Is Australia's dominance officially over?

[Force]

Do I think Australian dominance is over...No, not yet anyway, however, with the recent retirement of those QLD greats makes the Kangaroos look more vulnerable than ever. It will be up to the other teams to match them or they'll continue to lose to average Australian teams.

Agree with the comment about the dominant forwards being non-Australian, lucky Aussie still have players to fill the important roles like the spine.

 

[Omegamanson]

I wouldn't write them off just yet.. Even with a lot of the older guard retiring that still wasn't the best Australian side available. Be interesting to see how many changes Mal makes this week for the Tonga game.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

And this weekend Australia beats Tonga by 50 and the headlines will be International league is dead.

 

[Springs09]

We lost the 2005 Tri nations also.

People seem to forget that series alot for some reason.

Yeah I forget it all the time. Not sure why. I knew 30 years didn't sound right.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Yeah I forget it all the time. Not sure why. I knew 30 years didn't sound right.

Kiwis 24 - 0 Australia

The first time ever an Australian team was kept to zero in such an important game. "Bully the bully" we beat a star studded Kangaroos team in that final. How can one forget such an epic moment in Rugby League history? Now go watch it on YouTube lol

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Let’s see how they go against Tonga (and whenever the next Test is because who knows when and where that will be)

This is another factor in why I see the Kangaroos slipping. They're going to go another 12 months without competing in a tournament. That coupled with the fact there's so many new faces, doesn't bode well for Australia.

I expect the Roos to dismantle Tonga on the weekend however. Tonga have no halves, but their pack will dominate Australia's. It should be an interesting clash of styles. The parochial crowd is worth a few points. If Aus lose to Tonga like we did, well that makes us look a whole lot better tbh.

This current Aus side has no all-time great star play-makers. Ever since I've been watching the Roos, they've had all-time greats running the show. Lewis, Langer, Daley, Stuart, Fittler, Johns, Lockyer, Thurston, Cronk.

Read all those names and now read DCE, Ben Hunt, Keary, Munster.

You could even use a Kimmorley right now.

You'll have enough nous in the halves to beat Tonga, but my hands are being rubbed together in anticipation for the next time Aus plays in a tournament.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

lol - Australia loses their first test since 2015 and the dominance is over. Let's remember that the Kangaroos lost a world cup, and two four nations titles during the time of Slater, Smith, Lockyer, Thurston & Cronk - it happens.

Having said that, they are more beatable now and if England and New Zealand don't take advantage over the next three years and at the next world cup then they have missed a big chance. It feels a bit like the 2014 four nations at the moment, that Kangaroos side was very beatable and the Kiwis took full advantage. Hell, the Kangaroos wouldn't have even made the final if the video ref saw the Ryan Hall try slightly differently.

 

[Last Week]

Kiwis 24 - 0 Australia

The first time ever an Australian team was kept to zero in such an important game. "Bully the bully" we beat a star studded Kangaroos team in that final. How can one forget such an epic moment in Rugby League history? Now go watch it on YouTube lol

Lol, settle down mate. Trent Barrett and Craig Gower were the halves.

 

[Last Week]

lol - Australia loses their first test since 2015 and the dominance is over. Let's remember that the Kangaroos lost a world cup, and two four nations titles during the time of Slater, Smith, Lockyer, Thurston & Cronk - it happens.

Having said that, they are more beatable now and if England and New Zealand don't take advantage over the next three years and at the next world cup then they have missed a big chance. It feels a bit like the 2014 four nations at the moment, that Kangaroos side was very beatable and the Kiwis took full advantage. Hell, the Kangaroos wouldn't have even made the final if the video ref saw the Ryan Hall try slightly differently.

If he saw it differently, it would have been the wrong call.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Lol, settle down mate. Trent Barrett and Craig Gower were the halves.

It was a mighty effort from the Kiwis to keep them scoreless no matter who Australia selected to represent them. We won on foreign soil miles away from home and really got in their faces with our no fear plan.

This team did manage to beat a Lockyer / Johns halves pairing in the first round of the tri-series. Kiwi's manage to win their first game in Sydney for 43 years.

 

[MilkShark]

Not sure if it’s over but it’s closing quickly.

I have zero confidence in meninga as coach and I don’t believe Cordner is a good captain.

And i don’t think we have any halves that stand out.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

In any case, I'm sure if Australia start to lose dominance, there will be a push to change eligibility rules, player payments and/or increasing targetted poaching.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

If he saw it differently, it would have been the wrong call.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but we've seen some crazier video ref calls than that one if it was given.

 

[mxlegend99]

The score should have been 12-18 points further in NZ's favour. Too many NSW plods in this Aus team.

Ben Hunt and DCE may be plodders living in NSW. But those merkins are QLDers.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

I might be wrong, but has Australia conceded more points in the last two tests than the the last two RLWC combined?

 

[Burns]

I might be wrong, but has Australia conceded more points in the last two tests than the the last two RLWC combined?

Feels like it.

And whilst Australia were able to essentially win the game in the first half hour, when have they last conceded points as easy as the past fortnight?

Thats why the 'dominance' feels over.

 

[Springs09]

I might be wrong, but has Australia conceded more points in the last two tests than the the last two RLWC combined?

Yes actually.

Only 24 points against in 2013 and 16 points against in 2017.

 

[TheFrog]

We lost the 2005 Tri nations also.

People seem to forget that series alot for some reason.

Fair go. It was 13 years ago. It's hard enough to remember what happened half an hour ago.

 

[deluded pom?]

Fair go. It was 13 years ago. It's hard enough to remember what happened half an hour ago.

Maybe you should be wearing a purple ribbon.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

We may have lost to the Kangaroos in Wollongong, but we didn't show up to that game. That's on us.

But the Kangaroos losing to Tonga?....It's been a few weeks,but this thread deserves a bump.

I can't wait to see what happens in 2020. It's good to see Latrell saying Origin is not the pinnacle and playing for your country is, even though he's lost more tests than he's won.