'13 WC | Group A | Australia 28-20 England | Cardiff

[miguel de cervantes]

Can't understand why this thread is a sticky...

 

[aqua_duck]

Where's James Graham?

 

[Harrigan]

Double post

 

[Harrigan]

Where's James Graham?

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=428399&page=14

 

[Misanthrope]

As good as it would be to see England do well on home soil, I can't see them sticking with Australia over the 80.

 

[ozbash]

Can't understand why this thread is a sticky...

ditto.

Tim, these should have their own gameday/spoilers type forum like the NRL ?

 

[Harrigan]

1. Tomkins - 24
2. Charnley - 22
3. Watkins - 22
4. Cudjoe - 25
5. Hall -- 25
6. Widdop - 24
7. Sinfield - 33
8. Hill - 25
9. Roby - 27
10. Mossop - 24
11. Ablett - 27
12. Westwood - 32
13. Burgess S - 24

14. Burgess G - 21
15. Burgess T - 21
16. Farrell - 23
17. Burrow - 31

Chase - 27
Ferres - 27

That's a young team! Probably the youngest test team England have put out in a long time.

1-5: Average age - 23.6

 

[Son of Minto]

DCE is easily the best half in the world right now.

Cronk is only holding onto the 7 jersey by reputation, and thurston is an overpaid selfish sook who'll never win a premiership so long as he demands 15% or more of the salary cap on his own.

DCE will be the qld and Aussie half for over a decade

Holy f**k you are stupid.

 

[hutch]

Why is sinfield at half. I don't understand why they would pick a man who has played virtually his whole career at lock forward out of position in the most important position on the field. Surely there is a halfback out there who is up to it. Oh that's right, the coach doesn't like home so he's playing for Scotland!

 

[hutch]

I'm hoping for a close game, but I think Australia will win comfortably unfortunately. It is one of the strongest Aussie squads in a long time, and there are better players to come into the team.

 

[roughyedspud]

kev has'nt really played lock for a good 5-6 years hutch

 

[hutch]

kev has'nt really played lock for a good 5-6 years hutch

Yeah I guess he plays an organising role at Leeds these days. But half?

 

[roughyedspud]

my team....graham & o'loughlin not being selected & hock being sent home f**ked things up...but id go with

1. tomkins
2. charnley
3. ablett - to try and shutdown GI
4. watkins
5. hall
6. chase
7. sinfield
8. mossop
9. roby
10. hill
11. westwood
12. ferres
13. sam burgess

14. burrow
15. tom burgess
16. george burgess
17. farrell

 

[Reidy87]

Cannot understand the selections. I have to hope that Sheenius is saving the best for last. If this truly was his 1st string side...

The full 24 (?) man squad has plenty of question marks in it. Boyd is a shocking choice, and Third Man In Thaiday doesn't deserve a spot. Parker certainly does. The Cronk/Thurston origin combination makes Cronk more valuable for me than DCE, not to his discredit. Parker, Lewis and Bird are a bit light though.

Are Fifita, Tamou and Scott the only props in the squad?!?! I guess Papalli and Myles are the two backups (behind Gallen who can play there at a pinch)? I wouldn't be going up against the Englishmen with less than four props at any rate, and surely a couple more specialist props wouldn't have gone astray. I guess with that being the case, Tamou is kind of the only choice.

My top squad would be:

1. Slater
2. Hayne
3. Jennings
4. Inglis
5. Tate
6. Thurston
7. Cronk
8. Gallen
9. Smith
10. Scott
11. Bird
12. Myles
13. Parker
14. Farah
15. Fifita
16. Tamou
17. Lewis

Great post - This is our best side IMO. Definitely the best side based on current form and level of danger for the opposition. Any of those back 5 would dominate their opposition one on one - could score a length of field try on their own - individually brilliant and excellent team players (could you say the same for B.Moz and Boyd? Maybe not...)

 

[roughyedspud]

Yeah I guess he plays an organising role at Leeds these days. But half?

i think the way its supposed to work is kev does all the organising and rangi does the razzle dazzle...and it kinda works,its worked against wales,france & nz etc..and for short periods against australia....


people forget that...

 

[9701]

Are the games being replayed on any other stations? I don't have an antenna hooked up only foxtel.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Are the games being replayed on any other stations? I don't have an antenna hooked up only foxtel.

No. All matches are live on 7mate with replays of Australia's matches at 3:30pm every Sunday.

 

[9701]

No. All matches are live on 7mate with replays of Australia's matches at 3:30pm every Sunday.

Well FML

 

[Joker's Wild]

Call Jim's TV aerials stat

 

[newman]

ryan hall & josh charnley piss all over your wingers...and if McNamara picks the right bench you'll get steamrolled....that aussie bench is the weakest i can remember...compare it with the bench for the wembley game in 2011 (cronk,galloway,shillo,tony williams) this bench is shocking

Steamrolled? You really think that just by picking a bigger side that England will "Steamroll" the Aussies? Do you watch Origin? NSW went with that strategy against QLD (who make up the bulk of the Roos) and it didn't work. England need to play to their strengths, and that's hitting Australia behind the ruck, getting quick play the balls and playing that touch football style they like in Superleague. Trouble is, with the superior wrestling skills of the Aussies, they will find it tough. The key for England I reckon is to find the right mix of Size and mobility. I don't care what Graham and O'Loughlin did. They need to play. They also need to open the roof and pray for rain. I hope the English backline have been defending plenty of block and sweep plays at training because the minute the Aussies get field position they will be running bodies into every channel at speed. Any lazy efforts Billy Slater will have a field day off Cronks and Smith's hip and you can guarantee JT will open them up at least once with a show and go. Putting my coaches hat on, I really can't see how England can win.



1. Tomkins
2. Charnley
3. Watkins
4. Cudjoe
5. Hall
6. Widdop.
7. Chase
8. Hill
9. Roby
10. George Burgess
11. Ablett
12. Sam Burgess
13. Kev Sinfield. To play as a second stand off.

14. Burrow
15. Westwood
16. Farrell
17. Tom Burgess.

That's the best 17 I can come up with but that side doesn't have enough NRL experience to get anywhere near the Aussies I am afraid. Tom Burgess is rank average for starters. Chase only gets a start because Graham and Oloughlin are out. If they are in, they slot straight into the forward pack and you drop T Burgess and Chase and have Sinfield/Widdop in the halves. Westwood and Ablett are really underwhelming too. I hope your backs can pull off some miracle plays and Kevs kicking game is really on song because otherwise this is going to get real ugly.