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NZ should be favourites?

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,170
Could be wrong but I’m pretty sure he’s either been picked for junior Queensland rep sides or the Australian schoolboys.
Yeah looks like he played Oz schoolboys last year. But foxsports describes him as a Kiwi if that means anything. As Hartwood notes it all depends on when he arrived in Oz to see whether he's eligible for Origin.
 
Messages
14,822
Same could be said for ponga who has a better claim of being a kiwi.

imagine if RL was more like RU and we actually had a genuine international game instead of SOO and stupid Māori v indigenous all stars nonsense.
There should be a six week window in the middle of the season. Play SOO over the first three weeks then have Australia vs NZ in a three match series. The Pacific Nations could compete with one another at the same time

PNG vs Fiji over three matches. Call it the Melanesian Cup. Samoa vs Tonga over three matches. Call it the Polynesian Cup. Play the series during the first three weeks. The best players from both series get selected to play for the Pacific XIII in a three match series against Great Britain Lions.
 

The_Frog

First Grade
Messages
6,390
There should be a six week window in the middle of the season. Play SOO over the first three weeks then have Australia vs NZ in a three match series. The Pacific Nations could compete with one another at the same time

PNG vs Fiji over three matches. Call it the Melanesian Cup. Samoa vs Tonga over three matches. Call it the Polynesian Cup. Play the series during the first three weeks. The best players from both series get selected to play for the Pacific XIII in a three match series against Great Britain Lions.
A lot of players twiddling their thumbs in the middle of footy season. Especially players who don't qualify or are not selected for the above sides. Maybe have a challenge cup as well.
 
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14,822
A lot of players twiddling their thumbs in the middle of footy season. Especially players who don't qualify or are not selected for the above sides. Maybe have a challenge cup as well.
That will allow them to recover from niggling injuries so they're fresh for the second half of the season.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
69,888
Doesn't need a long break, just play Origin on weekends and a pacific cup alongside it. Oh I forgot Ch9 says no and NRL curtsies.
 

The Penguin #6.

Juniors
Messages
1,161
Manu has to play centre, so who plays five-eight: Brown - talented but question marks; Foran probably but injury prone; Johnson match winner but flaky. I`d be tempted to go with Foran because of his consistency.
And then there`s fullback.
 

Hartwood

Juniors
Messages
217
Manu has to play centre, so who plays five-eight: Brown - talented but question marks; Foran probably but injury prone; Johnson match winner but flaky. I`d be tempted to go with Foran because of his consistency.
And then there`s fullback.
What are the question marks around Brown? He's been consistently better Foran this year
 

The Penguin #6.

Juniors
Messages
1,161
What are the question marks around Brown? He's been consistently better Foran this year
That ` glory play ` kick he made at the end of the Roosters v. Parra game at the weekend is the sort of thing that worries me. A cooler head may have looked on his inside before he kicked or certainly got the kick right.
 

Clarkent

Juniors
Messages
831
Tonga a favourite? I don't think that is realistic. They don't have halves and their pack probably isn't as strong as the last RWC when they surprised the Kiwis or 2019 when they got hammered by the Kiwis and surprised the Aussies.

Well, at least we'll get a chance to see how they're travelling in June.
I wouldn't count out Tonga... they're still a dangerous team
1 Tesi Niu
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Siosifa Talaki
4 Moses Suli
5 Sione Katoa
6 Katoni Staggs
7 Junior Amone
8 Siu Taukeiaho
9 Siliva Havili
10 Moaeki Fotuika
11 David Fifita
12 Haumole Olaku'atu
13 Jason Taumalolo

14 Keon Kolomatangi
15 Addin-Fonua Blake
16 Tevita Pangai Jnr
17 Stili Topouniua

That Tongan forward pack lookes more mobile and powerful than the last world cup... Tonga should be the 2nd favorites behind aussie
 

Hartwood

Juniors
Messages
217
I wouldn't count out Tonga... they're still a dangerous team
1 Tesi Niu
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Siosifa Talaki
4 Moses Suli
5 Sione Katoa
6 Katoni Staggs
7 Junior Amone
8 Siu Taukeiaho
9 Siliva Havili
10 Moaeki Fotuika
11 David Fifita
12 Haumole Olaku'atu
13 Jason Taumalolo

14 Keon Kolomatangi
15 Addin-Fonua Blake
16 Tevita Pangai Jnr
17 Stili Topouniua

That Tongan forward pack lookes more mobile and powerful than the last world cup... Tonga should be the 2nd favorites behind aussie
Tui Lolohea should definitely be there at 1 or 6
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,170
Unlike other RLWCs. 4th place won’t just be ‘making up the numbers.’

Along with Fiji. Samoa. PNG and hopefully a partially resurgent France, it could get interesting.

Here’s hoping Samoa can upset England in the first match…!!
 
Messages
12,714
I wouldn't count out Tonga... they're still a dangerous team
1 Tesi Niu
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Siosifa Talaki
4 Moses Suli
5 Sione Katoa
6 Katoni Staggs
7 Junior Amone
8 Siu Taukeiaho
9 Siliva Havili
10 Moaeki Fotuika
11 David Fifita
12 Haumole Olaku'atu
13 Jason Taumalolo

14 Keon Kolomatangi
15 Addin-Fonua Blake
16 Tevita Pangai Jnr
17 Stili Topouniua

That Tongan forward pack lookes more mobile and powerful than the last world cup... Tonga should be the 2nd favorites behind aussie
LMAO he said 2nd favourites.
 
Messages
12,714
You must've "LMAO" too before the Tongans played the kangaroos
Nah that was great. I laughed at the Kangaroos, like their fans laughed at us when we got jumped by Tonga and their traitorous ring-ins in 2017. It was good to return the favour. Australia were not taking international RL seriously and they paid for it. Unfortunately for them they haven't learned their lesson.

The fact of the matter is, you're crazy if you think Tonga are actually 2nd favourites over us to win the entire tournament. Just look at those halves you named and think about it again.
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,170
Kristian Wolf has commitments in England he can’t get out of so the Coaching staff for this months Test will include Dean Young and Wayne Bennett..

source: NRL homepage
 

Clarkent

Juniors
Messages
831
Nah that was great. I laughed at the Kangaroos, like their fans laughed at us when we got jumped by Tonga and their traitorous ring-ins in 2017. It was good to return the favour. Australia were not taking international RL seriously and they paid for it. Unfortunately for them they haven't learned their lesson.

The fact of the matter is, you're crazy if you think Tonga are actually 2nd favourites over us to win the entire tournament. Just look at those halves you named and think about it again.
Oh trust me the Tongan halves are laughable but I stopped laughing when they beat the Kiwis and the kangaroos with those rubbish halves lol instead I respected the Tongans more... I don't know how good the Tongans team will be now... they lost alot of experienced players in that team... the Hopoates, Fifita, Sika Manu... Taumalolo also won't be that same dominant player he was for Tonga a couple of years ago too... but I'll still give them the edge over the Kiwis tbh they have too much firepower in the forwards and backs over the kiwis... I hope any other teams wins the world cup except for aussie... because they don't respect the international game too much
 
Messages
12,714
Oh trust me the Tongan halves are laughable but I stopped laughing when they beat the Kiwis and the kangaroos with those rubbish halves lol instead I respected the Tongans more... I don't know how good the Tongans team will be now... they lost alot of experienced players in that team... the Hopoates, Fifita, Sika Manu... Taumalolo also won't be that same dominant player he was for Tonga a couple of years ago too... but I'll still give them the edge over the Kiwis tbh they have too much firepower in the forwards and backs over the kiwis... I hope any other teams wins the world cup except for aussie... because they don't respect the international game too much

We have beaten Tonga since 2017 and we are the number 1 ranked team in the world again. I'm confident we will beat them again.
 

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