Rugby League World Cup 2017 Thread

Isn't he playing for New York because of his NFL background ?

Ice wrote:

Missed the game. Where did he play? I guess we will see come game 1.

I didnt watch it but he was wearing 6

Slater
Gagai
Chambers
Dugan
Holmes
Morgan
Cronk
Woods
Smith
Klemmer
Cordner
Gillet
JTrbo

Graham
Mcguire
Mclean
Friz

i'm surprised mal hasn't gone for a utility, know graham could play 6 and McGuire 9 if absolutely needed but he has generally liked having one during his time coaching QLD/AUS

our 2 edges could both play 80 at this level, Friz is still best used on the edge but will obviously now play some middle, so i probs would have had a utlity(munster) over graham

i think the rest of the team was fairly obvious


once boyd wasn't fit, gagai being the wing with dugan retaining his centre spot was pretty much guaranteed. Morgan obviously ahead of the other 3 halve options and pack pretty much picked itself, RCG/Mclean and Jake T/Mcguire(start/bench) were probably the only toss ups that could have gone either way

Surprised that Munster wasnt picked over graham but there are no real amazing blunders.

Besides Graham and Mclean. TTrbo over Holmes is an argument but Holmes has the runs on the board I guess even if Trbo is the better player.

Pieman wrote:
I didnt watch it but he was wearing 6

It's a bit of a stretch arguing he couldn't make FB even for Fiji, Clearly a victim of his own ridiculous versatility again. Fiji with no other option in the 6 so Hayne finds himself thrown in the deep end as the only play with the capabilities to fill the role. Certainly their Skipper doesn't have the skills to play there and he isn't much of an FB either which will add further to the burden for Hayne.

Can he become the first player to be one of the top 2 or 3 at the WC 3 times in 3 totally different positions? If he can lead the Bati to the Semis (which I don't think they will make), you'd have to say yes.

Will be interesting to see what Brennan does with him at the Titans.

Pieman wrote:Surprised that Munster wasnt picked over graham but there are no real amazing blunders.

Besides Graham and Mclean. TTrbo over Holmes is an argument but Holmes has the runs on the board I guess even if Trbo is the better player.

Tturbo is 100% a better club fullback/player then holmes but Australian rep wingers jobs are fairly simple:


1: Catch & Fall over the line when needed
2: be an extra forward

Holmes will be better then Tturbo at that, i wouldn't be shocked that if a winger went down, mansour was next in line now tbh

Is Daniel Safiti injured ?Why isn't he picked ?

leaguegod wrote:


Tturbo is 100% a better club fullback/player then holmes but Australian rep wingers jobs are fairly simple:


1: Catch & Fall over the line when needed
2: be an extra forward

Holmes will be better then Tturbo at that, i wouldn't be shocked that if a winger went down, mansour was next in line now tbh

I dont think holmes would be better than him at it at all, but fair enough.

Ice wrote:

It's a bit of a stretch arguing he couldn't make FB even for Fiji, Clearly a victim of his own ridiculous versatility again. Fiji with no other option in the 6 so Hayne finds himself thrown in the deep end as the only play with the capabilities to fill the role. Certainly their Skipper doesn't have the skills to play there and he isn't much of an FB either which will add further to the burden for Hayne.

Can he become the first player to be one of the top 2 or 3 at the WC 3 times in 3 totally different positions? If he can lead the Bati to the Semis (which I don't think they will make), you'd have to say yes.

Will be interesting to see what Brennan does with him at the Titans.

Was a bit tongue in cheek 
you would think that at his age they would make him captain because he is so good and all and loves Fiji some much.

Personally I dont think Taylor and Hayne play well together. Taylor is the kind of halfback that likes to throw the last pass. He doesnt like linking with a fullback out the back or whatever. He is a dominant player and he is very good at it. The amount of times I have seen Hayne out the back and taylor cuts him out or goes to someone else is crazy. Hayne also likes being first receiver but likes playing out the back too - so the whole point of putting him in 6 is to keep him away from taylor IMO. He can be first receiver on the left, or play out the back from a forward etc or he can pass it to taylor on the right for him to throw the last pass

Pieman wrote:
Was a bit tongue in cheek 
you would think that at his age they would make him captain because he is so good and all and loves Fiji some much.

Personally I dont think Taylor and Hayne play well together. Taylor is the kind of halfback that likes to throw the last pass. He doesnt like linking with a fullback out the back or whatever. He is a dominant player and he is very good at it. The amount of times I have seen Hayne out the back and taylor cuts him out or goes to someone else is crazy. Hayne also likes being first receiver but likes playing out the back too - so the whole point of putting him in 6 is to keep him away from taylor IMO. He can be first receiver on the left, or play out the back from a forward etc or he can pass it to taylor on the right for him to throw the last pass

Yes, I figured that.

I don't think Hayne is captaincy material plus it adds to his burden of having to basically be the chief/only playmaker, kicker in the side. He can focus on his footy alone. Based on reports he is basically the leader/captain anyway, he just doesn't have to carry the C and let all those commitments get in his way given he will attract his fair share of media attention anyway. We know the success or failure of the Fiji campaign will be attributed to a single individual more than any other team in the comp, it's the way it has always been for Hayne, regardless of his performance.

completely preparing myself for ICE to talk up hayne as the player of the tourney after they trash USA and Wales only for him to go into his shell after 1 legged, 50 year old(not fact checked) terry campese gives him a lesson in their 3rd game

leaguegod wrote:completely preparing myself for ICE to talk up hayne as the player of the tourney after they trash USA and Wales only for him to go into his shell after 1 legged, 50 year old(not fact checked) terry campese gives him a lesson in their 3rd game

Haha. Good/Fair burn. You should be. But I can only go off history and history clearly shows Hayne has been player of the tournament or there abouts at his only two attempts. That's not me talking, thems are the facts. But to be honest, when I look at the Fiji squad, I don't really rate it and think they will struggle in their QF unless Hayne can find his 2014 form.

It's funny how when Hayne plays well in a WC, which he always does, it's against crap opposition, but Australia, who are miles ahead of any other team aren't tarred with the same brush. The opposition Fiji play are closer in ability/Roster quality to Fiji than any team Australia play are. Seriously, looking at the squads and people are suggesting England might make the final. There team is average. NZ are a shadow of their former self. Tonga is the only team I can see competing with Australia and even they have issues in the halves.

No Worries wrote:Is Daniel Safiti injured ?Why isn't he picked ?

Yeah mate had off season surgery on his shoulder

Anyone seen a graphic on how many players each club have playing in the RWC ?

Ice wrote:But I can only go off history and history clearly shows Hayne has been player of the tournament or there abouts at his only two attempts. That's not me talking, thems are the facts.

Wait what? I mean I remember him having a good highlight package with a nice try and a couple of other nice touches in the game where they beat France in 2008 (who later went on to finish 10th of 10 teams with a loss in the lowest playoff 42-14), but I don't remember him doing much in their loss to Scotland who finished 8th out of the 10 teams. He certainly wasn't the best player in their win against Ireland (Aaron Groom was MOM), and the only thing I remember him doing in a 52-0 loss in the semi final was putting on a big shoulder charge on the smallest player on the field.

He did play well in 2013 though. I mean not good enough to be considered in the team of the tournament by this guy who watched every match: http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/25105316, or as a contender for player of the tournament by this guy: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1869284-rugby-league-world-cup-2013-top-candidates-for-player-of-the-tournament, but a good tournament none the less.

He did go on to win the Dally M the season after the WC's though, so history might suggest this could catapult him on to a good season. I guess you can hang your hat on that.

He had a cracking tournament in 2008 and went on to dominate 2009, he had a cracking 2013 and secured a second Dally M in 2014, my only comment is, what will 2017/2018 bring.

Seriously though, the links you've provided, classic. The journo said it's basically players that "caught his eye" and star performers missed out. I mean, are you serious? Did Danny Brough of Scotland have a better tournament that Thurston? Re the second article, it's one opinion. I'll take the opinion of the collective wisdom of the Aus players over some random journo thanks. My point is, he has performed at that level it will be interesting to see if he can again in a third position, something I don't think anyone else has done at this level. You you disagree? Do you believe he hasn't performed very well on the World Cup stage as a FB with a minnow and a centre with a champion side? Is there another player you can think of that has done so in 3 position. Maybe there is, I just can't think of who.

I read that Channel 7 wanted to school Nine in how to present Rugby League. I thought they were going okay till they chose Noddy. I know the bloke has had it rough of late, but deadest, he is a horrocious commentator.

SI wrote:I read that Channel 7 wanted to school Nine in how to present Rugby League.  I thought they were going okay till they chose Noddy.  I know the bloke has had it rough of late, but deadest, he is a horrocious commentator.

The competition will be stampled.

The fuck are those Aus collars lads??