Improved goal-line attack and defence, getting rid of silly errors yet still playing expansively, and luck/rub of the green from the ref will all be needed - plus the Aussies being overconfident.

The goal-line at both ends is key. We have to be able to pressure Australia when they have the ball, and be more effective at the other end.

I can't see past an Australia win. They are still a long way ahead in execution of plays in attack, and yet less likely to concede points through dumb errors near their own line. It would be massive for international RL if we could do it, and we have a slight chance, but I think Australia will win.

On a side topic, suggesting that the retirement of the likes of Lockyer will be a relief is rubbish. Australia produces quality new players every year, and we've been saying for years that things will be different when X or Y is gone. That's the difference - we haven't had a genuine class halfback since Goulding for example, Australia have produced probably 5 or 6 great players in that time. The same is true across the board. What's in our favour at the moment going forward is that we have some outside backs of actual quality who are also young, with more coming through. That's a huge change.

We will always win.

If you fear an opponent, where does that leave you? Smack the living crap out of Thurston as he's a known soft çock in the NRL, with bung shoulders. Apply the same amount of push as the aussies do and we'll rattle them. We still have too much one out footy.

I just can't understand the negativity towards Sinfield. He's done a great job. His work rate is excellent. His team - Leeds - have been pretty successful on the back of his ability. There at least 10 players who I'd drop before I dropped Sinfield.

Before I'm asked to name then I will:

Briscoe, Yeamans, Reed, Chase, Morley, Peacock, Wilkin, Heightington (or whatever his name is), Wilkin, Widdop.

So you'd drop both Wilkins ? ,

interesting concept

The Aussies have got another gear in them.

This week we will have all these fairy stories on this forum but after the weekend we can get down to discussing the proper issues, do we need a new coach, are there too many overseas players in the league, is it time for Morley/Peacock/Sinfield/Ellis/Wilkin to be pensioned off?

Dropping him twice isn't enough, he needs to be dropped from the team then dropped from the squad and then repeatably dropped until he stops whining

Like most, I think we have a genuine chance for once, but think Aus will win.

If a lot of things go our way we can win. We won't, though.

Had the game against NZ been reffed properly we'd have been running points in against 11 men.

You're not Leeds fan then. He worked hard, tackled well, kicked intelligently and moved our forwards around perfectly. Organised, tidy and efficient, the same qualities that have enabled Australia to cr@p all over us for 30+ years.
But no, let's play unpredictable off the cuff bollony, force every pass and p!$$ posession away like we've tried for so long and see how that works.

Exactly. Without the percentage paly and guidence Sinfiled gives us, we'll be playing out of our own half for the whole game.

Sinfield was a little guilty of forcing some short passes, but apart from that, he's doing a bang up job.

I do like it when Chase takes up first receiver, which he has been doing. He spent the whole game against France and Wales stood wide and was innafective.
When he's at 1st receiver, he creates doubt, which in turn sucks the defending players in to create space on the wings.

As I've said in the MOM thread, that's a complete myth. Sinfield didn't touch the ball most sets until the last tackle and it was Roby directing things from dummy half. Sinfield's positional kicking was good, but it's not hard to do that when you are kicking from inside the opposition's half every time because the pack is so dominant.

Every time we have a decent performance in one of these competitions, people start believing we're a match for the Aussies. I think we're probably closer this year than we have been for a while, but I still think they'll hsve a bit too much class when it matters. I really hope I'm proved wrong.