The World Cup

[SydneyRoosters]

9 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Sportsbet in Aus have released the first odds for the England v Samoa game with England currently slight favourites:

England ($1.77) vs Samoa ($2.05)

Yeah these blokes know nothing and I expect those odds to narrow if not reverse as the Samoan squad takes shape. But seriously, as I said yesterday, it will be the speed with what the NRL based Samoan players play the game that will be the problem for England. And that will worsen as the game goes on. The fact that a plodder like Brodie Croft can get Man of Steel say a lot. Milford isn`t the disorganised numpty that some make him out, the slower paced game will suit him, and Laui, well he could just tear England to shreds. They could be a lot better pairing than you give them credit for. And as some of those weapons in the backline. Very dangerous.

Here we go another Aussie who’s never watched super league calling the super league bad, Remember what   Happend 2018 the last time they said this. It should be a comfortable win for England, just shut up because you don’t know what you’re talking about.

[DavidM]

6 hours ago, Mojo said:

Sorry for the confusion

Why would anyone be confused …it’s all quite straightforward and clear . Well it will be by the first match 

[DavidM]

14 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Sportsbet in Aus have released the first odds for the England v Samoa game with England currently slight favourites:

England ($1.77) vs Samoa ($2.05)

Yeah these blokes know nothing and I expect those odds to narrow if not reverse as the Samoan squad takes shape. But seriously, as I said yesterday, it will be the speed with what the NRL based Samoan players play the game that will be the problem for England. And that will worsen as the game goes on. The fact that a plodder like Brodie Croft can get Man of Steel say a lot. Milford isn`t the disorganised numpty that some make him out, the slower paced game will suit him, and Laui, well he could just tear England to shreds. They could be a lot better pairing than you give them credit for. And as some of those weapons in the backline. Very dangerous.

If the weathers anything like it is up here today the biggest danger will be them not drowning or getting hypothermia 

[bobbruce]

17 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

So the speed of the Samoan game will be a problem for England but the slower paced game will suit Milford.

Got it, that's not contradictory in any way at all.

Yes do you not get it it will be so fast it will be a blur to the England players. Milford will fine though as the Samoans will only be going a three quarter pace. 

[Mojo]

20 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Sportsbet in Aus have released the first odds for the England v Samoa game with England currently slight favourites:

England ($1.77) vs Samoa ($2.05)

Yeah these blokes know nothing and I expect those odds to narrow if not reverse as the Samoan squad takes shape. But seriously, as I said yesterday, it will be the speed with what the NRL based Samoan players play the game that will be the problem for England. And that will worsen as the game goes on. The fact that a plodder like Brodie Croft can get Man of Steel say a lot. Milford isn`t the disorganised numpty that some make him out, the slower paced game will suit him, and Laui, well he could just tear England to shreds. They could be a lot better pairing than you give them credit for. And as some of those weapons in the backline. Very dangerous.

I agree on Milford and Luai. These guys are talking down milford way too much thinking he'll be terrible against the English. He's actually pretty decent. I honestly think if Milford played in the SL these guys would be calling him a elite player. It won't be long now till all this talk is over

[Mojo]

11 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Why would anyone be confused …it’s all quite straightforward and clear . Well it will be by the first match 

I was talking about Nanai committing to samoa but it was actually Taulagi that committed

[Mojo]

13 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Here we go another Aussie who’s never watched super league calling the super league bad, Remember what   Happend 2018 the last time they said this. It should be a comfortable win for England, just shut up because you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Would Nanai and Tino committing change your mind? English should be the favourites I agree but no way they'll win it comfortably.

[The Rocket]

1 minute ago, Mojo said:

I agree on Milford and Luai. These guys are talking down milford way too much thinking he'll be terrible against the English. He's actually pretty decent. I honestly think if Milford played in the SL these guys would be calling him a elite player. It won't be long now till all this talk is over

 The slower pace of the England game will allow Milford more time to play the organising hand, the speed and fitness of those outside him is what would have alarm bells ringing for me in the England camp. Especially as the game goes on. players tire and get lazy, defensive structures become ragged.

[SydneyRoosters]

5 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

 The slower pace of the England game will allow Milford more time to play the organising hand, the speed and fitness of those outside him is what would have alarm bells ringing for me in the England camp. Especially as the game goes on. players tire and get lazy, defensive structures become ragged.

What do you mean the “slower pace of the English” that’s all waffle made up by aussies like yourself who hate the super league. Half of the England team has previously or is currently playing the nrl, and besides this English team will definitely play at a faster pace than almost every nrl team. Also You’re completely clueless if you think England defence will get tired and ragged, I see you’ve never watched a Shaun wane team play. England will have the best defence out of any team this World Cup.

[The Rocket]

5 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

What do you mean the “slower pace of the English” that’s all waffle made up by aussies like yourself who hate the super league. Half of the England team has previously or is currently playing the nrl, and besides this English team will definitely play at a faster pace than almost every nrl team. Also You’re completely clueless if you think England defence will get tired and ragged, I see you’ve never watched a Shaun wane team play. England will have the best defence out of any team this World Cup.

You know you`re right mate I don`t watch Super League, but only because I don`t have Pay.  I base my comments on what I read ( by you blokes ) on here over and over and over again whenever a match thread is following an Aussie game. That plus Brodie Croft getting Man of Steel and for god`s sake Shaun Kenny-Dowall being in the Dream Team.

Edited September 22, 2022 by The Rocket

[Mojo]

Just now, The Rocket said:

You know you`re right mate I don`t watch Super League, but only because I don`t have Pay.  I base my comments ( by you blokes ) on what I read on here over and over and over again whenever a match thread is following an Aussie game. That plus Brodie Croft getting Man of Steel and for god`s sake Shaun Kenny-Dowall being in the Dream Team.

Trust me I've already bought that up before and I got attacked. When you see players like that making the backline dream team without one English in the back 5 you start to wonder why they think the English have no weakness in there team.

[SydneyRoosters]

4 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

You know you`re right mate I don`t watch Super League, but only because I don`t have Pay.  I base my comments on what I read ( by you blokes ) on here over and over and over again whenever a match thread is following an Aussie game. That plus Brodie Croft getting Man of Steel and for god`s sake Shaun Kenny-Dowall being in the Dream Team.

You Lot where the ones saying Brodie Croft was next Cooper Cronk, and now because he is finally his potential it’s only because the super leagues bad, You’re theory is so inconsistent Just accept super league is a good competition it’s definitely not as good as the nrl but it is good competition. It’s similar to premier league Vs the Ligue 1 or Serie a in soccer.

[SydneyRoosters]

5 minutes ago, Mojo said:

Trust me I've already bought that up before and I got attacked. When you see players like that making the backline dream team without one English in the back 5 you start to wonder why they think the English have no weakness in there team.

That’s definitely fair to assume that. But there are a lot more things to factor to consider for example injury a lot of the best English players have been injured for this year and some players just did not deserve to be there SKD is one of them.

But if look at the other side of spectrum there is a large amount of good English players From the super league in the nrl currently and previously. Dom young, Elliot whitehead, Luke Thompson etc. past players like John bateman have even played better in the nrl then super league.

[DavidM]

28 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

the “slower pace of the English”

And they’ll knock a few tries in when we stop for a tea break 

[Mojo]

15 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

That’s definitely fair to assume that. But there are a lot more things to factor to consider for example injury a lot of the best English players have been injured for this year and some players just did not deserve to be there SKD is one of them.

But if look at the other side of spectrum there is a large amount of good English players From the super league in the nrl currently and previously. Dom young, Elliot whitehead, Luke Thompson etc. past players like John bateman have even played better in the nrl then super league.

That fair. From what I've read in the news if SKD wasn't there Ricky Leutele should've been in the team. But beside the point I've always said the English are the favourites against samoa but saying Samoa has alot of weakness is so far fetched. I may not watch the SL but I'm pretty sure Samoa can find weakness in the English team too.

 

I think you guys are underestimating Milford and Luai way too much. Milford against PNG 2 years ago and Cook islands this year showed a very cool head and he beat both teams by his accurate kicking game and leadership. Those two teams are not on the same class as england but it was a glimpse of what type of player milford will be this world cup. The good old days when samoa had bench players full of guys who were in and out of the nrl are gone.

[Dunbar]

46 minutes ago, Mojo said:

I agree on Milford and Luai. These guys are talking down milford way too much thinking he'll be terrible against the English. He's actually pretty decent. I honestly think if Milford played in the SL these guys would be calling him a elite player. It won't be long now till all this talk is over

I accept it.  You are right and I am wrong.  If there is one thing that is sure to put the fear of God into any team it is the name Anthony Milford lining up for the opposition.

The way you guys are going on about him, he is like Brett and Wally Lewis rolled into one, when in reality he is a bang average NRL player who has been one of the common denominators of bang average NRL teams for the last 10 years.

[Mojo]

10 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I accept it.  You are right and I am wrong.  If there is one thing that is sure to put the fear of God into any team it is the name Anthony Milford lining up for the opposition.

The way you guys are going on about him, he is like Brett and Wally Lewis rolled into one, when in reality he is a bang average NRL player who has been one of the common denominators of bang average NRL teams for the last 10 years.

Geez you guys talk up your players more than I do Milford. Milford is good enough to be in the nrl but a guy who couldn't won Man of Steel in the SL

[SydneyRoosters]

11 minutes ago, Mojo said:

That fair. From what I've read in the news if SKD wasn't there Ricky Leutele should've been in the team. But beside the point I've always said the English are the favourites against samoa but saying Samoa has alot of weakness is so far fetched. I may not watch the SL but I'm pretty sure Samoa can find weakness in the English team too.

 

I think you guys are underestimating Milford and Luai way too much. Milford against PNG 2 years ago and Cook islands this year showed a very cool head and he beat both teams by his accurate kicking game and leadership. Those two teams are not on the same class as england but it was a glimpse of what type of player milford will be this world cup. The good old days when samoa had bench players full of guys who were in and out of the nrl are gone.

Milford can be a good player on a his day. I am Australian have watched most of the nrl games this year, from what I’ve seen you really can’t class him better than your average 5/8. Internationals are a whole different ball game though so we’ll see how he goes.

[Mojo]

4 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Milford can be a good player on a his day. I am Australian have watched most of the nrl games this year, from what I’ve seen you really can’t class him better than your average 5/8. Internationals are a whole different ball game though so we’ll see how he goes.

Well you can only look at DCE as well. If he wasn't in origin this year I swear he would've been another average joe in a average team. He ain't as bad as milford but he hardly stood out in club level this year. 

[Dunbar]

5 minutes ago, Mojo said:

Geez you guys talk up your players more than I do Milford. Milford is good enough to be in the nrl but a guy who couldn't won Man of Steel in the SL

Sorry, what is an Australian got to do with a conversation about the Samoan team?

Look, just answer me this one question honestly and I will move on... do you rate Milford as a top quality, international class Rugby League player?

[Mojo]

7 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Sorry, what is an Australian got to do with a conversation about the Samoan team?

Look, just answer me this one question honestly and I will move on... do you rate Milford as a top quality, international class Rugby League player?

Milford has performed well everytime he played for samoa so yes. Most of those games they won was due to Milfords playmaking skills and kicking game.

[Mojo]

10 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Sorry, what is an Australian got to do with a conversation about the Samoan team?

If you don't see the point I was trying to make than I ain't gonna bother explaining it to you

[SydneyRoosters]

I want to change the subject

Tonga’a Halfbacks, With Hingano and staggs injured Tonga’s depth at halfback is very weak they only named 3 halfbacks in an entire 38 man squad(not including Staggs).

Lolohea is Very Good and will be one of  Tonga’s most important players at the world cup, Amone is good too But his kicking game is quite average and doesn’t offer much more than his running game. The only other player they have is 18 year old isiaya Katoa who looks very talented and plays a similar game to Talatau Amone, but he has only just made his nsw cup debut and I doubt he will be able to adjust to international level that easily.

I’ve been searching for a while and the only other guy who could play in the halves for Tonga would Samisoni Langi and he is mostly a centre but can cover 5/8 if needed.

It will certainly be a big worry especially if they have any injuries, let me now if there’s any obvious players that I’m forgetting but I’m pretty sure there is none.

[Dunbar]

2 minutes ago, Mojo said:

If you don't see the point I was trying to make than I ain't gonna bother explaining it to you

I'm ok with that.

[Mr Frisky]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

You know you`re right mate I don`t watch Super League, but only because I don`t have Pay.  I base my comments on what I read ( by you blokes ) on here over and over and over again whenever a match thread is following an Aussie game. That plus Brodie Croft getting Man of Steel and for god`s sake Shaun Kenny-Dowall being in the Dream Team.

This from a nation that thinks Bateman is the best 2nd rower in the world and Hodgson is better than James Roby......

The point of Croft getting MOS is that in SL he's finally been coached correctly and he's allowed to play his game - rather than playing under the NRL shackles.

As far a Samoa goes, we will see in a few weeks but England will win as we have better players, more depth to our playing pool and England are always better organised than tire 2 nations.