Pacific Championships 2024

[Burns]

So, Australian team in an injury crisis?

Tom Trbojevic is zero to have surgery the SMH reports this morning. Guess that adds to no Cleary, Munster (?), Edwards (?), Hass (?)

 

[Coastbloke]

I would never pick them again unless the Kangaroo’s Doctor says it’s legit

 

[taste2taste]

So, Australian team in an injury crisis?

Tom Trbojevic is zero to have surgery the SMH reports this morning. Guess that adds to no Cleary, Munster (?), Edwards (?),

Kangaroos a legit chance to lose to both Tonga and NZ.

Aus V Fiji in the promotion/relegation game

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

SJ will kill it behind a dominate forward pack and along side Hughes.

The Warriors had arguably the 2 best props in the comp this year and I think statistically had the best go forward and most metres gained in the comp. It was genuinely that rare case of doing all the hard work and having no-one able to put the cherry on top. That's just how bad SJ was this year. It was a season-long masterclass in failing to capitalise on dominant forwards.

Edit - just checked and it appears they were #2 in the comp for metres gained behind the Panthers, and #1 for completion rate.

 

[taste2taste]

The Warriors had arguably the 2 best props in the comp this year and I think statistically had the best go forward and most metres gained in the comp. It was genuinely that rare case of doing all the hard work and having no-one able to put the cherry on top. That's just how bad SJ was this year. It was a season-long masterclass in failing to capitalise on dominant forwards.

Edit - just checked and it appears they were #2 in the comp for metres gained behind the Panthers, and #1 for completion rate.

True, but the most telling stat is play the ball speed, it doesn't matter how many meters are gained if it takes 3 seconds to play the ball, also being no.2 for completions just shows how rigid the Warriors attack was, no offloads or spreading the ball, just hit ups,.which doesn't create many opportunities for halves to attack.

SJ didn't go from the best player in the comp to the worst in a season, if picked for the Kiwis he'd do good.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

SJ has ruled himself out which is probably for the best.

 

[baggygreen man]

So, Australian team in an injury crisis?

Always the case. Tommy Turbo seems to be constantly injured at international rep time, but jeez not Cleary too. If Ponga is fit he is a must. We have to have some class to take on the powerful Polynesians.

 

[Coastbloke]

So there is a match tonight at Accor belonging to another code. Which is itself, I don’t care about. I won’t be watching. I only recognise one name from the Australian team ffs. But there is one thing that really really irritates me about the match (maybe 2 if Include that it’s being played at Accor) it might not bother others. But for me personally, I hate them for doing what should be right in professional sport. Maybe it’s jealousy? 1 team is Australian. 1 is Kiwi. The Ref? Well he’s neutral. He’s English..

 

[wgd]

Why is Aus v NZ being played at an 18,000-seat stadium? We should be trying to turn it into the premier international event, only played at Suncorp, SFS, Eden Park and AAMI park.

If the Wallabies can get 70,000 despite how uncompetitive they are, we should be able to sell out those grounds everytime.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Why is Aus v NZ being played at an 18,000-seat stadium? We should be trying to turn it into the premier international event, only played at Suncorp, SFS, Eden Park and AAMI park.

If the Wallabies can get 70,000 despite how uncompetitive they are, we should be able to sell out those grounds everytime.

It will come, first up we need the Kiwis` to give us a bath a few times and the public will then sit up and start to take notice, bit of gloating from across the ditch wouldn`t hurt either.
Then and only then we may see the Oz/Kiwi clash turn into the behemoth it should be as opposed to the charity match that the Bledisloe Cup has become with the ABs` taking it easy on the wallabies year after year and the public being stupid enough to think the Australians are getting closer.
Btw, that game yesterday should have been 60 - 0 minimum, possibly 90, but the Kiwi`s relaxed and showed how much they don`t take the Aussies seriously. One thing for sure, the AB`s won`t beat the South Africans playing against low-intensity fare like the Australians offer.

 

[taste2taste]

Why is Aus v NZ being played at an 18,000-seat stadium? We should be trying to turn it into the premier international event, only played at Suncorp, SFS, Eden Park and AAMI park.

If the Wallabies can get 70,000 despite how uncompetitive they are, we should be able to sell out those grounds everytime.

International League is still treated as an afterthought by admin, players and fans.

A good way to put the focus back on International footy would be to bring back the Anzac Test and play it on Anzac day, that would be an event that would sell out Accor.

Once the NRL season ends the majority of fans turn off, the Pacific Championships has potential but will take a few years to build.

Last years final was played in a near empty stadium, let's aim for crowds of 20k before we play in the big stadiums.

 

[taste2taste]

Btw, that game yesterday should have been 60 - 0 minimum, possibly 90, but the Kiwi`s relaxed and showed how much they don`t take the Aussies seriously. One thing for sure, the AB`s won`t beat the South Africans playing against low-intensity fare like the Australians offer.

The score should have been 65 - 21.

The AB bombed 3 simple tries, one of them McKenzie just had to draw and pass instead he tried to throw a ludicrous flick pass...a true indication how seriously they were taking the Wallabies. The video ref also took 2 tries off them.

At one piont the AB had 2 players in the bin, the Wallabies managed to score 1 try in that period.

Game 2 played in NZ could easily be a 50 piont thumping.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

The AB bombed 3 simple tries, one of them McKenzie just had to draw and pass instead he tried to throw a ludicrous flick pass...a true indication how seriously they were taking the Wallabies.

Exactly what I was referring to, there was a couple of other similar plays in the opening half hour as well where the AB`s bombed certain tries by trying to be too fancy.
Have to admit though, would love to see some of the quality in the AB`s in the Warriors and Kiwi League team.

A good way to put the focus back on International footy would be to bring back the Anzac Test and play it on Anzac day, that would be an event that would sell out Accor.

True, but the Kiwis have to start beating us consistently first, otherwise the Oz public just will not take it seriously and turn up.

 

[Coastbloke]

I just had a look at the recent history of Kangaroos v Kiwis and you want to know why people don’t realise IRL exist!!

Not including October 2019. Australia and NZ have played 3 Tests. 2-1 in favour of the Kangaroos. 3 Tests..

And we all know about England. Last match was the 2017 RLWC Final. Goes to show how important next year’s Lions tour will be!!

 

[Matua]

Exactly what I was referring to, there was a couple of other similar plays in the opening half hour as well where the AB`s bombed certain tries by trying to be too fancy.
Have to admit though, would love to see some of the quality in the AB`s in the Warriors and Kiwi League team.

True, but the Kiwis have to start beating us consistently first, otherwise the Oz public just will not take it seriously and turn up.

To help that along Oz should open up Origin to NZ representatives like they do with PI representatives (who often are eligible for NZ too). After all the old excuse of NZ are tier 1 and PIs are 2 doesn't really count now with the PI international hype trains.

Let a guy like Ponga play for NZ if he wants to, or a PI NZer not forced to pick between Kiwis or Origin-PI.

 

[baggygreen man]

bring back the Anzac Test

 

[baggygreen man]

Last match was the 2017 RLWC Final.

Was to be a series in 2020 I believe but Covid intervened. Still post Covid there has been time to slot in a Kangaroo tour or have the Poms come here.

 

[baggygreen man]

Goes to show how important next year’s Lions tour will be!!

Please elaborate.

 

[Last Week]

Oh God just bring back the 4 Nations. f**k me, it just worked.

 

[yakstorm]

Oh God just bring back the 4 Nations. f**k me, it just worked.

Agree. It was a mistake by the RFL, NZRL & NRL ending the Tri & 4 Nations concept. The promises the IRL made to 'fill the calendar' have never happened and instead we've ended up with the biggest & most popular Tests barely happening.

The focus should have been on expanding to 5 Nations (which would have been the same number of games as the Tri-Nations) and then having proper qualifiers for the tournament or introducing promotion & relegation with the Euro & Pacific tournaments.