The big thing that stands out to me is the fact that the Aussie teams are always undercooked when they play the WCC. Even today they did not seem cohesive (bad conditions taken into consideration). Leeds have had 4 SL games up to today i think. Melbournes first NRL game is on March 13. For me this is a huge leveller. I think it would be a different story if the Australian teams had played a few NRL games before the WCC.

Yet three final wins in it would tell you otherwise.

Play it at the end of each season and English teams would lose by a country mile - partly because of the extra games we play but mainly because the Aussies would be on top form

One thing that stands out for me, is when Saints beat Brisbane 18-14 a few years back and Lockyer was sat in the dressing room after the game, distraught. It obviously meant a lot, i think a lot of it comes from the media rather than the clubs.

fact is the aussie teams will quite happily have a player go in for an operation or rest a slightly injured player for the WCC where operations would be delayed or players given pain killing injections if it was the NRL grandfinal.

once the players cross the line i have no doubt there out there to win, but there preperation towards the game is not all it could be

then you arent looking closely enough

the game has as much credibility in australia as the S14.

where was melbournes first chouce 7 last night?

I get the impression that some NRL clubs take it more seriously than others, and more seriously than what the Aussie public and media would like to believe. Melbournes reaction to the final siren tonight and the expressions on the faces of Darren Lockyer and Wayne Bennett after Brisbane lost to St Helens a few years ago suggest that there are clubs who take it seriously. The public convince themselves that they don't to make losing more palatable.

they're, there, their (the full set all in one sentence, congratulations).

Apart from that, an excellent point well made (despite being grammatically incorrect).

at least we had an aussie ref to even out the fact it was played on foreign soil and in the same city the rhinos are from

If you think Aussies don't take ANY competition against us Poms seriously, you're sadly deluded.

It could be a game of pool, a pub argument, or the WCC - they want to win, just as much as we want to win.

These ocker fools posting on here have no idea whatsoever - they can see their teams looks distraught or elated according to the result just like the rest of us, yet choose to ignore the obvious and bleat on about a 'trial' game. I can only assume none of them have ever actually played.

You'd have thought Melbourne had just won the NRL Grand Final from the way they reacted to their final try and the final hooter. Leaping around, whooping, cheering, going mad like a schoolboy side.

Can't see the word trial used in these "post victory" Australian articles. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5835434591 www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -pbhi.html

Can't see the word trial used in these "post victory" Australian articles. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5835434591 www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -pbhi.html

in other sports we might get decent competition at it.

but when it comes to RL, we own the sport.

most aussies would be shocked to learn that the game came from england. i was most surprised to find your nation invented the sport

id always associated england with non contact sports like soccer, cricket or union.

We are the Champions!
Another trophy for Storm!
First Aussie club to win two WCC!

woo hoo. 4.083984375:5