While Old Trafford is regarded as one of the worlds great sports stadiums, as an international rugby league venue its a complete joke. I mean, Vossy came right out at the start and said he had personally measured the in-goal area and it was a whopping 4.1 metres. Not bad considering the minimum is supposed be 6 metres. This almost saw both Brett Morris and Manu Vatuvei carted off with serious injuries after both crashed heavily into the advertising boards while chasing a try in the second half (at least Morris got a try for his trouble). IMO Manu is dead set lucky his left arm is still in one piece. The dead ball line ended and there was then a drop of about a metre before the fence came into play.
That to me was a dangerous situation the players should never have been put in.
How the IRLF could have allowed that is a mystery. Fact is that the final should have been held at Wembley and not Old Trafford. More spectator capacity and a pitch that is actually big enough for a full field to be marked out with room to spare behind the dead ball line.
Oh and here is a question. Phil Rothfield in his infinite lack of wisdom criticised the ground in Wrexham for still having the soccer field markings on the pitch. Is he going to do the same for Old Trafford, the so-called "Theatre of Dreams"? I don't know about anyone else but I could still clearly see the soccer markings out there that had not been removed.
Ok, now that rant is over.....great win by the Aussies last night. After everyone had been gushing over the "International Player of the Year" $BW (how he won that award is beyond me), and how well NZ had played in the rounds, the Kiwis were made to look second rate by the Kangaroos last night. Foz and Shaun Johnson were kept quiet, as was Maria, while $BW turned in a "$onny Bill Who?" performance. I think he found its much easier to win a World Cup as an All Black than it is when having to play a quality side like the Kangaroos.
Honestly, and its not often I would say this.....but I actually think England would have given us more of a fight last night. They were the better side against NZ at Wembley and would have won that game but for a defensive lapse right at the death (and a crucial missed conversion earlier from their captain).
Congrats to the Kangaroos for their win, especially DCE. Sad for Foz but oh well, he was wearing black and white, not maroon and white so this time he was the enemy. SMH's player ratings have him as the Kiwi's best player in the final. And even though he's not at Manly any more, its good to see Dean Whare come on in leaps and bounds in the WC.
Ok, league is over for the year, I can now concentrate on cheering for my summer sports team, the mighty Adelaide 36ers
