Predictions for next weekend's clashes.

[dangerousdave]

The World Club Challenge is not preseason football. It is a serious international match that has been taken seriously by Australian and British clubs for over a decade.

In 2010 I attended 20 Dragons fixtures.

I did not watch or care about the WCC to the point that I genuinely don't remember who we played.

I ran in to Andrew Gray (team physio) at Westfield the following week. He was irate that Cameron King had injured himself because both he and high performance manager, Jeremy Hickman, had given explicit instructions not to go too hard and that this attitude was condoned by coaching staff including Wayne Bennett.

So no. You are wrong.

 

[The_Shield]

Where did you hear that? From the drunk guy lying on the footpath outside your favourite pub?

Souths team has been named already.

Alex Johnston, Richard Kennar, Hymel Hunt, Robert Jennings, Campbell Graham, Adam Doueihi, Robbie Farah, Thomas Burgess, Damien Cook, Mark Nicholls, Tyrell Fuimaono, Dean Britt, Jason Clark, Connor Tracey, Lucky Ta'avale, George Burgess, Junior Tatola, Mawene Hiroti, Braidon Burns, Jacob Gagan, Siosifa Talakai, Billy Brittain.

 

[Knight76]

In 2010 I attended 20 Dragons fixtures.

I did not watch or care about the WCC to the point that I genuinely don't remember who we played.

I ran in to Andrew Gray (team physio) at Westfield the following week. He was irate that Cameron King had injured himself because both he and high performance manager, Jeremy Hickman, had given explicit instructions not to go too hard and that this attitude was condoned by coaching staff including Wayne Bennett.

So no. You are wrong.

Wouldn't that suggest the game actually is taken seriously? That a player who is told to take it easy ignores this request, heads out, plays full on and gets injured?

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

It's a trial, hardly anyone gives a toss, except you.
It's a trial, hardly anyone gives a toss, except you.
It's a trial, hardly anyone gives a toss, except you.

Leeds vs Melbourne is not a trial. It is the World Club Challenge. You seem to have never heard of that important annual event, judging by the stupidity of your response to it.

Craig Bellamy gives a toss because he has named his strongest possible Melbourne team.

Channel 9 management and Fox Sports management give a toss. It is considered sufficiently important by them that it is on Channel 9 and Fox in prime time Friday night.

 

[Life's Good]

I predict Albert to continue his ramblings.

 

[dangerousdave]

Wouldn't that suggest the game actually is taken seriously? That a player who is told to take it easy ignores this request, heads out, plays full on and gets injured?

It was his first senior appearance replacing an injured Dean Young. A young player looking to secure a squad spot is hardly gunna take it easy.

It's not really an indicator of the level of seriousness NRL clubs bring to the event.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Bellamy thinks the WCC is important. He has said as much.

The fact that insular uneducated yobbos on this forum are not interested is immaterial. Melbourne Storm and Leeds Rhinos management, coaches, and players are taking it seriously. So are the television networks in Australia and the the UK.

P.S. for the yobbos, England is part of the UK.

 

[The_Shield]

Bellamy thinks the WCC is important. He has said as much.

The fact that insular uneducated yobbos on this forum are not interested is immaterial. Melbourne Storm and Leeds Rhinos management, coaches, and players are taking it seriously. So are the television networks in Australia and the the UK.

P.S. for the yobbos, England is part of the UK.

Storm vs Leeds is important in the sense it crowns the world club champion but nobody really cares who wins. Dragons vs Hull fc and Souths vs Wigan are meaningless tho

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Storm vs Leeds is important in the sense it crowns the world club champion but nobody really cares who wins. Dragons vs Hull fc and Souths vs Wigan are meaningless tho

"Nobody really cares who wins..." I have just explained that both clubs care who wins. So do many Brits and Australians. It is just the ignorant, narrow minded, Australian yobbos on this forum who don't care who wins.

 

[_Johnsy]

Leeds vs Melbourne is not a trial. It is the World Club Challenge. You seem to have never heard of that important annual event, judging by the stupidity of your response to it.

Craig Bellamy gives a toss because he has named his strongest possible Melbourne team.

Channel 9 management and Fox Sports management give a toss. It is considered sufficiently important by them that it is on Channel 9 and Fox in prime time Friday night.

Having been fortunate enough to have my club play in this glorified trial, I didn't give a toss about the game. The only thing I wanted from this trial was no injuries.

I'd be interested to see what Melbourne fans think.

 

[The_Shield]

Having been fortunate enough to have my club play in this glorified trial, I didn't give a toss about the game. The only thing I wanted from this trial was no injuries.

I'd be interested to see what Melbourne fans think.

Yeah pretty much the same. No injuries is the main thing I want to coming out of this match. If we win it’s a bonus. If we lose, who cares it’s just a trial game

 

[The_Shield]

"Nobody really cares who wins..." I have just explained that both clubs care who wins. So do many Brits and Australians. It is just the ignorant, narrow minded, Australian yobbos on this forum who don't care who wins.

I know for a fact that there are plenty of Leeds fans who don’t care, I know for a fact there are plenty of Storm fans who don’t care. Hell I bet most casual fans don’t even know this game is happening. This game would mean a lot more if it was played after the grand finals with the same teams that won.

 

[veggiepatch1959]

I predict that the winners will come from the teams that score the most points....

Really.

 

[Rhino_NQ]

I predict that the winners will come from the teams that score the most points....

Really.

We found Laurie daley

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

I know for a fact that there are plenty of Leeds fans who don’t care, I know for a fact there are plenty of Storm fans who don’t care. Hell I bet most casual fans don’t even know this game is happening. This game would mean a lot more if it was played after the grand finals with the same teams that won.

How do you know these things "for a fact?" Have you been hanging out with some lost Leeds and Storm fans up there in Sydney?

Your other point is correct though: the game should be played two weeks after each competition's grand final, so the two winning teams are the same.

 

[The_Shield]

How do you know these things "for a fact?" Have you been hanging out with some lost Leeds and Storm fans up there in Sydney?

Your other point is correct though: the game should be played two weeks after each competition's grand final, so the two winning teams are the same.

Ok firstly, I’m not from Sydney, I live in Bundaberg, so I don’t know why your mentioning Sydney.

Secondly, believe it or not their are Leeds and Storm fans on forums, and most of them have seen have said they don’t care who wins this match. And thirdly, I am a Storm fan and I don’t really care about this result.

Now don’t get me wrong, I like the WCC. But the result doesn’t matter. Maybe if there was two points up for grabs and the winner starts their respected comp on 2 points as a reward for winning their comp and the WCC, then it would be different

 

[adamkungl]

Melbourne > Leeds in a fairly tight one.

Dragons > Hull

Wigan to flog Souffs. To be fair to the Bunnies they've named a reserve grade side. To be fair to Wigan though, Souffs don't have any better than a reserve grade side.

 

[Pig Hunter]

How do you know these things "for a fact?" Have you been hanging out with some lost Leeds and Storm fans up there in Sydney?

Your other point is correct though: the game should be played two weeks after each competition's grand final, so the two winning teams are the same.

Because it is a fact Albert.

 

[POPEYE]

I'm a Storm supporter and I take this game f**king seriously, Cam Smith regrets he considered the birth of a child more important in '08 and Melbourne lost because of it . . . a shocking neglect of his scrapbook

 

[Rhino_NQ]

Is there a cash prize for the winning club?