Souths used the same argument when they initially refused to release Sam Burgess for this test match. Few NRL players, let alone elite test stars like Darren Lockyer or Johnathon Thurston, are asked to play against semi pro teams, let alone the week before a test match.



Saints fans disagreed on this topic near end of page 1: [url=http://viewtopic.php?f=18&t=457763The Barrow Clans are Gathering[/url

From 2003 to 2009, the average points differential between a SL and a Championship/C1/NL club was 41 points. SL clubs have won 88 of those ties, and semi pro clubs have won 3 times. Barrow's chance was and should have been minimal, and elite players like Eastmond should be rested from a match like that.



NZ's resources are a fraction of yours, and they have defeated Australia in two recent series. Elite player management, and the structure of elite competitions, is the real issue.

PLAYER BASE
OVERALL PARTICIPATION
NZRL - 16,728 (SPARC Review 2009)
RFL 62,463 (2004), [url=http://www.sportfocus.com/newspub/story.cfm?ID=32299285,000 in 2009[/url),

English RL anywhere from 5 to 20 times as many players as NZRL.

OVERSEAS IMPORTS
Australian NRL system (not including NZ Warriors or Auckland Vulcans NSW Cup team) - 92 overseas players
NZ Warriors/Auckland Vulcans - 7 overseas players. 28% of NRL squad.

PRO CLUBS
England
Full time = 12 Super League
Part Time = 20 Champ/C1

NZ
Full time = 1 (Warriors)
Part Time = 1 (Auckland Vulcans NSW Cup)

Also, the Kiwis have capped at least seventeen players born and/or trained overseas since 1996.

SERIES/TOURNAMENT VICTORIES OVER AUSTRALIA SINCE 1996 (since full time professionalism)
KIWIS - RLWC 2008, 3N 2005
ENGLAND/GB - nil.

Gotta be a Wiganer.

I agree, mcguire is far more than the support player he once was, as burrows form has diminished his seems to have improved, His main problem for me is his defence, if he could improve that he should be in the mix for international selection. The problem is who does he replace both eastmond and tompkins are naturally differant players who will get better the more internationals they play and will surpass mcguire imho as they are both better players than mcguire was at there age.

Bit misleading saying he is top for try assists by the way, he hasnt been top for try assists, he is currently 8th and before that has been 10th, 7th 2nd and 7th. Which is good but on average he is out of the top 5, so you cant really say he 'tops the try assists'.

Sorry, i was a bit vague. He is top at Leeds for try assists.

Ah i see, makes more sense now.

Guisset is, but you can always tempt them back with a good ego massage.
Gigot will probably play hooker as Kane is not in the squad (probably still sidelined from his knee injury).
You're thinking Bartheau at SO, who I would have thought should be included, not sure who will play SO if he doesn't, unless we go with Gigot, at which point who will play hooker? Bartheau has not had a good super league this year, he needs to bulk up as he gets pushed about a bit too much - he had a good International last year so I would have thought Bobbie would stick with him.