Australian Squad

[PJ Marshal]

Tony "The Chin" Carrol would have to be the worst Australian selection since Ross Conlon.
And Matt Orford would not be sleeping well.
What does he have to do??

Suity

Be a Bronco

 

[The Godfather]

Tony Carrol has been in really good form despite the Broncos stuffing around. Get that semi against the Cowboys out and watch his defence.

Orford is unlucky, it's difficult to split Gower, Kimmorley and Orford. No sense in putting 3 halfbacks in the squad, but his time will come.

Gonna hurt to see Bobcat and Willie T run out there.
Two players that were made to feel that they didn't have a future at Parramatta.

 

[bartman]

Can't believe Price didn't make it. Shocking, And Anasta and Sherwin deserved a spot

Price was not considered due to injury. Anasta has nothing at that level. Sherwin yeah, but how many half-backs were they gonna take?

 

[Twizzle]

Anasta at any level

why is this guy so overrated ?

I cant recall the last time he played like a rep player

 

[Utey]

Anasta is made to look good with Sherwin. He most definalty didnt deserve a spot with the magnitude of skill in the players around him. His another player who is a lock playing in the 5/8 role but has a descent passing game but he wouldnt cut it at Represenative level.

 

[blackfriday]

hill is the man who could play lock and have a good passing game. i hope i dont get hammered for this but i kinda thought finchy played a little better than kimmorley this season...

 

[Utey]

:twisted: Finch???

 

[Pazza]

no price?/??????????/

i would have had:

O'Merley
Buderus
Price
Mason
Hindmarsh
Fitzgibbon

 

[bartman]

Price was not considered due to his injury. Bennett will go with old stager Webcke in the front row.

I think Bennett will pick from Hill/Kennedy/Carroll at lock, Fitzgibbon in 2nd row with Hindy, and Mason from the bench.

 

[blackfriday]

well okay orford could be sitting at home asking the selectors 'what the hell?' because he certainly played better than kimmorley.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

gee the 2000 World Cup selection criteria is coming back to bite them in the ass. Tonie Carroll playing for Australia is just wrong.

But it raises once again a big hole in rugby league - the international scene. Even the likes of New Zealand need flexible rules to put a good squad on the park, and this is because we have our State of Origin and City/Country - meaning an at least decent rep schedule - whereas England and New Zealand (let alone anyone else) have only the occasional international matches. They have no build-up and no chance to develop a progressive team unity. How can a team just thrown together beat a team that has come from a series of 4 rep matches? Pffft!

But the thing is that everyone sees the development of the international game as being to the detriment of the national game. It need not be. Simply shorten the Premiership season by 8 weeks and use that time to run a dual Rep Comp/secondary Club comp.

The entire rugby league calendar needs a complete revamp and the right priorities need to be set in order to take the game to where it belongs. Instances like those with Tonie Carroll are the fault of the system, not the man.

 

[Suitman]

But the thing is that everyone sees the development of the international game as being to the detriment of the national game. It need not be. Simply shorten the Premiership season by 8 weeks and use that time to run a dual Rep Comp/secondary Club comp.

AKA the Super 12's, soon to become the Super 14's.

The entire rugby league calendar needs a complete revamp and the right priorities need to be set in order to take the game to where it belongs. Instances like those with Tonie Carroll are the fault of the system, not the man.

Indeed.

Suity

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

I was actually working on an outline of my ideas concerning the league calendar in my head recently. Might type it up and post it in the NRL forum, because things really do need to change.

 

[Suitman]

I would suggest that ALL ideas would be taken on board by the NRL.

Give it a shot.

Suity

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

don't speak too soon - i'm crazy remember