2025 Ashes Tour

[RedVee]

Disappointed. A pretty lacklustre game.

 

[Chimp]

Today’s result is an indication of where the game is in England at the moment - Australia were far from near their best, but were still head and shoulders above anything England could offer.

I could do a really long post on the state of the game over here, but I’ll maybe save that for another day. But here’s just a few of the massive issues;

1 - Fundementally, there’s no money in the game. The vast majority of clubs are run on the scent of an oily rag. And that leads to all the problems below.

2 - The game is run (and held back) by the clubs, with self interest being the number 1 priority. A great example of this is that Toulouse and Catalans are only allowed in Superleague if they pay for the travel and accommodation of teams visiting them, and take less central funding than the other teams. The owners of the same clubs that don’t have a pot to piss in are making decisions on what is supposed to be ‘best for the game’, when in reality, the best thing for the game would be for their shitty little ex-mining town clubs with a population of 125 inbreds to be playing in the lower leagues.

3 - Junior development is the worst it has ever been, when arguably in the Southern Hemisphere it’s the best it has ever been. There’s no money to do it properly, clubs no longer run proper development programmes, they’re all ‘scholarships’ with local colleges that have zero rugby league interest, and where basically they just chuck 30 kids into the scholarship programme, coached by pretty much anyone who’s willing to do it as a job for what is basically the minimum wage in the U.K, and hope that 1 or 2 make it.

4 - Salary Cap - was £1.8m when introduced in 2002, it’s now only £2.1m. That’s an average of £84k ($171k). There are plenty of players playing in superleague who earn less than the national UK minimum wage - particularly juniors just making their way in the game.

5 - Coaching/Facilites - more minimum wage and lack of funding for decent facilites

6 - Community game - Absolutely on its arse. Clubs dying, paroticipation dying. Talent pipeline dying.

 

[Chins]

Today’s result is an indication of where the game is in England at the moment - Australia were far from near their best, but were still head and shoulders above anything England could offer.

I could do a really long post on the state of the game over here, but I’ll maybe save that for another day. But here’s just a few of the massive issues;

1 - Fundementally, there’s no money in the game. The vast majority of clubs are run on the scent of an oily rag. And that leads to all the problems below.

2 - The game is run (and held back) by the clubs, with self interest being the number 1 priority. A great example of this is that Toulouse and Catalans are only allowed in Superleague if they pay for the travel and accommodation of teams visiting them, and take less central funding than the other teams. The owners of the same clubs that don’t have a pot to piss in are making decisions on what is supposed to be ‘best for the game’, when in reality, the best thing for the game would be for their shitty little ex-mining town clubs with a population of 125 inbreds to be playing in the lower leagues.

3 - Junior development is the worst it has ever been, when arguably in the Southern Hemisphere it’s the best it has ever been. There’s no money to do it properly, clubs no longer run proper development programmes, they’re all ‘scholarships’ with local colleges that have zero rugby league interest, and where basically they just chuck 30 kids into the scholarship programme, coached by pretty much anyone who’s willing to do it as a job for what is basically the minimum wage in the U.K, and hope that 1 or 2 make it.

4 - Salary Cap - was £1.8m when introduced in 2002, it’s now only £2.1m. That’s an average of £84k ($171k). There are plenty of players playing in superleague who earn less than the national UK minimum wage - particularly juniors just making their way in the game.

5 - Coaching/Facilites - more minimum wage and lack of funding for decent facilites

6 - Community game - Absolutely on its arse. Clubs dying, paroticipation dying. Talent pipeline dying.

Time for them to bend the knee to Lord Peter

 

[undertaker]

Light and day between the BBC commentary (at the ground) vs Mat Thompson et al. calling off the monitor in a Channel 9 studio:

 

[undertaker]

Today’s result is an indication of where the game is in England at the moment - Australia were far from near their best, but were still head and shoulders above anything England could offer.

I could do a really long post on the state of the game over here, but I’ll maybe save that for another day. But here’s just a few of the massive issues;

1 - Fundementally, there’s no money in the game. The vast majority of clubs are run on the scent of an oily rag. And that leads to all the problems below.

2 - The game is run (and held back) by the clubs, with self interest being the number 1 priority. A great example of this is that Toulouse and Catalans are only allowed in Superleague if they pay for the travel and accommodation of teams visiting them, and take less central funding than the other teams. The owners of the same clubs that don’t have a pot to piss in are making decisions on what is supposed to be ‘best for the game’, when in reality, the best thing for the game would be for their shitty little ex-mining town clubs with a population of 125 inbreds to be playing in the lower leagues.

3 - Junior development is the worst it has ever been, when arguably in the Southern Hemisphere it’s the best it has ever been. There’s no money to do it properly, clubs no longer run proper development programmes, they’re all ‘scholarships’ with local colleges that have zero rugby league interest, and where basically they just chuck 30 kids into the scholarship programme, coached by pretty much anyone who’s willing to do it as a job for what is basically the minimum wage in the U.K, and hope that 1 or 2 make it.

4 - Salary Cap - was £1.8m when introduced in 2002, it’s now only £2.1m. That’s an average of £84k ($171k). There are plenty of players playing in superleague who earn less than the national UK minimum wage - particularly juniors just making their way in the game.

5 - Coaching/Facilites - more minimum wage and lack of funding for decent facilites

6 - Community game - Absolutely on its arse. Clubs dying, paroticipation dying. Talent pipeline dying.

Question: when did the decline in the Super League begin?

 

[Wb1234]

Pommies weren’t bad

If they had found a way to score early could’ve been close the whole game

Kept dropping the ball in the Aussie 20 in the first half and built no pressure

Stopping Walsh was impossible though

Their halves were good

 

[Wb1234]

Question: when did the decline in the Super League begin?

It’s actually getting way better. Clubs like hull kr, Leigh and Wakey who were basket cases have grown heaps

 

[beave]

Time for them to bend the knee to Lord Peter

The flat brimmers wouldn't allow it.

They hate any thought of innovation in the sport.....

 

[newc18]

Pommies weren’t bad

If they had found a way to score early could’ve been close the whole game

Kept dropping the ball in the Aussie 20 in the first half and built no pressure

Stopping Walsh was impossible though

Their halves were good

I think England will improve from that just as much as Australia will. Their attack looked very sloppy.

Welsby had a shocker though. I expected more from him.

 

[chunk]

3. Half of their spine I actually thought were upto it. Litten and Williams played very good games. Lewis was quiet but they need to persevere with him. The really disappointing one was Welsby. Eng selectors won't do it but I'd replace Welsby with Brimson.....Brimson will not let anybody down.

Yes, the fullback was terrible and Brimson would do a tens times better job but maybe they don't want to put an 'Australian' in, bad for PR?

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Both Smithies and Nicholson should be in this awful team.

 

[beave]

Yes, the fullback was terrible and Brimson would do a tens times better job but maybe they don't want to put an 'Australian' in, bad for PR?

Never stopped them with Radley........

 

[undertaker]

And Rabs had a fear of flying but still went over.

The last time Ch9 sent commentators to call league in the UK was during the 2000 RLWC.

IIRC, a last-minute decision was made to send Gus Gould and Sterlo over to the UK to join Voss and call the Australia vs Wales semi-final and Australia vs New Zealand final for Ch9, rather than relaying the Sky Sports telecast of the match (Voss was already in the UK weeks earlier, as he called Australia's famous 110-4 thrashing vs Russia for the BBC. However, that match was only televised in Australia on Fox Sports).

 

[Foreign Legion]

Next Ashes, when the English Cricket team come to Australia they should have the English Rugby League team also... so you could have a double Ashes Series.... SFS, Suncorp and AAMI Park while the cricket is own the English would love it.

 

[chunk]

Never stopped them with Radley........

Yeah true but I thought Radley came from England whereas Brimson grew up in Oz

 

[newc18]

Not sure if anyone has brought it up but how good was the back of that Australian jersey. Name and Number is all you need.

 

[undertaker]

Next Ashes, when the English Cricket team come to Australia they should have the English Rugby League team also... so you could have a double Ashes Series.... SFS, Suncorp and AAMI Park while the cricket is own the English would love it.

Although it wasn't an Ashes series, something similar did happen in 2006.

The Australia vs Great Britain RL tri-nations match was held at Suncorp Stadium on November 18, just 5 days before the opening test of the 2006/07 cricket Ashes at the Gabba. Although Australia comfortably won 33-10, it was a scheduling masterpiece from the tri-nations tournament organisers to capitalise on the Poms who were already in Brisbane for the cricket, as a crowd of nearly 45k turned up at Suncorp.

Since the Suncorp Stadium redevelopment was complete in 2003, the 44,358 who turned up that night remains the 2nd largest crowd for a stand-alone RL test match at the venue (2008 RLWC final being the largest).

 

[Foreign Legion]

Although it wasn't an Ashes series, something similar did happen in 2006.

The Australia vs Great Britain RL tri-nations match was held at Suncorp Stadium on November 18, just 5 days before the opening test of the 2006/07 cricket Ashes at the Gabba.

Although Australia comfortably won 33-10, it was a scheduling masterpiece from the tri-nations tournament organisers to capitalise on the Poms who were already in Brisbane for the cricket, as a crowd of nearly 45k turned up at Suncorp.

someone tell PVL

 

[Fangs]

Watched the first 65.

England hung around. Ruck speed helped them. There is a clear talent disparity between the two sides.

Regardless we should be playing England more often. They aren't getting any better staying holed up in their Super League bubble. So a good thrashing from us in test 2 or 3 might help them out.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

England fought hard. They just need to revisit their tactics in attack. 26-6 is convincing but not disgraceful. Australia is the world's best team for a reason... and they are f**king good.

NRL and Origin sides get done by that margin often enough that it's not the end of the world. We need to stop being so critical.

Here's the scorelines from two of the last three RU world Cup finals, supposedly the best two teams:

2019: South Africa 32 England 12
2015: New Zealand 34 Australia 17

Here's some recent State of Origin scorelines:

2024 G1: QLD 38 NSW 10
2024 G2: NSW 38 QLD 18
2023 G2: QLD 32 NSW 6