Cheering the Poms

[Billy Walker]

I’ve never lived north of the border but have always had a soft spot for the cane toads dating back to the early days when there were more Raiders lads in maroon than sky blue.

If George Williams signs on for the green machine we could conceivably be watching a pommy team featuring 5 starting Raiders taking on a Raiderless Kangaroos team.

Would it be treason to cheer the poms?

[greeneyed]

No, I've been cheering opposition national teams that include Raiders against the Raiderless Kangaroos... often Kangaroos teams that include low lifes... for years.

[Matt]

The Poms will be my 2nd team for sure.

[gangrenous]

This has always been my stance in origin. Being born in Canberra I figure I have a reasonable out on not being tied to either.

Cheering against Australia is a bit trickier for me to justify. But I think I’m Rugby League I’m willing to make an exception!

[BadnMean]

I would actually cheer them yes. I think even as it is, the Fab Four is enough to go for. If Williams is ever announced then I'll cheer him on. Until then I'll watch him with interest. I wonder if the raging success of all our English imports has got other clubs sniffing around Williams too now?

I cheer for the Blues, whoever is in the team.

But same as others I never really barracked for Oz even when they were stacked with Raiders in the early 90s. Favourite team to watch is the Kumuls and really glad Tonga has built such a great team. Hopefully Samoa lift in response and we get some real rivalries going.

[bonehead]

Club over all else

[Botman]

State football turns anyone who has a proper rooting interest into a blubbering **** **** for 8 weeks a year, and Australia's dominance at international level has left the international game dull, boring and uninteresting.

I dont really watch any international football because it's pointless, and i watch state football without a rooting interest because the games are usually of such high quality. So yeah i got no problem what so ever with cheering on England because they've got 5 Raiders.

[BadnMean]

State football turns anyone who has a proper rooting interest into a blubbering **** **** for 8 weeks a year, and Australia's dominance at international level has left the international game dull, boring and uninteresting.

I dont really watch any international football because it's pointless, and i watch state football without a rooting interest because the games are usually of such high quality. So yeah i got no problem what so ever with cheering on England because they've got 5 Raiders.

International football NOT featuring Australia is actually great. Watching all the other teams go at each other last WC and the Pacific Tests last year were some of the best footy I saw those years. Beat the hell out of origin and most club games. Last ANZAC Test was good too.

I think this is overall the most interesting period for international league I can ever remember. Test series v England in early 90's had one or two great series but it was the only game in town.

[greeneyed]

State football turns anyone who has a proper rooting interest into a blubbering **** **** for 8 weeks a year, and Australia's dominance at international level has left the international game dull, boring and uninteresting.

I dont really watch any international football because it's pointless, and i watch state football without a rooting interest because the games are usually of such high quality. So yeah i got no problem what so ever with cheering on England because they've got 5 Raiders.

International football NOT featuring Australia is actually great. Watching all the other teams go at each other last WC and the Pacific Tests last year were some of the best footy I saw those years. Beat the hell out of origin and most club games. Last ANZAC Test was good too.

I think this is overall the most interesting period for international league I can ever remember. Test series v England in early 90's had one or two great series but it was the only game in town.

Agree. If you can't get excited about what's happened in international footy from the start of the 2017 World Cup... well, you weren't watching.

[Botman]

You're both probably right on that, and ill take your words for it.
I wouldnt know because as GE rightly states, i wasnt watching.

[greeneyed]

And you'd do yourself a favour if you watch from here.

[Lui_Bon]

If you'd watched the 1990 second ashes test as it was on right there on your tv, you'd never doubt the power of international rugby league again...

[greeneyed]

I fell out of bed that night!

[Botman]

I probably did too.
I was 3, im not coming into 32 and have a wife and 2 kids... a troubling sign if the great white hope of international footy is a memory from near 3 decades ago
Sounds like im not missing much!

[BadnMean]

If you'd watched the 1990 second ashes test as it was on right there on your tv, you'd never doubt the power of international rugby league again...

Was that the Ricky intercept and then dummy break game with Big Mal bumping his way through in support like a BJ Leilua dodgem car?

[Lui_Bon]

If you'd watched the 1990 second ashes test as it was on right there on your tv, you'd never doubt the power of international rugby league again...

Was that the Ricky intercept and then dummy break game with Big Mal bumping his way through in support like a BJ Leilua dodgem car?

yes it was. My moment of clarity.

I knew, then, everything was better without Alfie Langer.

[greeneyed]

I probably did too.
I was 3, im not coming into 32 and have a wife and 2 kids... a troubling sign if the great white hope of international footy is a memory from near 3 decades ago
Sounds like im not missing much!

Actually, you are. Some of the World Cup 2017 clashes were the most amazing games of football you'll ever see. The crowds and atmosphere were astounding. Samoa V Tonga. Tonga V England. Then when Tonga played Australia last year. If you like the Raiders and rugby league... you're just being obstinate in ignoring such pure moments of rugby league brilliance, emotion and passion.

[MrPosh]

I'm gonna say yes.

Although I do feel uncomfortable with you lot cheering for England (or GB).

[Beejay]

International footy has been excellent for 2 years. The rise of England and tier 2 nations has been great.
England beating Australia would do wonders for international games, but also for Rugby League as a sport. So that’s easy to get around.

[simo]

Papali not going to be in the Australian side?

[bonehead]

i just remembered the coach, sorry can't support the poms

[Billy Walker]

Papali not going to be in the Australian side?

I’d pick him. He’s been in great form!

[Sid]

I've been supporting teams playing against Australia for a while now.

Not because of any sort of protest against my home country, but because of the player selections.
If a side is pretty much made up of players from the teams I detest most, it's pretty easy to support a NZ side that has guys like Johnson, RTS, Tapau, Rapana and Tapine or now an English side that is stacked with Raiders.

[Wiki Special]

Papali not going to be in the Australian side?

He would definitely be in the Test team if fit you'd have to say.

[EJ]

Never against the Kangaroos.

Probably against other countries.

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[Finite]

Find it hard to cheer against the national side but with international footy I just love a good game so not too devastated if Australia loose to a team with Raiders. The club for me is everything so i'm always watching and cheering for the Raiders players regardless of their country.

Love the pacific island teams. Massive untapped resource in my opinion. I would love to see them have a team in the NRL. I'm doing a job at work at the moment for an ex player (GF winner) and he feels that should be the next focus of the NRL too.

[RedRaider]

I support the men in Green - Raiders - at club level
I support the men in Blue - NSW - in State of Origin
I support the men in Green and Gold - AUSTRALIA - in International Rugby League.

While I do that, it is still very easy to look for the skill level in opposition sides. I am a Rugby League fan. I won't have any problem marvelling at the skills of DCE and Tapau this weekend. Just like I watched in awe the skills of Smith, Slater, Cronk, JT and back to Mal and my 'best all time forward' Arthur Beetson for Qld. I'll watch 'our' Poms during the International matches against England but I won't be cheering them until they again appear in Lime Green. It's just the way it is for me.

[LimeGreenMachine]

Im a Raider
Im a Blue
Im an Aussie

BUT it didnt stopped me cheering the opposition smashing Cam Smith or Billy Slater. There is no other people I like less on the footy field.

[Ruben Daley]

I cheer for the Raiders no matter what jersey they’re wearing.

[gangrenous]

I'm gonna say yes.

Although I do feel uncomfortable with you lot cheering for England (or GB).

[-PJ-]

I wish all Raiders the best while representing their country of birth. Or their grandparents country of birth, or their cousins neighbours postmans birth country etc..

Test footy in recent years has been a yawn fest but I've found it improving with the introduction of Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG(LUKE PAGE) getting more games against top tier nations.

Just no more injuries to our guys eh ??

[BadnMean]

I'm gonna say yes.

Although I do feel uncomfortable with you lot cheering for England (or GB).

We'd probably be doing it all wrong.