USA - How can USA compete vs Australia?

[carlnz]

where did you here this mate?

 

[MRLA]

It would be much better for them to be playing the likes of Wales or France. maybe send over the Greek or Italian sides. it will be a much closer contest...

Does Malta VS USA sound more like your treat?

 

[roopy]

This game will just be an exhibition to 'sell' the game of League to ex-pats and Union fans in the US. If the Australian side scores 150 with a beautiful display of skills and athletic ability it will be a fantastic advertisement for the game.

There are currently about 300 league players in the US. If 5000 Union fans can be convinced to go along to watch the best Rugby side in the world (either code) and 500 of them decide to have a game or two of league in the off season, league in America will have doubled in size in just one day. If a few hundred expats in NY learn that the game is played and decide to have a go as well - the code may triple in size in just a day.

The score doesn't matter.

 

[hutch]

i agree with roopy, the score doesnt matter. the fact that australia are playing the usa in rugby league is what matters here. its a tremendous achievement for the code and shows we have come along way in a short space of time internationally over the last decade. when the aussie union team played spain it was a huge occasion for the spanish and although they got belted, 8000 people turned up to watch it. i dont believe that we should try and even up the scores, i think the tomahawks should be 100% american players, and if they do throw in a few ring ins who are eligable than they should only be able to play for the usa for the rest of their careers. the aussies wont score every set of six, but it will be a flogging.

 

[Misanthrope]

i know i would hardly be impressed seeing the NFL all stars smash a Australian team gridiron team.

Really? I would. I think there's enormous appeal in seeing your side do battle with the best in the world. Maybe it's a distinctly Australian thing to support the underdog, but I'd be impressed just to see an Australian side in any sport take the park against the world champions. You just see how much support the Socceroos get when they're playing someone like Brazil or France. People love it, and with good reason.

Americans are every bit as patriotic and parochial as Australians when it comes to national sides. I'd say they'll be just as keen to see their Tomahawks smash a few 'Ossies' as we would be to see our basketballers take on the Americans.

 

[DIEHARD]

:lol: :lol: An Australian gridiron team. I tell you this test is a waste of time, we should be playing Russia.

The only good thing about this project is Lachlan Murdoch's interest in it.

 

[griff]

In answer to the original question of how can the Tomahawkes compete with the Kangaroos:

What about if the Kangaroos donated 5 of their better players to the USA tomahawks team. Say, for example - Gordon Tallis, Brad Fittler, Luke Ricketson, Shane Webcke, Andrew Johns. It might help the USA be semi competive ...

But then it wouldn't be the USA anymore. It would be half USA half ringins.

Agree with others, it isn't about the score, it is about a REAL USA team going up against the best rugby team in the World and getting the attention of more union players to the AMNRL comp. I would be surprised if this didn't result in at least a couple more union clubs playing AMNRL in the offseason.

 

[dimitri]

i agree with the person who said try and get as many professionals playing under the GP rule

at least this would make the game competitive

im sure theres plenty of Pros in aus and GB who would qualify

steele retchless
matt peterson
julian o'neill (the widness prop not the one who supposedly smeared
faeces)

I heard a rumour that the walker brothers also qualify (not 100% sure)

anyway mix these pros in with the local amnrl talent and it would be much more competitive

 

[Ari Gold]

yeah the walker brothers do qualify for the USA.....but i heard that Chris Walker still has aspirations for representing Australia(he should get over himself....he has no chance of representing Oz)

 

[Johns Magic]

Is Clint Newton available, or will his suspension rule him out?
If it does, then I sincerely hope it counts as match under suspension.

 

[girvie]

I think the US should try and get any players from NRL/ESL who are eligble to play for them but i think the captain should be someone from AMNRL.

 

[Pierced Soul]

maybe to make it fairer, australia should have to pick chris walker, hodges, craigie, vella and bird

 

[Steel-Dragon]

I don't think the score will be a blow out if the Australian team plays a second string side like they did against PNG last weekend.

 

[The Colonel]

Is Clint Newton available, or will his suspension rule him out?
If it does, then I sincerely hope it counts as match under suspension.

They can't select him because he is serving his suspension so unfortunately it won't count. If he was selected before his suspension that would have been ok.

 

[dimitri]

i forgot about clint newton

CLint Newton
Steele retchless
Julian oneill
matt peterson
plus the walker brothers

plus the best of the amnrl

surely that would make for a great game

and i agree

make one of the amnrl players captain

 

[dimitri]

thats 8 professionals

plus some class players in the amnrl with international experience like marcus vassiakopolous

thats at least 9 players

surely a top usa squad

 

[girvie]

How about this line up?

1 John Wells
2 Matt Petersen
3 Mark O'Halloran
4 George Carmont
5 Chris Walker
6 Brandon Costin
7 Marcus Vassilakopoulos ©
8 Jim Gannon
9 Shane Walker
10 Julian O'Neill
11 Steele Retchless
12 Justin Smith
13 Clint Newton
14 Shane Millard
15 Ben Walker
16 Danny Bull
17 Steve Watene

 

[The Clan]

Success or failure is all down to managing expectation!

If the US public are told that this is a meaningfull international contest the final resulkt will be damaging.

If the pre match publicity is about an exhibition game against the Mighty Kangaroos 'World Champions' then it becomes about the enjoyment on the night and appreciating the skills levels of the Ausies.

 

[Tomahawk]

This game is about 1 thing and 1 thing only. That is bring the best RL players....The Kangaroos....and showing the American people how RL is played. The match itself really means nothing. The only thing that will come from the match is what the American players that play RL get out of seeing the best players in the world play this great game.

Dave Niu will have several different promotions going on with both teams. American woman love Australian men and we need to get thos woman out to the match.

If the match is played at a unversity we need to get out as many young men as possable. Then it can be used to reqruiet people also.

Finally what ever the score is really will not mean a thing except if it is close. I thought the Bulls were going to loose to the Wong Roogs by 50+ points and the final was 34-16.

Tomahawk

 

[roopy]

Finally what ever the score is really will not mean a thing except if it is close. I thought the Bulls were going to loose to the Wong Roogs by 50+ points and the final was 34-16.

Tomahawk

Mate,
I love the way you support US league - but I think you are going to be blown away when you see the Kangaroos play.
The Kangaroos could beat the Wyong Roos by 100 points without even breaking out of first gear.

To try to put it into perspective - Australia came fourth in the olympics and we have 100s or even 1000s of world class athletes in this country, but the first choice sport for about half the country is league - so the Kangaroos are as good as, or even better than most olympic gold medalists as athletes.
In basketball terms - the game between the Tomahawks and the Kangaroos will be the equivalent of a neighbourhood basketball team taking on the USA dream team.