Pacific Championships 2024

[Farmduck]

1 hour ago, Hopie said:

I doubt the NRL send press releases to this side of the world, they don't care about us.

If it is about to happen I'm sure the Aussie officials will intervene, just like they did last time!

I don't think the email system has "sides of the World." I'm just guessing but I think they send info to anybody who signs up to their mailing list.

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, Hopie said:

 

If it is about to happen I'm sure the Aussie officials will intervene, just like they did last time!

yeah, how’s that and when was last time

[Hopie]

48 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

yeah, how’s that and when was last time

 

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, Hopie said:

 

“He’s touched it, after the ball is rising, 20m restart”. Couldn’t have put it better myself

[Damien]

Teams for week 2:

 

[Damien]

Always hate the way the Aussies run these schedules in their favour. It's always they play the weaker team first to warm up to then play NZ who they hit cold without a game.

[frank]

Sell out in CH-CH for the Aussie -Kiwi games.

[The Rocket]

Peter Hiku in the centres, expect another Lolohea moment, and CNK at five-eight, you`d think they were the Cook Islands, Nikorima has had his best year in ages. Lot of questions around Stacey Jones` coaching, this isn`t helping.

Hard to believe Bennett was keen for the job and the NZRL couldn`t even give him an assistant role while Jones has his training wheels on. Worked when Kearney had the job.

[Dunbar]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Always hate the way the Aussies run these schedules in their favour. It's always they play the weaker team first to warm up to then play NZ who they hit cold without a game.

Last year Australia and New Zealand played Samoa in weeks 1 and 2 before playing each other in week 3 and then the final.

There is an argument to say the schedule favours the Kiwis this year because if they beat Tonga in week 3 (irresepective of the result this week week) they will be in the final while the Kangaroos will have a weekend off in week 3.  In this competition, I don't think the week off before the final is a benefit as momentum and continuity is a plus.

[N2022]

12 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

International RL, no one cares.

You do, judging by your post adjacent to the one I've replied to here.

[Damien]

 

 

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, N2022 said:

You do, judging by your post adjacent to the one I've replied to here.

Yeah I do, I was being flippant and disingenuous.

[Sports Prophet]

7 hours ago, Damien said:

Always hate the way the Aussies run these schedules in their favour. It's always they play the weaker team first to warm up to then play NZ who they hit cold without a game.

“Always” is a stretch… this tournament and last tournament (which didn’t work out too great for them I might add). Before that was the 2019 Oceanic Cup where game 1 was NZ v Tonga.

6 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Last year Australia and New Zealand played Samoa in weeks 1 and 2 before playing each other in week 3 and then the final.

There is an argument to say the schedule favours the Kiwis this year because if they beat Tonga in week 3 (irresepective of the result this week week) they will be in the final while the Kangaroos will have a weekend off in week 3.  In this competition, I don't think the week off before the final is a benefit as momentum and continuity is a plus.

Yeah, I also think what hasn’t been considered is how Australia have further scheduled and organised this series in their favour by playing NZ in front of a sold out Christchurch crowd which will be as close to 100% Kiwi fans as possible.

If NZ were concerned about going into this weekend’s game underdone against a Kangaroos team with a week under their belt, perhaps they could have organised a fixture against Cook Islands last week  

Edited October 22, 2024 by Sports Prophet

[Hopie]

14 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

“He’s touched it, after the ball is rising, 20m restart”. Couldn’t have put it better myself

You seem to have the same eye condition as the refs that day

[StandOffHalf]

22 hours ago, Hopie said:

 

Finger on the ball.

It doesn't look like a try at full speed, but that should have been awarded.

I still shake my head over that. Hall waited until the ball was on the ground and then placed his finger on it. The ball was not rising, as Sutton incorrectly asserted.

England were stuffed over there. The ball was down and Hall touched it. Try.

Edited October 23, 2024 by StandOffHalf

[StandOffHalf]

11 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Peter Hiku in the centres, expect another Lolohea moment, and CNK at five-eight, you`d think they were the Cook Islands, Nikorima has had his best year in ages. Lot of questions around Stacey Jones` coaching, this isn`t helping.

Hard to believe Bennett was keen for the job and the NZRL couldn`t even give him an assistant role while Jones has his training wheels on. Worked when Kearney had the job.

Hiku had a really good year, and arguably should have been in the Dream Team.

Lolohea has been bang average for Huddersfield in 2024.

I wouldn't be comparing those two just because they play in SL.

I agree that Nikorima should be in the halves after his form for the Dolphins.

 

[George Watt]

No changes to the Australian team for the NZ match from the side that defeated Tonga.

[StandOffHalf]

34 minutes ago, George Watt said:

No changes to the Australian team for the NZ match from the side that defeated Tonga.

I think it's a wise move from Mal to stick with the same combinations.

Moses needs a big game though, I think.

[Copa]

1.15 million people in PNG watched the Australian PM’s XIII v PNG match

https://x.com/footyindustryAU/status/1848652361126056279

[Jim from Oz]

There is a report in today's Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH (behind a paywall, so no point posting it) noting that not only did Australia v Tonga rate very well on TV, but Fiji v PNG also rated well … the latter even rating better than rugby union's Bledisloe Cup !!

Here's an online discussion forum about it, with some interesting figures:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/comments/1g9c8sd/kangaroos_vs_tonga_highest_tv_rating_of_any_rugby/

[Damien]

3 hours ago, Jim from Oz said:

There is a report in today's Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH (behind a paywall, so no point posting it) noting that not only did Australia v Tonga rate very well on TV, but Fiji v PNG also rated well … the latter even rating better than rugby union's Bledisloe Cup !!

Here's an online discussion forum about it, with some interesting figures:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/comments/1g9c8sd/kangaroos_vs_tonga_highest_tv_rating_of_any_rugby/

This is the thing, international RL always rates well. The narrative that Aussies aren't interested in international RL is just false. And this is after next to no effort or promotion and hidden away after the season has finished.

[The Rocket]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

And this is after next to no effort or promotion and hidden away after the season has finished.

Not true mate, this has been heavily promoted on FTA by Channel Nine.

[Damien]

3 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Not true mate, this has been heavily promoted on FTA by Channel Nine.

You miss the point. It was announced with less than 2 months notice and there was barely a mention of anything until after the NRL season has finished. That's poor. Its been treated as an afterthought and is a world away from the promotion the NRL gives the NRL or SOO.

[welshmagpie]

On 20/10/2024 at 22:39, JM2010 said:

Are there many players in Australia of Filipino heritage in NRL or Queensland/NSW cup?

If you’re on social media @hecanplayfor will show you the answer to that. 

[welshmagpie]

3 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

If you’re on social media @hecanplayfor will show you the answer to that.