Australia will play either Tonga or England in the final

[Billythekid]

There is not a chance that NZ lose to Fiji, they will probably win by 40. Australia will flog Samoa and England will beat PNG by around 20 points.

I actually think Tonga/Lebanon will be the closest of the fixtures. Tonga are in danger of a massive let down after the high of last week and Lebanon have been stoic throughout the tournament thus far.

I don't think there is any question about it. I know Tonga beat NZ but I still think they're step below the big 3 especially when it comes to consistency. If there is an upset this weekend Lebanon is definitely the most likely to cause it.

 

[Last Week]

Do you watch rugby league?

No. I just like talking on LU about it.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Then someone beat the Aussies consistently and claim world number 1. The draw is based on seeding.

100% - also, to change this, all England need to do is go out and beat Australia in the group stage - ironically though if they did it at this world cup neither Australia or New Zealand would have topped their groups and we'd be back to square 1 with semis: Aus v whoever makes it / NZ v Eng

 

[BuffaloRules]

I just compared this Aussie team to the 2013 version...

They have a much weaker team this year and all the big names are past their best

They are there for the taking....

 

[Pedge1971]

Like we really play enough Internationals to have a decent seeding system.

If NZ and England were to play Aust 5 times a year how many time do you think Australia would lose?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I just compared this Aussie team to the 2013 version...

They have a much weaker team this year and all the big names are past their best

They are there for the taking....

On paper, this should be New Zealand's golden generation (at full strength with all eligible players electing to play for the Kiwis) and should have dominate from 2014 til now:

1. RTS
2. Zelezniak
3. Whare
4. Takarangi
5. Rapana
6. Foran
7. Johnson
8. JWH
9. Luke
10. Bromwich
11. Proctor
12. Harris
13. Taumalolo

 

[Jim from Oz]

I just compared this Aussie team to the 2013 version...

They have a much weaker team this year and all the big names are past their best

They are there for the taking....

this is it … the Kangaroos without Cronk, Smith and Slater are open to be beaten !


Unfortunately, the Kangaroos have Cronk, Smith and Slater !

 

[Billythekid]

If NZ and England were to play Aust 5 times a year how many time do you think Australia would lose?

How can we know unless we actually have them play more often? Especially as NZ typically do better the more they play.

Also I wasn't arguing who is the best team. I'm questioning the validity of using a seeding system when we player bugger all international matches.

Its not a big deal anyway. I'm just glad that we're likely going to get 2 competitive SF's this time. Hopefully in the future the lower tier nations can catch up a little so that's the way it stays on the future.

 

[deluded pom?]

this is it … the Kangaroos without Cronk, Smith and Slater are open to be beaten !


Unfortunately, the Kangaroos have Cronk, Smith and Slater !

The problem is though Jim that we (England fans) have heard for decades that when so and so retires Australia are there for the taking but the conveyor belt just keeps on churning out replacement after replacement.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

this is it … the Kangaroos without Cronk, Smith and Slater are open to be beaten !


Unfortunately, the Kangaroos have Cronk, Smith and Slater !

You never know mate, the Kangaroos lost in 2008 with a spine of Slater, Lockyer, Thurston & Smith pretty much in or close to their prime. They lost in 2010 with Slater, Lockyer, Cronk & Smith again in or close enough to their prime. They lost in 2014 with a slightly weaker but still world class spine of Inglis, Cherry Evans, Cronk & Smith.

The Kiwis are a danger game for the Kangaroos in the semi without a doubt, they have to show up with the right attitude and their heads switched on though.

 

[BuffaloRules]

this is it … the Kangaroos without Cronk, Smith and Slater are open to be beaten !


Unfortunately, the Kangaroos have Cronk, Smith and Slater !

Who are all at the twilight of their careers....

Meanwhile compared to 2013 they are missing Inglis, Hayne, Thurston, Scott, Gallen and Fafita....

The 2013 version of Hayne is superior to Dugan in my view...

 

[Caped Crusader]

The problem is though Jim that we (England fans) have heard for decades that when so and so retires Australia are there for the taking but the conveyor belt just keeps on churning out replacement after replacement.

Now you know how NSW supporters feel

 

[Last Week]

The problem is though Jim that we (England fans) have heard for decades that when so and so retires Australia are there for the taking but the conveyor belt just keeps on churning out replacement after replacement.

And it will stay that way. There will no doubt be a gap, but no one predicted Thurston would be as good as he is when he debuted for Australia. Players improve, always. Munster is going steady. Morgan has come from no where. It will ways be this way until the NRL ceases to exist.

 

[The Great Dane]

The thread title speaks volumes about why the rest of us think Australians are arrogant. Not all Aussies of course but too many for my liking.

This is the name of a thread on the Total Rugby League forum-

Australia will not make the final

It's littered with posts about how England are going to hammer NZ in the final, and how Tonga and PNG have nothing on England.

I mean at least Kangaroos fans have 50 years of results to make them confident and arrogant about their position in RL...

 

[The Great Dane]

The problem is though Jim that we (England fans) have heard for decades that when so and so retires Australia are there for the taking but the conveyor belt just keeps on churning out replacement after replacement.

Yeah it's kind of scary how we just keep churning out better and better players.
I remember when people were saying that Australia would be in trouble after the likes of Lewis and Sterling retired, but their retirement just made space for blokes like Daley and Stuart to grow into.

I'm certain that one day somebody will knock the Roos off the top and that international RL will have multiple serious contenders for the WC, I just hope that those teams that do topple the Roos do so because they're better then the Roos and not because the sport down here has regressed or because the NRL has given up on international RL.

 

[DC_fan]

On paper, this should be New Zealand's golden generation (at full strength with all eligible players electing to play for the Kiwis) and should have dominate from 2014 til now:

1. RTS
2. Zelezniak
3. Whare
4. Takarangi
5. Rapana
6. Foran
7. Johnson
8. JWH
9. Luke
10. Bromwich
11. Proctor
12. Harris
13. Taumalolo

The problem for the Kiwis is that they have learnt from the Warriors. Both teams should be dominate, but it appears neither ever will. For mine that is sad for the game.

 

[DC_fan]

You never know mate, the Kangaroos lost in 2008 with a spine of Slater, Lockyer, Thurston & Smith pretty much in or close to their prime. They lost in 2010 with Slater, Lockyer, Cronk & Smith again in or close enough to their prime. They lost in 2014 with a slightly weaker but still world class spine of Inglis, Cherry Evans, Cronk & Smith.

The Kiwis are a danger game for the Kangaroos in the semi without a doubt, they have to show up with the right attitude and their heads switched on though.

From what I have seen of both Australia and New Zealand this tournament I don’t see that happening.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

From what I have seen of both Australia and New Zealand this tournament I don’t see that happening.

I didn't really see it happening in 2005, 2008 or 2010 either - I did see it coming in 2014 though.

 

[Perth Red]

Yeah it's kind of scary how we just keep churning out better and better players.
I remember when people were saying that Australia would be in trouble after the likes of Lewis and Sterling retired, but their retirement just made space for blokes like Daley and Stuart to grow into.

I'm certain that one day somebody will knock the Roos off the top and that international RL will have multiple serious contenders for the WC, I just hope that those teams that do topple the Roos do so because they're better then the Roos and not because the sport down here has regressed or because the NRL has given up on international RL.

Given the amount of money in the game in Australia at all levels (remember Jnr funding due to pokies would be many times more in Aus than UK, in fact Panthers leagues probably spends more on Jnr footy than most of the M62 corridor put together) its pretty amazing England are as close as they are. That sort of money buys you a lot of extra coaching, supplements and other such enhancers. The Perth SG Ball team probably has better training facilities than some SL clubs!
I think player registrations wise there isn't a huge difference, Aus has around 100k grass roots players I believe, not sure what it would be England? NRL clubs operate on around $20-25mill a year, SL clubs on around $5-8mill. and so it goes on.

 

[roughyedspud]

Its about $10-18m but I get your point