Sat 1st Nov: The Ashes (Game 2): England v Australia KO 2.30pm (BBC)

[Click]

Hopefully the main changes for this week (in my opinion)

Welsby out for Brimson,

Lewis out for Smith

Bateman out for literally anyone.

Walmsley out for anyone.

[StandOffHalf]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Never bothered them at Old Trafford No 6.

Attacking short kicks virtually dry up, with the teams mostly running on last and turning it over. 

I think the Aussies may be more inconvenienced by the restrictive playing dimensions.

[JM2010]

On 28/10/2025 at 11:31, Archie Gordon said:

Welsby, Lewis, Havard, Lees, Walmsley out.

Brimson, Smith, Oledski, Smithies, Watkins in.

Mobility the key for me.

Completely agree. It’s a faster game than it used to be. Size is still important for forwards but they also need to be mobile.

Same goes for Welsby. He’s not fast enough and doesn’t really have good footwork. 

Edited October 29, 2025 by JM2010

[MattSantos]

We're going to turn them over.

Feel it in my bones.

 

[hunsletgreenandgold]

Apparent team news….. 

 

[StandOffHalf]

9 minutes ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

Apparent team news….. 

 

Very harsh on Clark, if true. He was far from the worst England player. Baffling to see Walmsley touted as staying in. Smithies and Oledski surely should be there.

[Maximus Decimus]

On 28/10/2025 at 11:55, Click said:

It would be interesting to find out the % of SL games played in the rain Vs % of NRL games in the rain, I think it would surprise a few.

Other than "cold", the Aussies are more than used to playing in the rain.

Ah but the cold is what makes the difference!

[StandOffHalf]

Wane suggesting that Wembley was less than a real Test match because there were loads of non-heartland fans there who didn't cheer when England fell over. He says that Everton will be ''banging'' and a ''real Test match'' with ''real RL fans''.

Shaun Wane weighs in on Wembley debate following Ashes opener

[Maximus Decimus]

12 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Very harsh on Clark, if true. He was far from the worst England player. Baffling to see Walmsley touted as staying in. Smithies and Oledski surely should be there.

Yeh I wouldn't be made up with that. Litten did a couple of good kicks, but I'm not sure defensively. He was basically at fault for the penalty just before h/t. He was shrugged off in a one on one which allowed the space for Walsh to get pulled back from.

[Maximus Decimus]

6 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Wane suggesting that Wembley was less than a real Test match because there were loads of non-heartland fans there who didn't cheer when England fell over. He says that Everton will be ''banging'' and a ''real Test match'' with ''real RL fans''.

Shaun Wane weighs in on Wembley debate following Ashes opener

After seeing episode 2, I'm much less of a Wane fan. I always thought he was as decent a shout as any, and would instill passion etc but the Churchill stuff was just cringe and this comment is more than a bit old-fashioned.

[Hopie]

8 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Wane suggesting that Wembley was less than a real Test match because there were loads of non-heartland fans there who didn't cheer when England fell over.

Shaun Wane weighs in on Wembley debate following Ashes opener

You just made that up, he didn't say anything of the sort.
 

 

[WN83]

3 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Wane suggesting that Wembley was less than a real Test match because there were loads of non-heartland fans there who didn't cheer when England fell over. He says that Everton will be ''banging'' and a ''real Test match'' with ''real RL fans''.

Shaun Wane weighs in on Wembley debate following Ashes opener

That is some spin on what he said!! 

I've watched the press conference and he spoke about it not feeling like a proper test match on a few occasions but that was in reference to what happened on the field, not what happened in the stands. He praised the fans at Wembley, saying he thought the atmosphere was good. He said when the action started on the pitch it didn't feel like a proper test match and it was down to them, as in the payers didn't play well enough or with enough intensity. 

He is trying to pump the tyres of people going on Saturday, saying it will be real Rugby League fans and in many cases, he'll be correct. He possibly could've been slightly more PC and said it'll be full of regular club match going Rugby League fans but we know what he means and there is no need to twist what he's saying to have a go at the bloke. 

 

[StandOffHalf]

7 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Yeh I wouldn't be made up with that. Litten did a couple of good kicks, but I'm not sure defensively. He was basically at fault for the penalty just before h/t. He was shrugged off in a one on one which allowed the space for Walsh to get pulled back from.

Clark needs to scoot more but he did everything else pretty solidly. Someone mentioned on the First Test thread that the score while he was on was 6-6. I don't think he merits dropping.

[StandOffHalf]

9 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

After seeing episode 2, I'm much less of a Wane fan. I always thought he was as decent a shout as any, and would instill passion etc but the Churchill stuff was just cringe and this comment is more than a bit old-fashioned.

Some of the players seemed to be squirming and looking uncomfortable as he spoke of Churchill's big balls. I felt a bit sorry for them.

[StandOffHalf]

9 minutes ago, Hopie said:

You just made that up, he didn't say anything of the sort.
 

 

To be fair, one has to read between the lines with Wane. The inferences are pretty clear, but I agree that one of the motives would be to amp up the Everton crowd as real, hardcore fans.

[Maximus Decimus]

Just now, StandOffHalf said:

Some of the players seemed to be squirming and looking uncomfortable as he spoke of Churchill's big balls. I felt a bit sorry for them.

It's just so cliche and dare I say it again but old-fashioned. If he had used a unique example of somebody inspirational, like somebody from the world of sport, but Winston Churchill? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Churchill hater by any stretch but it was cringe inducing. 

[Click]

24 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Wane suggesting that Wembley was less than a real Test match because there were loads of non-heartland fans there who didn't cheer when England fell over. He says that Everton will be ''banging'' and a ''real Test match'' with ''real RL fans''.

Shaun Wane weighs in on Wembley debate following Ashes opener

What a ****

[StandOffHalf]

13 minutes ago, WN83 said:

That is some spin on what he said!! 

I've watched the press conference and he spoke about it not feeling like a proper test match on a few occasions but that was in reference to what happened on the field, not what happened in the stands. He praised the fans at Wembley, saying he thought the atmosphere was good. He said when the action started on the pitch it didn't feel like a proper test match and it was down to them, as in the payers didn't play well enough or with enough intensity. 

He is trying to pump the tyres of people going on Saturday, saying it will be real Rugby League fans and in many cases, he'll be correct. He possibly could've been slightly more PC and said it'll be full of regular club match going Rugby League fans but we know what he means and there is no need to twist what he's saying to have a go at the bloke. 

 

I think the inference is that Wembley was full of casuals and that that fed into the players not delivering. 

I haven't watched the full press conference, but I hope his words inspire a vocal Everton crowd.

[WN83]

5 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

To be fair, one has to read between the lines with Wane. The inferences are pretty clear, but I agree that one of the motives would be to amp up the Everton crowd as real, hardcore fans.

To be fair, you're talking absolute boll*cks. He praised the Wembley crowd and put the defeat on mainly him and his coaching staff and then the players. 

[WN83]

1 minute ago, StandOffHalf said:

 

I haven't watched the full press conference

Blow me down

[Click]

Just now, WN83 said:

To be fair, you're talking absolute boll*cks. He praised the Wembley crowd and put the defeat on mainly him and his coaching staff and then the players. 

Thank God that the real rugby league fans will be at Everton.

[N2022]

4 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

I think the inference is that Wembley was full of casuals and that that fed into the players not delivering. 

I haven't watched the full press conference, but I hope his words inspire a vocal Everton crowd.

Maybe he will take the mic and urge the fans to be 50000 Churchills, and if they fail to deliver in the first half show them their 'lowlights' at half time...

[graveyard johnny]

1 minute ago, Click said:

Thank God that the real rugby league fans will be at Everton.

singing "ferry across the mersey" and  saying "altite. alrite, calm down. calm down"

[WN83]

Just now, Click said:

Thank God that the real rugby league fans will be at Everton.

Covered it above, he could've been slightly more PC and said 'regular league match going fans' but hardly a hanging offence. He wants a big atmosphere and for people to feel invested this Saturday. 

I get the guy isn't everyones cup of tea and he deserves criticism for the weekend and is under pressure now to keep the job and rightfully so but when things are being made up and passed off as facts, to simply have a go at Wane, it becomes a bit boring. 

[N2022]

24 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

After seeing episode 2, I'm much less of a Wane fan. I always thought he was as decent a shout as any, and would instill passion etc but the Churchill stuff was just cringe and this comment is more than a bit old-fashioned.

On the Churchill theme, did you shake your head mumbling 'oh no, no, no'?