***Rugby League World Cup 2008 Thread***

[Bronte]

How anyone who has any understanding of the game can visulise Australia not winning this cup,especially on home soil,is beyond comprehension,and what fragment of opposition that will be put against them wont come from the poms,rather the Kiwis,who,in my opinion are coming on in leaps and bounds,and should be challenging our supremacy in the very near future.

 

[Neil Pickup]

How anyone who has any understanding of the game can visulise Australia not winning this cup,especially on home soil,is beyond comprehension,and what fragment of opposition that will be put against them wont come from the poms,rather the Kiwis,who,in my opinion are coming on in leaps and bounds,and should be challenging our supremacy in the very near future.

Dammit, I should've remembered that upsets never happen in sport.

 

[chaminda_00]

Sometimes International experience is under rated. The Australian side is low on in experience and in certain areas other side have similar quality players. Could see Australia getted rolled in one match atleast. If that is in the semis or finals then well that means they lose.

 

[BoyBrumby]

"I don't know much about England": Lockyer

From The Sun.

So supremely unconcerned by the pommy challenge is the Broncos 5/8 that he CBA even to look who's in our squad.

 

[Craig]

 

[chalky]

From The Sun.

So supremely unconcerned by the pommy challenge is the Broncos 5/8 that he CBA even to look who's in our squad.

I hope we ****ing smash the arrogant aussie ****wit

Actually I fancy our pack to give a decent account of themselves think the backs are the weakness though

 

[BoyBrumby]

I hope we ****ing smash the arrogant aussie ****wit

Actually I fancy our pack to give a decent account of themselves think the backs are the weakness though

Yeah, would agree with that. McGuire is the wild-card and potentially the best gamebreaker we've had since Newlove, but is infuriatingly inconsistent. If he could turn it on like he did for the GF he'd be our starting stand-off without doubt. Still think Smith will start with Pryce tho.

Rather worrying lack of gas in the backs too, Gardner aside. Calderwood's quick too, but too much of a defensive liability generally.

 

[chalky]

Yeah, would agree with that. McGuire is the wild-card and potentially the best gamebreaker we've had since Newlove, but is infuriatingly inconsistent. If he could turn it on like he did for the GF he'd be our starting stand-off without doubt. Still think Smith will start with Pryce tho.

Rather worrying lack of gas in the backs too, Gardner aside. Calderwood's quick too, but too much of a defensive liability generally.

Also a shame Sean Long threw his dummy out of the pram on the last tour and won't play any more (would prefer to use Burrow as an impact sub). I think he quit due to being disciplined over a drinking related incident. It seems that when british rugby league (& some cricket) teams tour Australia all they want to do is get pissed remember reports of heavy drinking by club sides during the ill fated world club championship in the super league era. You would think getting 40 & 50 points put on you every week would give you different priorities.

 

[morgieb]

Just giving this a nudge, you miserable bastards.

Only Kyle & Neil signed up so far.

I've joined .
BTW, who's Neil? Don't tell me Pickup joined....

 

[Simon]

Just giving this a nudge, you miserable bastards.

Only Kyle & Neil signed up so far.

Have joined, will be disapointed to get any more than about two or three matches wrong in the competition.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I've joined .
BTW, who's Neil? Don't tell me Pickup joined....

Good man.

& yeah, he has. Up to 5 with Simon & yourself now.

 

[99*]

Had a good laugh at the Sunday News picking NZ to win it all.

Don't even think we'll beat England for a Final spot.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Sportal RLWC Fantasy Comp

I've set up a league called Bring On The Biff in Sportal's fantasy comp. All welcome to join.

To sign up just click on following link:

http://rlwcteam.sportalfantasy.com.au/fantasy/

Then click "Register" or "Login" if you've played a Sportal comp before & after you've entered/re-entered your details select "I want to join an existing private league" and enter RPQ2W4WHJ3 in the league number field.

 

[Jamee999]

Innn.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I've joined .
BTW, who's Neil? Don't tell me Pickup joined....

How many other Neils are there?

FYI, I'm single-handedly spreading the 13-man gospel in the biggest Prep School in England right about now (best line of the term so far, "this is much better than what we normally do, why can't we play this more?")

 

[Julian87]

Australian side named:

1 Billy Slater
2 Joel Monaghan
3 Greg Inglis
4 Israel Folau
5 Brent Tate
6 Darren Lockyer
7 Johnathon Thurston
8 Petero Civoneciva
9 Cam Smith
10 Steve Price
11 Glen Stewart
12 Anthony Laffranchi
13 Paul Gallen

14 Kurt Gidley
15 Brent Kite
16 Anthony Tupou
17 Josh Perry

 

[BoyBrumby]

England XVII for PNG

From the BBC:

Provisional England team: Wellens, Gardner, Gleeson, Senior, Smith, Pryce, Burrow; Graham, Roby, Peacock, Ellis, Hock, Sinfield.

Replacements: Morley, Fa'asavalu, Wilkin, McGuire.

Largely as I predicted, in fact. Hock plays instead of Wilkin, who takes Jones-Buchanan's spot on the bench:

In the continuing absence of stedly I suppose it falls on me to perform the "Best England XVII" duties. I think it'll look something like this:

1. Paul Wellens (St Helens)
2. Ade Gardner (St H)
3. Martin Gleeson (Warrington)
4. Keith Senior (Leeds)
5. Lee Smith (L)
6. Leon Pryce (St H)
7. Rob Burrow (L)
8. James Graham (St H)
9. James Roby (St H)
10. Jamie Peacock (L) (captain)
11. Gareth Ellis (L)
12. Jon Wilkin (St H)
13. Kevin Sinfield (L)

14. Adrian Morley (W)
15. Maurie Fa'asavalu (St H)
16. Jamie Jones-Buchanan (L)
17. Danny McGuire (L)

Depressing thing is that it laregly chooses itself, with a couple of exceptions. I could see Morley starting ahead of Graham, but both will def be in the 17 & maybe Hock might edge out Jones-Buchanan on the bench or even Higham at a stretch if we want a second rake in the squad, but other than that I'd be fairly confident.

God, I'm good.

Either that or it was so obvious we're buggered for choice...

 

[GIMH]

If you were good you'd have got them all right IMO

 

[James90]

Love that Queensland front row and halves combo. Too bad Monaghan had to go and ruin the outside backs as well.

 

[Johnners]

Assuming I'm not the only one that is struggling to get excited about this tournament? League has been so much of a farce these last 18 months imo, which is rather disappointing.