NRL premiers North Queensland take on the Super League’s best team the Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Carnegie Stadium. Join The Roar from 5:40am (AEDT) Monday for all the action from Yorkshire.
The Cowboys are in the World Club Challenge for the first time, after defeating Brisbane in last year’s grand final. The Rhinos are experts at this contest, having played in it in 2013 and 2009 to name but a few.
The game is the final in the expanded three-match World Club Series, where St Helens faced the Roosters and Wigan took on the Broncos. But this is the important one, the match with the title of best in the world on the line.
Despite not playing a competitive game yet this year, the Cowboys go into the match as heavy favourites. They have Johnathan Thurston, the best player on the planet, and no injuries to contend with. Paul Green has named the same 17 that defeated the Broncos in golden point last year.
In contrast Leeds have been gutted since they beat Wigan in the Super League grand final at Old Trafford in 2015. Six of that 17 are missing for this encounter.
Key players Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai have all retired from rugby league while Tom Briscoe, Danny McGuire and Carl Ablett are all injuried. The Rhinos will have to rely on two young, inexperienced halves in Liam Sutcliffe and Jordan Lilley, to direct them around the park and they also have a very green bench.
There are some familiar names in the Leeds side, such as ex-NRL players Joel Moon, Keith Galloway, Adam Cuthbertson, Brett Delaney and Mitch Garbutt. They will surely be keen to made a good impression against their fellow countrymen.
The Rhinos have some weapons to call on, such as England internationals Zak Hardaker, Ryan Hall and Kallum Watkins, but injuries have cruelled their chances. New signing Bea Fallon, who joined recently from Gold Coast, is also missing.
The Cowboys have no such problems. Thurston and company will be out to win a trophy they have never held before. It surely will be strong motivation for them.
The conditions will be cold and the crowd will be parochial, both in the Rhinos favour. But North Queensland have too much class and danger men from 1 to 17. I’m tipping a comfortable win for the NRL boys by at least 12 points.
Join The Roar from 5:40am (AEDT) Monday morning for the 2016 World Club Challenge.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
One of the great things about the WCS is the sense of community. It really is an event that could do so much good in terms of international rugby league community, certainly within the Northern Hemisphere. Imagine if they could integrate the Challenge Cup with the World Club Series?
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
My delusions are indeed hilarious. Fortunately I tend to be aware of them. I said clubs, not teams. Teams can go through slumps, miss players or be full of poor quality players. Clubs, on the other hand, tend to be able to weather such things. So me, in my hilarity of delusion will have to repeat myself: the top Super League clubs are on par with the NRL. Even when they do get trounced by better teams.
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
They are not on par. You're so deluded it's hilarious. It's like watching your favorite team get beaten by another team by 30 points twice in a season and you still say that your team is on par with them. It's silly. Give up, the top super league clubs would struggle against the Gold Coast, Tigers and Knight. Thanks for your input.
Memphis
Guest
2 rounds plus trials The Aussie teams had no local games and perhaps the local teams had their eyes on this game. The penalty count and decision count heavily favoured the locals. Its all about slowing up the Aussie sides for 2016 season. Its bizarre what international club comp pits a pre-season team vrs in season team with no neutral refs under 3 different set of rules?? Where are the close finishes?? What happened to the Fox promo with Paul Kent saying the RL had the greatest capacity for grandstand finishes and seemingly has now bee dropped...
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Again and again? I don't think so. A few thumpings might blind some to potential but I prefer to keep my eyes on the bigger picture. Sorry if that offends you. Wigan, Leeds and St Helens are top flight clubs. It's ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Super League as a whole may be a weaker competition than the NRL but the top Super League clubs are on par with the NRL even though this year they were trounced. Thanks for your input.
nerval
Guest
It isn't.
nerval
Guest
Only two rounds in, not 4 Memphis. And both St Helens and a ravaged Leeds have suffered Super League shellackings just one week ago. JT and his players loved the passion and atmosphere at one of the most famous old grounds of all. They were thrilled to win. And the Leeds public, while wanting their team to do better, were just as thrilled to see the likes of Thurston in the flesh. It's not all bad.
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
You've been proven wrong again and again, Sleiman. Bottom line is that SL is several levels below NRL. Just accept it. And no, the top SL clubs can't compete with NRL clubs, maybe the Gold Coast and Tigers, but even them two sides would have won on the weekend.
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
Nerval, you're the bloke who was saying the top teams in SL can match the top NRL sides, was it not? I'm also sure you called me an idiot for not agreeing with you. I bet you're wiping that egg off you're face now.
pete bloor
Guest
Fair enough.
AussieIrish
Guest
Although League is not my code to watch I did watch Leeds V North Queensland. I thought the English side were in it till midway into the second half, when the NRL unrelenting intensity wore them down. However, I believe this lack of a hard mental attitude and more fitness is the difference. There is the skill in the English side. They just can’t maintain it for 80 minutes. I watch Super 15 and where I can I watch Aviva Premiership and Six Nations. Last year I spent some time in the UK and went to several Rugby games, including a Bath match, prior to the Rugby World Cup. I was surprised how casual English Rugby was, compared to Super 15. England’s early departure was no surprise. The Tahs, Red and the Brumbies would all beat the top Aviva Rugby sides by 40 points. Even in Cricket, our Sheffield Shield Sides would beat the English County sides by an innings. Why Australia’s attitude to sport is so much harder, I don’t know. Perhaps it has something to do with the all-pervading class system in the UK and with the football codes the absolute dominance of Soccer in the UK.
Memphis
Guest
Its only one seasons results and the idea of the WC series is : (1) to give RL an international club presence to combat the RU and soccer European club competitions; and (2) to make the top teams have to play extra games to bring them back to the field somewhat. However lopsided scores with local refs (incl Chechin) giving every possible advantage to the home teams whilst the visitors (in pre-season) have to travel from boiling hot conditions to bitterly cold conditions without a local warm- up to play ESL teams who are 4 rounds in suggests that bringing them to Australia is next year ludicruous. What does the 3 game comp actually achieve. The top 2 playing for the "World" crown makes a little sense but top 6???
clipper
Guest
I think your guess may be correct
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
I don't really see how that would effect the title-fight of the EPL winner v the NRL winner, but the NRL sides have been taking it more seriously for a little while now anyway, and even before the extended format that came in last year, the NRL sides won 5 of the 6 before it.
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
I'm genuinely surprised by this weekend. We all know the NRL is a better and stronger competition than the Super League, but I still didn't expect such consistent thumpings... I go for the Roosters, and half suspected our big win in the first game to be the biggest score given Saints poor pre-season form, but as it turned out it actually ended up the lowest margin (just barely) of all the games). I'm not sure how it's happened, but it just seems like the gulf between the two competitions is just getting bigger. In terms of quality the difference is akin to the A-League going up against the EPL, only the NRL is the EPL in this scenario. I don't really know what is going on in English footy, but I'm guessing League is just losing ground more and more over there.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
My depression has officially set in. I'm going to go and watch the Force Awakens and send JJ Abrams to the UK to sort out the Super League.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
The top clubs in the Super League, Leeds, Wigan, St Helens can compete with NRL clubs. I'd even add Huddersfield and Warrington to that list. Unfortunately, all three have had quite terrible starts to their season. That's not an excuse at all, by the way. The NRL has more depth than the Super League. That's a no brainer. But it will change.
Brendon
Guest
Wow, if that finish shows anything, its that the NRL players need to cut out all this slapping rubbish. The second they come up against someone who doesn't take crap, they get floored. Either let men be men, or cut the niggling garbage out 100%.
jamesb
Guest
Previously when it was just the one game, the English sides would win on a regular basis. Ever since they have made it into a series, the English clubs have copped a flogging. Does it come down to the NRL clubs having more money, or the ESL clubs have too many rejects from the NRL.
Danger Mouse
Guest
That got ugly