This year’s Four Nations is a right proper tournament, with New Zealand warning others to bring their best or face a thumping, and Samoa confirming that it’s impossible to win it if you’re not in it.
For years the public have heard that Australia’s depth is so good that even with a second or third-string side they would still come out on top.
That may be true playing a minnow nation, but as Australia found out on Saturday, New Zealand are anything but a minnow nation.
The Kiwis are a quality side and have been for many years now. Their tournament victories over the last decade have been impressive and regular.
As for Samoa, they didn’t punch above their weight, they punched England. It didn’t knock the men from the northern hemisphere out but it did remind people that there are four nations competing, not three. They showed commitment and energy.
What could have happened had the Samoans been competing in meaningful tournaments each and every year? With such experience, anything is possible.
With an upset that wasn’t really an upset and a David and Goliath battle where David was more Goliath than Goliath, this year’s tournament is off to a fantastic start.
Rugby League Development Fund
Roar Rookie
I don't know why we cannot remove the NRL rounds during origin and have the Pacific Cup on the weekend before Origin - that's the period when teams are left without their players. At least ask Channel 9 if they'd like to replace those rounds with Pacific Cup action. I'm not sure if Channel 9 would go for it in the middle of a broadcast contract, but something like this needs to happen from 2018 onwards. I can't see the big deal. We've got masses of Pacific Talent, we need to create a path way for them otherwise, they're going to do everything in their power to play Origin and the Australian team will do everything they can to get those players.
SandBox
Roar Guru
ok thanks
Renegade
Guest
Johnno, I don't believe half of those Kiwis you have listed would have been picked anyway...
code 13
Roar Guru
I agree about Kiwis being weakened too, I've said it before. As for a Pacific Cup with USA in it well it's alright as long as Canada & Jamaica are still getting their matches. I'd rather one off matches against PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga until they start beating Aus or Nz. Otherwise it'll be a very uneven comp.
code 13
Roar Guru
They lost the 4 Nations qualifying match to Samoa 32-16
SandBox
Roar Guru
I don't understand why the Fiji Bati are not in the 4N after their strong WC. Anyone know?
Judge Holden
Roar Guru
This is the squad I would like to have seen run out onto AAMI Park this Sunday: 1. Inglis 2. Mansour 3. Jennings 4. Chambers 5. Moylan/Johnston 6. Pearce/Soward 7. Cronk 8. Lillyman 9. Smith (C) 10. Tolman 11. Bird 12. Thaiday 13. Parker 14. Gidley 15. Woods 16. Hoffman 17. Shillington/Hannant/Klemmer/Mcguire/Grant (another half-decent, experienced, specialist prop) What I'd like to see given the troops at our disposal: 1. Inglis 2. Mansour 3. Jennings 4. Walker 5. Moylan/Johnston 6. Hunt 7. Cronk 8. Woods 9. Smith 10. Thaiday 11. Bird 12. Hoffman 13. Parker 14. Scott 15. Klemmer 16. Cordner 17. Jackson
Johnno
Guest
code13 I want a pacific cup with Aust/NZ/US in it, and really flexible eligbility rules to allow masses of flip-flopping. And this 4 nations, anyone who goes on about the aussies being weakened, well so are the kiwis. -This was a kiwi 2nd sides to in many ways, so many good players out. SBW,Sam Moa,Sam Mckendry,Kasiano, JWH, some big boys there, plus RTS, Big Vatuvei, and Steve Matai.
code 13
Roar Guru
Playing an international before an NRL or Origin match is kind of akin to saying that internationals are on par with Under 20s football. I mean no offence to them but that's what fumbleball does with their lol international cup lol If we want to have internationals taken seriously we need to treat them seriously and that means treating them as event in their own right. There's no reason why the prelude to this tournament couldn't have been PNG vs Australia in Port Moresby, Fiji vs England in Suva, New Zealand vs Tonga in Rotorua etc and then those guys + Cook Islands & others could have been playing a Pacific Cup at the same time the 4 Nations was on with some of those matches as double headers to the 4 Nations or with themselves.
Jus de couchon
Guest
Hopefully this might egg the NRL into thinking beyond whatever agenda they have .
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
It's great to not know who is going to win,
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I think there may be more benefit in having minnows competing in 'events' like tiered tournaments as curtain raisers for other Tests or matches like Origin or even NRL and Super League. Someone mentioned the sense of an event for athletes and fans to latch onto and I think that is a good idea.
code 13
Roar Guru
Agreed. I mean sure we've got the 4 nations but why couldn't England, Australia and New Zealand play the likes of PNG, Fiji and Tonga as one-off warm ups?
mace 22
Guest
The tournament is off to a flyer alright. Watching the Kangaroo's game, I was expecting the fight back even at 24-12, it kind of reminded me of watching the all blacks no matter what the score I expect the win. Hope the samoans win a game hopefully not against the Kiwi's.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Like all minnows they need more games, more involvement with the international calendar. Imagine what could happen if they had been playing regular tournaments each year!
maximillian
Guest
I was really impressed with Samoa. They have some quality but probably lack the polish in the halves. If Milford was still turning out for them I think they couldve won on the weekend & that wouldve really set the tone for the tournament!