World Club Challenge

[Vambo]

It's Friday night at 8pm English time. I estimate that to be Saturday morning in Aus?

And yes SANZAR I remember 2003. When we approached the game all cock eyed - we played one game, a cross code challenge against Sale before that match. Ian Millward got little wrong in his time at Saints, he messed up with that one.
[/b]

Sadly he got nothing right in his time at Wigan :rahh:
Higham for Newton Embarrassments at Leeds and Stains :ranting: Some of his signings were downright bizarre :wall:

 

[St Helens RLFC]

I originally typed "Ian Millward did little wrong" and then thought on. In fact, no, after his spell at Wigan, Ian Millwrd still did little wrong!

 

[sanzar]

It's Friday night at 8pm English time. I estimate that to be Saturday morning in Aus?

And yes SANZAR I remember 2003. When we approached the game all cock eyed - we played one game, a cross code challenge against Sale before that match. Ian Millward got little wrong in his time at Saints, he messed up with that one. [/b]

Now who's making excuses?

 

[Temana]

WCC should be played down here but your right about people not supporting it. The english have always taken it more seriously and thus have won more games. In games that really count the aussies always win and thats the key is that games they want to win they do. And I am a kiwi and said to say this.

 

[melon]

Temana, we are talking about a professional sport. Attitudes aside, each team should strive to win every single game, no matter where, when or why it is being played.

I think its quite unreasonable to say the only reason the English have won more games in the WCC is because they have taken it more seriously. This is not the case. There are many factors including home advantage and being in the middle of the season...HOWEVER, we can't cry foul about that rubbish forever. The dominant factor is that they have overall been better. The reasons for being better don't matter. The bottom line is all that counts.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

WCC should be played down here but your right about people not supporting it. The english have always taken it more seriously and thus have won more games. In games that really count the aussies always win and thats the key is that games they want to win they do. And I am a kiwi and said to say this. [/b]

Wrong. Brisbane took it VERY seriously in 2001 and 2007 and both times were sent packing.

 

[Vambo]

The 20 man squads have been announced for the Carnegie World Club Challenge against the Melbourne Storm which will take place at the home of Leeds United, Elland Road on Friday 29th February. Will it be a repeat of 2005?

Brian McLennan has once again named an unchanged squad to take on the Melbourne Storm in the WCC at Elland Road this Friday. It's likely that the Rhinos will field the same squad that was triumphant at Old Trafford in October.

Leeds Rhinos: Webb, Donald, Toopi, Senior, Smith, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield, Lauitiiti, Bailey, Scruton, Kirke, Ablett, Hall, Burgess.

Melbourne Storm: Slater, Turner, Chambers, Folau, Quinn, Aitken, Cronk, Lima, Geyer, White, Smith, Hoffman, Johnson, Kaufusi, Blair, Manu, Tagataese, MacDougall, Nielsen, Tolman.

Referee: Ashley Klein

Video Referee: Phil Bentham

How come A. Clown always get the big games?

Very strong Leeds squad.
Looking forward to seeing how Slater goes for Storm... on his day he can be fantastic.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

Klein and Bentham.... oh dear god.

Come on Melbourne!

 

[esoj]

finally league returns to the box at long last. should be interesting to see how the storm go, first real look at an nrl team this year.

 

[Vambo]

30 minutes until kick off.

COME ON LEEDS :cheers:

 

[Vambo]

The wind is howling at Elland Road which will make things a whole lot harder for the players. Webb & Slater at fullback can expect some high balls coming their way!

 

[St Helens RLFC]

I feel ill watching Leeds win anything.

 

[Prestwick]

Well that was a bit of an anti-climax.

Whats so amazing about Israel Folau again?

 

[dobrien7]

Would be interesting to see this game nearer the middle of Melbourne's season... impossible I know but meh.

 

[Vambo]

A good game I thought despite the conditions.
Much kudos to Melbourne for coming over, showing great respect and representing the NRL with honour. They came with a simple gameplan and sussed out the ref early doors who IMO let them get away with too much in slowling the play the ball down and I don't think their markers were ever square at any ptb in the game.
Some massive hits in the game and some great ball carriers on display.
I thought Kevin Sinfield fully deserved the MOM and he is maturing into a great player and a great captain.

A few injuries picked up during the game which will be a worry. Toopi dislocated his shoulder and McGuire also picked up a shoulder injury (should have been a penalty as well IMO for a late hit).

 

[candybum]

Shucks leeds has a few NZ influences i'd have to say lol pity the conditions

 

[St Helens RLFC]

Well that was a bit of an anti-climax.

Whats so amazing about Israel Folau again? [/b]

He's from the Southern Hemisphere.

 

[sanzar]

<div class='quotemain'> Well that was a bit of an anti-climax.

Whats so amazing about Israel Folau again? [/b]

He's from the Southern Hemisphere.

[/b][/quote]

Yes, our SH players are so incredibly over rated aye Dan. The NRL teams have had a pretty bad time in these WCCs (and lets not pretend that the SL don't have even a little bit of an advantage), but remind me how many series GB has won against the Kangaroos in the last 50 years . In any case Folau was a rising star last year, but really just a boy still (only 18 years of age), in reality Inglis was their biggest strike weapon...
But yeah an 11-4 victory with a number of games under their belt and played in their own backyard... sounds like Melbourne really got humiliated in this one .

 

[St Helens RLFC]

I wanted them to win Sanzar!

 

[sanzar]

Sounds like Melbourne did put in a bit of prep for this one though and that it was a pretty good match all told (despite the conditions). But Leeds were pretty solid by all accounts and Melbourne were just a little lacking in direction by comparison... oh well, at least they took it seriously (unlike so many other NRL sides) and gave it their best shot and put up a solid fight.