English RL catching up ?

[_Johnsy]

Melbourne were not good enough this morning, fairly simple I would have thought.

 

[ozbash]

Bring back the old fashioned tours where the tourists play state/provincial/county sides.

The poms have been catching up for some time now.They havnt got far to go imo.

 

[beave]

I am not making up excuses for Melbourne, but geez, that team this morning was hardly a representation of the players they had last year that won the GF. They were missing King, Crocker, Smith, Inglis, Newton who were arguably 5 of their better players last year, and tbh, i don't know the Leeds squad all that well so god knows who they didn't have playing compared to their team from last year. This is why the game will never be taken seriously over here, as well as this there are far too many advantages given to the UK teams whilst it is played in this format (4 weeks into their season and on their home turf). If they pushed the start of their season back a month (why don't they??? instead of starting in feb start in march, surely it would be starting to warm up a bit more in march over there, i am sure the players would prefer it) that way when our season ends theirs will be be as well and then you can see a proper WCC like when i was a kid. Stuff the GF celebrations, if you wave a large enough $$$ incentive to win the damn thing the players would put in. And play it say 3 weeks after the GF, surely it gives them enough to time to hit the p!ss for a week and then get their butts over there to play the poms, or vice versa. Well done to Leeds but fair suck of the sav, the way it is run now it will never be a proper "WCC", whos to say now Leeds won't run last, which will make the whole WCC for this year a joke........

 

[Shorty]

I am not making up excuses for Melbourne, but geez, that team this morning was hardly a representation of the players they had last year that won the GF. They were missing King, Crocker, Smith, Inglis, Newton who were arguably 4 of their better players last year, and tbh, i don't know the Leeds squad all that well so god knows who they didn't have playing compared to their team from last year. This is why the game will never be taken seriously over here, as well as this there are far too many advantages given to the UK teams whilst it is played in this format (4 weeks into their season and on their home turf). If they pushed the start of their season back a month (why don't they??? instead of starting in feb start in march, surely it would be starting to warm up a bit more in march over there, i am sure the players would prefer it) that way when our season ends theirs will be be as well and then you can see a proper WCC like when i was a kid. Stuff the GF celebrations, if you wave a large enough $$$ incentive to win the damn thing the players would put in. And play it say 3 weeks after the GF, surely it gives them enough to time to hit the p!ss for a week and then get their butts over there to play the poms, or vice versa. Well done to Leeds but fair suck of the sav, the way it is run now it will never be a proper "WCC", whos to say now Leeds won't run last, which will make the whole WCC for this year a joke........

Spot on Beave.

The WCC needs to change locations,it astounds me how poms refuse to admit the location and season timing are an advantage.

Change the location to all places o/s and aus that are league fanatical,this would be better anyway as the winner would not always be predicted right.

 

[dallymessenger]

I am not making up excuses for Melbourne, but geez, that team this morning was hardly a representation of the players they had last year that won the GF. They were missing King, Crocker, Smith, Inglis, Newton who were arguably 4 of their better players last year, and tbh, i don't know the Leeds squad all that well so god knows who they didn't have playing compared to their team from last year. This is why the game will never be taken seriously over here, as well as this there are far too many advantages given to the UK teams whilst it is played in this format (4 weeks into their season and on their home turf). If they pushed the start of their season back a month (why don't they??? instead of starting in feb start in march, surely it would be starting to warm up a bit more in march over there, i am sure the players would prefer it) that way when our season ends theirs will be be as well and then you can see a proper WCC like when i was a kid. Stuff the GF celebrations, if you wave a large enough $$$ incentive to win the damn thing the players would put in. And play it say 3 weeks after the GF, surely it gives them enough to time to hit the p!ss for a week and then get their butts over there to play the poms, or vice versa. Well done to Leeds but fair suck of the sav, the way it is run now it will never be a proper "WCC", whos to say now Leeds won't run last, which will make the whole WCC for this year a joke........

this is the 2nd year its been played where it is.

before that it was played before the SL season started.

it was moved to this date last yr because the broncos wanted it played then

leeds were down to 1 man on the bench through 3 injuries

 

[dallymessenger]

Spot on Beave.

The WCC needs to change locations,it astounds me how poms refuse to admit the location and season timing are an advantage.

Change the location to all places o/s and aus that are league fanatical,this would be better anyway as the winner would not always be predicted right.

english clubs (some) have wanted to play in oz but the oz teams have said no because the finances are better having it in england.

 

[Johnny_L_O]

OK, here it is. We have to start so early because we play 27 games in the regular season and 4 weeks of Play-offs. Also there are 5 rounds of the challenge cup to fit in there too so as you can see for some clubs they could be playing club rugby for 36 weeks straight. Then throw in a WCC and a 5 test tri series and the amount of games jumps to 41 weeks straight. Its a hell of a lot of competative rugby in a season.

Also this talk of Leeds playing 4 trials is rubbish. A Leeds team may have played 4 trials but THE Leeds team only played 1 solid hit out against Souths. The last 4 games have been won easy too because they were against teams from the bottom half of the table so didnt really do much for us.

Also if thats what the weather is like in Melbourne, im never visiting :lol:

I have lived in Leeds all my life and have never seen anything like tonight. Not to mention on top of heavy rain the wind was gusting to 100km/h. I still cant get over how well Slater adapted to it. He made Webb look average.

 

[Titanic]

How about we start considering the issues of the GAME - "player power" is for park and bush footy but isn't a reality when its their jobs AND big salaries on the line - somebody is paying them to play pc games, attend team meetings and recover and that somebody is you and me. Why should clubs be reliant on taking Pokie money from the general public while the players take a week to prepare for their next 60-ish minutes?

More games need to be played - one game a week for the little darlings? ... expand the rosters, cop a couple of years as the numbers of quality players catch up and get mid-week footy back! Then we can ask for higher share of the pot.

 

[ozbash]

He made Webb look average

so you slept through the game ?

 

[dallymessenger]

OK, here it is. We have to start so early because we play 27 games in the regular season and 4 weeks of Play-offs. Also there are 5 rounds of the challenge cup to fit in there too so as you can see for some clubs they could be playing club rugby for 36 weeks straight. Then throw in a WCC and a 5 test tri series and the amount of games jumps to 41 weeks straight. Its a hell of a lot of competative rugby in a season.

Also this talk of Leeds playing 4 trials is rubbish. A Leeds team may have played 4 trials but THE Leeds team only played 1 solid hit out against Souths. The last 4 games have been won easy too because they were against teams from the bottom half of the table so didnt really do much for us.

Also if thats what the weather is like in Melbourne, im never visiting :lol:

I have lived in Leeds all my life and have never seen anything like tonight. Not to mention on top of heavy rain the wind was gusting to 100km/h. I still cant get over how well Slater adapted to it. He made Webb look average.

leeds have played a few rounds of SL whilst the storms season doenst start for a while.

well done to the rhinos anyway its a good result

 

[dallymessenger]

if english teams keep winning it, it will make australian teams take it far more seriously, as the last 2 appear to have.

we need a tournament like UEFA or the union one, and i think our top 4 vs their top 4 would be fantastic.

the cream of RL playing against each other.

the top 4 teams in england are quite strong, especially if its played in england.

it would raise lots of money for players so be an incentive for players to play rl

 

[Big Mick]

Thats it...especially if its played in England.

If that Leeds CEO is fair dinkum, then he'll get off his arse and say "If we are so good, lets go to Australia and play it there after 4 rounds of their competition". You know why they wont say that...because they are soft.

A) They are already battle hardened after 3 trials and 4 rounds of rugby league. Melbourne has played 2 trial games without key players.

B) Melbourne were missing Inglis and Smith, two of arguably the better players in the competition.

C) It was one try a piece, it was hardly a totally dominant performance by Leeds.

D) It was played in England, in English conditions, and everything to favour the England teams.

I'd love it if one year, they came out here half way through the year, or 3-4 rounds in, in 30 degree weather...dry as, on a sunday afternoon. I bet you wouldn't see 11-4 i'll tell you that for free.

 

[dallymessenger]

leeds have said in the past they want to play it in oz and the oz clubs have said no.

i think this applies to this game as well. the storm werent interested in holding it at home

 

[miccle]

Course English RL is catching up. They're buying more and more and more and more Aussies/Kiwis! :lol:

 

[hybrid_tiger]

we need a tournament like UEFA

What, the Champions League?

 

[Bicey_18]

Melbourne Vs Leeds @ Olympic Park on a Saturday Night mid way through our season, with the Storm at full strength.. I guarentee Leeds wouldnt get within a bulls roar of them..

 

[roughyedspud]

Thats it...especially if its played in England.

If that Leeds CEO is fair dinkum, then he'll get off his arse and say "If we are so good, lets go to Australia and play it there after 4 rounds of their competition". You know why they wont say that...because they are soft.

A) They are already battle hardened after 3 trials and 4 rounds of rugby league. Melbourne has played 2 trial games without key players.

B) Melbourne were missing Inglis and Smith, two of arguably the better players in the competition.

C) It was one try a piece, it was hardly a totally dominant performance by Leeds.

D) It was played in England, in English conditions, and everything to favour the England teams.

I'd love it if one year, they came out here half way through the year, or 3-4 rounds in, in 30 degree weather...dry as, on a sunday afternoon. I bet you wouldn't see 11-4 i'll tell you that for free.

lol...you've spat your dummy out there pal...

A) the last 3 or 4 english champs have offered to go down under but that offer has been declined every time....i'd love us to go down to australia because until one of our clubs do what wigan did in 1994 and won in brisbane they'll never been seen a proper world champs.

B) us brits are forever being told that our clubs are sh*t and a jim beam cup side would beat us...so if missing 1 or 2 players really c**ks up your team then maybe you don't have the strength in depth you believe you have?

C) error strewn game...see D

D) an atlantic depression rolled over the UK last night, 60mph winds and heavy rain....but having watched the NRL last season,on more than a few occassions from games @ olypmic park and places like auckland & canberra i saw fans wrapped up like a old boilers...winter in melbourne is no different to winter in leeds or anywhere else in the uk...it's just your summers that are the difference

 

[dallymessenger]

Course English RL is catching up. They're buying more and more and more and more Aussies/Kiwis! :lol:

thats a fair call

 

[hybrid_tiger]

.winter in melbourne is no different to winter in leeds or anywhere else in the uk...it's just your summers that are the difference

Having just been to London in December, thats an absolute crock of sh1t.

 

[dallymessenger]

if everyone is saying this isnt a true test of the best teams, whats the solution.

a proper tournament with more teams in it?

final played on home and away?

which would be the better option.

imagine now if leeds had to come down to melbourne and play off against the storm, why wouldnt that get a good crowd and help market the storm in their area.

AFL has no clubs o/seas, by bringing the Rhinos in it showcases the international component of RL to the mexicans