Superleague GF (this week)

[Fairleigh Good!]

Not really, the game is in our off season, played in cold England. It is a good pissup holiday though!

It's not like that at all. Leeds side that won tonight features several players who have played and would still be playing in the Kiwi-Aus internationals were it not for them playing in England.

Add in players like Peacock and Ellis who are easily as good as anything in the Australian national side and you soon see that the top of Super League would match the top of the NRL over a season.

I'm not suggesting Super League matches the NRL, the strength in depth doesn't exist like it does in Australia.

 

[Skinner]

Good to see Ali still has that grin

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

Great game, thoroughly enjoyable. Very open and quick as per the Super League norm. As I always say, give me an ESL game any day of the week over an NRL game. The lack of wrestling, speed in the play-the-ball and relative lack of structure compared to the NRL make the Super League as far better spectacle. Easily, in my opinion.

As for Leeds, brilliant, thoroughly dominant and well earnt. I love watching them play. Victories are all the more sweeter when you have to beat the best and St Helens have most certainly been that for the last 18 months. And if Rob Burrow isn't the GB and England scrum-half for however long he wants to be (it seems like it will finally happen with Smith being the GB/England coach) I'll give it away. He is a wonderful player, he played everyone off the park last night. Well done Leeds!

 

[eels_fan_01]

Great game, thoroughly enjoyable. Very open and quick as per the Super League norm. As I always say, give me an ESL game any day of the week over an NRL game. The lack of wrestling, speed in the play-the-ball and relative lack of structure compared to the NRL make the Super League as far better spectacle. Easily, in my opinion.

As for Leeds, brilliant, thoroughly dominant and well earnt. I love watching them play. Victories are all the more sweeter when you have to beat the best and St Helens have most certainly been that for the last 18 months. And if Rob Burrow isn't the GB and England scrum-half for however long he wants to be (it seems like it will finally happen with Smith being the GB/England coach) I'll give it away. He is a wonderful player, he played everyone off the park last night. Well done Leeds!

Mate you get the see the games they televise, they have two games a week on tv over there so two games here....the games they dont televise are cripple fights between the bottom sides that would barely compete in premier league. Last night was 1 vs 2 and in Superleague thats a great contest, the top 6 are great sides, the rest are pretty much sh*t.

NRL has every game, every week on tv so there is more chance of a less exciting game.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Great game, thoroughly enjoyable. Very open and quick as per the Super League norm. As I always say, give me an ESL game any day of the week over an NRL game. The lack of wrestling, speed in the play-the-ball and relative lack of structure compared to the NRL make the Super League as far better spectacle. Easily, in my opinion.

As for Leeds, brilliant, thoroughly dominant and well earnt. I love watching them play. Victories are all the more sweeter when you have to beat the best and St Helens have most certainly been that for the last 18 months. And if Rob Burrow isn't the GB and England scrum-half for however long he wants to be (it seems like it will finally happen with Smith being the GB/England coach) I'll give it away. He is a wonderful player, he played everyone off the park last night. Well done Leeds!

I agree with all these sentiments, and might i say that Long had a fantastic game.

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

Mate you get the see the games they televise, they have two games a week on tv over there so two games here....the games they dont televise are cripple fights between the bottom sides that would barely compete in premier league. Last night was 1 vs 2 and in Superleague thats a great contest, the top 6 are great sides, the rest are pretty much sh*t.

NRL has every game, every week on tv so there is more chance of a less exciting game.

No doubt, I agree. We don't often get to see Salford vs Quins for example, but we do get the odd game like that throughout the year (I always watch both games on Fox, even if I have to tape them).

But the style of footy is just so different. The skill level isn't as high right across the board, obviously, but the mere fact that all teams play such open games relative to NRL teams just makes all games so much more enjoyable to me. Games that involved Newcastle, Cronulla, Canberra this year were like getting my teeth pulled. I just can't watch some of those teams and often I would just turn those games off.

Hull KR were one of my favourite teams to watch this year for example, and they aren't exactly a powerhouse.

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

And sad to hear of the terrible crowd trouble.

http://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=320902&start=0

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

i wish we got every game down here on fox... but seeing as how sky only broadcast 2... i dont see how thats possible.

 

[Nook]

Gee that was a good game last night. Probably the best club game I've seen all year.

I think the best teams in the SL play RL like it is meant to be played. There was some hard defence, plenty of chances taken and plenty of open play - perfect.

I know he comes in for a lot of criticism from some British fans who see him a lot more than I do but I thought McGuire was outstanding last night. I compared him to Benji Marshall last year during the Trinations and I still think they are similar players (and look similarly bad when out of form). But gee he was good last night, without necessarily being ultra flashy. Solid enough in defence, good kicking and a bit of spark.

Burrow was the same and surely he's done enough to earn a crack at halfback for GB.Ellis and Peacock all class, and I thought Bailey and a couple of the Leeds forwards off the bench were impressive too. Sinfield was solid apart from a couple of dodgy passes, and I reckon GB could benefit from the direction he could provide from lock.

Saints tried hard but they were just outmuscled.

 

[JasonE]

GB could possibly benefit with scrumbase trio of the Leeds combination Sinfield, Burrow and McGuire.
I'd still have Leon Pryce in the side at fullback or centre.

 

[eels_fan_01]

i wish we got every game down here on fox... but seeing as how sky only broadcast 2... i dont see how thats possible.

English fans dont even get every game.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Yeah, thats why i said;

but seeing as how sky only broadcast 2... i dont see how thats possible.

 

[eels_fan_01]

Yeah, thats why i said;

:roll:

Yeah i was just pointing out the fact that i think English fans should have more right to see all of their matches and its a shame for them.

 

[lockyno1]

GB could possibly benefit with scrumbase trio of the Leeds combination Sinfield, Burrow and McGuire.
I'd still have Leon Pryce in the side at fullback or centre.

1. Pryce
6. Macguire
7. Burrow

Whellans to me just seems "solid", hardly someone that is going to kill a International side!

 

[Billythekid]

How awesome are big English crowds. Games like this could be absolute garbage, and i would still love em. However when the quality of RL is also good, it makes for a fine spectacle.

 

[babyg]

I think the best teams in the SL play RL like it is meant to be played. There was some hard defence, plenty of chances taken and plenty of open play - perfect.

.

Agree. That's the way league should be played. They even talked about tactics that didn't involve slowing the play the ball down. Loved the pre match stuff. I hope they ban holding down and wrestling. How big was that crowd.

 

[Bomber]

Hey, just on a totally different topic, what is the name of the song that was playing when they accepted the trophy and were celebrating out on the field? Saw very brief highlights on the Sky coverage - I've been trying to get hold of that song for months but don't know it's name!

I would quote some of the words but the chorus is essentially just one big chant

 

[Evil Homer]

Was it Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis?

Crowd was around 71,000 I think, could have been more but for the postal strikes in this country.

 

[bartman]

Was it Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis?

Yes. Here you go Bomber - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPUZqcibh4E

Crowd was around 71,000 I think, could have been more but for the postal strikes in this country.

Good point, I didn't think of the effect of that on some empty seats.

 

[Bomber]

Cheers - thanks guys!