So that I don't get confused can you confirm that "straight from the resulting tap" equates to "at the end of the next set of six following an England drop out needlessly conceded when the ball was running dead for a 20m re-start".



Thanks

Actually Roy, their backline plays together at least twice as often as ours does, in much more high octane games with the SOO and ANZAC games.



We play France once and stuff them.

I think considering we had a weakened squad, a young squad being built for the WC, a coach who hasn't proved himself and a dodgy refereeing team the lads did really well. Its clear not all the players are up to scratch, but they put their all into it.



Ellis and Burgess weren't very impressive they've been quiet.



I think the only players I would criticise on this tour are Widdop and Atkins. Widdop clearly has the natural ability, but hasn't got the experience or knowledge to be blooded yet. Atkins has proved to be utterly useless on this stage! He has no conception of what his positioning should be in th defensive line and all too often was found really far out of position or standing too far back from the line which cost us tries. In attack he was inffectual. The one decent run he had was when England were on the attack after scoring a try. He made a good few yards at the end of an attack, two defenders were bearing down on him, nothing was on, our attack was steaming a head oin formation, their defensive line was broken and scattered. Did he take the ttackle for a quick ptb in a commanding position to potentially score? No! He decided to try run round Billy Slater, five metres away from the touch line.

To be fair, their backline usually involves players from both QLD and NSW, and not all of them even play in the SoO due to intervening injuries and so on.



As I've said on another thread, I think playing together in a mini-series like SoO is a red herring. The skills they devleop come not from playing together for 3 matches, but from playing against each other for twenty matches. In the NRL, threequarters have to be on form in every game because the opposing team will punish them if they're not, and there's another kid waiting to take their place if they mess up. In SL, St Helens can finish second in the league playing one semi-retired centre and one second-row or stand-off on the other side, pretty much all season. They can do this because there are very few teams who challenge them on the outside. Any team playing the 2010 version of Gidley and Flannery as their centres in the NRL would be spanked each week.



Cudjoe has looked good because the other centres in SL are so mediocre. But he got found out yesterday. Maybe he'll improve in time, but he certainly isn't good enough yet. And before we hit the club bias button, I'd point to Jamie Foster. Eddie and Stevo were starting to do the same to him last year as they did to, say, Atkins. He was a wonderful winger, class act, young flyer, etc etc etc. Basically, he's solid and can kick goals. Other than that, he's completely unremarkable.







Yes. But I don't see the difference. The result of that penalty - as with all penalties - was to give them possession near our line for a full set. The resulting pressure gave them the try. I think we don't take penalties seriously enough - they're game changers. Fans can expend huge amount of fury over single perceived dodgy refereeing decisions which may or may not have affected the outcome of the game, but almost never get worked up at all when a single player can repeatedly cost them yardage and points by lack of concentration or just plain stupidity.

I think you need a lie down Roy, sorry.



I might get slated for this, but to defend Cudjoe, his only mistake is not knowing if he could rely on his inside defender to move up, after that inside defender showed he couldnt be relied on. Other than that I dont think you can blame him, or suggest he wasnt up to it. (unless you like the commentary team couldnt tell the difference between him and Atkins) then again, he got his chance, probably ahead of when he should have and it will have done him good.

I don't have a problem differentiating between Cudjoe and Atkins ! Atkins was 100% pants, in defence and attack. Cudjoe was 90% pants in defence and attack - although I thought he was harshly pulled back for the pass which sent him into the open. Also, Cudjoe is taller. Loads of difference.

Roby

Westwood

Graham

Ellis

Fielden

Which is what they have had since they started playing the game in this country.



Why can't people see that?



I have to add I really do appreciate all the time effort and sacrifice all the volunteers and amateur set ups put in considering the lack of support and facilities they have to deal with.

I agree with most posts on here. Roby, Graham, Westwood was our best players and robinson was ok.



Roby has been the best player on the tour IMO.

There would only be Roby and Graham who would be of interest to a NRL club, Ellis, Burgess and Westwood really didn,t do enough.



We looked like a team mentally ill prepared, instead of being in the faces of the opposition the first 20 mins we let the other teams dominate against an England team with not one player with any organising skills.

Can i just say that James Graham has been outstanding as el capitano.



I really think he has learned to wind his neck in and let his actions do the talking.



Never had much time for the bloke at a personal level before and his petulance in previous games has bugged me no end, but i think he has really handled it well, exceptionaly well in fact.



I will sling all sorts at thim next year when he is back in a Saints top, but he has really done England proud this year.

I feel like the criticism of the two lads from the NRL is pretty harsh.



Ellis played a completely different role to the one that he has played all season, taking the ball up the middle rather than cutting angles out wide off a player like Marshall. I was pretty impressed with his workrate and effort. He hit hard, never took a backward step and almost always landed on his front.



Burgess was a tad more disappointing with far too many errors, but again he was played out of position and an awful lot of responsibility was put upon his shoulders. He consistently won the collision and people have to remember the lad is 21! He's played one season in the NRL and he's supposed to be the world's best forward. It's completely ludicrous.



The clear positives from the tour so far:



Westwood has been very impressive and won alot of supporters down under. Okay his discipline lets him down but he has really taken it to both packs.



Graham has been outstanding as captain and played well in a beaten pack twice.



Robinson has showed himself to be more than capable, and now has put himself in a position where he should be in possession of his shirt (form dependent obviously).



Finally, Roby has been brilliant and I can't actually believe people are detracting from his performance at the weekend. He punched so far above his weight in the tackle it was like Floyd Mayweather fighting David Haye and winning. An uncharacteristic error behind a pressurised pack. WOW.



Those players deserve praise and with half decent three-quarters, and fit halves we would have provided the Aussies a much sterner test (I wouldn't go as far to say we would have won or got close to their full strength)



Cumon fellas, what were we expecting? Honestly.