England v Fiji (RLWC warm up game) - Match thread

[Eddie]

Just now, Mr Frisky said:

So your justification as to why an England international is not a good player is because he hasn't played Origin.... FFS.

45 posts to go....

Being 30 is obviously a hindrance too, as is never having played against a country who play as few international games as possible  

[dkw]

6 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

So your justification as to why an England international is not a good player is because he hasn't played Origin.... FFS.

45 posts to go....

I rate Makinson highly, but bot sure hes that good really as there's no way he's one of the best cars in Formula 1, and never will be.

[Gomersall]

7 hours ago, Madrileño said:

If Bennett rates him so highly - then great. Dolphins have plenty cash, I assume they will be happy to take him across? Nobody else in the NRL has shown any real interest in him.  Hopefully we'll see him in a Dolphins jersey, as he must be keen to test himself against tougher opposition than Huddersfield or Leigh. 

The Golden Boot, as I said, was nothing to do with being the best player in the world. It means he played well against a touring Kiwis team 4 years ago. There were hardly any international games played that year. Once he got the award, how many clubs came in for him? I think that tells us all we need to know. 

 

5 caps. 

A couple against scratch teams of foreign journeymen playing in England.

30 years old

2 WCC games (both lost)

No GB appearances.

Never played Australia

Never played Origin

Not even played 1 NRL game

Lots of games behind a StHelens pack who dominate the ball against vastly inferior opposition. 

These are facts.

Face it, the guy is a good player in the super league, and that's about it!

Quick question mate, how do you think Josh Hodgson faired in the NRL?

[Dunbar]

7 hours ago, Madrileño said:

If Bennett rates him so highly - then great. Dolphins have plenty cash, I assume they will be happy to take him across? Nobody else in the NRL has shown any real interest in him.  Hopefully we'll see him in a Dolphins jersey, as he must be keen to test himself against tougher opposition than Huddersfield or Leigh. 

The Golden Boot, as I said, was nothing to do with being the best player in the world. It means he played well against a touring Kiwis team 4 years ago. There were hardly any international games played that year. Once he got the award, how many clubs came in for him? I think that tells us all we need to know. 

 

5 caps. 

A couple against scratch teams of foreign journeymen playing in England.

30 years old

2 WCC games (both lost)

No GB appearances.

Never played Australia

Never played Origin

Not even played 1 NRL game

Lots of games behind a StHelens pack who dominate the ball against vastly inferior opposition. 

These are facts.

Face it, the guy is a good player in the super league, and that's about it!

He's also never won a MOBO award, hasn't reached the mixed doubles finals at Wimbledon and (as far as I am aware) he has never even entered the Grand National.

[Damien]

38 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Edit - and on the HYS on the bbc article about the match there’s someone called Vichy trapping off about how crud RL is and referencing the losers on this TRL forum

It's probably one of the recent 'new' additions to this forum! 

[DavidM]

44 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

So, reflecting back on the game yesterday, here are the things I would take as positives.

1. The zero against the opposition.  The English defense was well organised and effective.  No big hits, just very controlled with a number of players in every tackle.

2. Similarly, the kick chase was also very disciplined which will be a key factor in the games against Samoa and Tonga on our side of the draw.

3. The kicking game of Sneyd, Williams and Welsby was also good.

4. Welsby injecting himself into the plays proves the key in multiple tries.  He needs to play.  But where?

5. The middles were solid and will be better when we add Knowles and Oledzki. 

6. The backline could actually be very good.  Farnworth and Watkins are big centres and if we have Makinson and Young on the wings, their pace and carries will be very effective.

7. 50-0 is a hell of a lot better than England 14-15 Italy.

The performance of Ackers . Very threatening , injecting pace into the game and really direct off a quick ptb . I can see Victor starting in the tough first spell then Ackers being injected as a bit of fatigue comes into the game .

Victor made a slow start but came more into the game with some runs and short passes , he’s bound to take time coming into the environment so that will do him a lot of good . I’ve no doubt he’ll be a big asset as we get into regular games . Similarly it was a good run out for Herbie , who as much as anything looks a real physical specimen which is gonna be key 

[Dunbar]

44 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Edit - and on the HYS on the bbc article about the match there’s someone called Vichy trapping off about how crud RL is and referencing the losers on this TRL forum

Yes, he (I assume he) pops up on every HYS on Rugby League to slag off the sport.  Which is counterproductive anyway as all he is doing is increasing the Web metrics on the RL pages.

I wouldn't give him the time of day, but someone who chooses a user name based on an authoritarian state which collaborated with Nazi Germany has to have a screw loose.

[Damien]

I can understand why people don't think the Golden Boot is a big deal, ultimately it is just an award given out by the owners of this website. As such its understandable why people dont give it much kudos.

That isnt why people rate Makinson though. They rate him because he is a quality player and I have no doubt he would be a success in the NRL. Listing a list of things he hasn't done, the majority of which he can't do like play for Australia and SOO, is just daft.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Damien

[Dunbar]

4 minutes ago, DavidM said:

The performance of Ackers . Very threatening , injecting pace into the game and really direct off a quick ptb . I can see Victor starting in the tough first spell then Ackers being injected as a bit of fatigue comes into the game .

Victor made a slow start but came more into the game with some runs and short passes , he’s bound to take time coming into the environment so that will do him a lot of good . I’ve no doubt he’ll be a big asset as we get into regular games . Similarly it was a good run out for Herbie , who as much as anything looks a real physical specimen which is gonna be key 

Did Radley get any game time at 9 last night.  You would have thought that he would if it was in Wane's plans to give him the job against Samoa.

I would go with that but I think Wane will stick with the McIllorum and Ackers interchange. 

[SydneyRoosters]

8 minutes ago, DavidM said:

The performance of Ackers . Very threatening , injecting pace into the game and really direct off a quick ptb . I can see Victor starting in the tough first spell then Ackers being injected as a bit of fatigue comes into the game .

Victor made a slow start but came more into the game with some runs and short passes , he’s bound to take time coming into the environment so that will do him a lot of good . I’ve no doubt he’ll be a big asset as we get into regular games . Similarly it was a good run out for Herbie , who as much as anything looks a real physical specimen which is gonna be key 

I thought victors running game was class in the few hit ups he took. Is there a chance he could come on at “Prop” for England. it wouldn’t change he’s role but they could theoretically play with 2 locks.

Edited October 8, 2022 by SydneyRoosters

[Mr Frisky]

13 minutes ago, Damien said:

It's probably one of the recent 'new' additions to this forum! 

Yep - this is mask Number 25 on here..

 

[DavidM]

3 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Did Radley get any game time at 9 last night.  You would have thought that he would if it was in Wane's plans to give him the job against Samoa.

I would go with that but I think Wane will stick with the McIllorum and Ackers interchange. 

No he didn’t . Yes , I think Wane is very big on what and who he knows. Also why I’m sure he starts Tomkins 

Edited October 8, 2022 by DavidM

[Gomersall]

7 minutes ago, Damien said:

I can understand why people don't think the Golden Boot is a big deal, ultimately it is just an award given out by the owners of this website. As such its understandable why people dont give it much kudos.

That isnt why people rate Makinson though. They rate him because he is a quality player and I have no doubt he would be a success in the NRL. Listing a list of things he hasn't done, the majority of which he can't do like play for Australia and SOO, is just daft.

Didn’t the owners of TRL sell the Golden Boot concept to the IRL which is why it changed from being an award chosen from the whole of RL to one based purely on international performances?

[DavidM]

2 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

I thought victors running game was class in the few hit ups he took. Is there a chance he could come on at “Prop” for England. it wouldn’t change he’s role but they could theoretically play with 2 locks.

Yes , and with someone like Victor I don’t think a number is gonna change the way he plays to much . If he’s in the middle his involvement is good . He’ll do hard yards and his passing game has proved an increasingly important part of the roosters attack . A bit of James Graham in that instance 

[SydneyRoosters]

2 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Yes , and with someone like Victor I don’t think a number is gonna change the way he plays to much . If he’s in the middle his involvement is good . He’ll do hard yards and his passing game has proved an increasingly important part of the roosters attack . A bit of James Graham in that instance 

An England middle of Thompson, Oledzki, Knowles, Burgess and Radley is going to me incredibly strong I can see it winning the battle against Samoa. Especially in the late stages of the game as most of the Samoan middle aren’t the fittest blokes in the world.

[Eddie]

4 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Yes, he (I assume he) pops up on every HYS on Rugby League to slag off the sport.  Which is counterproductive anyway as all he is doing is increasing the Web metrics on the RL pages.

I wouldn't give him the time of day, but someone who chooses a user name based on an authoritarian state which collaborated with Nazi Germany has to have a screw loose.

Passes the time for him I suppose. 

Edited October 8, 2022 by Eddie

[Archie Gordon]

3 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

I thought victors running game was class in the few hit ups he took. Is there a chance he could come on at “Prop” for England. it wouldn’t change he’s role but they could theoretically play with 2 locks.

I think this is an interesting question. Received wisdom is that you don't play too many mobile middles in Autumn because the ground is softer and the game is a bit slower. However, I'm not sure that's right. I would like England to go mobile rather than big in the middle, particularly because they have the players to do that. If we're worried about go-forward, our 3/4s are all potentially 150m+ players. 

[SydneyRoosters]

7 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think this is an interesting question. Received wisdom is that you don't play too many mobile middles in Autumn because the ground is softer and the game is a bit slower. However, I'm not sure that's right. I would like England to go mobile rather than big in the middle, particularly because they have the players to do that. If we're worried about go-forward, our 3/4s are all potentially 150m+ players. 

I’m really impressed with Englands middle. It’s quite unique there are smaller guys like Radley, Thompson and Knowles but they are all great ball players and will be able to create and score tries. Englands 4 Props this morning contributed to 3 of Englands tries. I think this will become especially important in the later stages of the game as Samoas props aren’t particularly fit and Englands middle is the exact opposite they’re some of fittest middles in the game.

I truely believe that Englands 5 middles will contribute to at least 2 tries in the samoa game. I think it’s a real mismatch and England will go exceptionally well.

[Dunbar]

28 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think this is an interesting question. Received wisdom is that you don't play too many mobile middles in Autumn because the ground is softer and the game is a bit slower. However, I'm not sure that's right. I would like England to go mobile rather than big in the middle, particularly because they have the players to do that. If we're worried about go-forward, our 3/4s are all potentially 150m+ players. 

Hill, Burgess and Oledzki are giving anything away in the size department.  Oledzki is the smallest of the three and he is 6' 3" and 17 and a half stone.

Thompson, Knowles and Radley are smaller but are very solid in defence and great engines.  This could be a very good middle unit. 

[WN83]

If somebody asked me to name the side I think Wane will pick next Saturday, I think we’ll see Knowles and Radley starting at 8 and 13. If there are two guys that play the game Wane loves, it’s those two and I think he’ll want them on the field at the same time. In his time with us, he loved that mobility around the middle, lads who can defend and defend and who also can get quick play the balls away. I think he’ll use those two for long spells and roll the big guys like Hill, Oledzki, Thompson and Burgess on and off around them.

 

I don’t see him going with Radley at 9 tbh. I don’t think he’ll see the need because he won’t bring more than Micky Mac really and Ackers was superb last night and probably deserves the start next week (or at least to come on 20-25 mins in and play big minutes). 

[Archie Gordon]

21 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

I’m really impressed with Englands middle. It’s quite unique there are smaller guys like Radley, Thompson and Knowles but they are all great ball players and will be able to create and score tries. Englands 4 Props this morning contributed to 3 of Englands tries. I think this will become especially important in the later stages of the game as Samoas props aren’t particularly fit and Englands middle is the exact opposite they’re some of fittest middles in the game.

I truely believe that Englands 5 middles will contribute to at least 2 tries in the samoa game. I think it’s a real mismatch and England will go exceptionally well.

I'm not getting so carried away as to call it a mismatch but next week will be an interesting battle of styles.

That said, a World Cup win just in time for the honours list would be good. Sir Victor Radley actually sounds like a landed gent.

[Dunbar]

3 minutes ago, WN83 said:

If somebody asked me to name the side I think Wane will pick next Saturday, I think we’ll see Knowles and Radley starting at 8 and 13. If there are two guys that play the game Wane loves, it’s those two and I think he’ll want them on the field at the same time. In his time with us, he loved that mobility around the middle, lads who can defend and defend and who also can get quick play the balls away. I think he’ll use those two for long spells and roll the big guys like Hill, Oledzki, Thompson and Burgess on and off around them.

 

I don’t see him going with Radley at 9 tbh. I don’t think he’ll see the need because he won’t bring more than Micky Mac really and Ackers was superb last night and probably deserves the start next week (or at least to come on 20-25 mins in and play big minutes). 

I agree that he will find a way to have Knowles and Radley on the pitch for the same time but I would be surprised if he started them both - particularly when he has three big middles in Hill, Oledzki and Burgess, two of whom could start.

I think he will start Hill and Oledzki with Knowles at 13 and then bring on Radley along with Burgess and Thompson for impact.  But a variation of this is possible but I would start with a bigger prop than Knowles.

[Dave T]

I'm excited about next week. I only watched spells of last night, but whilst having some reservations about the squad and Wayne's selections, I think when you actually get a team out there playing you see that we have a pretty solid team, with a good smattering of class. 

I'm sure I'll regret this, but I'm going into next week feeling optimistic. 

[Madrileño]

8 hours ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Sorry but please stop talking. I recommend you leave this website as you have little to no knowledge of the sport, that is not your fault it’s just that you need more studying. Me and other people do not have time to argue with you as you really aren’t gifted with knowledge when it comes to rugby league.

So, because you disagree with my POV, you decide I have little to no knowledge of the sport.

It is an Internet forum, where people give opinions, no? 

Your opinion that he is literally one if the best in the world right now, may or may not be correct. It is however only your opinion. 

[Madrileño]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

I can understand why people don't think the Golden Boot is a big deal, ultimately it is just an award given out by the owners of this website. As such its understandable why people dont give it much kudos

 

Listing a list of things he hasn't done, the majority of which he can't do like play for Australia and SOO, is just daft.

Play against Australia. He has not played against the Kangaroos. 

He has has hardly played any international RL in his whole career in fact. 2018 and that's about it.