PNG - Townsville Now Gears Up for Kangaroos

[dimitri]

why dont we call them something like the australian emus


i believe that would be more marketable than 'A' or xvii or whatever else

 

[League Freak™]

A rushed fixture?

These game has been on the cards for MONTHS!


Nah, thats BS and another excuse.

The ARL has once again devalued the Kangaroo's jersey because they couldnt be bothered doing their job.

There is NO excuse for this ****!!!!! :x :x :x :x :x

 

[griff]

yakstorm, that's good to know, but the ARL should be making it clearer what it is and put a stop to the press releases mentioning 'Australia', 'Tests', 'Kangaroos' etc.

What jerseys will they be wearing? A predominantly gold one hopefully to make it clear that this is not the real Australian team.

I really haven't liked any of Wayne Bennett's ideas for international rugby league (NSW and Qld in World Cup, Annual Tri-Series, ANZACs v Cumbria) and this is yet another time when this view is just reinforced.

It should have been a proper test match between Australia and PNG and I don't really see why it couldn't be.

 

[carlnz]

You guys are forgetting this would be a steap up for PNG, who have been for the last couple of years playing JNR Roos...now they are playing a mixture of JNR Roos and Australian Players...

Next will be say an Australian A team vs PNG...

This will be better in the long run instead of an 80 point thrashing

 

[griff]

PNG are a test playing nation.

Australia are a test playing nation.

If we think that they shouldn't play tests against each other because we are afraid of what the score will be then why the hell are they both test playing nations?

Clearly, PNG should be playing Australia in a test match. By all means Bennett can pick a team to rest GF players and give the rest of the touring squad a hit out but this hybrid line up is just ridiculous.

The buzz in Townsville after the Cowboys performance this year was such that they could have put a Cowboy or two in the test team and named their own price for the tickets and still have sold out the stadium in hours. It would have rated in the 90s on TV up there as well.

But no, not to be.

 

[The Partisan]

I agree with nospam49's sentiments. The game is devalued by this hybrid Australian team. The use of the words Test and Kangaroos should not be associated with the game if credibility is to be maintained.

Personally, I would like to see the Townsville game as a true TEST MATCH as we are playing a fellow TEST NATION. The return game in PNG should be an Australian XIII squad, with the players drawn from ALL major comps in OZ - NRL, Premier League, Jim Beam Cup, QLD Cup and NSW/QLD Country rep teams. A reward / incentive for high achievers in comps below the NRL, and a platform for fringe Origin players to make the next step.

 

[Jeffles]

I agree with LF in some respect.

The selection criteria for this match should've been determined a long time ago. It was only recently that they decided to change it from "Junior Roos" to "ARL XIII. That's a bad call. They should've made it ARL XIII ages ago. If Bennett etc wanted some blokes to have a hit out, it was easily foreseeable months ago that some would need a hit out.

Also, while we should be playing Tests against PNG, I have no problem with this fixture at this time of year. The schedule is very cluttered (ironic that I say that about RL).

 

[League Freak™]

If you are sick of this crap, sign the petition!

http://www.petitiononline.com/irlf/petition.html

 

[westie]

Will it be broadcast?

 

[Jeffles]

What's an online petition gonna do?

The NRL listen to ratings, bums on seats and more direct criticism.

 

[thescrum.co.uk]

This is the Problem with International League. the big guys (AUS, GB and NZ) keep playing each other and forget the other nations out there..

PNG have not played a single test match since the 2000 world cup. That is so wrong. why have they been left to rot?

During the world cup we got to see Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, but nothing since. More needs to be done.

 

[The Observer]

I don't like to say it, but the ARL Invitation XIII will demolish the Kumuls. This could be a repeat of the RLWC Warmup game of 2000. I'd say the Roos will win by at least 60 and perhaps up to 80 points.

 

[Jeffles]

That's true Joker, but with proper infratructure PNG can be more competitive in the short term than USA (who the Aussies are playing).

More full Tests for PNG please!!

 

[inertia666]

France and PNG have been playing tests for so long it's criminal they aren't up there with the best.

 

[yakstorm]

PNG have not played a single test match since the 2000 world cup. That is so wrong. why have they been left to rot?

Whilst I'll agree with you that PNG have had not enough matches, to say they have been Test-less since 2000 is a bit of an exaggeration.

PNG played 3 tests in 2001, 2 against the touring French side and one against Australia.

They were also invited to play tests against NZ in 02 and 03 but in the end declined cause they could only draw from domestic players for those matches and a handful of NRL players (cost reasons).

 

[Kingytek]

Is this game being televised on 9 or at least fox?

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Is this game being televised on 9 or at least fox?

No and it's a bloody disgrace

 

[Stevo_G]

how many people they expecting up there tonight ?