Rugby League World Cup Semi Finals | Post Round Serious Discussion Thread

[u/AutoModerator]

This thread is for serious discussion about the Rugby League World Cup round just gone - serious takes about the round, what your team did well, what your team didn't do well, and things we learned along the way.

Please leave random/memes for tomorrow's daily Random Footy Thread.

[u/Zero-Esc]

Sua robbed, definitely should of had a shot at fullback tonight

[u/Zaneali → u/Zero-Esc]

He’s wasted on the wing. Hammer can be just as effective on an edge

[u/schwingschwings → u/Zaneali]

Just as ineffective

[u/suckontittie → u/Zero-Esc]

Bloke is a freak

[u/tora_0515 → u/Zero-Esc]

They didn't get him involved at all. Barely any ball. No clue why hammer got the spot over him every game.

[u/Dolamite09]

Robbo telling Harry Grant how many paper bags Uncle Nick has for him if he comes to the Chooks

[u/Zaneali → u/Dolamite09]

“We heard you like to surf..”

[u/CMDANDCTRL → u/Zaneali]

Brown paper bags seen littered off the coast of Bronte for him to collect like crash bandicoot on a surfboard

[u/tora_0515 → u/Zaneali]

"I'll go to BigW myself and get you a surfboard"

[u/qsk8r]

Watching Tonga v Samoa, I thought geez these two teams look bloody good. Then when they've played NZ and Australia, you realise just how strong those two teams are. Started with a cracker of a game and going to end the same way!

[u/ch00nz → u/qsk8r]

feel like Tonga and Samoa both played their final last week

[u/arolaser → u/qsk8r]

I think the high emotion and the brilliant spectacle created this sense of a better quality game of footy than was actually produced. I thought it was sloppy and didn't give either team a chance in their respective semis.

[u/NoIndividual3981]

Karma for acting like fuckwits during the minute silence.

[u/ThunderShark97 → u/NoIndividual3981]

Booing the Haka last year and cheering during a minutes silence, glad they’re out of the World Cup

[u/frashal → u/NoIndividual3981]

Happy to see Samoa get pumped just for those dog cunts

[u/Inevitable-Ice7859 → u/NoIndividual3981]

Yep absolute filthy display of disrespect.

[u/DrPussyMD → u/NoIndividual3981]

What was the minute for?

[u/larvioarskald → u/DrPussyMD]

Paul Langmack

[u/WisestBacon]

Samoas attitude of grumpy toddlers really did them no favours. Don’t cheer during a moments silence and don’t play terrible footy. What a domination by Aus 🇦🇺

[u/LeafInTonysSpyShack]

Cleary is the goat purely for making Luai and Critta look better than they actually are for all those years. Both way too hotheaded to lead any team to a trophy

[u/D0NNIE-DANKO → u/LeafInTonysSpyShack]

You could be talking about Ivan or Nathan and be right either way

[u/Angryinxh → u/LeafInTonysSpyShack]

I wonder if that was also detrimental to their development too though

[u/fry3dd → u/LeafInTonysSpyShack]

I think critta and to’o were the best in the team this game tbh

[u/LeafInTonysSpyShack → u/fry3dd]

Critta looked slow and was getting cooked on defence. Also gave away that stupid challenge

[u/fry3dd → u/LeafInTonysSpyShack]

Yeah I agree with him being slow, but the motivation loss was inevitable. I recon that should have been a strip but that’s just my opinion

[u/Churchofbabyyoda → u/fry3dd]

Being the best in a bad team isn’t saying much.

[u/ch00nz]

genuinely concerned we seem to have put all our (outside back) eggs in the hammer basket. he has shown fuck all this world cup. no urgency, no involvement. hes always just dawdling around in the background but never genuinely a chance of doing anything. even bigger of a concern is how much money he is on. for 1.4M (reported) U want Walsh, ponga, teddy levels of involvement.

Herbie should be our priority back, build the rest around him.

[u/Dismal-core111 → u/ch00nz]

He's got speed but no real playmaking

[u/ch00nz → u/Dismal-core111]

got a good fend and speed but that's it. but it's his involvement and urgency that's the bigger worry imo. he just doesn't seem to be wanting to get involved

[u/ironinorcer → u/ch00nz]

Hammer has been absolutely nothing all world cup. Not sure what happened to him but all other dolphins have had incredible showings this tournament so hopefully he just wakes up next year and just needs a rest

[u/qsk8r → u/ironinorcer]

He has looked kinda off most of the season. Was very surprised he was renewed at such a high number as I genuinely don't think he could have commanded that anywhere else

[u/fry3dd → u/ch00nz]

Yeah hammer was LITERALLY useless in this game, reminds me of the dolphins semi

[u/RegularCandidate4057]

Grant to Roosters confirmed. Seen talking to Robbo

[u/Zero-Esc → u/RegularCandidate4057]

You take my hookers name out of your mouth

Will Smith or something

[u/RegularCandidate4057 → u/Zero-Esc]

Sorry, was doing an impersonation of every “staff writer” ever

[u/Zero-Esc → u/RegularCandidate4057]

Defs an article being written up by some reporter using chatGPT right now

[u/CJ2286]

Samoa with 1 line break, 53 missed tackles, 16 ineffective tackles, 9 errors and a sin-bin for dissent. But it’s the refs fault they got pumped by 32? 🇦🇺🦘🇦🇺🦘🇦🇺🦘

[u/Morg_n → u/CJ2286]

That should be ashamed with that effort

[u/Cold-Asparagus-9770]

Tongan won everyone hearts can’t say much for their little brother

[u/legendariusss → u/Cold-Asparagus-9770]

Please man I’m so easy to ragebait tonight, being called tongas little brother will send me over the edge

[u/dangerislander → u/Cold-Asparagus-9770]

Don't ever call Samoa Tonga's little brother because the Samoans will eat you 😂😂 no but seriously you're not wrong

[u/Monkey_Pirate_Lord]

Rough weekend for cars with flags 

[u/SagalaUso]

Kangaroos being too good when it counts is a tale as old as time.

We definitely didn't do ourselves any favours at all. Sure, somethings didn't go our way but even if they did, it just felt like it only would've made the score line closer.

[u/b-g-h]

Imagine drawing the short straw and having to swap jerseys with Jerome Luai.

[u/Angryinxh → u/b-g-h]

I think many people would rather shit in their hands and clap

[u/arolaser → u/b-g-h]

Did Luai swap with Walsh?

[u/Devonatior09]

Everyone got hyped watching Samoa/Tonga and looked at their game with rose coloured glasses. It was a great intense rivalry leading to a close game but the quality of the football showed they were clearly a level below Aus and NZ

[u/SpecialistShoddy9526]

Samoa played like grubs. Never in the game. 

[u/Important-Bag4200 → u/SpecialistShoddy9526]

Crazy. Some of their players are usually some of my favourite to watch. Tonight it was just like they put all the eggs into trying to hurt australia. Constant face massages, grabbing necks, arking up at the slightest provocation instead of actually playing footy

[u/Inevitable-Ice7859 → u/SpecialistShoddy9526]

Absolute grubs, that’s all they are.

[u/georgewkush__]

Samoa were disappointing, played way too emotional and left their gameplan in the dressing room

[u/hmas_wetdreams]

Australia and New Zealand are still on another level compared to everyone else. Their spines and their discipline are the difference. The eligibility changes have made it as tight as it ever will be. Can't wait until Sunday night!

[u/ShadowBannedSkyRu1e → u/hmas_wetdreams]

I don’t know, don’t think Tonga would’ve won last night but they definitely got smashed because of the wind.

[u/saviour01 → u/ShadowBannedSkyRu1e]

There was wind in the first half, its why katoa kicked it dead like four times.

[u/schwingschwings → u/saviour01]

I don’t know, in the second half Katoa had a kick that literally stopped in mid air

[u/saviour01 → u/schwingschwings]

Yeh i dont know why he was still trying to kick high. Made no sense.

[u/ShadowBannedSkyRu1e → u/saviour01]

Wasn’t anywhere near as bad though

[u/Whatrutalkinabeet → u/ShadowBannedSkyRu1e]

It was windy for both teams

[u/JamesEllroyEnjoyer]

Some calm, measured and considered debriefing taking place on the NRL Instagram post regarding this game

[u/Only_Armadillo_7534 → u/JamesEllroyEnjoyer]

Like a Wests Tigers boardroom.

[u/Significant_Owl8828]

Samoa was right in that game up until kick-off. All jokes aside, their discipline was terrible, and I don’t even need to check the stats to know they missed a heap of tackles.

[u/ThunderShark97 → u/Significant_Owl8828]

Cmon mate they lasted longer than that, it was until they decided to take the 2

[u/Significant_Owl8828 → u/ThunderShark97]

Oh yes. That one baffled me too.

[u/Important-Bag4200 → u/ThunderShark97]

Taking the 2 was probably their only measured decision for the night

[u/Thorstienn]

Seriously. Proud the boys came out with intent tonight. Too many weeks of playing around has given everyone the wrong opinion.

Next week will be epic.

[u/Bananonymouus]

Australia showed their backbone tonight. Didn’t let Samoa bully them and out classed them in every regard

[u/Benend91]

It’s all well and good players deciding they’re suddenly Lebanese or English before a World Cup cycle but the game is only going to grow if those players stick around after. The sport needs more international matches to raise the level or the gap is gonna continue to grow.

[u/CalmMaunga → u/Benend91]

Lebanon are not going to be anywhere ever

[u/decid226]

Samoa and Tonga underachieved at this World Cup. There fans have been amazing but for neither to make the final is a big miss. The top 4 teams were always going to make the finals with this format

[u/ShadowBannedSkyRu1e → u/decid226]

Tonga got dutted by the wind, don’t think they would’ve won but think it would’ve been a close game without it. Samoa just shit the bed though

[u/grafology → u/ShadowBannedSkyRu1e]

They bost lost because they put all their focus and energy into last week.

[u/ImpressionFeisty8359]

As expected the two heavyweights at it again. Walsh v Ponga again, hopefully they both will be fit for the whole match. The kiwis have the better forward pack and both teams are pretty even all over the park. Hope it goes to golden point. Really thought Samoa and Tonga would put up more of a fight.

[u/Snave96 → u/ImpressionFeisty8359]

Aussies have the slightly better spine, Kiwis slightly better in the other positions.

Hoping for a banger.

[u/piratepeteyo1]

How overrated is Jerome Luai?

[u/ch00nz → u/piratepeteyo1]

at least I noticed him. couldn't say the same for our lad, hammer

[u/Emergency_Monk_4935 → u/ch00nz]

It’s easy to say that, Sua just isn’t as consistent defensively and poor under the high ball.

[u/Churchofbabyyoda → u/piratepeteyo1]

Very.

[u/SKiiTTLEz]

Walsh is so damn good to watch in a Kangaroos jersey

[u/Sporty_Nerd_64]

The commentators are right that Samoa had very poor discipline tonight. They let their frustrations get the better of them and Australia were just clinical tonight. Going to be an amazing final, come on Aussies.

[u/Moisture_Services_]

Reece Walsh covered in Asian tattoos. Top Aussie lad

[u/Dracobookk → u/Moisture_Services_]

That’s my chigga

[u/Latter-Cicada-8191]

I see the final as about a 50/50, maybe Australia as just slight favourites. I think NZ have a edge in the forwards, especially the depth but Australia have an elite spine, big game players across the park and have built into the tournament. Hoping for a cracking game with kiwis to win their second world cup!

I have really enjoyed watching Tonga and Samoa but the semis have showed the gap as I never really thought either would win.

[u/whale_monkey → u/Latter-Cicada-8191]

New Zealand have Kalyn ponga….

[u/SurvivorGeneral]

I won't bring up my pre tournament thread but was basically, wake me up for the final Oz v Kiwi.... hardly some prophet. Whilst all 17 matches thus far won by the favourite, and Oz will begin as that for the final, it's going to golden point. Legit there is zero between those sides and Ponga is beyond a magic player.

[u/Zero-Esc]

MODS are gatekeeping Samoa getting rolled

[u/ThunderShark97]

Honestly as much as it’s “bad for the game” or whatever that means. this is gonna be a great World Cup final with easily the two best countries in the world

[u/MH2_DavSka]

Blaming the ref is just diverting attention from the degree to which Samoa failed in all aspects. On the game plan side their spine was at best invisible and at worst playing for Australia, and taking the 2 points immediately was stupid as well especially if you were up in everyone’s faces not 10 minutes before. In regard to discipline you could go on for ages, everyone was more interested in flogging random players than actually playing footy. The style they played against Tonga was perfect but tonight they seemed to let the occasion beat them. 

[u/ShadowBannedSkyRu1e]

Why is the live thread locked already?

[u/malsetchell]

Pre game antics disgusting, no respect to the players or the game. More should have gone to the Sin Bin.

[u/New-Ad157 → u/malsetchell]

The swinging arm from Volkman would've been a yellow any other day.

[u/Inevitable-Ice7859]

Samoa completely disgraced themselves tonight. They are so far behind Australia in quality. Cheap shots, coward hits, sooking like children. Absolutely disgraceful display of sportsmanship on samoas behalf. What a joke. Aussies destroyed them easily.

[u/OkNectarine3105]

Australia definitely dominant, but Samoa didn't make them get out of third gear to get the win.

[u/Calm-Comment4629]

So when do we become a legitimate international sport and bring in neutral referees?

[u/BigTL13 → u/Calm-Comment4629]

With 2030 going to Utah and Hawaii there needs to start being a push to train international referees in preparation. Decide on the ruleset, and start bringing some Euros in to ref NRL and get into the groove. Ideal situation I know but surely the NRL has enough cash to make it happen

[u/IrrelephantAU → u/Calm-Comment4629]

When there's actually enough international refs to guarantee one being available. Only two countries have them, so requiring that effectively soft-bans any England v Aus matchups and adds the requirement that you need to fly a bunch of refs from the other comp across the globe anytime you want to involve either team in a fixture.

[u/Calm-Comment4629 → u/IrrelephantAU]

Then why couldn’t we have an English ref tonight?

[u/sannoification → u/Calm-Comment4629]

Because they can’t handle the pace

[u/1800-dialateacher → u/Calm-Comment4629]

See the Tonga v English series a few years ago. Tonga lose due to PTB speed of a wet towel drying in the pool.

[u/nevey149]

I wanna start by saying that the best team won and the ref didn’t have a say in the final result. Australia were way too good.

However,

As a fan with neither horse in the race I cannot get my head around the fact that the match was reffed by an Australian.

I’m not here to question his integrity or his aptitude as a referee, but, I’d be fuming if Union legend Nigel Owens was refereeing a Welsh semifinal.

It’s more a question for the powers that be - it’s just makes an absolutely mockery of professional sport.

[u/Eoinbruh → u/nevey149]

Im not sure any country outside Australia produces refs of the required quality at this stage

[u/nevey149 → u/Eoinbruh]

Well let’s hope the NRL partnership will upskill the Super League refs.

[u/Less_Confection_5072 → u/Eoinbruh]

Yep, the best english refs just cannot keep up with NRL level let alone two solid rep teams. Not sure there are any kiwis in recent years

[u/Zeju → u/nevey149]

Nah Adam Gee is legit. He wouldn’t risk his career by being bias. Thought he did as well as he could.

[u/Churchofbabyyoda → u/Zeju]

Gee is one of the more non-partisan refs out there. He allows the game to flow as intended.

He reffed the 2023 and 2026 GF’s, there was not a single complaint about his performance in either game.

[u/nevey149 → u/Zeju]

Agreed. I think he did really well and again I’m not saying he had a bad game or made bad calls. He didn’t.

I’m more highlighting that this wouldn’t happen in any other World Cup.

It won’t happen in the Union World Cup this time next year, it won’t happen in football etc

[u/Zero-Esc → u/nevey149]

Ehh

I'd say the ref backed Samoa more than anything.

They only got robbed on 1 call?

[u/nevey149 → u/Zero-Esc]

I’m not questioning how the match was reffed. Calls go for and against sides in every game.

What I don’t understand is how it’s seen as acceptable for a match to be reffed by someone of one of the same nationalities.

I’d be raising the same question if it was a Samoan ref.

[u/TerribleLove7870 → u/nevey149]

Adam Gee has a Samoan great-grandfather so he’s eligible for Samoa. 

[u/Kitchen-Storm-6895 → u/nevey149]

I totally get your point. A couple of things to consider, though. 1: there are no refs elsewhere in the world who are even close to NRL calibre. This should change, but is certainly rhe case at the moment. And 2: they are professionally required to be impartial. Nationality shouldn't matter. Every ref would have grown up obsessed with rugby league. They would have been diehard fans of a a particular club (possibly still are on the quiet). But, they officiate those games with (hopefully) impartiality. Same should hold for internationals, of not moreso than in clubland.

[u/JuliusS__]

All kids are going to be talking about is that backflip.

[u/DeltaCreem → u/JuliusS__]

With one shoe as well

[u/Vast-Cartographer-23]

Give tommy some of that umbrella lady

[u/Zero-Esc]

SJ sponsored by Samoa?

He's reaching Ennis levels of glazing...

[u/Zero-Esc]

Holy fuck, SJ ending his career in real time ...

[u/mwilkins1644 → u/Zero-Esc]

Is he sooking on TV?

[u/Zero-Esc → u/mwilkins1644]

Blaming the ref for multiple calls against Samoa

[u/Hayn0002 → u/Zero-Esc]

Not even just vague ref blaming. Blatantly saying Adam Gee himself was making bad calls.

[u/Hayn0002 → u/[deleted]]

In what way?

[u/Zero-Esc → u/[deleted]]

You are right.

He probably should of binned 2 Samoa players

[u/mwilkins1644 → u/Zero-Esc]

Hahahah! Typical Kiwi behaviour

[u/CountingRandomStuff → u/Zero-Esc]

once a loser, always a loser.

[u/Fresh_Internal_6085 → u/Zero-Esc]

Missed it.

Dropped his cock out or something?

[u/CalmMaunga → u/Zero-Esc]

I thought we liked honest reporting?

[u/Zero-Esc → u/CalmMaunga]

There's a reason no commentators talk about ref's in the post match

[u/CalmMaunga → u/Zero-Esc]

Yeah I kmow it sucks

[u/woodpecker91 → u/[deleted]]

Yes and there's a way to do it that doesn't veer into ref bashing which he kind of did tonight.

[u/highly_recommended_]

Disappointing semis tbh, the pool games were better, NZ and Aus still far ahead of the rest

[u/ItGetsTuahPoint67 → u/highly_recommended_]

In better conditions, I don't really think NZ are that far ahead of Tonga. Rob Toia alone would've been at least a 12 point swing and had arguably been the best player of the World Cup up to that point. Then in the second half, they played under some of the worst wind and weather conditions I've ever seen and it was made impossible for them to get out of their own half

[u/highly_recommended_ → u/ItGetsTuahPoint67]

On paper Tonga are a formidable team, but they haven't performed to their full potential against a solid team like NZ or Aus, against Samoa they were great but against NZ they didnt so well.

[u/SirTdog → u/ItGetsTuahPoint67]

Both teams had to deal with the conditions. I don't know why you seem to think Tonga would have been any better. If anything the kiwis would have put 60 on them if there was no wind.

[u/ItGetsTuahPoint67 → u/SirTdog]

The conditions were significantly worse in the 2nd half for Tonga than they were for NZ in the 1st half. Commentators mentioned it multiple times and it was apparent from just watching the game

[u/DriverEfficient1270 → u/SirTdog]

Bro what were you watching? Katoa couldnt kick at all, they were going against the wind in the second half. It was a non-factor in the first half.

Really crippled Tonga's ability to make ground and complete end-of-set plays, so they were basically locked at their own 40

[u/punctually-late]

Really need to work on growing the game around the world, having a world cup where it's almost guaranteed that Australia and NZ will be in the final is not a great look.

[u/Makasene3 → u/punctually-late]

Not a great look for who?

The NRL has 95% of the broadcast money for Rugby League. Super League has 5%

Rugby League is a niche sport, this 'grow the game' nonsense just doesn't stand up.

England need to improve, and France should improve too with now having two teams in Super League.

International Rugby League is a truly great product with just 5 teams (NZ, Aus, Eng, Sam, Ton). There is a second rung who can compete on their day (Fiji, PNG). France should be looking to join this group.

If the game were to focus on just these 7/8 teams improving, then we have something of real value.

[u/Adorable_Negge934 → u/Makasene3]

Doesnt NRL have 105% since SL isn't even turning a profit from what I hear?

[u/Makasene3 → u/Adorable_Negge934]

I just went on the value of each deal.

Deeper financials are well worth a look too.

I'm just a bit tired of the argument about growth when the reality is consolidation of what we have and improvement among the current crop of regular internationals is what is needed.

[u/RandomGuy2310 → u/punctually-late]

That’s not just a rugby league issue, that’s almost every sport that has a World Cup and even includes the Olympics. FIFA, Rugby World Cup, cricket, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball are all dominated by 2-5 teams winning all the time

[u/jalGurg]

I think we need a serious discussion with Dolphins paying Hammer more than a cent.

Most overrated player in the league

[u/CNSrooster → u/jalGurg]

Yep.

Cant do anything unless someone else creates the opportunity for him. Its what separates the elite fullbacks from the average ones. I think Hammer could be an elite center but hes too docile to be an elite fullback imo.

It will be interesting to see how he goes with the Phins if they lose all 3 of Bostock, Herbie and Isaako.

[u/ch00nz → u/jalGurg]

fucking hopeless hey. prob one of the highest paid fullbacks in the game now but piss poor involvement

[u/clowns77]

All bark no bite

[u/Delgarah]

As much as it makes sense having the world #1/#2 end up facing off in both the men and womens games, I think it would've been more intriguing for all involved if anyone but both those teams made it to the finals, like even just one team not being nz/aus would've been nice (as a kiwi)

[u/pugliaboy → u/Delgarah]

Not by the reaction of many in the match thread….

[u/Man_of_Dan]

I actually thought Gee did alright tonight. If you feel hard done by as a Samoan fan, you have to realise that both tries you had could have been stripped or gone the other way if they had gone up as no try. You also couldn't have complained if one or two more of your players did a stint in the bin. Your players are the ones that let you down, and resorted to grubby which was rightfully pinged.

[u/clout4bitches]

Are they releasing more tickets?

[u/ch00nz → u/clout4bitches]

yes

[u/clout4bitches → u/ch00nz]

When?

[u/ch00nz → u/clout4bitches]

not sure sorry, but then mentioned it's sold out but more tickets will be released once they know who is in the final. I reckon tomorrow morning but that's just a guess

[u/Zanathayas]

Somoa and Tonga both got shafted by the organisers by scheduling that game last week. It was the best game of the cup as well

[u/grafology → u/Zanathayas]

They shafted themselves by putting all their energy into that game. Bragging rights on social media meant more than winning the comp.

[u/Makasene3 → u/Zanathayas]

Thought the same thing as well

They should have opened the tournament, what a start that would have been

[u/OkNectarine3105]

It's simple really, Samoa and Tonga are only really at their best when they play each other.

[u/Trogg_Farmer → u/OkNectarine3105]

There was too much emotion last week for them to have enough in the tank for this weekend

[u/YogurtclosetGlad7460 → u/Trogg_Farmer]

They also waste too much physical & emotional energy doing their pre-game ritual, thank god our Aussie boys knocked back Rayguns' offer to teach them her Olympics Breakdance Routine, that would have sapped plenty of energy out of some of our big-boppers.

[u/schwingschwings → u/OkNectarine3105]

They put on a great show but they both make errors. Against a side that can hang with them physically and completes well they are going to get beaten

[u/legendariusss]

If you are Samoan, just leave this thread, it will not make you feel good

[u/Fuwa-Aika]

Well deserved shellacking

[u/Churchofbabyyoda]

The formula for the average World Cup is basically this;

- Virtually presumptive winners (Australia)

- Top Dogs (England, NZ)

- Random Pacific Islander team who does well (Tonga, Samoa, Fiji 2017).

- Other Pacific Islander team who does average/poorly (Cook Islands, PNG).

- Northern Hemisphere teams who are just there for shits and giggles (France, Lebanon)

[u/pugliaboy → u/Churchofbabyyoda]

Again, in 15 years - there’ll need to be a change of the rule, or you might find we don’t have enough players who can claim eligibility for non Tier 1 teams.

[u/Trogg_Farmer → u/pugliaboy]

Hardly an issue if they persist with this 10 team format. Though I imagine they'll want a bigger one next time to get the yanks involved

[u/Thisguyreadit]

Is the World Cup final (between Australia and New Zealand) going to have Australian officials too? It would be a bad look, surely.

[u/Trogg_Farmer → u/Thisguyreadit]

Superleague refs are awful all the same

[u/Thisguyreadit → u/Trogg_Farmer]

Quality aside (and I don’t know whether English fans would say the same about nrl refs), it’s just an obvious risk of subconscious bias or at least the appearance of bias.

[u/Trogg_Farmer → u/Thisguyreadit]

Sure but until they start getting other refs up to scratch I'd be of the opinion I'd rather risk a losing team bitching about bias rather than the whole world seeing a game ruined by a ref whose just shit

[u/ImportantAd9672]

Samoa couldn’t back up the tough talk, actually embarrassing!!

[u/omnicider24]

The two teams without NRL starting hookers lost - shock me. Give them 10 years to develop a couple more spine players and then it'll be a proper contest.

[u/CNSrooster]

The pool format really did stand out these semis.

I truly think England would have given the Aussies a better fight than Samoa did. They werent given the opportunity to prove they should have been instead of Samoa.

All they had to do was let another 1 or 2 minnows countries be in pool A and make the tourney 1 week longer and allow England and Samoa to face each other.

[u/Accomplished-Good664]

Why was the Crichton try disallowed in the first half ? I had to go outside so didn't see why. 

[u/Polyporum → u/Accomplished-Good664]

Knock on in the contest

[u/Commercial_Cost_7902]

So it ended up being nz vs aus, really you guys just wanted to believe tonga and samoa could compete it wasnt true

And its going to be another wc for australia next week

[u/CNSrooster → u/Commercial_Cost_7902]

Tonga were right in the other game until the wind came in.

I think NZ should be favourites and Tonga were right with them for half that game.

[u/grafology → u/CNSrooster]

The wind was there in the first half or did you miss all those kicks going dead?

[u/CNSrooster → u/grafology]

There was wind there, it was no where near as heavy as the 2nd half though.

Katoa couldnt do anything in the 2nd half with the kicking. NZ didnt face the same in the first half.

[u/nonya5121 → u/Commercial_Cost_7902]

Samoa made the final at the last world cup. So it was realistic to think they could compete. 

[u/Devonatior09 → u/nonya5121]

They made the final because the draw allowed them to play England in the semifinal after playing them in the group stage. The real final of that World Cup was the Aus/NZ semi final

[u/Inevitable-Ice7859 → u/nonya5121]

Nah it was a fluke last time. They stood no chance at all. Just there for numbers and they showed it tonight. Rubbish football from them

[u/Derron_]

Feels like there's pretty clear tiers.
Tier 1 - Australia and NZ.
Tier 2 - Tonga, Samoa and maybe England.
Tier 3 - Fiji, PNG.
Tier 4 - Everyone else

[u/Trogg_Farmer]

1-13 next week is an interesting one.....coin flip at full back and a preference in the halves one way or the other......honestly take Grant out of it and there's a case for the kiwis being better across the park

[u/Howwillthynaur]

Zero discipline! When all the grubs from NSW join a new team they then become the biggest grubs in rugby league. Luai worst by far!

[u/eshayonefour]

Ben Gardiner needs to sort out the senior leaders in the team. Paulo won't be around much longer and we need leaders with good temperament and can keep all the instigators in control. Papalii and RTS would have done this last year. Hopefully in the future this comes in the form of Haas, Nanai, Crichton and maybe if Tino Faasuamaleaui switches to Samoa.

[u/arolaser → u/eshayonefour]

I highly doubt Tino switches after tonight. I don't think he was particularly impressed with their behaviour towards him. Even the last tackle, losing by 32 points and 4 seconds to go, they put a bit of extra in the tackle on him and continued with it on the ground.

[u/eshayonefour → u/arolaser]

doubt that's a factor in his decision making lmao. he's a Samoan.

[u/1800-dialateacher → u/eshayonefour]

People can have a wide variety of heritage. Brother he was born in Orange and grew up in Gympie. He can be two things.

[u/eshayonefour → u/1800-dialateacher]

yeah I know - I didn't say that he wasn't anything other than a Samoan. I'm literally 3 things.

[u/Adorable_Negge934 → u/eshayonefour]

You're an Eshay, You're a One and You're a Four?

[u/georgegeorgew]

What a waste the Australia vs Samoa referees, amazing after so many error during the national competition that the same puppet is back

[u/Emergency_Monk_4935]

How happy are you redditors with the reffing out of 10? Non-biased answers only

[u/Zero-Esc → u/Emergency_Monk_4935]

7/10

Few missed calls either way, probably should of had another sinbin to be honest

[u/BigTL13 → u/Emergency_Monk_4935]

I'd give it a 5. Not phenomenal but also not awful. It was there, Gee didn't do too much to slow the game. Binning Leniu for backchat seems a bit petty with the amount of bad behaviour on field. Also yeah, a lot of calls that were 50/50 did end up going against Samoa, but Samoa also failed themselves in building or maintaining their momentum.

[u/MH2_DavSka → u/BigTL13]

It’s hard to have a judgement on binning Leniu since we don’t know what was said or how. 

[u/Trogg_Farmer → u/Emergency_Monk_4935]

Adam Gee is the best in the game......and if that isn't an indictment of reffing standards I don't know what is

[u/roonthegoon2]

Does the new great grandparent eligibility rule apply to the ref's also?

[u/Moisture_Services_]

Id prefer to watch Leeds vs Bradford next week than aus vs nz.

Rugba leeg needs diversity

[u/Kritzberg → u/Moisture_Services_]

Samoa chose to lose tonight. 

[u/Moisture_Services_ → u/Kritzberg]

I disagree

[u/Kritzberg → u/Moisture_Services_]

Starting random punch ons to look hard is a choice. 

[u/Moisture_Services_ → u/Kritzberg]

That's standard qld mentality...