***Official*** NRL 2008 Thread

[BoyBrumby]

And an extra spice in this saga is that the Leeds coach is none other than Bluey McClennan. He's not going to do ANYTHING to help the NZRL after the way they treated him.

That said, it's completely ****ed that this problem occurs year after year after year. The federation rules are clear - country over club. What needs to happen is the ARL puts their foot down along with the NZRL and make the IRLF actually enforce hefty penalties on any English club who doesn't release a player. The international game will forever remain a joke if one of the three major countries is continually hamstrung with player unavailabilities, game after game.

And, BB, you're probably thinking of Nathan Fien, who claimed to have a Kiwi grandmother, but doesn't...

I thought Webb was a Torres Strait Islander? Might be wrong tho.

Wasn't it Fien's great-gran that was an NZder or something? He tried to pass off her birth cert as his gran's IIRC.

Not quite as funny as the Welsh union Sinkinson/Howarth debacle tho, but.

 

[Smudge]

Yeah, Webb is from somewhere around there, but he had satisfied the residency requirement.

And Fien did have a great-grandmother or somesuch - the NZRL chairman blatantly attempted to cheat the system and needless to say, he's been given the Spanish Archer.

I believe Fien is now available.

 

[howardj]

With the City team, is anyone shocked at Lawrence's exclusion? I mean, for Delaney and Rooney to be included ahead of him is an absolute debacle. It's high farce!

Lawrence = the next Steve Renouf.

 

[Simon]

Apparently he can't defend, scoring tries and being fast is one thing, but in rep football if you cant tackle you will get found out. Still there's no way Brett Delaney should have been picked in front of him.

 

[morgieb]

With the City team, is anyone shocked at Lawrence's exclusion? I mean, for Delaney and Rooney to be included ahead of him is an absolute debacle. It's high farce!

Lawrence = the next Steve Renouf.

I'm also shocked about Jennings, but yeah, Lawrence should be in there.

 

[Craig]

With respect Craig, you're comparing apples and oranges. Lewis had a physical illness - epilepsy. By contrast, Johns had and still has a mental illness, which results in some 20% of sufferers taking their own life. So what if he turned to booze and non-performance enhancing drugs to help him get through the day.

So things like therapy are a waste of time?

Anyway with regards to this Test if Leuluai is out, then who else will play halfback? Never knew Nightingale's parents were Kiwis though.

 

[chaminda_00]

With the City team, is anyone shocked at Lawrence's exclusion? I mean, for Delaney and Rooney to be included ahead of him is an absolute debacle. It's high farce!

Lawrence = the next Steve Renouf.

Apparently he can't defend, scoring tries and being fast is one thing, but in rep football if you cant tackle you will get found out. Still there's no way Brett Delaney should have been picked in front of him.

I'm also shocked about Jennings, but yeah, Lawrence should be in there.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23625631-23214,00.html

Apparenty Bellamy wanted both Lawrence and Turner (turns out he actually is Penrith Junior) in the City side, but the selectors went for other players. Surprised that he didn't actually voice his opinions to the various selectors on the players he wanted to see in action and let them pick the rest.

 

[morgieb]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23625631-23214,00.html

Apparenty Bellamy wanted both Lawrence and Turner (turns out he actually is Penrith Junior) in the City side, but the selectors went for other players. Surprised that he didn't actually voice his opinions to the various selectors on the players he wanted to see in action and let them pick the rest.

Then why did you think Turner was a Queenslander. He obviosly grew up in Penrith.

 

[Simon]

yeh could have sworn Turner was a Penrith junior, hence why i picked him in my city side last week.

 

[Craig]

Who here outside of NSW is actually going to watch City-Country?

 

[Johnners]

Why wouldn't you? It's really no different to watching 2 Sydney teams play.

 

[Simon]

Who here outside of NSW is actually going to watch City-Country?

probably wont watch it, i think shopping with the better half is on the agenda.

 

[99*]

Who here outside of NSW is actually going to watch City-Country?

I will.

In other news, both English based Kiwis will be released for the test.

 

[Craig]

I will.

In other news, both English based Kiwis will be released for the test.

Well that is good or I guess they would get the pants sued off them.

 

[chaminda_00]

Then why did you think Turner was a Queenslander. He obviosly grew up in Penrith.

Played some Queensland Cup footy a before he got going in the first grade. So I thought maybe he was Queenslander. Thought I read one of reasons why he initally signed for Gold Coast was for the same reason, be close to family or something. Must have been just at the Queensland feeder side for Melbourne.

 

[chaminda_00]

Country vs. City

Knights vs. Titans
Panthers vs. Eels
Tigers vs. Broncos
Rabbitohs vs. Cowboys
Warriors vs. Raiders

No Manly playing this week, or only local side is City. Will watch, hopefully Pearce and Wallace have gun games. Anyone surpirsed at Ennis non selection on the country bench as utility player especially when Kearney moved to full back. Thought he would have been a shoe in, once Gildley got called up for Australia. The more I look at the sides, the more players I see got ****ed over.

 

[Johnners]

Reckon if they want to make it match that actually means something, they should limit it to players who HAVEN'T played State of Origin.

 

[chaminda_00]

Reckon if they want to make it match that actually means something, they should limit it to players who HAVEN'T played State of Origin.

Yeah and when you have guys playing NSW/QLD Cup and U20 starting it will really bring in the crowds. If they want it to mean something then don't rest Australian players and play the sides at full strength. Every year basically one player who plays for Australia misses out.

 

[Johnners]

Don't be ridiculous. As if it would get to that point. It's not like there are 13 players debut in Origin every year. To me, it seems pointless having the likes of Hindmarsh, Fitzgibbon, Buderus, Lewis, Rooney, Hodgson etc. run around, when their Origin careers are as good as over. Even if some of the players in the game aren't likely to play origin that season, at least they've got something to aspire to. The selectors are going to learn more about the depth of NSW by selecting players who haven't played Origin, or say, have played less than 3/4 origin games.

 

[chaminda_00]

Don't be ridiculous. As if it would get to that point. It's not like there are 13 players debut in Origin every year. To me, it seems pointless having the likes of Hindmarsh, Fitzgibbon, Buderus, Lewis, Rooney, Hodgson etc. run around, when their Origin careers are as good as over. Even if some of the players in the game aren't likely to play origin that season, at least they've got something to aspire to. The selectors are going to learn more about the depth of NSW by selecting players who haven't played Origin, or say, have played less than 3/4 origin games.

The fact of the matters is that there is more average first graders that have no chance of playing SOO playing in City-Country then experienced players who orgin careers are over or they now what they are capable of already. There is no need to see what they have at slightly higher level then first grade.

The biggest problem with City-County is the fact that the standard of game isn't much higher then your average NRL game, if at all. Semi are of a far greater standard. Your not going to improve this problem if you rest experienced players or all the guys that are 100% sure of start. It just going to make the game less meaningful.

There is already lots of talk about the fact that this match means nothing due to high level of pull outs and the fact that half the guys that play are no chance of playing Orgin, regardless of whether they are experienced players or just a decent first grader starting to make his mark.

The game would actually mean something, if the sides were at full strength. The more players you keep taking out, the worse the contest is and the less meaning it has. Its about getting the match to a standard where it is better then your average NRL game. Not really about testing the depth of NSW, by playing anyone who hasn't played State of Orgin.

The problem is lack of quality not lack oppurtunites. If your good enough to play SOO, you will get a game for City or Country regardless of whether it is full strength or criteria based selections.