What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Match Thread: PNG vs GB

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
I think a combination of the hot weather, home ground advantage and GB lack of confidence all contributed to the final result.
 

mikail-eagle

Bench
Messages
2,751
Any info on Edwin Ipape??

Plays for a Aussie based Queensland cup side I believe?

Signed with the Wynum Manly Seagulls this year straight out of the Digicel Cup from the Lae Tigers.

Didn't get to play in the Intrust Super Cup this year but played Five-Eight the whole season for Seagulls Premiership winning BRL Team.
 

Walter sobchak

First Grade
Messages
5,845
Signed with the Wynum Manly Seagulls this year straight out of the Digicel Cup from the Lae Tigers.

Didn't get to play in the Intrust Super Cup this year but played Five-Eight the whole season for Seagulls Premiership winning BRL Team.
Hopefully we’ll get to see him for the seagulls in the Queensland cup for 2020 ?
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,411
I would love nothing more than for France to get their shit together, I'm just tired of waiting for it. They are doing a really poor job considering the progress being made in some countries with much less of a history with the game.

TBF progress really isnt being made very much in most of those countries (PNG being the exception), just that those countries are benefiting from migration to NSW/Qland/NZ where the kids of the immigrants are playing the game in a very developed system. How many of Tonga or Fijis team were born in their country and played Jnr RL there at any age?

The equivalent would be a mass immigration of French people to North of England then their kids playing RL and choosing to rep for France over England.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
TBF progress really isnt being made very much in most of those countries (PNG being the exception), just that those countries are benefiting from migration to NSW/Qland/NZ where the kids of the immigrants are playing the game in a very developed system. How many of Tonga or Fijis team were born in their country and played Jnr RL there at any age?

The equivalent would be a mass immigration of French people to North of England then their kids playing RL and choosing to rep for France over England.

I hope Tonga is using the current momentum to build true pathways. Unlikely since they don't currently have a functioning governing body.
They should have an annual Residents Under 18s tour which visits Australia or New Zealand in front of club talent scouts.
And play annual open-age Residents v Tonga-AusNZ to fill out those non-NRL spots in their squads.

A bit harsh on Fiji though.
Of the "Current team" listed on Wikipedia (i know, but i wanted a quick and dirty way to check this) 7 are Fijian born.
Fiji often play 'possibles v probables' matches with their residents team, and have also brought over army and student teams on tour.
And starting next year will have teams in NSW Cup competitions.
Fiji would have one of the stronger teams outside the top 3 if it was purely on domestic strength - I'd say only PNG and France might have better.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
TBF progress really isnt being made very much in most of those countries (PNG being the exception), just that those countries are benefiting from migration to NSW/Qland/NZ where the kids of the immigrants are playing the game in a very developed system. How many of Tonga or Fijis team were born in their country and played Jnr RL there at any age?

The equivalent would be a mass immigration of French people to North of England then their kids playing RL and choosing to rep for France over England.

I definately agree with you in the southern hemisphere. I'm more referring to the domestic progress in Serbia and Lebanon (for example), they have achieved a lot in terms of schools, Universities and a domestic club competition. Admittedly, they are starting from a much lower base than France so maybe there is an illusion of more being achieved.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Back to the match in question.. it really was a strange game.

GB started well enough, without being brilliant. When they got to 10-0 it seemed like their professional systems and precision would see them through comfortably despite PNG hitting harder and more enthusiastically. PNG were struggling to make a dent despite opportunities.

Then they snuck in the try on half time.. GB fell asleep. Did they expect the ref to call time before that last play? Were they clock watching?
PNG came out with renewed enthusiasm and now their incursions were seriously denting the poms. The ball started bouncing their way.

After PNG managed to grab the lead the GB heads just dropped. It was as if they suddenly all wanted to go home. They were sick of getting bashed: injuries were piling up, they were tiring in the heat, their discipline slipped, the out-of-position players were being exposed as weaknesses.

It was a brilliant demonstration that sometimes, against seemingly better talent and professional coaching, sheer enthusiasm and brutality can win a game of Rugby League.
It's rare to see - 9 times out of 10 that PNG effort is a brave loss, 110% effort but lacking the polish to finish the job. This time it paid off and GB were thoroughly embarrassed.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,411
I definately agree with you in the southern hemisphere. I'm more referring to the domestic progress in Serbia and Lebanon (for example), although France is light years ahead of both, the relative progress seems stark.

Frances progress has been ok, after all they now have two professional clubs playing in UK comp, a jnr system that produces jnr teams capable of beating anyone and a national team that would be one of the better tier 3 sides. I think most forget the game in France is confined to a small region of small population towns.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
Frances progress has been ok, after all they now have two professional clubs playing in UK comp, a jnr system that produces jnr teams capable of beating anyone and a national team that would be one of the better tier 3 sides. I think most forget the game in France is confined to a small region of small population towns.

Fair enough - hopefully Toulouse make their way to SL and a good French TV deal follows shortly after.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,411
Back to the match in question.. it really was a strange game.

GB started well enough, without being brilliant. When they got to 10-0 it seemed like their professional systems and precision would see them through comfortably despite PNG hitting harder and more enthusiastically. PNG were struggling to make a dent despite opportunities.

Then they snuck in the try on half time.. GB fell asleep. Did they expect the ref to call time before that last play? Were they clock watching?
PNG came out with renewed enthusiasm and now their incursions were seriously denting the poms. The ball started bouncing their way.

After PNG managed to grab the lead the GB heads just dropped. It was as if they suddenly all wanted to go home. They were sick of getting bashed: injuries were piling up, they were tiring in the heat, their discipline slipped, the out-of-position players were being exposed as weaknesses.

It was a brilliant demonstration that sometimes, against seemingly better talent and professional coaching, sheer enthusiasm and brutality can win a game of Rugby League.
It's rare to see - 9 times out of 10 that PNG effort is a brave loss, 110% effort but lacking the polish to finish the job. This time it paid off and GB were thoroughly embarrassed.

Just about sums it up. I thought our more agile forwards would cause a lot more problems than they did and fair play to the PNG defence for continuing to turn up in numbers and with brutality that knocked us off the game plan. As you said enthusiasm triumphed over skill and experience which is kind of nice to see in a game that can be pretty unforgiving in skill disparity like RL.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Just about sums it up. I thought our more agile forwards would cause a lot more problems than they did and fair play to the PNG defence for continuing to turn up in numbers and with brutality that knocked us off the game plan. As you said enthusiasm triumphed over skill and experience which is kind of nice to see in a game that can be pretty unforgiving in skill disparity like RL.

GB broke the line a lot of times especially in the first half, Bateman and Widdop in particular were hard for PNG to handle, but somehow failed to turn it into a significant advantage.
Widdop went completely missing in the 2nd half and most of the forward pack just folded.
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
GB broke the line a lot of times especially in the first half, Bateman and Widdop in particular were hard for PNG to handle, but somehow failed to turn it into a significant advantage.
Widdop went completely missing in the 2nd half and most of the forward pack just folded.

I didn't see the game only the highlights but Widdop looked like he copped an injury knocking a ball dead from a PNG grubber in the first half?
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,411
Thought we looked much better when Williams came on. Widdop was great at FB in RLWC. I'd have had Williams and Hastings in halves with Widdop at FB. Austin on bench to come on to spell Hodgson at hooker and open the game up a bit in second half. Of course that would have meant us actually having an outside back in reserve in the squad but we can put that stupidity down to the coach.

Burgess was our only damaging runner and Bateman looked dangerous first 20mins when we played an open style of offloading. Didnt see anything in the outside backs to get excited about, very very avg, oh for the days of Connolly and Offiah!

When you look back at the last time GB had a truly great team we seem to have lost our ability to develop really skilled players!

1992 RLWC final team
FB 1 Joe Lydon
RW 2 Alan Hunte
RC 3 Gary Connolly
LC 4 Garry Schofield (c)
LW 5 Martin Offiah
SO 6 Shaun Edwards
SH 7 Deryck Fox
PR 8 Kevin Ward
HK 9 Martin Dermott
PR 10 Andy Platt
SR 11 Denis Betts
SR 12 Phil Clarke
LK 13 Ellery Hanley
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Williams and Lomax would have made a better halves combo than anything involving Widdop or Hastings.
England's attacked in 2017 stuttered until Widdop went to the back, and seemingly Bennett has learned nothing.
 

mikail-eagle

Bench
Messages
2,751
Just about sums it up. I thought our more agile forwards would cause a lot more problems than they did and fair play to the PNG defence for continuing to turn up in numbers and with brutality that knocked us off the game plan. As you said enthusiasm triumphed over skill and experience which is kind of nice to see in a game that can be pretty unforgiving in skill disparity like RL.

The PNG defence wasn't really a surprise for me.
On the Kumuls coaching staff they now have Neil Dunkley and Joe Grima working on Video Analysis and the structures with all things defence related.

Dunkley was an assistant to Adrian Lam when he was Kumuls Coach. He was an assistant to Brad Fitler for Lebanon during the 2017 World Cup.

Joe Grima the former London Broncos Coach and currently Head of development and pathways at the Eels joined up with the Kumuls at Bank West Stadium when they were there for the Samoa Test.
 

Walter sobchak

First Grade
Messages
5,845
The PNG defence wasn't really a surprise for me.
On the Kumuls coaching staff they now have Neil Dunkley and Joe Grima working on Video Analysis and the structures with all things defence related.

Dunkley was an assistant to Adrian Lam when he was Kumuls Coach. He was an assistant to Brad Fitler for Lebanon during the 2017 World Cup.

Joe Grima the former London Broncos Coach and currently Head of development and pathways at the Eels joined up with the Kumuls at Bank West Stadium when they were there for the Samoa Test.
Hey M.E. A bit off topic but What’s the deal with Moses meninga joining the Townsville Blackhawks in 2020 for just 1 season??

Is he hoping to land an NRL deal or just return back to the hunters in 2021?
 

Walter sobchak

First Grade
Messages
5,845
Thought we looked much better when Williams came on. Widdop was great at FB in RLWC. I'd have had Williams and Hastings in halves with Widdop at FB. Austin on bench to come on to spell Hodgson at hooker and open the game up a bit in second half. Of course that would have meant us actually having an outside back in reserve in the squad but we can put that stupidity down to the coach.

Burgess was our only damaging runner and Bateman looked dangerous first 20mins when we played an open style of offloading. Didnt see anything in the outside backs to get excited about, very very avg, oh for the days of Connolly and Offiah!

When you look back at the last time GB had a truly great team we seem to have lost our ability to develop really skilled players!

1992 RLWC final team
FB 1 Joe Lydon
RW 2 Alan Hunte
RC 3 Gary Connolly
LC 4 Garry Schofield (c)
LW 5 Martin Offiah
SO 6 Shaun Edwards
SH 7 Deryck Fox
PR 8 Kevin Ward
HK 9 Martin Dermott
PR 10 Andy Platt
SR 11 Denis Betts
SR 12 Phil Clarke
LK 13 Ellery Hanley
Was that the match in which Shaun Edwards got sent off??
 

Latest posts

Top