Quote: His Bobness "Queensland Cup to Super League is a massive step change in quality no matter what the Aussies say.
Sam Obst has been a standout in Queensland Cup just like he used to be in our own lower leagues but didn't come close in Super League even when he was young enough.
McCarthy seems to have developed his skills in the Qld cup and looks a better player than when he was a squad member at Warrington but then again he would do against lesser players.
He wasn't good enough for Super League when Warrington let him go and clearly no NRL club has been persuaded otherwise during his time in the ultra remote far flung outpost of Cairns, North East Australia
McCarthy has been a good player for Northern Pride in the small remote town of Cairns which is 1,000 miles from anywhere else. Qld cup is regarded as vastly inferior to NSW cup which is why Roopy thought Penrith Panthers reserve team (who play in the NSW cup) would beat Northern Pride by at least 30.
They didn't but all the same, McCarthy has been playing at a sub standard level this past year which is not a good guide to his prospects in Super League.'"
The Qld cup is a semi pro league, but it isn't exactly a bush league. Teams that bred players like Wally Lewis, Mal Meninga, the Walters brothers and Alf Langer all play in the Qld cup and Qld based NRL clubs use Qld cup teams as de facto reserve grade sides. The Northern Pride is basically reserve grade for the North Queensland Cowboys.
They beat Penrith reserve grade, a side that has something like 10 players with NRL experience and a few players with 100 + NRL games.
Basically, the Northern Pride just proved they are currently the best side in Australia not in the NRL.
