USA - How can USA compete vs Australia?

[carlnz]

Well how can they? The Tomahawks got hammered by the Raiders, and from other reports were scared of the Tongans!

I know its not the best Tomahawaks side that toured, but they are really going to have to do something this year or they are getting to get slaughted!

Etheir way you look at this proposed test match, the Tomahawaks are going to get wasted....Unless they play alot more Tests to try and get there playing 17 players up to a better standard.

I know they are playing Japan, Russia, Ireland, BARLA and NZ defence force...But is that really going to help them against a side that is number one in the world?

 

[yankeeboy]

Everyone knows that the Hawks won't win- they'd be crazy if they thought they could.

The match's purpose is to promote league in the USA- not for the Hawks to win.

I think that it really depends on what team the Roos play- if it's second-string, because it's after the Tri-Series, then the outcome might not be so bad.

I don't think the Roos will go all out, either, and I don't think the Hawks will go scoreless, or that the Roos will break 150.

I think a result could be something like 75-6.

 

[screeny]

What's all this about the Hawks being scared of the Tongans??!!

 

[TheFirstRabbitoh]

The match's purpose is to promote league in the USA- not for the Hawks to win.

Why not then play a SOO match or something like that, with a USA vs a club side match as curtain raiser.

100-0 is very possible, and is that actually going to help anything, or just open us up to the same crap that union copped when Australia beat Namibia a zillion - nil?

 

[Razor]

It's a great idea.

The result doesn't matter. The players would love it. Union does this all the time - Australia playing Canada, etc. winning by 100. It's about time League does as well. If Australia ignores them the players could switch to Union to get the chance to play against top sides.

 

[bender]

In answer to the original question of how can the Tomahawkes compete with the Kangaroos:

What about if the Kangaroos donated 5 of their better players to the USA tomahawks team. Say, for example - Gordon Tallis, Brad Fittler, Luke Ricketson, Shane Webcke, Andrew Johns. It might help the USA be semi competive and give some of their better younger players some fundamental schooling in the basics of the game. THere is no better way to learn a sport than by playing with greats.

 

[carlnz]

Well take a look at the Russian Dynamo team, they have 3 NZ A players and help from there coach too, and look what they have done! They helpped them make it through to the 3rd round of the challange cup...and the Russian playes said they are a learning new things from them etc etc....maybe USA need that?

Australia will score with every set of six at least....150-4

 

[Jeffles]

The long and short of is that the USA will get caned and they are pinning a lot of hope on this match as a revenue reaiser for the future. A huge gamble.

 

[screeny]

Sod the score. This match is not about the score.

It's about the int'l RL community giving the American federation a symbolic thumbs up.

'Hey, you are now deserving of hosting the code's most powerful brand, the Roos,' is the message we're giving the Yanks.

This match is a massive filip to David Niu and the AMNRL chaps. Think how excited they are knowing that the ARL recgonise them as pseudo-equals? Think how energised their administration will be knowing that Australia is coming?

 

[carlnz]

I am very interested to see what the Tomahawak players have to say about the test match when they return back home..

 

[yakstorm]

I think if USA called upon a few of their pro's that are eligable (say 4 or 5) it may help stem the potential score abit. Guys like Retchless from London and Petersen from Parramatta wil raise the skill of the Americans just a tad, and perhaps may mean they could score a try or two (unlikely, but not impossible...Russia did it)

 

[Dingle]

I saw the tomahawks get smashed by the raiders and actually chatted to some of there players afterwards. i talked to a bloke named kevin deal for over an hour at the Queanbeyan leagues club. He is well aware of how much they are going to lose by but i believe they will avoid embarrasment. They are playing lots of games against different teams at the moment in order to prepare themselves. When they were down here they recieved some coahing from quality players such as adrian morley.
I believe they are a great bunch of people who will do alright

 

[yakstorm]

No doubt over them being a great bunch of people, unfortunately I can't see the Aussies deciding to be nice, and stay 'coasting' a little to ensure the score doesn't get too high. Be nice if they did though

 

[Big-Hitter]

I reckon it would make far more sense to play one of the Oz-Nz tri-series games in NY en-route to the UK, with USA v AN Other as the main support.

That way, you get top-class league action, as well as the opportunity for the American players, rather than the full might of the Aussie Test side smashing a team of Aussies/Kiwis/Poms with tenuous US connections.

 

[DIEHARD]

Bring in gridiron ring ins! What are all the XFLers doing? ;-)

 

[yankeeboy]

I think the Roos-Hawks game could be used as a springboard to start a pro comp in the USA- something along the XFL's lines, but without the WWF.

If a game outside the AMNRL region was sucessful (I'd say at least 10,000 fans would be considered sucessful), it could show that the USA is ready for a pro comp.

http://www.rugbymag.com/archive/2001/august/interview.htm
This is an article about a man trying to start pro rugby union in AMerica. There are some good ideas there.

I think a comp of QLD Cup standard, consisting of 12 teams (6 each in east and west), could work very well.

I think they should recruit ex-College Gridiron players and "Rugby Super League" Union players (sounds confusing, doesn't it!). The league could be structured like the MLS- a single entity, with owners investing in the league, instead of a particular club.

If they kept the costs down (maybe USD$20 mil. a year), but still made it not seem like a tin-pot piece of garbage, I think league could take off as America's Spring/Summer sport. I think that the Season should start in mid-February (after the Super Bowl), and run around 20 weeks.

I think an American comp could start as a sort of NRL/Super League reserve grade, and in 10 years time be the strongest comp in the world (because America is where all the money is!).

 

[Pazza]

If they wanna promote league in the USA, why dont they have a Australia Verse New Zealand test in NY? or a SOO4 like in the 80's?

i know i would hardly be impressed seeing the NFL all stars smash a Australian team gridiron team.

 

[ripper]

Make it an Australia vs Rest of the world game... But make the Rest of the World Team play an Amercian Colors and call them the ''Presidents XIII'' or something like that.

 

[thescrum.co.uk]

This is going to be a blow out. the Roos will easy hit the 150 mark no doubt about that, this is too big a test for the Yanks.

It would be much better for them to be playing the likes of Wales or France. maybe send over the Greek or Italian sides. it will be a much closer contest.

At the end of the day it wont make much difference that the "World Champions" are going there as League is not well known sport there. so i doubt it will make any difference to the size of the crowds etc.

I would have rather of seen the Roos play france while over doing the tr-nations. They need all the help they can get and have been left behind by the big guns of League.

 

[coldhardbitch]

they are playing france in bordeux


it is a full test match, and is on the sdame time as gb v nz