World Club Challenge 2016

[rifraff]

It was a coward punch. How far did Garbutt run away after hitting someone who wasn't expecting it?

Suspend the slappers as well though.

 

[HoldenV8]

Also please don't take the commentary as a representation of the attitude of the majority of RL fans over here. The commentators are senile imbeciles that need replacing. As a fan base we have found as a whole the last two years pretty embarrassing, and any attempt by the pundits and RFL to gloss over it is just cringey for us.

So you're not a fan of Eddie and Mike then? 😛

 

[Ryan]

So you're not a fan of Eddie and Mike then? 😛

To be fair @Gib the Pom , every Aussie team went over there and crunched all your teams, in your own backyard. Something is very wrong with that league, and my answer to that, is you have far too many imports.

You need to harness your young kids coming through, and give them every opportunity. All these Aussies go there for massive coin, but it heavily dilutes your competition, and plugs another hole that a UK kid could potentially fill, developing them.

To be fair though, we have a pom in our team too, but I'm thinking he may not get too many starts this year if we are healthy. I hope he has signed with Salford, because he'll only be playing NSW Cup here I think.

 

[rifraff]

If anyone disagrees with starting to enforce the play the ball with the foot rule. The way the English teams do it is a farce..

 

[wedgetail eagle]

The Poms hung in during the 1st half but were run over in the 2nd, among many things, their lack of fitness seemed to show.

 

[nightster]

You need to harness your young kids coming through, and give them every opportunity. All these Aussies go there for massive coin, but it heavily dilutes your competition, and plugs another hole that a UK kid could potentially fill, developing them.

That's one of their big problems they don't have enough juniors coming through to make up the numbers ..... but they could probably do with fewer imports maybe that should be capped.

 

[Gib the Pom]

That is how the Broncs defend and have done for a few years. Qld do as well in origin. I am not a fan of it but it worked last year..

I am more surprised at the metres they gain after giving up so much.

On reflection, I think you may be right. Wigan seemed to get over the advantage line so easily and always looked dangerous, but at the same time I never got the feeling Brisbane didn't have control of the situation.

I prefer getting in the opposition faces myself. I am surprised they can get away with it against better quality teams in the NRL.

 

[Gib the Pom]

So you're not a fan of Eddie and Mike then? 😛

No, they make far too many mistakes, and too often what they say makes no sense and is totally irrelevant to what's going on.

They have had a good innings and they have provided commentary to many great moments they'll be forever associated with, but it's time for some new faces with a fresher broadcast.

To be fair @Gib the Pom , every Aussie team went over there and crunched all your teams, in your own backyard. Something is very wrong with that league, and my answer to that, is you have far too many imports.

You need to harness your young kids coming through, and give them every opportunity. All these Aussies go there for massive coin, but it heavily dilutes your competition, and plugs another hole that a UK kid could potentially fill, developing them.

To be fair though, we have a pom in our team too, but I'm thinking he may not get too many starts this year if we are healthy. I hope he has signed with Salford, because he'll only be playing NSW Cup here I think.

Mate, you'll get no argument from me!! We as fans are under no illusion over here as to what the problems we have are, and the size of the gap between the two leagues, as I said, please don't take the TV coverage as a representation of the general consensus. I agree we far too often are willing to take on a 30+ year old Aussie looking for a payday instead of playing a local junior.

Another problem we face is that RL just isn't that big over here, Football, Cricket, Union all dwarf us as a sport in terms of coverage, money and participants. All our clubs are in the north, and the project with the London Broncos failed miserably to attract new fans and players in the south. So our talent pool is immediately halved, and having such a large quantity of talent choosing to play other sports make it tricky to get the depth that you guys have. That being said I 100% agree that a lot of what we do have is being under-utilised in favour of imports.

That's one of their big problems they don't have enough juniors coming through to make up the numbers ..... but they could probably do with fewer imports maybe that should be capped.

It is capped, we have what's called the 'Quota' in which we are allowed 5/6 (I'm not 100% on the specifics) overseas players.

The problem with this is it's a bit of an inbetween number. I still think it's too many, and clubs find them precious and not to be wasted. So you can guarantee a quota player will always play so as to not waste a quota spot to the detriment of the younger players, which will be roughly a third of the starting 17 which is a fair chunk of juniors not getting a chance.

 

[Gib the Pom]

The Poms hung in during the 1st half but were run over in the 2nd, among many things, their lack of fitness seemed to show.

Yeh I think this comes down to the different styles of conditioning the ESL teams do compared to the NRL. ESL is slower, and there is a lot more wrestling in tackles so a lot more of the conditioning is based around strength and not as much fitness. Boy does it show when we play you guys. I always think that you look so much more efficient, contact is better, 3 men in, roll on to the back slow the ruck, set the line and get up again. In reverse, we were still running back to the line when Roosters were playing the ball. Couldn't live with that speed for long - all 3 English teams made strong starts in first 10 minutes (Leeds for first half) but eventually died away very quickly and the NRL sides cut them up with ease shortly after.

 

[HoldenV8]

No, they make far too many mistakes, and too often what they say makes no sense and is totally irrelevant to what's going on.

They have had a good innings and they have provided commentary to many great moments they'll be forever associated with, but it's time for some new faces with a fresher broadcast.

We've been saying that about Ray Warren for years lol