2025 Ashes Tour

[eels4lifee]

ft professionals against amateurs, who in their right mind thought that would make a good game?

You?

 

[Growthegame]

ft professionals against amateurs, who in their right mind thought that would make a good game?

Part timers against amateurs. To call the NRLW players fulltime professionals is extremely misleading.

 

[RedVee]

NRLW Australian team put 90 on the England team. Vegas last year

Should’ve played the NZ girls. That would’ve been a competitive game

 

[Azz]

For any RL history buffs, Steve Mascord is doing YouTube shorts retracing the 1994 Kangaroo tour. He’s gone to Wigan and Cumbria so far, very cool.
The first clip -

 

[MRN]

Eddie and Stepho

"That'll be T - R - Y"

 

[Chook Norris]

What sections have the Aussies been allocated?

I believe lower bowl west end. The Aussies in London FB page has flagged Bays 112, 113 and areas around.

 

[blue bags]

Should’ve played the NZ girls. That would’ve been a competitive game

That's what I said before Vegas
The American's would have been in shock an awe. At the rugby league women. Aussie. Vs Kiwis

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

For any RL history buffs, Steve Mascord is doing YouTube shorts retracing the 1994 Kangaroo tour. He’s gone to Wigan and Cumbria so far, very cool.
The first clip -

Mascord is great value. His books are fantastic too.

 

[Perth Red]

If Mikey Lewis and jez Litten are not starting for England we need a new coach!

 

[England87]

Litten has to play 14 at least. The best season by a English 9 since Clarke and Roby a decade ago.

 

[jolly boys outing]

If Mikey Lewis and jez Litten are not starting for England we need a new coach!

Fat head better pick them!!

 

[Taking The Two]

Lewis and Litten are nailed on. There’s nobody in their respective positions remotely close to them. There is always the worry that Wane fills the side with Wigan players or players he’s coached before with crap like Bateman but he’d be out of his mind to go with any other options at 6 and 9.

There’s a few positions nailed on I would say. Jack Welsby, Dom Young, Herbie Farnworth, Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten, Kai Pearce-Paul and Morgan Knowles should be guaranteed starters. The rest is probably up for some debate.

 

[Taking The Two]

If I was in charge I would go with the following;

Jack Welsby
Dom Young
Herbie Farnworth
Jake Wardle
Liam Marshall
Mikey Lewis
Harry Smith
Luke Thompson
Jez Litten
Matty Lees
Dean Hadley
Kai Pearce-Paul
Elliott Minchella

Morgan Knowles
Junior Nsemba
Mike McMeeken
Robbie Mulhern/Brad O’Neill

I think Knowles will start at 13, I get that from what Wane was saying when Radley ruled himself out but I think England are light in the front row and it may be better that Knowles plays as a prop, which he has done before for England, and covers Minchella, if he needs a spell. Looking at the props from the Samoa series a year ago, Chris Hill has retired, James Harrison and Warrington haven’t had a good year, neither has Tom Burgess at Huddersfield and I simply don’t rate Ethan Havard as a prop, he’s had a couple of bad injuries and doesn’t look like he has rediscovered some of the promise from a couple of years ago.

Wing is a tough one. I could easily see Joe Burgess or Tom Davies on the wing but I think Marshall will get the nod from Wane, had Matty Ashton been fit, I would opt for him every day.

The last bench spot of Mulhern or O’Neill is just a toss up of whether we need another prop or another hooker on the bench, I think I would go with Mulhern for the first test, though.

I think Hadley has played himself into a shirt the last two seasons and I hope he’s called up.

 

[blue bags]

Lewis and Litten are nailed on. There’s nobody in their respective positions remotely close to them. There is always the worry that Wane fills the side with Wigan players or players he’s coached before with crap like Bateman but he’d be out of his mind to go with any other options at 6 and 9.

There’s a few positions nailed on I would say. Jack Welsby, Dom Young, Herbie Farnworth, Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten, Kai Pearce-Paul and Morgan Knowles should be guaranteed starters. The rest is probably up for some debate.

Why Dom Young ?

 

[Taking The Two]

Why Dom Young ?

Because he’s probably the most capped winger available for England.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Young is by no means a perfect player but hes an X factor that England need. They wont beat Australia by trying to be safe

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Just looked this bloke up and his name is actually "Jez"? And he has a cousin whose actual name is "Davy". Were the entire extended family unfamiliar with the concepts of nicknames or abbreviations?

 

[England87]

Young is by no means a perfect player but hes an X factor that England need. They wont beat Australia by trying to be safe

An NRL quality outside back is a lock in an England national team. I am sure Wane will pick Wardle over Billy Smith and that will be a mistake.

Super League centres and wingers do not see the same shape that NRL teams throw at each other over 27 rounds.

They do not have the lock digging into the line and playing out the back to a half with backrowers and centres running misdirection lines into a block based off what the defensive line is showing.

This is why French is the best player in the comp because he somehwat has these skills to abort from a block and play what is in front of him while Super League fans see a world class playmaker the reality is at NRL level he would probably be a 14 or squad utility like a Trai Fuller.

This is why AJ, Smith, Farnworth and Young have to be in the starting 13.

Young has not had the best year, especially on defence but he is still Englands best winger by far.

 

[England87]

Case in point, watching the Super League GF I was shocked at the lack of movemement pre play the ball, Guys recieving a pass in a standing position on an attacking set. It is obvious they are coached to play within 5-10 metre channels and when plan A goes to shit they really do not have the skills to force the defender into a decision.

 

[Taking The Two]

That is one crap England team. Some ridiculous inclusions but they are some of Wane’s mates from his time at Wigan and so, they’re in.