Australia V England game talk

[Flutterby]

Also good to see Smith has finally learnt to go the JT and Locky - he did that and we scored :-)

I went back to bed at half time, but was very impressed by a number of our guys in the first half. Hopefully we can put on an 80 minute performance like that when we meet NZ in the GF.

 

[Charmamba]

how the hell does england get an english ref?

and yellow card? did anyone else notice he also had a red card in his hand.

 

[Je$ter]

Taht ref was terrible. He isn't even QCup standard, we best get an Aussie ref in the final I'm sure the Kiwis will agree. Impressed with pom 17 and Edge lookalike, Burgess also read my halftime post and fired up.

Second half was piss poor, we shut up shop when we should have gone for the jugular. Agree with Coxy, once Smith came off and Farah came on we went shithouse, Bench should be White, Shillington, Lewis and one of Waterhouse Hoffman or Thaiday.

I was really dissappointed with our performance, first 35mins was good last 45 was shithouse. We will towel up the frogs but who cares, we need to score some points against half decent opposition before the final.

 

[Alec]

Disagree that White should be there. He just isn't rep standard IMO. Might as well go with Poor or Weyman, or whoever else is in the squad. Shillington wasn't great either.

 

[Je$ter]

Neither bench prop was outstanding but Sheens and the selectors didn't pick any other specialist props in the team so that's who we'll have to go with. White wasn't as bad as everyone is making out imo.

 

[Professor47]

The forwards are just terrible as a group. Personally I don't agree with some of the indivs selected but even then the forwards just dont have that pack mentality as a group. Unfairly, the backline obviously have played with each other for yonk now bar the wingers so they are more well gelled but still a little rusty.

 

[Anonymous person]

that ref was useless. i mustve counted 5-6 obvious knock-ons and double-knock-ons that he just let go.

 

[Coxy]

Interesting to see some post-match articles basically bagging Sheens for replacing Smith with Farah, that basically that was the turning point in the game and Australia never recovered. So fucking true.

Farah is simply not rep standard.

 

[Anonymous person]

can i ask why in gods name is sheens the australian coach?

 

[Coxy]

Bellamy didn't want to surrender NSW coach.
Meninga didn't want to surrender QLD coach.
Bennett didn't want to do it again.
Sheens was the only one who put his hand up.

 

[ddd]

Bellamy didn't want to surrender NSW coach.
Meninga didn't want to surrender QLD coach.
Bennett didn't want to do it again.
Sheens was the only one who put his hand up.

the sweetest word in the English language - Default [eusa_doh

I doubt Meninga would want it, the ARL needs to petition Henry asap

 

[Flutterby]

Actually Meninga did want it, but the ARL have a policy that you can't be an Origin and Australian coach at the same time, so he had to choose and he chose Queensland.

 

[Professor47]

I guess Meninga would be a pretty logical choice - since he coaches the 1-10 in origin!!! hahahahahha. (bar Morris/Hayne)

Honestly though for this sort of tournament and the way it is scheduled I woudln't go too far into tactics so Meninga seems like almost the perfect choice. It's more the style you would want to play IMO... so you'd want to play the 1st half style against the Poms because they got nothing if we play backline expansive. Similar to the Kiwis but you have to respect the forward battle more with them... and second phase play please. Offloads against the kiwis will sap their energy and enthusiasm in trying to bash us. THEN the guns out wide will defs get the points required...

 

[ddd]

Actually Meninga did want it, but the ARL have a policy that you can't be an Origin and Australian coach at the same time, so he had to choose and he chose Queensland.

Really? as I clearly posted I didn't think he'd be interested, I though his priority would be Qld all the way - though I suppose if he did step up we would have an all Qld team

 

[Je$ter]

Interesting to see some post-match articles basically bagging Sheens for replacing Smith with Farah, that basically that was the turning point in the game and Australia never recovered. So **** true.

Farah is simply not rep standard.

Yep. From about the 30th minute till about the 55th minute we were absolute shit, and by the time Cam got back on the English were well on the front foot.

I am willing to be Farah will play the final but.

 

[Kimlo]

Interesting to see some post-match articles basically bagging Sheens for replacing Smith with Farah, that basically that was the turning point in the game and Australia never recovered. So **** true.

Farah is simply not rep standard.

Yep. From about the 30th minute till about the 55th minute we were absolute shit, and by the time Cam got back on the English were well on the front foot.

I am willing to be Farah will play the final but.

Smith should def not be benched, he's too good to be benched he needs to be out there for 80 minutes especially when he has such a good combination with the halves.

Farah shouldn't be in the team, in fact there should not be a 2nd hooker in the team at all.

 

[Coxy]

+1. Ennis should've been picked as the backup hooker for a start, but even then, they should only have been used against France unless Cam Smith got injured.

RE: Meninga coaching Australia, I would've loved it. Mainly because he's spent the last 4 years instilling what it means to wear the maroon of Queensland, and the players have responded. He could revive the same pride in the Kangaroo jersey which honestly I think has been lacking for the last 3-4 years.

In 2003 Australia won the Ashes 3-0 against GB despite what was an injury smashed team that was struggling to assert their dominance over the Poms. In all 3 games the Poms looked a chance to win, but the pride in the Aussie jersey saw them come back to win (led by Lockyer I might add, the best Australian captain I've seen).

In 2004, Australia built up through the Tri Nations to unleash what was the most amazing 40 minutes of football I've seen at that level in the first half of the final.

2005 Tri Nations Australia struggled with Lockyer out injured during the tournament, and the performance in the final was one of the most gutless, heartless displays by a Kangaroo team I've ever seen.

2006 Tri Nations Australia ebbed and flowed through the tournament, never really showing much intensity, and only managed to snatch the final in golden point.

Then last year's World Cup the Kangaroos just floated through it winning easily, jumped to a lead against the Kiwis in the final and thought the job was done.

There's a malaise in the Australian jersey at the moment. Almost like the team believes they deserve to win just because they're the Australian team. Lockyer, Thurston and Smith play their hearts out, but the forwards just don't seem to give a ****. Therein lies the problem (they're mostly from NSW, who have no passion for NSW let alone Australia!).

Meninga would instill pride and passion in the jersey.

 

[Flutterby]

Actually Meninga did want it, but the ARL have a policy that you can't be an Origin and Australian coach at the same time, so he had to choose and he chose Queensland.

Really? as I clearly posted I didn't think he'd be interested, I though his priority would be Qld all the way - though I suppose if he did step up we would have an all Qld team

Yep Qld is definitely his priority which is why he told them he wouldn't take the Aussie job if he had to give up the Qld one. Personally I don't think it is an issue for him to coach both as one doesn't impact on the other given how far about the comps are - but that's the ARL policy. I think he would be a great Aussie coach for reasons others have already stated - the Aust team doesn't need a lot of coaching and he would bring back a lot of pride in the Green and Gold.