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PNG's back.

flippikat

First Grade
Messages
5,076
The PM XIII is hardly some big media event though.

Frankly, its pretty shit how poorly watched and followed all International RL is.
International footy has long been treated as an "inconvenience" and an injury risk in trivial games for the clubs' precious superstars.

To be honest, it was verging on trivial when the Kangaroos reliably steamrolled everyone just about every outing, apart from the "once in a blue moon" win the Kiwis managed to snag.

Predictability just about killed the Test scene (Hmm.. there's that word "predictability" again... )

That was all upended when Tonga & Samoa actually started to pull-in big names & started winning - partly due to their decent squads, partly because of Australia's hubris in thinking they'd keep on dominating the test scene as they had in the 1990s-early 2000s.

It's important now for the sport as a whole to foster this new competitiveness - and the Pacific Champsionships we're seeing this year is a huge step in the right direction, but it is just a step. The next part of the puzzle is the northern hemisphere.
 

Chief_Chujo

First Grade
Messages
8,077
International footy has long been treated as an "inconvenience" and an injury risk in trivial games for the clubs' precious superstars.

To be honest, it was verging on trivial when the Kangaroos reliably steamrolled everyone just about every outing, apart from the "once in a blue moon" win the Kiwis managed to snag.

Predictability just about killed the Test scene (Hmm.. there's that word "predictability" again... )

That was all upended when Tonga & Samoa actually started to pull-in big names & started winning - partly due to their decent squads, partly because of Australia's hubris in thinking they'd keep on dominating the test scene as they had in the 1990s-early 2000s.

It's important now for the sport as a whole to foster this new competitiveness - and the Pacific Champsionships we're seeing this year is a huge step in the right direction, but it is just a step. The next part of the puzzle is the northern hemisphere.

Australia's dominance from 1980 on and the rise of Origin led to the down turn in the international scene. Ironically the Roos getting smashed for a decade would lead to a real revival.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
31,636
Australia's dominance from 1980 on and the rise of Origin led to the down turn in the international scene. Ironically the Roos getting smashed for a decade would lead to a real revival.
Before origin interstate footy was basically dead

Games were played at Leichardt oval before a crowd of hundreds because of nsw long dominance

Then they changed the selection criteria and it became competitive

Same applies with test footy it used to get massive crowd up to the 60s

The change in selection criteria also helps Tonga Samoa
 

Canard

Immortal
Messages
35,346
The reality is, that International Footy has been highly competitive for nigh on 20 years now (since NZ won the 2008 WC).

But, it's still largely ignored by the media and fans (especially in Sydney)
 

BuffaloRules

Coach
Messages
15,087
The reality is, that International Footy has been highly competitive for nigh on 20 years now (since NZ won the 2008 WC).

But, it's still largely ignored by the media and fans (especially in Sydney)

Must be why they rarely play games against NZ In Sydney over that period …

They are better off playing the games elsewhere…Sydney switches off pretty quick after the GF
 
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AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
49,504
Let's not get too carried away. Since 2000 Australia have played 108 tests and lost only 14 (87% of games won). Kiwis won 9 of those (out of 47)., poms 4 Tonga 1.

This decade its 9 tests, 8 wins for the kangaroos.

World cups since 2000: Australia 4 (includinglast 3 without droppinga game), New Zealand 1. That Kiwi win (Ricky Stuart's finest hour) was the only loss in 28 world cup games since 2000.

The kiwis have improved slightly, the Pacific teams can hold their own against each other and the poms but Australia are more dominant now since anytime bar the 1980s.

Happy Thursday fellas......
 

AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
49,504
Since that 2008 world cup final loss:
24 games against the kiwis for 17 wins, 6 losses 1 draw. The other loss in that time was v Tonga.

So 7 losses since 2008 WCF out of 57 played or 88% wins by Australia.

Have a wonderful day fellas......
 

King-Gutho94

Coach
Messages
14,487
Let's not get too carried away. Since 2000 Australia have played 108 tests and lost only 14 (87% of games won). Kiwis won 9 of those (out of 47)., poms 4 Tonga 1.

This decade its 9 tests, 8 wins for the kangaroos.

World cups since 2000: Australia 4 (includinglast 3 without droppinga game), New Zealand 1. That Kiwi win (Ricky Stuart's finest hour) was the only loss in 28 world cup games since 2000.

The kiwis have improved slightly, the Pacific teams can hold their own against each other and the poms but Australia are more dominant now since anytime bar the 1980s.

Happy Thursday fellas......
Poor Ricky lost the unlosable World Cup you can't blame him for taking it out on Ashley Klein in the hotel corridor the day after surely.
 
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