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*Official* NRL 2014

howardj

International Coach
Went to the game last night, and it was totally bereft of atmosphere

40 000+ folk, but the crowd is so passive

It was like going to the library

The ground announcer initiates the chants

Flat as a biscuit...won't be going back

Great try from Inglis though
 

Burgey

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Steve Kearnwy owed a few apologies by the pundits who criticized the side he picked. NZ played really well.

Sheena needs to start phasing out a few of the older stalwarts in the Australian side over the next 12-18 months before they end up losing more games than they really ought to.
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Yeah its a difficult one Burgey as a large group of the team do deserve a spot in our 17. Who exactly from the Australian team would you like to phase out? I think consistently the players named have nearly all been big performers for club, state and country over recent times, especially the older players.

The players I would be looking to phase out are more the guys in the mid 20s like Darius Boyd and James Tamou as I think there are younger alternatives who could be tried. Boyd has benefited so much throughout his career by playing his early football on the wing for the Broncos. I find it pretty funny that other fullbacks like Dugan aren't talked about for a wing spot. As for Tamou, I think Fifita, Woods and even Merrin perform above the level Tamou produces at club level consistently and all are slightly younger alternatives.

Gillett and DCE definitely should be given more minutes though, I guess they could replace Parker and Cronk. I wouldn't mind if Josh Morris didn't play another Test match too but he only played because Hayne wasn't fit.
 
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social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
People were also talking about how complacent the Aussies were and as Sheens is hardly the best coach, maybe he was part of the problem last night as motivation is just about his only job with guys who know each other so well
 

dermo

International Vice-Captain
how bout some of those ****s calling paul kent a racist for speaking the truth on the farce that is the fiji v samoa "test". completely ****ed that we've stopped the nrl season for a game of that standard
 

dermo

International Vice-Captain
a win for the good guys with jarrod mullen comprehensively outplaying josh reynolds today
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
how bout some of those ****s calling paul kent a racist for speaking the truth on the farce that is the fiji v samoa "test". completely ****ed that we've stopped the nrl season for a game of that standard
Yeah that was ordinary comparing Kent to the Clippers owner, not called for at all. The thing is, I don't necessarily hate how their was a break this week apart from the fact that this round wasn't considered a bye and each team still has 2 more to come. Six teams play 2 games and than they have a bye the week after so in that respect, stopping the season wasn't great.
 

uvelocity

International Coach
stopping the season for a test is st00000pid in terms of the fact that there are 50% less players from NRL clubs playing in the test than there are in origin
 

Burgey

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Yeah its a difficult one Burgey as a large group of the team do deserve a spot in our 17. Who exactly from the Australian team would you like to phase out? I think consistently the players named have nearly all been big performers for club, state and country over recent times, especially the older players.

The players I would be looking to phase out are more the guys in the mid 20s like Darius Boyd and James Tamou as I think there are younger alternatives who could be tried. Boyd has benefited so much throughout his career by playing his early football on the wing for the Broncos. I find it pretty funny that other fullbacks like Dugan aren't talked about for a wing spot. As for Tamou, I think Fifita, Woods and even Merrin perform above the level Tamou produces at club level consistently and all are slightly younger alternatives.

Gillett and DCE definitely should be given more minutes though, I guess they could replace Parker and Cronk. I wouldn't mind if Josh Morris didn't play another Test match too but he only played because Hayne wasn't fit.
I'd start looking at phasing out the likes of Gallen and Scott in the forwards tbh. Not because they're playing poorly, just I think they need a bit of rip and tear going ahead. Cameron Smith will need to go in the next 18 months or two years. He's arguably the best hooker ever and certainly the best since Boxhead Walters, but tbh he's starting to look a bit old. DCE for Cronk as well, maybe, though I don't think Cronk is that old. He's just looked average this year playing behind an average Melbourne pack.

Agree re Josh Morris. Really don't get the fuss. Hodges may have played his last test though, given his age and propensity for injury. Inglis to FB for Slater also an option, though tbf to Billy, while Inglis is the most devastating outside back I've ever seen, Slater's level of involvement week in, week out leaves GI's for dead.

It's an embarrassment of riches, really.

Edit: Boyd is an oxygen thief. Shouldn't be there.
 
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NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Slightly harsh on Scott IMO as he is younger than Bird, Parker, Myles (by a month), Smith and Gallen from the forward pack who played on Friday. There would be outrage from NSW if Gallen wasn't picked. Cam Smith still does some great things on the footy field but agree that he's past his best. With Farah injured, he's an absolute no-brainer for the hooking role though.
 

dermo

International Vice-Captain
have to say benji and the dragons could not be a worse fit for each other, the dragons need to develop a dominant 7 to let widdop be the ball runner he is. Benji is nowhere near the player they need.

if he was fair dinkum he wouldve gone to melbourne and i have no doubt if he bought into the culture there then he could well have got back to his best football.

don't be fooled, the only reason benji is at the dragons is because they offered him the most money
 

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