2017 RLWC

[Souths Till I Die]

Thought I should start a thread on it. George Burgess not named for England, wow...

 

[Travitoh]

Thought I should start a thread on it. George Burgess not named for England, wow...

I wonder if Wayne gave him a call to let him know

 

[Pommy]

It’s hardly a shock though is it?

 

[English Rose]

Maybe this will give him the kick up the backside that is needed?

Must hurt seeing his brothers get selected and not him but let's be honest it was the right decision after the year he has had.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

I wonder if Wayne gave him a call to let him know

I would be surprised if he didnt tbh. I think George did an interview a week or two ago saying he wasn't sure he would get selected anyway haha.

It’s hardly a shock though is it?

I definitely think it is a shock. They're usually just selected because of their last names. It's smart though because he has been poor this season.

Maybe this will give him the kick up the backside that is needed?

Must hurt seeing his brothers get selected and not him but let's be honest it was the right decision after the year he has had.

I am definitely hoping this is what he needed. It's either going to destroy him or motivate him to come back better.

 

[Pommy]

I don’t think they are selected on surname they have been there on merit. You can’t chips dn change the team every time we play but he has been out of form for to long now.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

I don’t think they are selected on surname they have been there on merit. You can’t chips dn change the team every time we play but he has been out of form for to long now.

Yeah it would of looked bad on the English side if they chose him. I'm glad Wayne Bennett didn't select him. Makes him look like a much more respectable coach.

 

[callmack1]

Pommy and I were talking about this the other day but boy New Zealand Rugby League is a mess. Obviously, I don't care about the Warriors but it's a real shame to see what's happening to the Kiwis.

Similar to Souths, they were amazing a few years but but have really gone downhill. I feel that there's been a real culture change and it's too relaxed.

Watching a documentary on our 2008 win the other day brought back good memories but those days are long gone.

We have no chance at this World Cup.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

Pommy and I were talking about this the other day but boy New Zealand Rugby League is a mess. Obviously, I don't care about the Warriors but it's a real shame to see what's happening to the Kiwis.

Similar to Souths, they were amazing a few years but but have really gone downhill. I feel that there's been a real culture change and it's too relaxed.

Watching a documentary on our 2008 win the other day brought back good memories but those days are long gone.

We have no chance at this World Cup.

Losing Taumololo is massive. The kiwis forwards already struggled to keep up and now that they've lost the best forward in the game I don't give them much of a chance. Didn't they draw with Scotland at the four nations?

 

[Itsamansgame]

Issac

 

[callmack1]

Losing Taumololo is massive. The kiwis forwards already struggled to keep up and now that they've lost the best forward in the game I don't give them much of a chance. Didn't they draw with Scotland at the four nations?

Sure did.

I'd put Scotland and Tonga ahead of us now.

Top four teams for this World Cup:

1. Australia
2. England
3. Tonga
4. Scotland

I'll be extremely surprised if we make the final.

 

[Pommy]

Sure did.

I'd put Scotland and Tonga ahead of us now.

Top four teams for this World Cup:

1. Australia
2. England
3. Tonga
4. Scotland

I'll be extremely surprised if we make the final.

I don’t think Scotland are better than the Kiwis. Don’t forget in a tournament depth matters.
Plus there’s not even a Scottish team, it’s a total joke with no credibility at all.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

Sure did.

I'd put Scotland and Tonga ahead of us now.

Top four teams for this World Cup:

1. Australia
2. England
3. Tonga
4. Scotland

I'll be extremely surprised if we make the final.

It's really good for the game when these other teams become more of a threat. Once the big 3 finish up I think Australia will be much more beatable but for now I don't see them losing. It's like the all blacks in rugby union. They're just on a different level to every other team. The only way they'll lose is if they just have an off day but I doubt mal meninga would let that happen.

Englands performance relies on Gareth Widdop in my opinion. We have seen how good he is when he is in form. He took the dragons to the top of the table before he got injured. If he gets some momentum/confidence in the World Cup then England are the only team I can see coming close to Australia.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

I don’t think Scotland are better than the Kiwis. Don’t forget in a tournament depth matters.
Plus there’s not even a Scottish team, it’s a total joke with no credibility at all.

Isaac Luke was eligible to play for Ireland. I think it is so much better for the game if NRL players play for the lesser countries. Luke Keary was also eligible for Ireland. It makes the World Cup more interesting. Rather than having Australia, New Zealand and England as the only threats.

 

[Pommy]

Isaac Luke was eligible to play for Ireland. I think it is so much better for the game if NRL players play for the lesser countries. Luke Keary was also eligible for Ireland. It makes the World Cup more interesting. Rather than having Australia, New Zealand and England as the only threats.

I have no issue with countries having a few players but Scotland had two players actually born in Scotland at the 4 nations and one of them has a Yorkshire accent.
When the majority of the team is going back to grandparents it becomes a nonsense.
Ireland have actually put a minimum number of actual Irishmen in the squad which applaud.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

I have no issue with countries having a few players but Scotland had two players actually born in Scotland at the 4 nations and one of them has a Yorkshire accent.
When the majority of the team is going back to grandparents it becomes a nonsense.
Ireland have actually put a minimum number of actual Irishmen in the squad which applaud.

I definitely sense some bias attitude towards the Scottish. I think most of the other nations will be looking at grandparents birthplace as eligibility. I feel as if it might get to a point where the World Cup is full of NRL and super league players. It would make it a lot more interesting if that was the case. It barely attracts any attention because there are only 3 good sides. I wouldn't care if the whole English side was Australian or vice versa. I actually want to see a competitive World Cup in rugby league one day. Like they have for soccer.

 

[Pommy]

I definitely sense some bias attitude towards the Scottish. I think most of the other nations will be looking at grandparents birthplace as eligibility. I feel as if it might get to a point where the World Cup is full of NRL and super league players. It would make it a lot more interesting if that was the case. It barely attracts any attention because there are only 3 good sides. I wouldn't care if the whole English side was Australian or vice versa. I actually want to see a competitive World Cup in rugby league one day. Like they have for soccer.

There’s no bias because it’s scotland (I consider myself British before English). The thing is you have teams like Tonga where those players maybe Australian born but consider them Tongan Aussies.
That’s not the case here these people consider themselves English/Australian and are just not good enough to get a cap otherwise. Look at McQueen bagging the poms when he was watching the ashes but then wants to play for England.

If you want to watch a complete full of English and Aussie players we already have that it’s called the NRL and SL.

I’m not saying heritage players shouldn’t exist but just not in the form of teams like Scotland where there’s no drive to ever make it more than a team full of English and Aussie players.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

There’s no bias because it’s scotland (I consider myself British before English). The thing is you have teams like Tonga where those players maybe Australian born but consider them Tongan Aussies.
That’s not the case here these people consider themselves English/Australian and are just not good enough to get a cap otherwise. Look at McQueen bagging the poms when he was watching the ashes but then wants to play for England.

If you want to watch a complete full of English and Aussie players we already have that it’s called the NRL and SL.

I’m not saying heritage players shouldn’t exist but just not in the form of teams like Scotland where there’s no drive to ever make it more than a team full of English and Aussie players.

But the NRL and super league are different competitions where the World Cup has the chance to bring the best players in the world together and face off against one another. Currently that is not the case. Some of NRL's top players are not playing in the World Cup and I think that's a real shame. I think it takes away from the overall experience of how significant the World Cup is actually supposed to be.

I do see your argument however but I think it's harder for those countries as they probably have sports like union, cricket and soccer ahead of league on their priority list. That's the main reason why I'm happy for NRL players to play for them instead to promote league in their country.

 

[Pommy]

But the NRL and super league are different competitions where the World Cup has the chance to bring the best players in the world together and face off against one another. Currently that is not the case. Some of NRL's top players are not playing in the World Cup and I think that's a real shame. I think it takes away from the overall experience of how significant the World Cup is actually supposed to be.

I do see your argument however but I think it's harder for those countries as they probably have sports like union, cricket and soccer ahead of league on their priority list. That's the main reason why I'm happy for NRL players to play for them instead to promote league in their country.

But a World Cup isn’t supposed to be all of the best players playing.
Do you think the FIFA World Cup is just the best players? Good players always get left behind that’s just a reality.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

But a World Cup isn’t supposed to be all of the best players playing.
Do you think the FIFA World Cup is just the best players? Good players always get left behind that’s just a reality.

The majority of the time the best players are playing in the FIFA World Cup, are they not? I don't know for sure I'm not a big soccer guy.

I definitely do think that's how it should be. The World Cup is supposed to be a step up from the NRL not a step down.