AUS v TONGA @ Mt Smart Stadium // Saturday 20 October - 5:45PM (AEDT) 7:45PM (NZDT)

[batley]

First twenty minutes lost Tonga the game.After that not much in it.

 

[Vee]

Takiohoh outstanding, BOG.

 

[Irish-bulldog]

Fifita the stupid asshole had a shocker lol. Aussies still look pretty beatable

 

[Tigers1986]

Tonga were competitive but always a step or 2 behind. Australia still need to work on their combinations but had enough in their tank to overcome them. Our forward pack was flat once again, we seem to be lacking the big bopper to eat metres and help the halves get in.

 

[Storm13]

First twenty minutes lost Tonga the game.After that not much in it.

I'd say the last 20 in the first half is where they lost it, two back to back tries followed by the usual try in the last minute for Australia.

 

[Fire]

The Tongan players are a bunch of virtue-signalling lame f**ks.

Pay your taxes to the Commonwealth, boys.

Pay your taxes.

 

[playdaball]

The Tongan players are a bunch of virtue-signalling lame f**ks.

Pay your taxes to the Commonwealth, boys.

Pay your taxes.

And that kids is why drugs are bad for you

 

[playdaball]

The Kiwis struck the Aussies at a good time as some of their combos seemed to gel a little better vs Tonga. The key to beating Aussie is to keep your game error free - NZ did that whilst Tonga weren’t able to.

 

[RL The greatest game]

How did the ref miss that??

I think Sutton missed a lot
He's clearly missed a lot and by the same token he see's things that other people don't see even with the slow mo's. Never an international class ref in a million years.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

The key to beating Aussie is to keep your game error free - NZ did that whilst Tonga weren’t able to.

The problem is error prone footy is the best footy to watch. I don't want to see teams beat Australia playing the machinal, dummy half runny, second man play, cross field bomb on the fifth style of play. Which, unfortunately, high end rugby league seems to default to these days.

 

[Burns]

Can we talk about incredible that 10min period of the start of second half was? Crowd sung hymns for nearly the entire period and essentially willed Tonga over the line.

Would love to hear what all the players thought of that

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Did everyone catch Todd Greenberg’s comments at half time about the NRL being responsible for growing the sport of Rugby League as a whole (referring to the international game)?

Great to hear but it almost seems like the NRL don’t even acknowledge the existence of the RLIF

 

[gUt]

would like to have seen how it would have gone with Hingano on the field for 80.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Did everyone catch Todd Greenberg’s comments at half time about the NRL being responsible for growing the sport of Rugby League as a whole (referring to the international game)?

Great to hear but it almost seems like the NRL don’t even acknowledge the existence of the RLIF

add to that the NRL seem to hinder international growth more than anything...

 

[mozza91]

Ruan Sims has the weirdest tits in history.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

add to that the NRL seem to hinder international growth more than anything...

Todd mentioned competing commercial realities and the NRL clubs that all want to protect their players vs growing the international game. It was a very interesting insight from the NRL CEO that confirms what we all discuss on here regularly.

I think the clubs are the loudest voice. I think NRL admin actually do a good job for the international game as much as they can:

PNG Hunters in the QLD Cup
Fiji in NSW Cup as long as they can prove financially viable (which to be fair is up to them)
Annual Pacific Tests (organised and funded by the NRL)
Agreement for Kangaroos and Kiwis to play an annual test
Tonga v Australia (organised and funded by the NRL)
In the past Kiwi test player payments covered by the NRL

 

[grouch]

Tuimowencraigie Lolohea

 

[playdaball]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...-from-soldout-auckland-test-against-australia



Tonga RL not happy with small profit share from sold out Mt Smart stadium.

The All Blacks are playing Tonga RU next year in Hamilton; NZ, basically utilising the Tongan fan base ... I bet Tonga RU will get a better profit than what the TRL received.

 

[Walter sobchak]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...-from-soldout-auckland-test-against-australia



Tonga RL not happy with small profit share from sold out Mt Smart stadium.

The All Blacks are playing Tonga RU next year in Hamilton; NZ, basically utilising the Tongan fan base ... I bet Tonga RU will get a better profit than what the TRL received.

In true RL fashion we will royaly fu#k this up.

 

[siv]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...-from-soldout-auckland-test-against-australia



Tonga RL not happy with small profit share from sold out Mt Smart stadium.

The All Blacks are playing Tonga RU next year in Hamilton; NZ, basically utilising the Tongan fan base ... I bet Tonga RU will get a better profit than what the TRL received.

Before TRL complain about profits

They need to include TRL player and staff direct match payments which are normally considered within country revenue

But it would be interesting to see a high level breakdown of the revenue(Gate / TV / Merchandise) v costs(Ground Rental / Travel-Accommodation / Player payments)