Fri 11th Nov: RLWC SF: Australia v New Zealand KO 19:45

[Niels]

3 hours ago, UTK said:

Interesting statistic about the Kangaroos in this match - If Reuben Cotter makes the final 17 (assuming Mitchell, Addo-Carr and Wighton are locked in) then 4/17 (24%) of the Kangaroos will be Indigenous Australians, for reference Indigenous Australians make up 3.8% of Australia's total population.

To put some further perspective on this, there have only been 14 Indigenous Australian Wallabies in their entire history and 4 of those converted to RU when they were fully professional RL players, a few more of those 14 were similarly poached while playing for junior RL representative sides.

12 of the Kiwis 19 man squad are Maori (63%) with Maori individuals making up 16.5% New Zealands population.

 

This is interesting about NZ. 

Are the other 7 of Pacific or European origin? 

I noticed some are both, Watene-Zelezniak and Rapana have Polish and Italian ancestry I think. 

 

 

[Dunbar]

15 minutes ago, Mattrhino said:

This will be interesting because this Kangaroo side is pretty poor relatively to the sides of previous era's but also the Kiwi side looks poor. Going life and death with Fiji is a little telling.

But historically NZ do seem to play at the level of thier opposition. 

As always we either underestimate the Kangaroos or we try and talk ourselves into underestimating them (usually at our peril).

This Kangaroo team doesn't look nearly as strong as previous one's but they have played well.

The Kiwis on paper look as good as they have ever done but haven't really performed yet.

But in a one off game, it could be, and I am hoping for, a great contest.

[Black Country Wire]

On 09/11/2022 at 16:51, Exiled Wiganer said:

I have read your post above, and can’t work out what you’ve decided to do.

Are you going to any games or not?

If not because of web site issues, why didn’t you pick up the phone? 

We won’t have a World Cup over here for another 11 years. 

TBH I'm not betting against it being back here in 2029.

[UTK]

6 hours ago, Niels said:

This is interesting about NZ. 

Are the other 7 of Pacific or European origin? 

I noticed some are both, Watene-Zelezniak and Rapana have Polish and Italian ancestry I think. 

 

 

Yeah I think there's a few with mixed heritage, from the rest you've got mostly Samoans (Brown, Asofa-Solomona, Papali'i, Leota, Liu, Mulitalo) alongside Foran who is presumably of European descent.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

21 minutes ago, Black Country Wire said:

TBH I'm not betting against it being back here in 2029.

I dont think it will be either, nor do I think we deserve it after the disappointing way it's been organized this time.

[17 stone giant]

Normally support the Kiwis against the Kangaroos, and probably will do again. That said, it's a great situation because either of these teams would be great to play, if England reach the final. Plenty of high-profile defeats against both, to try and avenge.

[Bolton Leyther]

On 09/11/2022 at 16:51, Exiled Wiganer said:

If not because of web site issues, why didn’t you pick up the phone? 

What's the contact number?

[DavidM]

I think Australia will win and in some ways i hope they win as I want to beat them in the final and I think we can 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

15 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

I dont think it will be either, nor do I think we deserve it after the disappointing way it's been organized this time.

Agreed...it's been mostly rubbish

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

36 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I think Australia will win and in some ways i hope they win as I want to beat them in the final and I think we can 

I want them to lose but to smash NZ to pieces whilst doing it

We'd gobble up a bruised NZ easily 

More important we win WC by any means than think we have to beat the convicts doing it 

 

 

[gingerjon]

22 hours ago, Dunbar said:

As always we either underestimate the Kangaroos or we try and talk ourselves into underestimating them (usually at our peril).

This Kangaroo team doesn't look nearly as strong as previous one's but they have played well.

The Kiwis on paper look as good as they have ever done but haven't really performed yet.

But in a one off game, it could be, and I am hoping for, a great contest.

If both carry on as they have done then it's going to be a comfortable, if uninspiring, Australia win.

[moorside roughyed]

Looking forward to a great game.

[Mr Frisky]

3 hours ago, DavidM said:

I think Australia will win and in some ways i hope they win as I want to beat them in the final and I think we can 

Yep, if we do become world champions and we don't beat the Aussies to do it they will just deny we are the best team for the next 3 years - the history books won't though.

[Welshleaguelover]

I think this game is wide open.

The Kiwis haven't looked great this tournament but they can match Australia player for player.

I expect big performances from Manu, Fisher-Harris, Smith and Hughes.

It could also be Nathan Cleary's time to shine on the international stage.

All in all, I'm really excited.

 

[jacksy]

I would love to see the aussies get binned by NZ but I know it won't happen.

[overtheborder]

18 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

I dont think it will be either, nor do I think we deserve it after the disappointing way it's been organized this time.

I will say in the organisers' defence that a couple of years of COVID won't have helped.

[Wakefield Ram]

Been to 4 games and overall think it's been pretty well organised except for the opening match entertainment fail at Newcastle. Samoa v Tonga was a great game and a great atmosphere.

Off tonight to Leeds and next week to the Final.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

Two points I will make about this match

Firstly, this is a good but not vintage Kangaroos line up

Secondly, Maybe due their soft schedule, the Kangaroos will suffer "All Black syndrome" tonight where a side who has had comfortable wins in the opening rounds of a global tournament chokes under pressure from a better opponent.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

8 minutes ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

Two points I will make about this match

Firstly, this is a good but not vintage Kangaroos line up

Secondly, Maybe due their soft schedule, the Kangaroos will suffer "All Black syndrome" tonight where a side who has had comfortable wins in the opening rounds of a global tournament chokes under pressure from a better opponent.

Can't say I think that holds any water - NZ's two toughest games have come against Lebanon and Fiji.....Australia have played both of them sides as well. They just hammered them, where NZ struggled. Aus by 16 for me. 

[The_Gun]

2 hours ago, jacksy said:

I would love to see the aussies get binned by NZ but I know it won't happen.

On paper they’re reasonably evenly matched sides. Maybe the Aussies would be 60/40 favs on talent, so if the Kiwis actually play up to their potential then we could have a good game on our hands.

Unfortunately thus far NZ have performed worse than the sum of their collective parts by some distance.

[shrewsbury roughyed]

50 minutes ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

Two points I will make about this match

Firstly, this is a good but not vintage Kangaroos line up

Secondly, Maybe due their soft schedule, the Kangaroos will suffer "All Black syndrome" tonight where a side who has had comfortable wins in the opening rounds of a global tournament chokes under pressure from a better opponent.

I ruddy well hope so.

[Zilla Budgie]

Hello everyone, nice to meet you all. I can't see the Kiwis winning this one. I predict Australia 24 NZ 14. Should be a great game though.

 

[Welshleaguelover]

22 hours ago, UTK said:

Yeah I think there's a few with mixed heritage, from the rest you've got mostly Samoans (Brown, Asofa-Solomona, Papali'i, Leota, Liu, Mulitalo) alongside Foran who is presumably of European descent.

Apparently Foran's dad is one of the richest men in New Zealand. He was the CEO for Woolworths in Australia for years.

Just googled it. His Dad was CEO of Walmart USA... Must be swimming in cash.

[Dunbar]

9 minutes ago, Welshleaguelover said:

Apparently Foran's dad is one of the richest men in New Zealand. He was the CEO for Woolworths in Australia for years.

Just googled it. His Dad was CEO of Walmart USA... Must be swimming in cash.

To be fair, it is not difficult to be one of the richest men in New Zealand.  It is mostly a jewellery based economy and if you have one of the Nine Rings then you are immediately in the top 1%.

[Bolton Leyther]

I logged onto the ticketing website earlier and demand was so high there was a queue!