FORUMS > Wigan Warriors > GB SQUAD |
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Club Captain | 4685 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/28.png) |
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| I wouldn't argue with that at all, but I expect he's more likely to swap Lomax and Widdop.
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International Star | 1081 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/28.png) |
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| Will be interesting to see Walmesley up against some equally large guys. I get the impression he has a soft interior behind that big aggressive appearance. A hard tackle and he will look a shadow of the big metre gainer he is against sub standard SL players mark my words.
Why the hell is Coote, Austin and Hastings in there? Its becoming a farce and any victory would look hollow. These guys are all Australian. Its got to the point that virtually anybody can play for anybody. Having an Aussie coach on top just makes it even more laughable.
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Player Coach | 7438 | No Team Selected |
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Feb 2005 | 19 years | |
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| Quote: The_Enforcer "Will be interesting to see Walmesley up against some equally large guys. I get the impression he has a soft interior behind that big aggressive appearance. A hard tackle and he will look a shadow of the big metre gainer he is against sub standard SL players mark my words.
Why the hell is Coote, Austin and Hastings in there? Its becoming a farce and any victory would look hollow. These guys are all Australian. Its got to the point that virtually anybody can play for anybody. Having an Aussie coach on top just makes it even more laughable.'"
Coote had previously declared for Scotland and played for them whilst in the NRL. Why is his inclusion such a travesty?
Hastings and Austin are different. Before they came here they’d have had no intentions of playing for England or GB but they qualify and it would be ludicrous not to consider them.
Australia do it, New Zealand too, Tonga have just started, England cricket, England RU, Wales RU, Scottish RU and Ireland RU do it amongst many, many others. Why are British RL fans the only ones who get up in arms about it?
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Club Captain | 1905 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/28.png) |
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Mar 2017 | 7 years | |
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75893_1553638551.jpg All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff.:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_75893.jpg |
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| Quote: The_Enforcer "Will be interesting to see Walmesley up against some equally large guys. I get the impression he has a soft interior behind that big aggressive appearance. A hard tackle and he will look a shadow of the big metre gainer he is against sub standard SL players mark my words.
Why the hell is Coote, Austin and Hastings in there? Its becoming a farce and any victory would look hollow. These guys are all Australian. Its got to the point that virtually anybody can play for anybody. Having an Aussie coach on top just makes it even more laughable.'"
About as farcical as wanting your team to lose to Salford so they didn't have to play Saints in the GF oops
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Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 939 | No Team Selected |
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Dec 2008 | 16 years | |
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Oct 2023 | May 2022 | LINK |
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| If we can pick the Aussies, we might as well. Although I'm strongly against it.
I don't see why we can't make a blanket rule.
To qualify you either have to:
Have been born there
or
Lived there for 10 years consecutively
Surely this rule makes clear sense and can't upset many?
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Club Coach | 29437 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/28.png) |
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Nov 2004 | 20 years | |
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| We’ve always had a massive downer on it in rugby league but it’s part and parcel of international sport now whether we like it or not. The Aussies have had a huge player pool to choose from for as long as I’ve watched the game, yet that’s never stopped them picking Fijians, Samoans and nipping in to get the odd player in front of the Kiwis.
The only thing I’d ask is that when we pick players of heritage then they’re in absolute top form and they’re definitely better then what we have. I’ve said above I think that applies to Hastings without doubt and Coote also (although I guess this will be a one off if we go back to England next year) but I’m not sure it does with Austin. Is he better than Lomax or Williams? Debatable IMO (and he’s got no form behind him) and I don’t think we need to overload the squad with heritage players.
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Club Owner | 1810 | No Team Selected |
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Oct 2003 | 21 years | |
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| No idea why Austin is in when he's been injured, has no form and we are covered for quality in the half backs already.
On the subject of people moaning about non GB or english born players being picked and how badly it reflects on RL. Take your head out of the sand and look around at every other inter ational sport,. Every england team has kiwi, south african, pacific islanders and has done for years. Almost half the cricet team were south african at one point.
This isn't a reason to knock RL. Same as criticising refs isnt a resaon to knock RL, every sport has problems justifying why a ref or video ref gets a decision wrong. Just look at the amount of umpiring decisions incorrectly called in the Ashes - and also those incorrectly called by the Aussie captain too!
I don't know why people are so he'll bent on moaning first instead of being positive. It's a big reason why as a sport we are shrinking.
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Player Coach | 433 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/28.png) |
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Feb 2008 | 16 years | |
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"I have this system where I support England first, then the other Home Nations, then the rest of the Commonwealth, then the rest of the World, then France.": |
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| Quote: ArcticGorilla "If we can pick the Aussies, we might as well. Although I'm strongly against it.
I don't see why we can't make a blanket rule.
To qualify you either have to
It does make sense but even this would rule Jason Taumalolo, for example, out of playing for Tonga. The difficulty we have nowadays is that nationality can be a fluid concept and some people can identify with more than one country, or a country of their heritage more than the country of their birth. We can see, in the case of many of those Tongan players, that they identify themselves with their Tongan heritage, despite not having lived there, or been born there. I think the problem for a lot of people is when we start having heritage players like Blake Austin and Jackson Hastings where you know that they have never, before now, identified themselves as being British. Any year of their life before now, if you asked them "what" they were they would have told you Australian, and that, I think, is why it doesn't sit right with a lot of us.
Ultimately, attempting to define what someone else is from the outside is quite difficult and I think we will struggle to find a rule that works for every situation. The rules are as they are, other nations are profiting from it and have for a long time, so I can see why this has arisen and, whichever of the guys pulls on the shirt will have my full support once the game starts. But I think we are heading down a road that will one day lead to a re-evaluation of precisely what international sport is.
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International Star | 520 | No Team Selected |
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Oct 2012 | 12 years | |
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| I’ve been waiting a lifetime to see us beat the Aussies in a series or World Cup , if and when we do I don’t want them saying we only did it because we had Australians in our team. I’d rather keep losing to be honest
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International Star | 1173 | No Team Selected |
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Nov 2011 | 13 years | |
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| Quote: Brick with eyes "I’ve been waiting a lifetime to see us beat the Aussies in a series or World Cup , if and when we do I don’t want them saying we only did it because we had Australians in our team. I’d rather keep losing to be honest'"
A little luckier than you as I have seen GB win 2 Ashes series, once in England(1952) and the other in Aus.(1970).
Cannot see any more series wins in my remaining lifetime!
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Club Coach | 29437 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/28.png) |
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Nov 2004 | 20 years | |
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| Quote: Freddie Miller. "A little luckier than you as I have seen GB win 2 Ashes series, once in England(1952) and the other in Aus.(1970).
Cannot see any more series wins in my remaining lifetime!'"
I’m not sure you know. They’ll always be favourites but if we had a three match series over here with them at the moment, I don’t think we’re that far behind. I cannot remember a time where we’ve been able to pick 6 quality halfbacks in a squad and not know which two will start. I also don’t remember a time that our squad looks as strong as it does even though top class players like Sam Burgess, Sean O’Loughlin, Tommy Makinson etc have had to pull out.
We’ve an Ashes series scheduled for next season. I’d love to think they’ll be played on cold November nights and even though the Aussies always have class coming through, they may just feel the retirements of the likes of Slater, Thurston, Cronk and Smith more than we’d imagine. Clearly Tedesco, Keary, Cherry-Evans and Cook are no mugs but are they up to that level or do they hold that same fear factor? I’m not sure they do. We’ve said it all before mind.
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International Board Member | 11376 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/18.png) |
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Sep 2002 | 22 years | |
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| Quote: NickyKiss "We’ve said it all before mind.'"
Yep - Darren Lockyer retiring was once meant to be the start of our glory years . . . . .
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Player Coach | 7438 | No Team Selected |
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| Quote: FearTheVee "Yep - Darren Lockyer retiring was once meant to be the start of our glory years . . . . .'"
We have. And we’ve also said exactly what I’m about to say too; we are getting closer to Australia, I’d even argue in the forwards we’re streets ahead and have been for quite some time.
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Player Coach | 5844 | ![](images/sitelogos/fullsize/28.png) |
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Aug 2006 | 18 years | |
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icons39ad_files/4821-1859san_c-msnicons.jpg Officially RLFAN's most Doe-eyed Happy Clapper.
Big Steve wrote:
The Internet has provided some wonderful creativity, opportunities and knowledge sharing but it has also given a worldwide forum for people you would leave a full pint behind in the pub to avoid having to listen to them.
aboveusonlypie...
If you don't bother to go to the game when you live in the locality then you are not really a fan and therefore your views are invalid. It's simple.:icons39ad_files/4821-1859san_c-msnicons.jpg |
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| Quote: moto748 "Just shows how the mighty can fall.'"
Yes, and there were those on here bemoaning our purchasing of players, which has been far from perfect, and saying we should be more like Leeds.
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Player Coach | 5193 | No Team Selected |
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20333_1393344959.gif Current thoughts - Mago out or get running up them plantations, get fit or get rid.
Maybe a back up halfback, someone with a bit of experience on a short term deal.
Big tall strong running second rower, like a McMeekin or Sironen type back rower.:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_20333.gif |
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| I think the Australians will get weaker over time due to the amount of Polynesians playing in the juniors and reserve grades who will pick New Zealand or one of the Island nations over Australia.
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