saint at wire wrote:
Really? Show me.
Ah, you are into ancient history when SL was still in its infancy and the ill thought out 1997 World Club Championship ? Allow me to be equally selective. We have won 8 of the 12 World Club Challenges since 2001, including twice by our club over the supposedly invincible Brisbane Broncos.
Sure, you want to include one-off games played at the wrong end of one country's season between the top two sides only. I prefer to assign greater importance to the only time when both countries were optimally placed at the right time of year, more teams than the top two were involved and substantially more games were played (against an Australian competition missing half of its stars, I should add).
Neither provides cast iron evidence of superiority. But I'd take the sample size, variety (in terms of competing teams) and the fact that fixtures were both home and away over the former every time.
Certainly there are infulential people over there who think it is a good idea to expand the competition "Shane Richardson has finally confirmed on the record that Australian clubs want an expanded World Club Challenge. He told Forty-20 magazine this week: “The world is getting smaller,” he says. “Who is to say Bradford will not be playing Souths in the WCC soon – two clubs who have fought their way back from the brink. The World Club Challenge is the best way to expand the international game.”
and
"There appears to be genuine interest in expansion from a number of clubs in both hemisphere's, and St George Illawarra's Peter Doust and South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson are on the World Club Challenge Working Party, and recently met with Wigan's Ian Lenagan and Leeds chief Gary Hetherington, as reported by Australian journalist Steve Mascord".
I can't see them wanting that if they thought there was a massive difference between the SL & NRL clubs in terms of competivenes,
And these are the ONLY opinions on this matter? There are no contradictory voices? If you aren't quoting those ALSO then you aren't exactly being honest.
I'm afraid as the only comp where we play each other is the World Club Challenge is where I base this on plus watching SL & NRL games. I thought the Rabbitos last week and the Bulldogs today and the Eels, Newcastle and the Panthers (virtually every week) perform no better than our better SL teams.
Where do you get your contrary evidence from.
Hang on, some of those WCC games took place not too long after the wider SL competition. Yet you aren't prepared to assign to it ANY importance?
As for my "contrary evidence" - we could start with the colossal gulf in player development and depth. Compare this with Wigan, one of - if not the most - talented squads in SL busting a gut to make Matty Smith and Blake Nobody their playmaking pivots for next season. I'm sure the Aussies (not to mention, the Kiwis) will be trembling at the awesome possibilities such conjure in the mind.
You know, there was a time when I'd spend ages debating the relative merits of both competitions and the overall superiority of the NRL. But I realise now that it's a complete waste of time and effort. There are some people who live in their own fantasy bubble along with fairies and magical leprechauns who'd still maintain equality between the two competitions even if it were proved false by a bigger number of scientists than are currently working on the Higgs Boson.
Yes I certainly am as far as Wilkin is concerned
Sheesh.
(when was the last time Gardner made the team week in and out?).
When he's fully fit?
You are missing the point - surely we should trawl Australia for players significantly better than what we have over here? Waterhouse is Flanders defjinately no. Perhaps Ned was finished when we got him and he was superb before then?
For a guy who claims to watch the NRL "week in, week out" you are oddly ignorant of Flannery's career. My guess is you watch less than you claim. If you didn't you might have known
beforehand that Flannery's game hasn't changed since he made the first grade in the NRL. The bad news is you're going to have to get used to MORE Flannerys as the new Aussie TV deal means we aren't likely to sign players in the top or second-to-top tier unless they are out of favour (like Lyon) or looking for a retirement cheque.
Man - take your green and gold glasses off - he is simple Mr Average who would be seen out of place playing for Leigh.
Man, try to understand the game beyond "getting it out wide" and "stick it to them in the forwards". You might uncover (and perhaps even enjoy) a degree of sophistication which has hitherto eluded you.
