Many of the skills of yesteryear disappeared with the 10 metre rule (as opposed to 6 yards).
The modern game is more of a power game, having said that there are plenty of quality players about, its jusat that most of them dont have an English accent.

I'm not sure if it's the skill factor with NZ all the fact they have a vastly superior mentality to us.

We aren't that far off the pace against them usually but they can take Oz any time they want, something we can only dream of doing.

franchising has seemed to make on field things less important as say stadia, so it really doesn't matter how you play so why bother about it ?

the sharks/ storm alliance have just announced their second string team for this week...

this team WOULD win any game in SL this week, even the sharks fans are amazed at its depth and quality!

1 Ryan Tongia
2 Isac Gordon
3 Dean Collis
4 Beau Champion
5 Anthony Quinn
6 Jason McGrady
7 Tim Smith
8 Siosaia Vave
9 Paul Aiton
10 Johnny Mannah
11 Jarred Farlow
12 Atelea Vea
13 Broderick Wright

INTERCHANGE
14 Andrew Clayton
15 Robbie Rochow
16 Jake Hawkins
17 Kose Lelei
21 Ricky Leutele

Is that the Vave we were linked to at the end of last season? Would be nice to have Champion, Quinn and Smith in our side. Paul Aiton ain't bad either

That is a scarily good 'second string' side; I agree, it would probably beat any of the top 8 with ease.

Just watched Newcastle and they had a 7 on debut and he was awesome, he had tried at the cowboys and had a couple of goes and I think he was 24 and suddenly it clicked at Newcastle on his debut, good kicking, fast and crazy step. Looked completely at home. Stigg he was called.

There is also some very average players in that team, i watch them every week because my nephew is in that team. To suggest they would win any SL game is just rubbish. I think a lot of you English RL fans are totally obsessed with Australian players, they're not all superhuman.

I agree, very good looking side but saying it would beat any of our top 8 is a big call.

my comment was not intended to suggest that thesee people are superhuman... but I do contest that if that team were substituted for any superleague team this weekend, they would very likely win the game...

I watchd SL live for the first decade (some of that as a lifelong Trinity fan), and have been involved in the game as a player and coach in the uk for 30+ years... during that time and since, I have consulted with world leading sports and performance coaches across a diversity of sports and across the world... I am currently a 2011 member (and have been a member now for 3 years - since moving to Australia) at Cronulla Sharks and have a young teenage son playing in the lower cronulla sutherland leagues... I have seen the majority of the players in that cronulla team play live on many occasions this season and watched this team also play a few times... my comparison is based on team performance, preparation, fitness, tactics and skill... and I stand by my comparison, and is also based on what I have seen produced in superleague this year. ..

I would challenge your definition of 'average' as there are international and other rep players contained in ths squad, alongside some very talented young players, a combination the majority of SL teams can only dream about!

would be interested in who your nephew is (and whether you consider him also to be 'average')... I might know him!

ps FWIW I think Trinity should make efforts to sign Tongia and Gorden for next season.

incredibly... I just read a post on the Sharks rumour mill that Wakefield are trying to sign Ryan Tongia!!!!

how fast does the rumour mill work??

So do i mate.

That could be RT then

Not another FB