*Official* Rugby League World Cup 2013

[Hurricane]

Leuluai? Marshall? Who knows - the cupboard was pretty bare. I am just throwing stones here -

 

[Prince EWS]

Leuluai was injured and Marshall is ineligible. Lance Hohaia was probably next in line and he wasn't even in the actual squad; if something actually happened to Johnson on the eve of the game you would've ended up with 6. SBW 7. Foran.

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't think Hurricane was actually suggesting Johnson shouldn't have been picked though NUFAN; he was just pointing out something he felt was holding the team back from being as good as Australia.

New Zealand are an unfamiliar position at the moment in that a lot of their players would be in contention for the Australian side or at least one of the Origin sides if they were eligible. They no longer have to rely on playing significantly above themselves to compete; it's something resembling a good contest on paper in a lot of positions. Johnson clearly wouldn't be getting in the Australian squad ahead of Thurston, Cherry-Evans or Cronk but in saying that I think most New South Wales fans would take him ahead of Pearce; he'd certainly be in the conversation along with a few other halves options.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah I guess he didn't say he wouldn't pick him, its just I don't agree with the singling out on Johnson when Hurricane said that Johnson aside, the team is the best its been in ages.

Basically, I feel as though Goodwin, Glenn and Nuuausala are all comfortably inferior footballers than Johnson and I just didn't feel as though he had enough opportunities in attack to excel. Like I said before though, I probably need to watch the game again as I was very much watching it from an Australian perspective.

Lets face it, QLD and Australia have some freak footballers at the moment, so apart from those players, I agree that NZ have a good number of players who would make or be in contention with Origin.

Re: Johnson vs Pearce. I don't think that Johnson would have been picked in Origin yet. Reynolds and Johnson's first grade careers have been quite similar and the selectors seem to want to stick with Mitch. But yes, agree that fans would like Johnson and he would be in the mix.

 

[Ausage]

Yeah I don't agree that NZ is anywhere near Aus. They have a better team than they have had at many points in their history, but Aus have 3-4 players who will be in or around ATG discussions, and a good 3 or 4 more just a slight step behind that. Realistically NZ would have to punch a long way above their weight to get close imo.

On Johnson, I didn't watch the whole game, but his performance seems typical of a half who's team is getting nothing in the middle of the park. It's even worse for a player like Johnson who's best attribute (stepping) is ineffective against well set defenses.

Would probably have him over Pearce, but that's really not saying much.

 

[Hurricane]

Basically, I feel as though Goodwin, Glenn and Nuuausala are all comfortably inferior footballers than Johnson

Even if that's true he's in a more important role so impacts our chances more so that is why he has been singled out.

My general impression is that you are judging him based on a whole series of NRL matches which I have not seen as I don't follow the NRL except for the playoffs and I will therefore take your word for it he was a gun in those games. I am judging him solely on International rugby league games where you must agree save for one amazing match winning try he has yet to find a way to be as effective as his top level counterparts. Apart from games against minnows. If you want me to be even more cutting about him I can be. I think he is whet behind the ears and lacks ticker. I also think he drastically needs to develop his kicking game. Foran is amazing in all of these aspects and has a heart like a lion. Johnson not so much.

Do I think he has potential? Absolutely. I just basically think he needs to get older. Would I have picked him anyway yes if Marshall was ruled out. I also think with better coaching and a proper game plan (I am not even sure we had one) we might not be having this debate. . From the articles I have read Kearney left it up to the players to motivate themselves for the final and that didn't work as they simply weren't amped up enough Johnson included. Ausage is right we were always going to have to be the little engine that could in the final. I am still chagrined we laid an egg and these posts are just some post loss finger pointing.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Would many Poms get a go in an origin side? I'd say Graham & Burgess (S) would be shoo ins, and Burgess (G) knocking on the door too.

Also reckon Roby might get a go at rake for the Blues.

 

[Prince EWS]

Would many Poms get a go in an origin side? I'd say Graham & Burgess (S) would be shoo ins, and Burgess (G) knocking on the door too.

Also reckon Roby might get a go at rake for the Blues.

I think Roby would find himself on the bench rather than starting, but yeah those are the obvious four. I think Sinfield could also find himself picked in that bench dummy half/utility role that was occupied this year originally by Josh Reynolds and eventually by "**** it, we have no-one worth picking now that Wing has retired and Gidley is injured, lets just pick another second rower". O'Loughlin in with a shout given that Hoffman and McQueen have occupied starting spots too, IMHO, and of course Gaz Ellis if he could be arsed.

It looks like Hayne will be picked in the centres for NSW next year too, and I'd take Tomkins at fullback over (probably) Stewart and (definitely) Dugan.

 

[uvelocity]

**** it we have no-one worth picking is still better than bench captain ftr

 

[NUFAN]

Would many Poms get a go in an origin side? I'd say Graham & Burgess (S) would be shoo ins, and Burgess (G) knocking on the door too.

Also reckon Roby might get a go at rake for the Blues.

Not in a winning side, but probably in NSW.

Honestly, Graham and Burgess in the top 8 props/second rowers in the world in my eyes, so you'd be mad to not start Sam Burgess in an Origin team and Graham would most likely come off the bench.

 

[Burgey]

How ****ing good was Hayne's catch-tackled-drop onto the foot-kick ahead which led to that try for Morris in the final? Fmd. You can't coach that.

 

[mullarkey]

I think Roby would find himself on the bench rather than starting, but yeah those are the obvious four. I think Sinfield could also find himself picked in that bench dummy half/utility role that was occupied this year originally by Josh Reynolds and eventually by "**** it, we have no-one worth picking now that Wing has retired and Gidley is injured, lets just pick another second rower". O'Loughlin in with a shout given that Hoffman and McQueen have occupied starting spots too, IMHO, and of course Gaz Ellis if he could be arsed.

It looks like Hayne will be picked in the centres for NSW next year too, and I'd take Tomkins at fullback over (probably) Stewart and (definitely) Dugan.

as a Widnes rlfc fan I wonder can you tell me, and my fellow fans, what to expect from a lad called Danny Galea? He has traveled around a bit but has played well over 100 nrl games. Really don't know anything about him other than that fact.

 

[uvelocity]

premiership winner

 

[Ausage]

as a Widnes rlfc fan I wonder can you tell me, and my fellow fans, what to expect from a lad called Danny Galea? He has traveled around a bit but has played well over 100 nrl games. Really don't know anything about him other than that fact.

He really didn't play much first grade in his recent stint at Penrith. When he did I got the impression he was an honest worker who was never going to break a game open.

 

[NUFAN]

Galea has bulked up a bit over the years, Capable of playing in the centres in his early years, but always more of a backrower, he can easily enough handle prop in the Super League. Yeah, as Ausage says, an honest worker. Mistake-free forward who is solid defensively but nothing special.

 

[steds]

Any relation to Ben?

 

[Ausage]

They're not immediate family according to List of family relations in rugby league - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia but they're both from Western Sydney so they could well be related in some way.

 

[mullarkey]

thanks for all replies. 'nothing special' is relative to NRL and Super League but from what is being said he sounds okay. He is a friends (according to local paper) with a lad called Rhys Hanbury who is from NSW and if he gives us half as much as Rhys he will do pretty well. Was more concerned with whether or not he had a bad disciplinary record as a couple of years ago we signed a lad called Anthony Watts who turned out to be a nutter, though I must add that someone that I know (and who met him) said he seemed like lovely guy!

 

[uvelocity]

lol i got ben and danny confused wrt my previous.

 

[Prince EWS]

Any relation to Ben?

He's not. They grew up really close to each other - same street at one point apparently - but they're not related.

He's no longer an NRL standard player - he couldn't snag even a player #18-25 contract here or he would've stayed in Sydney - but he holds his own. As NUFAN said he started life as a centre as much as anything else, but as he got older he became a wide-running second rower, and then eventually a lock in the modern mould of playing as a tight runner, like a third prop. He could easily fill in as a genuine front rower now, and after seeing Luke O'Donnell transform into a prop in Super League I think Danny G will do something similar.

He's definitely not going to be a season-defining signing but he's consistent, experienced, level-headed and will get the job done up the guts.