Given the increase in the depth and quality of the international game, I would love to see the NRL change the All Star game from its "Indigenous" theme to Australia v Rest of the World. This is how I would see the two teams line up based on current form & availability.
Australia
1. Tedesco
2. JAC
3. Mitchell
4. Chambers
5. Fergo
6. Munster
7. DCE
8. Klemmer
9. Cook
10. Haas
11. Cordner (c)
12. Frizell
13. Jake Turbo
14. Papalii
15. Vaughn
16. Graham
17. Murray
Rest of the World
1. RTS
2. Sivo
3. Manu
4. Blake
5. Vunivalu
6. Widdop
7. Johnson
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Hodgson
10. Graham
11. S. Burgess
12. Kikau
13. Taumalolo
14. JWH
15. Taukeiaho
16. Bateman
17. Fisher-Harris
Everyone's thoughts, both the concept and the teams ?
Replies
Brett, don't you think it is far more exiting watching real tribal cultures in combat sport..... Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinee, NZ Maori's, Aboriginals, Aussies/Anglo Saxons (generally speaking), Great Britain, Canada, USA, Greece, Italy, etc, etc,, and helping to develop these cultures into real powehouses of RL???. How soon before Fiji is number one in the world? Can't be far off now. We cut down the NRL playing season or split it into two confederations to create the few months required for annual cultural tribal war games, not excluding SOO which could eventually be part of the annual tribal war games. Australia v rest Of The world is admiting defeat in not developing Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, etc, into real powerhouses.
Graham wouldnt even start for england right now. Maybe on the bench. Big Sammy to prop and Bateman to start in the back row. You need a working backrower.