Good to see Todd 'Carnage' Carney showing the NRL he is back with a bang. What a legend.

Barry McKenzie has always been an admirer of TC, I cant wait until he is selected for the mighty Green n' Golds. If he keeps playing like he did today I think we will see him in rep colours later this year.

Thats the good thing about Aussie footy, the old guard like Price and Locky hang their boots up and we have players coming through the ranks who will undoubtedly equal what those blokes achieved.

Then there was the 'saviour' of South Sydney Rabbitohs. Little Sammy 'I really really want to be an Aussie' Burgess. As predicted by Barry McKenzie... he went missing.

Rusty. Why did you do it?

Barry McKenzie has always had a soft spot for Souths. I even have a vintage Cardinal and Myrtle jumper from the old NSWRL days back home. But I'm a little uncomfortable with them signing inferior players just to help the so called 'developing nations.' Sure, I know as a competition we have to do our bit to help countries develop their players.

But can't they all just go to Wests or the Storm or something??

Topped the Souths stats for metres and tackles didn't he.

Inferior players...

You have to laugh. The Sharkies have a full team of them.

Im sure the likes of Josh Cordoba & Kane Snowden would keep Sam out of the Sharks team every week....

Another fine piece of trolling by Barry

Errrmmmmm

It's hardly trolling champ.


Todd Carney was electric.

Little Sammy B made no impression whatsoever.

Poor Sam Burgess, because of the hype created by the media, the guy is in a lose-lose situation. The media can be and will be cruel and over look little things like as stated, Burgess leading their tackle count and gaining the most metres. It is what it is, but I feel for the kid. In a losing side, he did well with 13 hit ups for 144m and 28 tackles.

p.s. Comparing Todd Carney with Sam Burgess? A prop sometimes back rower with a five-eight sometimes fullback

A new one. Can't wait to debate Greg Inglis being better than him when they meet each other.

He will justify all the hype.

He's got great footwork, a great tackle technique, promotes the ball at will, breaks the line on regular occasions etc.

He's head and shoulders better than anything poor Barry McKenzies Sharkies have got too offer.

The Aussies just wish he was one of them

In a nutshell.... Little Sammy B has been getting 'bigged up' since he signed for the Rabbits. If you believed the hype (generated largely by Rusty himself) this guy can win games by himself. Sell the rest of the side to superleague. Change the name to South Sammy Rabbitohs. Give him the golden boot and the Dally M medal now.

Then lo and behold... the big day arrives.

Sammy looks ordinary. Very ordinary.


As those of us with a bit of nous knew all along.

We all hope so, it would be great for South Sydney and the game of rugby league. With that said, the hype bestowed upon him is over the top. Some are comparing him to some of the greatest English forwards to have played the game at what? Age 21. Silly in my opinion. Burgess should be left to play the game and not carry the extra burden that comes from hack journalists looking for an easy story.

Done with Barry - if it looks like a troll, smells like a troll, it is a troll. All the best Barry, say hi to Harold Holt when you see him

Nah, you've got it all wrong sonshine.

He's getting 'bigged up' as you put it, because he is THAT good. He's the complete forward. He's young, hungry, and will learn a lot from playing in RL'S elite competition on a weekly basis.

Lets compare him; You have the likes of O'Donnell, Gallen, Waterhouse, Laffranchi, Harrison, Myles, Hoffman, Tupou, Hindy, Glenn Stewart etc. He' better than all of them, already.

You clearly have no 'nous' at all if your writing this kid off after one game. It's more like you dont have a in clue.

Ahhhhh

So his performance against the Chooks is a cunning plan to just make people THINK he is overrated???

I didn't think of that. Clearly he is more intelligent than he looks.

Goddamn you Rusty! You think of everything!!!

The journos across the pond are right to big him up. They can put all the pressure on the lad they want, he will come good. I agree, it is over the top, but what can you do? All Sam can do is play his normal game, and earn the plaudits the Aussie journo's are bestowing on him.

This is a little strong on the nose and perhaps you're buying in to the hype being created. This is what I am talking about, the expectations placed on a kid with one game under his belt at NRL level is "apparently" better than some week in, week out proven performers at the NRL and representative level. I don't think so. Sam joins any conversation for talking about the best forward in the game - based on reputation. He won't take any such mantle until he proves to all that he can deliver in the NRL competition week to week.

Many English imports have come to Australia with loft reputations and many have left with their tale between their legs. I am not saying this will be Sam Burgess, but I am saying 'proceed with caution' before you start putting him a top the mountain that he is yet to climb.

Yea, that must be it!

If the likes of Sandow and Luke had shown up yesterday, Sam's job would have been made a whole lot easier.

But hey, 80 minutes of solid rugby and your ready to send him back home already . You must be more scared than I thought

Sammy B is in Australia for a couple of reasons.

The main one is to increase revenue for Russell Crowes club. Russell Crowe is a smart cookie (for a kiwi) What better way to get people interested in your club than to sign a bloke who has been 'bigged up' (I hate that expression) to be to Rugby League what Jesus was to feeding lots of people with a few fish?

The second reason is to try and improve British players. The NRL has a duty to try and improve the international game. The only way to do that is to give players from developing Rugby league nations a run in the best competition in the world.

People need to think outside the box a little bit for once.

Key word: earn.

Apart from the All Stars game, there is nothing suggesting he is THE standout forward in the world at the moment. He will earn that title if he can produce consistently in the NRL for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. I think he will live up to the plaudits, I just choose to give him a chance to settle in to the weekly grind before I start heralding him the second coming of Adrian Morley and the like.

Ive no need to proceed with caution, and neither has any other Englishman who wants to see Sam do well. And I don't need to buy into hype created by 10 a penny Aussie journos. Im quite capable of forming my own opinion on Burgess.

Its not a case of putting the kid at the top of the mountain either. He will do that all by himself

Whats with the Blues avatar? Do you actually even know who the NSW blues are?

Oh please, duty to improve the international game. If the Aussies had it their way, there would be one side in the world, and thats themselves. They couldnt give two s about the international game. If Australian RL acknowledged that their was another RL competition across the pond, then maybe the International game might fair a bit better.

Prime example; Early this morning when I was watching the Titans and Warriors, the commentator mentioned that Greg Bird had been out of the game for 12 months. Now you see, thats funny that, because I swear I saw him playing for Catalans last year.

I agree with you on the Crowe dynamic. Burgess will put bums on seats, and sell shirts. But the overall picture is that Souths have signed Burgess because they recognize that he is a quality player, and will get even better playing in the worlds best RL comp every week!

NRL doing a duty to the international game. Give me a friggin break Barry

Well it certainly seems that way....think about it whay else would you come on an Englisg board and slag off the only English player on the field?? As he was Souths top metre gainer and tackler surely you could have slagged off Asotasi/Taylor/Pettybourne....hell anyone else in the Souths pack??!!

Or just left it at Todd Carney was great?

It's like me going on a Aussie soccer forum and going 'Tim Cahill is crap' everytime he doesn't score a goal?? Not big or clever.

Yea, they play in the Aussie soccer league don't they! I love them I do...

Barry, straying off topic to have a dig at some 'pom' whom he assumes looked up NSW on a map once, because of his avatar.

Must try harder

The violins are coming out ... done with the thread. I believe your English bias is now showing old_faithful. Just my opinion. Take the blinkers off.

The Super League will continue to remain the 'Poor Man's NRL' if only because they:

1. Continue to stockpile teams with Australian players and'

2. Neglect their own junior development.

But that's another thread.

All in all, Sam Burgess has to prove himself in the NRL before he can wear any such mantle bestowed upon him by hack journo's or passionate English fans. It's just how it is and how it should be. Burgess made a solid start, nothing out of the ordinary as per his job description, and I believe he will justify some of that hype in 2010. Time will tell. I wish him well.

The 2000 World cup lost a fortune. So much so they didnt even bother having another one until 2008. And that one (organised by Australia) made a fortune.

International Rugby League can be a real money spinner.

Its a given that there are only really 3 main competitive RL playing nations. Aus, NZ and England.

Despite England being one of the worst sides I've ever seen in the last world cup the poms came out in their droves. They spent money. They stayed in hotels. They bought souvenirs.

It's in everyones interests to have a strong (or at least one that LOOKS strong) England side playing international footy. It makes money.

If the NRL need to sign players like Burgess and Eliss to help out then although I don't agree with it, I can understand the logic.

You have got a NSW Blues jumper too havent you??





now now. You KNOW Barry McKenzies opinions on Poms and NRL footy jumpers

I've got one too, pretty mean, $40 from canterbury in Sydney....good for training too.

Just a quick one...I think part of the success of the WC was the fact the ARL got the right sponsors as much as it was crowds....I mean even with less crowds in the UK we pay a lot more for our seats.

They did well to get holiday inn and jetstar as a part of it all....so I'm guessing to put the teams up and fly internally in Oz was next to nothing, probably saved a small fortune there? Can't imagine that we could get such sponsors here as it's not high profile enough....maybe Jet2 as a northern budget airline (but their average fleet age is 20+ years and a bit minging!)?