaps someone will pull him aside & let him know he’s only 24 & the potential rewards over the next decade could be enormous if he just shows a little patience 

 

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, Wascally_Wabbit said:

I find the dilution of teams stranger, I think every player needs to ask themselves at the beginning of their career “what is my implicit nationality”?
based on family, birth, culture & stick to it 

I mean Radleys old man has probably spent more of his life in Australia & wouldn’t last 5 minutes back in blighty

Radley is born & bred Australian with pretty weak links really, how much real passion would he have for England? He certainly won’t be retiring to lovely Yorkshire or Lancashire, he’ll be back to being a quintessential Aussie as soon as he walks through customs 

I certainly wouldn’t want British players in our rep squads like that

National identity and culture are incredibly personal and nuanced.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my daughter has lived all of her life in the UK but has as much identity with Italy (her Mum's nationality) as the UK.

I am not going to project my take on this situation to Radley as it means nothing - only he can say how he feels and he has and so I am inclined to believe him.  Your projections are also meaningless.

As for the opportunity, rewards and accomplishments.  Maybe he sees representing his country at a World Cup as more of an opportunity and accomplishment than representing a state/province/county.  Let me tell you, the vast majority of the world certainly seem to think that.

[Davo5]

11 minutes ago, Wascally_Wabbit said:

I find the dilution of teams stranger, I think every player needs to ask themselves at the beginning of their career “what is my implicit nationality”?
based on family, birth, culture & stick to it 

I mean Radleys old man has probably spent more of his life in Australia & wouldn’t last 5 minutes back in blighty

Radley is born & bred Australian with pretty weak links really, how much real passion would he have for England? He certainly won’t be retiring to lovely Yorkshire or Lancashire, he’ll be back to being a quintessential Aussie as soon as he walks through customs 

I certainly wouldn’t want British players in our rep squads like that

Thankfully the Clovelly Crocodiles didn’t make him sign a declaration of allegiance when he first turned up for training.

What has the amount of time his father has spent in Australia got to do with his son’s choice & why wouldn’t he last 5 minutes back home ?

Weak links ? In modern day International sport representing the country of a parents birth & upbringing is seen by literary no one as a weak link

[DavidM]

5 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

why wouldn’t he last 5 minutes back home ?

Yeh that line bemused me .

[RP London]

38 minutes ago, Wascally_Wabbit said:

I find the dilution of teams stranger, I think every player needs to ask themselves at the beginning of their career “what is my implicit nationality”?
based on family, birth, culture & stick to it 

I mean Radleys old man has probably spent more of his life in Australia & wouldn’t last 5 minutes back in blighty

Radley is born & bred Australian with pretty weak links really, how much real passion would he have for England? He certainly won’t be retiring to lovely Yorkshire or Lancashire, he’ll be back to being a quintessential Aussie as soon as he walks through customs 

I certainly wouldn’t want British players in our rep squads like that

you do realise we are a normal civilised (well east of the Pennines) country dont you? its not like releasing a zoo bread tiger back into the wild ffs!

[RP London]

26 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

 

National identity and culture are incredibly personal and nuanced.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my daughter has lived all of her life in the UK but has as much identity with Italy (her Mum's nationality) as the UK.

I am not going to project my take on this situation to Radley as it means nothing - only he can say how he feels and he has and so I am inclined to believe him.  Your projections are also meaningless.

As for the opportunity, rewards and accomplishments.  Maybe he sees representing his country at a World Cup as more of an opportunity and accomplishment than representing a state/province/county.  Let me tell you, the vast majority of the world certainly seem to think that.

same here with my kids.. born and bred Sheffield but my wife is Irish.. my kids walk around in Ireland shirts, support Ireland and would happily play for Ireland, which way they would chose to go if it was a real live choice I really dont know.. and thats the crux.. when it is a real live choice (not commenting on someone else on a message board) what are the factors that actually go through your head??

I am sure likelihood to play is one and I dont blame them for that one little bit!

[northamptoncougar]

Just seen his clips, he's from Yorkshire stock, he's angered a load of Aussies, what's not to love?

[DavidM]

15 minutes ago, RP London said:

you do realise we are a normal civilised (well east of the Pennines) country dont you? its not like releasing a zoo bread tiger back into the wild ffs!

I was thinking more Crocodile Dundee going to America 

[dkw]

18 minutes ago, RP London said:

you do realise we are a normal civilised (well east of the Pennines) country dont you? its not like releasing a zoo bread tiger back into the wild ffs!

that line beautifully highlights some `strayans ignorance of this country, they seem to think its -10 with horizontal rain 365 days a year.

 

Its 355.

Edited July 18, 2022 by dkw