Billy Slater would have struggled behind that england pack today. Blaming Sam Tomkins is crazy!

Aussies were as good as they needed to be. However they didn't put one sweeping, length of the field move. They just didn't make mistakes until it was all over. Both our wingers & centres were not up to it, though Briscoe & Cudjoe have the time & ability to come again. Should be a cracking final, NZ have nothing to fear.

I wouldn't like to single out Sam, as we were poor right across the backline again, but he does not convince me defensively or positionally as a full back at all. Paul Wellens has been tarred and feathered on here for much better full back performances than that in an international jersey.

Can't blame him for struggling in attack though - we failed yet again to gather any momentum up front.

I'd have to put Carvell in and any other players who have not played a game yet.

Blaming any of the players today is poor form. The video ref took the game out of our hands so as far as I'm concerned the players and coach are pretty much blameless. Yes they could have done better, however the video ref took the game out of our hands. One bad decision I can live with, two is a doubt but three is beyond poor. They may well have beaten us anyway but when playing teams of this quality you need some of the 50/50 to go your way but these weren't even 50/50!

Yet ironically people were happy to blame Widdop and Brown last week playing behind a pack that was 'more beaten'.

Got cheated tonight, in the World Cup this year and now we may aswel go for the hat-trick in the Ashes.

It's not about blaming Sam Tomkins. I think people are pointing out that he's not the one-man-messiah that some have made him out to be. He's a promising young player who has a long way to go. Today, he was poor in a poor side, and not to blame for England's defeat.

If I were an NRL scout judging on that game alone, the only players I'd want a second look at would be Graham and Westwood.

Correct. We should threaten not to play the ashes

Don't know why you've not included Westwood. Been Englans best player over both games.

Do you also want to blame those "cheating convicts" for the 165 unforced errors we made on the second tackle? Was it those "cheating convicts" that made Briscoe drop the most simplest of catches? Was it those "cheating convicts" that made O Loughlin forget he was a rugby player and just stand around aimlessly for the aussies first try?

England actively lost the game, errors meant the aussies were starting their sets in our 20 not their 20. the refs calls didnt help but the forward pass and the knock on tries both came off england errors.
Two crucial errors were going for two when we should go for a try and moron atkins running in to touch when we got a roll on for the first time in the game -these england players are incapable of putting together 10 or 20 good sets of six in a row, the best we got was 2 maybe three good sets without a knock on in attack or conceding a stupid penalty or running out of the defensive line

the kiwis make the aussies play under pressure, they are always in the game and that's why they have beaten them in a few finals

on tomkins (s) who is getting comment, why are we picking a player at full back who only plays there because he is a liability defending in the line? He cant run the ball out and cant read a bouncing ball, when he was on attack he made zero breaks and zero effective passes - all very well trundling out the beaten pack excuse but our forwards ran ok and there are halves in SL who play behind a crap pack and still impress.

To be honest the lads didn't completely disgrace themselves, small consolation I know. At least we battled throughout and didn't capitulate like we normally do in those positions. A couple of less silly mistakes and fair refs and we would have made a proper game of it.

I can't agree with that. Yes, there were some ropey calls, but to be honest Australia started to take it easy in the second half when they had a good lead. All ifs and buts, I know, but the hard truth is that we put them in the position to score all of those tries, questionable or otherwise, with our shocking discipline, with and without the ball.

Awesome, drop one of England's best players this morning and top tackler aswell.

Typical gooner.

What's with the 'cheating convicts' bit? Didn't the Australian guy knock though following Briscoe's knock on?

Wow.

Surely that's McNamara's fault for playing him there.
I know you wouldn't like to single out Sam... but he's the only player you mention


I don't think it's fair to compare him to wingnut as Sam Tomkins is a half back playing full back against the world's best side, wheras Wellens was a fullback who was found wanting on several occasions on the international stage.

So the video ref calls at vital moments in the game and the forward pass when we were on a roll obviously didn't help the Aussies win then ?

They could afford to take it easy because of those calls though.

Rugby league cannot be taken seriously when a team plays at home with officials from the same country.

I'm only mentioning him because I was responding to a comment about him. You'll notice I also said that we were poor right across the backs. Essentially I was agreeing with what you're saying - he doesn't look like a full back.

Because hes the only English back that would make the toyota cup comp, so our fans think he should be able to beat the aussies by himself, so when we lose, he is scapegoat number one.

?

Fair play


I think he can get away with playing at full back in SL, but as we all to well know, internationals are in a different galaxy.