USA Tomahawks Squad vs Canada

[80MinuteMan]

http://80thminute.com/?p=898

Mike Cartwright (New York Knights)

Bryan Confer (Aston Bulls)

Curtis Cunz (Connecticut Wildcats)

Akarika Dawn (Jacksonville Axemen)

Kristian Freed (Connecticut Wildcats)

Pete Jordan (New York Knights)

Andrew Kneisly (Aston Bulls)

Vai Notoa (Hawaiian Chiefs)

Mark Offerdahl (Connecticut Wildcats)

Damien O’Malveney (Southampton Dragons)

Craig Priestly (Southampton Dragons)

Justin Ripley (New York Knights)

Ben Sadgrove (New York Knights)

Mike Schachter (Connecticut Wildcats)

Dennis Schmeiler (Connecticut Wildcats)

Salesi Tongamoa (Connecticut Wildcats)

Matt Walsh (Connecticut Wildcats)

Taylor Welch (Connecticut Wildcats)

 

[Fighter]

http://80thminute.com/?p=898

Mike Cartwright (New York Knights)

Bryan Confer (Aston Bulls)

Curtis Cunz (Connecticut Wildcats)

Akarika Dawn (Jacksonville Axemen)

Kristian Freed (Connecticut Wildcats)

Pete Jordan (New York Knights)

Andrew Kneisly (Aston Bulls)

Vai Notoa (Hawaiian Chiefs)

Mark Offerdahl (Connecticut Wildcats)

Damien O’Malveney (Southampton Dragons)

Craig Priestly (Southampton Dragons)

Justin Ripley (New York Knights)

Ben Sadgrove (New York Knights)

Mike Schachter (Connecticut Wildcats)

Dennis Schmeiler (Connecticut Wildcats)

Salesi Tongamoa (Connecticut Wildcats)

Matt Walsh (Connecticut Wildcats)

Taylor Welch (Connecticut Wildcats)

I guess Apple has fallen out of favor, he was healthy enough to play the last 2 Axemen games. And no Brent Shorten, Kenny Britt or Kevin Wiggins who could all easily make this team.

 

[photomarv]

I guess Apple has fallen out of favor, he was healthy enough to play the last 2 Axemen games. And no Brent Shorten, Kenny Britt or Kevin Wiggins who could all easily make this team.

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Just plain wrong. There is too much talent in the USARL that is getting passed over.

 

[photomarv]

And Wiggins is a beast. Hard runner. Needs to be included if anyone.

 

[gyallop]

In the Rd 2 thread someone said Pope broke his hand, they take up to 8 weeks to heal, he might be tough and playing but no way would you pick a bloke with broken hand to play a test. I saw some vision of Kenny Britt and he looks a decent attacking player and Wiggins looks like a human tank. Dont know about Shorten but if he is better than Priestly who played Q Cup here he must be a fair player.

Isn't getting a Jackonsville player named a good start to a thaw in the cold war?

With the split over there who funds the Tomahawks?

 

[deal.with.it]

From RLWC2013.com

The American National Rugby League has named an 18-man squad for the opening game of the Colonial Cup series against Canada as their prepartions for RLWC2013 continue apace.
The match is scheduled to be played this Saturday night at Lamport Stadium in Toronto.
The Tomahawks’ squad is dominated by the AMNRL’s Atlantic Conference’s Connecticut Wildcats who have eight players on the roster. The reigning champion New York Knights have the next highest representation with four players on the squad, while the remainder comprise guys from the Atlantic and Pacific Conferences, as well as the Southampton Dragons in the UK.
Regular Tomahawks captain Apple Pope will miss the game because of a broken hand, an injury he picked up while playing for the AMNRL’s President’s XIII against Samoa last month.
The team’s head coach for this cross-border series is Marcus Vassilakopoulos, with Damian Flint named as Assistant Coach/Team Manager.
Coach Vassilakopoulos has already acknowledged the Wolverines are legit and that they have been getting better year by year since returning to international rugby league in 2010 following a ten year break.
“We'll need to improve our ball control against Canada and have a better line speed and kicking game,” he said.
The USA holds an overall 13-2 record all-time against its northern neighbors and is 5-1 against the Wolverines since 2010, although never before have they faced a Canadian team as talented as the one they will square off against during this year’s Colonial Cup series.
North American bragging rights aside, the American coaching staff intend to use this series to make final assessments of domestic players staking claims for spots on the Tomahawks’ 24-man roster for RLWC2013.
The USA is ranked #12 in the RLIF World Rankings, while Canada checks in at #19 going into Saturday’s game. RLIF World Rankings will be on the line in this series.
USA TOMAHAWKS SQUAD:
Mike Cartwright (New York Knights), Bryan Confer (Aston Bulls), Curtis Cunz (Connecticut Wildcats), Akarika Dawn (Jacksonville Axemen), Kristian Freed (Connecticut Wildcats), Pete Jordan (New York Knights), Andrew Kneisly (Aston Bulls), Vai Notoa (Hawaiian Chiefs), Mark Offerdahl (Connecticut Wildcats), Damien O’Malveney (Southampton Dragons), Craig Priestly (Southampton Dragons), Justin Ripley (New York Knights), Ben Sadgrove (New York Knights), Mike Schachter (Connecticut Wildcats), Dennis Schmeiler (Connecticut Wildcats), Salesi Tongamoa (Connecticut Wildcats), Matt Walsh (Connecticut Wildcats), Taylor Welch (Connecticut Wildcats)

 

[Misanthrope]

Does Apple's brother still play? Taco, was it?

 

[deal.with.it]

Pretty sure i saw a pic of taco in the latest match photos. But i didn't think he was playing anymore.

 

[Fighter]

In the Rd 2 thread someone said Pope broke his hand, they take up to 8 weeks to heal, he might be tough and playing but no way would you pick a bloke with broken hand to play a test. I saw some vision of Kenny Britt and he looks a decent attacking player and Wiggins looks like a human tank. Dont know about Shorten but if he is better than Priestly who played Q Cup here he must be a fair player.

Isn't getting a Jackonsville player named a good start to a thaw in the cold war?

With the split over there who funds the Tomahawks?

Shorto is better. Apple didnt look slowed by his hand at all vs. Fight. Maybe it was Taco but sure looked like Apple and he is tagged in this picture from the game:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...661143477.1073741835.692948476&type=3&theater

Wiggins is a total beast and a lot better than Dawn and much fitter. Just sour grapes because he left Aston to play for the Fight.
Players all fund themselves, travel and hotels.

 

[IowaRL]

Hmm, whoever wrote that article decided that Southhampton Dragons was in the Uk, as opposed to NY. Pretty big difference

 

[deluded pom?]

Has Dawn played for the Axemen this season?

 

[Evil Homer]

Has Dawn played for the Axemen this season?

Yes.

 

[RLfan10]

Shorto is better. Apple didnt look slowed by his hand at all vs. Fight. Maybe it was Taco but sure looked like Apple and he is tagged in this picture from the game

Wiggins is a total beast and a lot better than Dawn and much fitter. Just sour grapes because he left Aston to play for the Fight.
Players all fund themselves, travel and hotels.

No they don't. Accommodation is provided for.

 

[Rebel]

great game. canada won 36-20. Awesome crowd too.

 

[nko11]

Not too sure how official this figure is, but 7,200 was the quoted figure for the crowd.

Some crowd pictures:

Ground from Google Maps

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Northern Side had a reasonable crowd (couldn't really find a great photo of this end)
(Farthest right side) Source

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Eastern side had a large crowd
(Farthest left side) Source

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South end is a car park
(Farthest side) Source

--------------------------------------------
Western Side had a small crowd
(farthest stand) Source

 

[Misanthrope]

Impressive result for Canada. How close to full strength were the US? Could bode really poorly for the US's chances in the World Cup or show that Canada are fast improving.

Could be a bit of both, I guess.

 

[yakstorm]

In terms of the crowd named at Lamport Stadium, I'm sure there has been a little bit of exaggerating, but overall, it is still an impressive result.

Both grandstands hold 9,600 people (4,800 each side). It would be fair to say there was over 4,000 seated on the Eastern side, at least a couple of hundred on the Western side. There there is possibly between 1,000 - 2,000 scattered between the Northern end, in the standing room in the Eastern side, and some of the other pockets within the ground.

Anyway a great result by Canada RL, they are really doing a good job of turning their internationals into mini-events which are well attended. Clearly as well their sponsorship with Fosters is paying off, every second person in those photos looks to have one...

 

[deal.with.it]

A lot of people on twitter were saying how they didn't know attending rugby games could be so much fun and that they'll definitely be back!
And a lot of young folk were in attendance. That is something truly great!

For the USA, they'll have Clint Newton, Ryan McGoldrick, Tui Samoa, Joseph Paulo, Junior Paulo, Mark Cantoni, and a couple of lesser known players that some how get selected like Mitch Stevens and David Marando.

For Canada, they could add Louis Robinson and a few BC players.

 

[deluded pom?]

Great result for Canada in front of a great crowd. The Colonial Cup is heading north.

 

[Rebel]

7200 sounds about right. I couldnt believe the number of people there.