Lol right oh pal.

I think the main point is that we didn't peak at all last night, which is good looking towards the games against Aus and NZ. All round we need to be more clinical and i dont think we can judge the team on just one performance. I think we do need time to gel and peak. I thought our forwards looked half decent although sometimes very wasteful. The backs need time and a fair bit of work imo.

Your no pal of mine player hater.

Alright Wally Lewis calm down. if we played Tomkins and Myler in halfs we would get murdered because between them theyve probably only got about 20 SL games under their belts let alone internationals. Mcguire has proven he is the best stand off we have and always produces in big games! What an un educated comment yours was. You can not put 2 kids in half backs against Lockyer and Thurston.

Would like to see a Eastmond/Tomkins combination, we are not going to win the competition anyway so why not look to the future and give them the international experience. I would put McQuire out to the centres, he goes quiet when the mid field is tight, still can,t understand why Smith picks Smith, 3 more games and his career in league has gone.

yeah i think if Atkins had been fit he might not have but we are really struggling in the centres as imo Shenton is no where near good enough at this standard.

I take it you don't believe internationals are big games then because he has never produced in an international. Tompkins and eastmond are good enough despite a lack of experience and should be given a chance.

Same question: how do you come by that opinion? He was only on 10 minutes and in that time he made a cracking try-saving tackle on the line, which has to be the ultimate in defence! I'm just a bit confused as to how you came by your opinion, that's all.

He played at centre in the Grand Final and managed to score all our points. He offers some superb passes and excellent kicks as well as managing to be all over the park both in attack and defence. His pace and zip are good too. So I can only really think of centre and fullback; the latter giving him the most play options.

The simple fact is that Eastmond and Tomkins are the 2 best young players we have on current form. Eastmond showed Myler up in just 10 mins last night and Tomkins did the same last week. I rate Myler, but he's seriously out of form. We're going to get mullered anyway so at least give the fans something to get excited about and play the pair of them! They both still have deficiencies in their game but they'll probably also give us a few moments to savour and, who knows, might even give the Aussies something to think about. At least, that's what Lockyer seems to think if his comments re: Tomkins is anything to go by.

So basically your saying pick on experience not on form if so thats been the problem in the past

Myler and Tomkins are the 2 most exciting and in-form halves we have and your saying they can't play because they have no experience, now thats a stupid comment...

I'm sorry but I saw nothing from McGuire against France to suggest he could pull anything out against a far superior Aussie and Kiwi side!

Agree...he did about as much as Roby

I'll stand by my quote, they compliment each other very well and it's a shame we don't have em both at Saints, Tomkins step reminds me of Tommy Martyn esq

I think if these two stay in RL they have the potential of being the best combination in the world.

With players like Tomkins and Eastmondf in our armoury why hold them back by playing mediocre like McGuire. Let them play 6 and 7 and by doing that we would need a massive aggressive pack against the Kiwis to set the platform.

Still too early to judge Eastmond - but considering that he was up against the 'best in the world' he did himself a lot of good for the short time he was on.

Ch.

The biggest mystery to me was "What was happening with our defence down the right side in the first half."

I don't think that it was solely the fault of the centre and wingman - as on occasions the Aussies had 3 or 4 against 2. A long pass was bound to find us out and did so.

Could Smith not see what was happening from his vantage point and send out a message to get it sorted. The Aussies on the field could see it and exploited it.

He appears to have taken some measures at half time but by then it was too late.

For what it's worth I thought Burgess had quite a good game.

Cheers

Ch.

After watching it again I agree, Smith should have changed things round on that right hand side far earlier, though the problems stem from the entire team being dragged in bar one try.

We look far better in the second half when McGuire and Tomkins seem to play as a more conventional 6 and 7, and even better late on when Eastmond moves to 7.

disagree pal. he's had his time its now time for younger better players to get thier chance and in eastmond and especially tomkins we have that i.m.o

Typo fixed.

I don't buy that, they are too professional for that.

indeed.

Aussies never take their foot off the gas - especially against the Poms. They would have loved nothing better than putting 50 on us again.

In fact, had Burgess' try not been disallowed, we would have gone into the last 5 minutes with only 4 points in the game - and the Aussies potentially facing an early flight home.

Even the best players can take a breather. It's not like it doesn't happen in the NRL.

Would have - could have - should have.

I've heard it all before.

Not for 40 minutes.

Slaters reactions at being regularly pinned back in his own 10 in the second half showed that he wasn't just taking it easy.

I think that's more a case of him being a bit of a pr!ck.