I agree with previous comments. Field was terrible but it was virtually (a top SL team) Wigans best 17 with the exception of O'Loughlin, Tautai and Mossop whereas Brisbane turned up with probably half their best 17 and they're a mid table NRL team.
What people should realise neither Brisbane or St George made the NRL play offs. If they were to pick the best three it would probably be Souths, Roosters and Manly. The bottom line our three top clubs playing at home their third games against teams travelling half way around the globe with no competitive league matches are still losing.
Think the first half of tonight's game is showing what would have happened if the Oz 2 and 3 would have played Friday and Sat.
Not too sure tbh, I think Souths will win it again this year personally, they're such a well coached side full of great players. Like I said in the VT they won their GF last year 30-6 against the Bulldogs, so not exactly that much different from tonight, although the game was a bit more competitive.
I also reckon this year St George will be competing higher up the table. Players have changed a bit since last year so I don't think it's exactly right to say, this is the 11th and 8th placed team from the NRL, time will tell this season what they do.
We're only 2 games in as well, people talk like we're half way through our season and I bet Souths have had more competive games preseason than what Saints have had tbh with the two teams they played against not showinng up.
Also think this going half way round the world doesn't hold much water, especially how first class travel is nowadays. Where you have more comfort than your own bed. It dioesn't now and it didn't when Wigan got beat in Aus.
I think the simple fact is their salary cap is twice ours and their player pool is far bigger, so we'll always have that against us unless something suddenly changes which I can't see. I don't think anyone should be too shocked that we are second best to their league.
Last edited by Shifty Cat on Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Not sure tbh, think Souths will win it again this year personally, they're such a well coached side full of great players. Like I said in the VT they won their GF last year 30-6 against the Bulldogs, so not exactly that much different from tonight, although the game was a bit more competitive.
I also reckon this year St George will be competing higher up the table. Players have changed a bit since last year so I don't think it's exactly right to say, this is the 11th and 8th placed team from the NRL, time will tell this season what they do.
We're only 2 games in as well, people talk like we're half way through our season and I bet Souths have had more competive games preseason than what Saints have had tbh with the two teams they played against not showinng up.
I understand what you are saying but St.George and Brisbane looked nothing special but they still had enough to beat 2 of our top teams in their own back yard. Souths looked slick and made Saints look second best, when Saints have looked the best team by far so far this season in SL.
I understand what you are saying but St.George and Brisbane looked nothing special but they still had enough to beat 2 of our top teams in their own back yard. Souths looked slick and made Saints look second best, when Saints have looked the best team by far so far this season in SL.
Yes I agree, they did. Personally thought Warrington should have won but that's neither here nor there.
The Wign game was awful by both sides although they could have still won in golden point, which if they did I don't think they deserved. Yes the pitch didn't exactly help to put on a good game but still, the mistakes they made were not because of how good Brisbane was, they just looked turd for some reason, which you don't expect when it comes to Wigan doing the basics well. Tbh they don't look as good as they did last season and you could tell that in the opening 2 games. Where we saw Widnes, who are meant to be the 11th placed side this year, draw with 12 men. They've lost too many good players and not replaced them over the last couple of years.
Souths easily looked the best out of the 6 teams compteting, the others weren't even close. Like I said above I'm not sure Saints two easy games this season did them any favors when it ccame to this match.They just lacked that cutting edge and intensity through the 80 minuted and tbh when you have to rely on Wilkin to be your play maker, your chances drop significantly.
Anyway, from a Wakey point of view, lets hope the games have taken something out of all 3 teams, not long till we play Saints is it. Just looking Cas have got them next then us. WIdnes and Salford inbetween , 2 winable games for us.
The Souths team is not a typical NRL side, every now and then in sport you get something special and that's Souths at the moment.
Whatever the reason, be it Crowe, The fight to be re admitted, Souths history, the Burgess story, Something specials happened at Souths.
There's other sports looking at how Souths prepare their athletes in much the same way that they once (and still do) looked at the NFL. Those athletes are some of the best and most coveted in the NRL and some are coveted by a number of other competitions and sports like no other group of Rugby League players are or ever were.
Sts got blown away, however Souths would have beaten any team of Rugby players on the planet on that form whether they're from SL, the NRL or any side pulled together in Union including the All Blacks!
Of course we're behind the Ausies, while ever we are an after thought of a sport in the UK we will always be behind them, this chase to catch them is unrealistic. They are for all intents and purposes the National sport of Australia, they get the pick of the best athletes available to them and also have the pulling power to make gifted athletes change their nationality. They have a profile which attracts the type of sponsorship, advertisers and hospitality customers that SL can only dream about. They have a TV contract that compares with the Premier League (not quite) but it dwarfs that of the SL. That in turn allows them to invest in facilities which are at the cutting edge of athlete preparation, stuff we won't get over here for a decade or so later if ever.
Every now and then we will assemble a team capable of beating their NRL counterparts but not this Souths team, they're too good and are a freakish product of a perfect storm.
The Souths team is not a typical NRL side, every now and then in sport you get something special and that's Souths at the moment.
Whatever the reason, be it Crowe, The fight to be re admitted, Souths history, the Burgess story, Something specials happened at Souths.
There's other sports looking at how Souths prepare their athletes in much the same way that they once (and still do) looked at the NFL. Those athletes are some of the best and most coveted in the NRL and some are coveted by a number of other competitions and sports like no other group of Rugby League players are or ever were.
Sts got blown away, however Souths would have beaten any team of Rugby players on the planet on that form whether they're from SL, the NRL or any side pulled together in Union including the All Blacks!
Of course we're behind the Ausies, while ever we are an after thought of a sport in the UK we will always be behind them, this chase to catch them is unrealistic. They are for all intents and purposes the National sport of Australia, they get the pick of the best athletes available to them and also have the pulling power to make gifted athletes change their nationality. They have a profile which attracts the type of sponsorship, advertisers and hospitality customers that SL can only dream about. They have a TV contract that compares with the Premier League (not quite) but it dwarfs that of the SL. That in turn allows them to invest in facilities which are at the cutting edge of athlete preparation, stuff we won't get over here for a decade or so later if ever.
Every now and then we will assemble a team capable of beating their NRL counterparts but not this Souths team, they're too good and are a freakish product of a perfect storm.
Great post but as the sky team said it didn't happen over night and took 8 years to come to fruition. Perhaps a lesson for the clubs who think they can buy success over a season or two.
There's also the fact the Souths play the Michael Maguire brand of win at all costs thugby league - gang tackles, reckless high shots, flopping and messing around at the ptb and feigning injury to create an advantage; I don't doubt that they have all the things that The Avenger has pointed out - but did that look like it was played by SL rules?
Wigan are the closest to that style of RL in SL and even there, they're light years behind the Aussies; it's like a different code of rugby.