'13 WC | Semi Final | Australia 64-0 Fiji | Wembley

[royce10]

What is the point of this World Cup when players just choose who they play for?

How can Civoniceva play for Australia a couple years ago and now play for Fiji?

Same with Wallace and Wales.

It feels like such a pointless exercise filling international teams with players who weren't quite good enough to play for Australia.

If the pacific nations had as much chance (and money) of winning the world cup as the big 3, I think you'd find almost all islanders would opt to play for them.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

It was nice of the trolls to jump out so clearly in this thread.

If you're dismissing excellent footy and great crowds (y'know... the reasons the competition was staged) because the Tomahawks didn't put it to Australia or Wales turned up limp you need to re-evaluate what you really thought was going to be achieved from this WC. We knew before the competition started some minnows would be lapped, but in the process they've put in some damn good efforts and produced some awesome games. If you're stuck after the semi-finals still lamenting the fact that they were bashed around by the big three and calling woe on the WC because of it you probably don't have a clue.

Calling people that point out faults as trolls is ridiculous, head in the sand behaviour. I drove 6 hours to France - NZ knowing full well what the result was going to be because I know that rugby league has huge potential to be great, as witnessed by Eng - NZ today and I want to support it. The problem is that this sort of devotion has limits. Neutral fans are not going to go to those lengths. You get potential new fans along to the game as well as a largely indifferent media and the best team a historical and traditional league playing nation can put out, one that does everything in their power and with their scant means to promote the game, one that along with PNG has the most "purist" player roster gets done 48 to 0. How many of those new fans and the indifferent media are going to bother coming back? Should we just say, "France, no, too hopeless, lost cause, go Australia go!" or should we maybe ask a few questions about what direction the game is going in and how we might be able to make it a bit more equitable?

I tell you one thing. If the same inequality existed in the NRL, there wouldn't be an NRL.

 

[Springs]

Such an anticlimax. Can't believe how disappointing Fiji were.

 

[mxlegend99]

Gotta love how Brent Tate can still stand out as being poor in a team that wins 64-0. This Australian side has demolished all the sides they have faced with ease and never once been close to its best. That's probably the most disappointing part for these other sides.

Now were going to run out with an average 17 against New Zealand and not be close to ready with such an easy run IMO.

 

[Ernest the Sheep]

If the pacific nations had as much chance (and money) of winning the world cup as the big 3, I think you'd find almost all islanders would opt to play for them.

What makes you say that? Do you mean all Islanders, or is it just the Aus-Islanders you are thinking of? Kiwi-Islanders would no doubt opt to play for the Kiwis, because it is the natural choice for them. It's those Islanders in the green+gold jersey that look out of place.

 

[Sans Souci Sainter]

Calling people that point out faults as trolls is ridiculous, head in the sand behaviour. I drove 6 hours to France - NZ knowing full well what the result was going to be because I know that rugby league has huge potential to be great, as witnessed by Eng - NZ today and I want to support it. The problem is that this sort of devotion has limits. Neutral fans are not going to go to those lengths. You get potential new fans along to the game as well as a largely indifferent media and the best team a historical and traditional league playing nation can put out, one that does everything in their power and with their scant means to promote the game, one that along with PNG has the most "purist" player roster gets done 48 to 0. How many of those new fans and the indifferent media are going to bother coming back? Should we just say, "France, no, too hopeless, lost cause, go Australia go!" or should we maybe ask a few questions about what direction the game is going in and how we might be able to make it a bit more equitable?

I tell you one thing. If the same inequality existed in the NRL, there wouldn't be an NRL.

The game survived St. George winning 11 in a row so I'm not sure what you're point is here.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Hayne the player of the tournament,player of the millennium

Lolz at Tate,i said before the Cup started how hopeless this bloke was

 

[mxlegend99]

Good winger for QLD playing outside of Justin Hodges. But nowhere near good enough to play centre for Australia when the likes of Michael Jennings and Josh Morris are sitting on the sidelines waiting for a decent chance.

Also don't know why Brett Morris is being played on the wrong side of the field to allow for Boyd. Honestly should have Tate and Boyd fighting with Jennings and Morris for the right wing spot. With the other being the starting left centre. Both Jenko and Jmo have plenty of experience at left centre with Bmo outside them. Even if Slater is available, id rather Jennings or Morris at left centre and Inglis at fullback. But atleast Slater in SHOULD mean Tate out. But Sheens is probably dumb enough to drop Hayne for Tate to move to right centre.

 

[T.S Quint]

Agree completely. I've watched almost the entirety of the tournament. It has been brilliant and easily better than 2008. But at the pointy end of things, like in 2008, I am always left with a bitter taste in my mouth because, well, we all know why. The real enjoyment from the world cup comes from well fought minnow games with exciting football, not Australia grinding other teams into the dust like a well oiled machine. I don't care how much of a traditionalist or loyalist you are, there is very little entertainment value in what we just witnessed, and this is what will stop league from going further on the international stage unless it evolves in some way.

The big wigs need to work out a way to preserve what fans most like about the sport whilst somehow introducing measures, intra- or extra-game changes, that lead to more even games. Once they do that they need to have the balls to implement them without fans or clubs chucking tanties. If they manage that delicate balancing act you can sit back and watch league flourish on the international stage and everyone will be happy.

Well, until the other nations improve then the only way to do this would be to exclude Australia from competing in the tournament and have the Aussie players scattered throughout the other teams.

Which just can't happen.

 

[T.S Quint]

What makes you say that? Do you mean all Islanders, or is it just the Aus-Islanders you are thinking of? Kiwi-Islanders would no doubt opt to play for the Kiwis, because it is the natural choice for them. It's those Islanders in the green+gold jersey that look out of place.

Tamou, yes. He shouldn't be playing for Australia - but then he would just be playing for NZ and not any of the smaller Islander nations anyway.

But who are the other Islanders in the green and gold who look out of place?

Hayne? Born in Australia. Grew up in Australia. Played all of his football in Australia. PLayed first International game for Australia. How does he look out of place?

Jennings? Also an Aussie (though he did play his first International for Tonga at the 2008 WC).

 

[Joker's Wild]

lol at the people round here suggesting that Australia should be playing crapper footy to make things "entertaining". What a joke

How about the other sides lift their bloody games instead. FMD

 

[Misanthrope]

You know what. f**k Australia. I am no longer supporting the Kangaroos.
For many of the reasons mentioned above. The odds are stacked overwhelmingly in their favour to the point where others are so disadvantaged they get humiliated.

I'm not supporting that. From now on I'll be supporting the nation of my heritage, as 'minnow' as they may be. I want to feel some of what the Bati fans feel. Not this.

So f**k it. No more Roos for me.

Welcome aboard. I made this decision back in 1999. No fun supporting a nation that has everything stacked heavily in their favour and still acts like they've achieved some monumental victory whenever they win. Egos and egos.

 

[Misanthrope]

The game survived St. George winning 11 in a row so I'm not sure what you're point is here.

St George weren't unbeaten juggernauts for 11 years. Other teams were competing with them. They weren't winning, but they were competing.

 

[Parra Pride]

Welcome aboard. I made this decision back in 1999. No fun supporting a nation that has everything stacked heavily in their favour and still acts like they've achieved some monumental victory whenever they win. Egos and egos.

Acting like a victory over Fiji, or any of the smaller a nations for that matter, would be massively disrespectful to them.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Welcome aboard. I made this decision back in 1999. No fun supporting a nation that has everything stacked heavily in their favour and still acts like they've achieved some monumental victory whenever they win. Egos and egos.

Bit precious here mate. Australia has lost 2 major tourneys to NZ in the last five years. The players have every right to celebrate winning

 

[Misanthrope]

Bit precious here mate. Australia has lost 2 major tourneys to NZ in the last five years. The players have every right to celebrate winning

Yeah. They achieved something monumental by thrashing that team featuring several semi-professional players. Good job, lads! You're champions!

 

[T.S Quint]

Yep, how dare those egotistical Australians play to their potential and celebrate winning a World Cup game instead of shrugging it off as a mere formality.

What a bunch of merkins.

 

[Misanthrope]

Yep, how dare those egotistical Australians play to their potential and celebrate winning a World Cup game instead of shrugging it off as a mere formality.

What a bunch of merkins.

It's not about the players performing on the field. It's the the way the ARL/NRL double has worked to stack things in their favour for so long that it has become a formality.

 

[Joker's Wild]

lol jeezus mate, were you a member of the young communists?

 

[BuffaloRules]

lol at the people round here suggesting that Australia should be playing crapper footy to make things "entertaining". What a joke

How about the other sides lift their bloody games instead. FMD

+1

Absolutely ludicrous and disrespectful of the opposition to expect the Aussies to "go easy".

There are only a handful of countries that have ever beaten the All Blacks in their history (100 years).

I don't think there is much call from anyone for them to ease up.