Brown's having a great WC, esp considering he was a late replacement callup to the squad for that mid-season Samoa game.

If you'd have told me earlier in the season that he'd not only be on the plane, but getting the nod at 6 ahead of Williams and Widdop, at the business end of the tournament, I wouldn't have believed you.

And it's completely on merit. He's taken his chances and shown he's got something about him.

I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing him back in P&B next season.

Like any half back you’re only as good as the metres your pack makes.

Hope Hill’s blip in form is temporary and we see the proper Mike Cooper next season. I still feel we are a bit light up front compared to other teams. Maybe Westwood will be a regular prop providing some much needed biff and grunt.

I'm hoping Akauola and BBM can ofset the weaknesses or form dips from Hill and Cooper to carry the pack on a front foot so Brown can do what his does.

And still to many mistakes.

Gale has been awful so far in an otherwise good performance. Defence looks good. Brown doesn't have a kicking game but has been decent.

We've passed well, and scrambled brilliantly when we've been opened up.

Individually
Graham has been immense
Burgess hard to handle
Widdop improving at FB
Brown done OK, just wish he'd take the line on, more
Gale and Bateman are not international class
Hill is miles away from the player he was

Attendance is 30,003

WTF

They just won that and the ref gave us the win

Ridiculous last 10 minutes. The Aussies will have had a few concerns for the previous 70, as we showed a lot of resolution.
The end showed our soft underbelly.
Worrying. Very worrying.

Next week, we MUST find a kicking game, to open them up. At the moment, we don't have one. One decent single attacking kick in 80 mins is pathetic. The Aussies will simply lap up our pressure.

If we don't kick well, we've no chance

What was that, seriously.

Rewound it numerous times, seeing it as a loose carry now but got away with one big time

We will get annihilated next week if we defend like that

The ball was stripped from Mcgillvary a few plays earlier. The ref didn't blow then so he could hardly penalise England for doing the same.

Currie's defence was shocking

Im not too sure it was really currie’s fault, he had no inside defender for their second try and was trying to cover for gale on the third who go thrown out of the way.

He possibly could of done better but other then that he was solid and didnt miss a tackle.

And that's why we must hope that Hodgson is fit. He may not be the most dynamic hooker in the game but he has a decent kicking game to take the pressure off Gale.

From what I saw Currie was at fault for 2 of their tries.

Chris Hill for me has shown nothing.He could learn a lot from them Tongan forwards how to run through defences.

Obviously the game was in it's closing stages ,our lads were tired & thought the game was won ,but Tonga coming up with a ten minute spell of urgency sure put the skids under our defence. I just hope the Aussie's don't use that tactic from the start.
As for Chris Hill ,he is in most tackles & there is more to his game than trying to run through brick walls & he is a good distributor of the ball when needed.

I like Chris Hill as a player but have to agree with you.
Bennett wont change the front row against Australia but with Taylor given limited game time and chomping at the bit i would have played him against Australia.

In other news, at least it looks like Roby will start in Brisbane.

who ever won today were lambs to the slaughter next week against the aussies...but what a game that was..best game ive seen for years..it had everything

A 1 on 1 strip isn't a penalty... The argument is should the ref have just played on of its classed as a strip, as Fifita went on to score.

It's a strange one to not send up to the video ref... I think Fifita just lost it in contact but I can see why their coach would be annoyed

In Super League generally that’s a loose carry unless the defender deliberately attacks the ball. It’s clear whitehead was just effecting the tackle and it was correctly ruled a knock-on IMO.

However, if it happened to England I’d be fuming for no video referee decision!

McGilvary has largely got away with that, both in the result and the analysis after the game. Two points up and you regain the ball in the last minute, whatever else happens you DO NOT LOSE THE BALL. Carrying it one handed into the line was the simply stupid. Wrap the ball up and look to find the floor at the earliest (legal) opportunity.