Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 8:00 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

What I will say is that I want them to do well in the game and push Penrith every inch of the way. I think the whole event, with it being noted in the middle of the pre season trial team lists on Aussie websites is totally disrespectful but that doesn’t surprise me. I’m convinced Saints will want it far more and I do think they’ll go pretty close.

It's stuff like this that makes me wish we would just let the WCC die, it doesn't matter if the English time wins, loses, runs them close or gets battered, the aussies will find a way to spin it in a disrespectful and belittling manner.

I mean we have got to the point now where they are being disrespectful before a ball has even flown through the air. I will say though, Penrith are putting out a stronger team then i expected and they hinted at in their initial statements, so fair do's to them for that.

I will only be watching the first half anyway as then i will have to set off for a more important game, Wigan vs Hull KR!

Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 8:38 am  

I never think the Aussies do themselves any favours by employing these excuse-making tactics.

Among the many of the WCC fixtures I've been to, the majority, to me at least, were very fiercely contested. Certainly, no one is telling me that Manly in 87, Brisbane in 94 and St George in 2011 weren't taking it seriously. Those were epic encounters, the Brisbane fixture - at Brisbane, remember - played in front of 54,000 people. Not a bad crowd for a warm-up game.

The problem is that the Phil Goulds of this world just seem to be impervious to criticism and are lacking any self-awareness. They seem completely oblivious to how blatantly unsporting and mendacious such a denial of reality actually seems.

But that stems from innate arrogance, and that's not generally something you can cure people of.

Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:23 am  

MattyB wrote:

I must admit I'm torn as well.....

I don't know whether I want Saints to lose by a thwacking 40+

Or for Penrith to score the winner as the final hooter is sounding.

Totally get this and to further comment on Nicky Kiss's post I would be the same in wanting Wigan to lose. No point lying and pretending that I wouldn't.

What I will say though is that my hatred for Wigan has decreased over the years, I'm not like some fans that absolutely despise them and can't give them any praise whatsoever. I'm more than happy to admit to the size of the club, the history, the Academy etc and some of the off the field stuff with some out of the box thinking.

Living in the town for over 20 years, having mates as Wigan fans, both lads going to a Wigan school, having banter with the Dads on the school run, even with their Head who is a mad Wigan fan. I wear Saints training gear sometimes at the gym and have blokes who I've never spoken to before start to talk rugby.

My mate being professionally involved at Wigan was the biggest factor as I found myself wanting them to do well enough for him to keep his job but still not to win anything

Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:47 am  

No Dylan Edwards as well as the other absentees.

18 players

Water breaks

Sounding more like a friendly.

Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:00 am  

NSW wrote:

No Dylan Edwards as well as the other absentees.

18 players

Water breaks

Sounding more like a friendly.

The almighty NRL are making it feel like that is what it is. Their own website just lumps it in with all the friendlies team lists, so that shows how it’s being thought of Down Under. Making those changes just adds to that, especially running with an 18th man.

If only it wasn’t Saints playing them (or Leeds), I’d be foaming at the mouth for a Superleague win. On the plus side (if you want a Saints win) the sheer arrogance and disrespect they show will fuel Saints I’m sure.

Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:04 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

The almighty NRL are making it feel like that is what it is. Their own website just lumps it in with all the friendlies team lists, so that shows how it’s being thought of Down Under. Making those changes just adds to that, especially running with an 18th man.

If only it wasn’t Saints playing them (or Leeds), I’d be foaming at the mouth for a Superleague win. On the plus side (if you want a Saints win) the sheer arrogance and disrespect they show will fuel Saints I’m sure.

I'm not so sure they are. Listening to an interview with Yeo then it paints a different story. Noticeable too that the WC participants all volunteered to come back in early to train for this when they could've had extra time off. He seems really up for it, its something they've never won as a club and whilst Edwards and Martin aren't playing they've gone very strong.

Their 1-8 all played in the WC and then you've got Leota, Fisher- Harris and Yeo in the pack

Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 7:31 pm  

Stu M wrote:

I'm not so sure they are. Listening to an interview with Yeo then it paints a different story. Noticeable too that the WC participants all volunteered to come back in early to train for this when they could've had extra time off. He seems really up for it, its something they've never won as a club and whilst Edwards and Martin aren't playing they've gone very strong.

Their 1-8 all played in the WC and then you've got Leota, Fisher- Harris and Yeo in the pack

I’m talking the general feel you get from the media and in particular the NRL and it’s website. I’ve rarely seen a mention of the game as a stand alone point and most references seem to involve it being part of pre season.

Tough to get a feel for how Penrith see it. It would’ve been rank bad had they not come back a week early in to training, so thank the Lord they didn’t stay away. Any idea on a crowd figure? I follow Penrith on social media channels and haven’t seen anything mentioned.

Re: WCC : Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:21 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I’m talking the general feel you get from the media and in particular the NRL and it’s website. I’ve rarely seen a mention of the game as a stand alone point and most references seem to involve it being part of pre season.

Tough to get a feel for how Penrith see it. It would’ve been rank bad had they not come back a week early in to training, so thank the Lord they didn’t stay away. Any idea on a crowd figure? I follow Penrith on social media channels and haven’t seen anything mentioned.

I was watching Fox Sport earlier and it was back to back reruns of previous WcC.

Not massive hype, but it's there.

Re: WCC : Fri Feb 17, 2023 7:48 am  

I hate the arrogance and ignorance of the Aussies that continually put us down and treat us like a completely different sport . And on that basis I will supporting St Helens tomorrow.Come on Saints , do it for Super League

Re: WCC : Fri Feb 17, 2023 9:17 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

I was watching Fox Sport earlier and it was back to back reruns of previous WcC.

Not massive hype, but it's there.

I’ve not seen any of Fox Spirts build up but banging up old re-runs of World Club challenges doesn’t take much effort to be fair, although granted it’s better than nowt. What I do know is that they can make NZ Warriors vs Gold Coast on a Thursday night seem as big as a Champions League Final when you watch the promos beforehand and they have 24 hours to fill each day, so plenty of time to build it up and do promo pieces on it. Maybe they have, I don’t know but the general feel I’ve got is that it’s being seen as a reasonably big trial game.