Billy Slater...

[cpwigan]

It's happened a lot in the NRL. Slater and Brett Stewart have bone done it quite often more from chip kicks (I would have to check the rule re what GP said - my understanding is you cannot deliberately propely the ball forward to gain an advantage) and sometimes Slater and Stewart have been penalised and sometimes not. Slater is a very clever player.

[platt-warrior]

I thought our halfback pairing was "a season too early".
Sam T only has a half season under his belt,Eastmond the same.Did anyone notice that everytime Locyear got the ball ,he looked to have some much time.the sign of a great player imo.

[pedro]

agree you cant..its like running at the line throwing it over and catching it.

[gpartin]

I agree, if you are allowed its stupid. I'd have looked once and disallowed the try, but I'm not a video ref.

[Kiwiseddon]

I thought our halfback pairing was "a season too early".
Sam T only has a half season under his belt,Eastmond the same.Did anyone notice that everytime Locyear got the ball ,he looked to have some much time.the sign of a great player imo.

I don't. They are without a doubt the two most exciting English halfbacks. I think even if we'd put Burrow and Maguire together or linked in Sinfield, the result would have been the same. Giving Tomkins and Eastmond a run out at this level was crucial for the future. They offer you something different IMO and let's face it Maguire had a shocker at Wigan.
I appreciate that they're only kids and they were thrown into it very suddenly BUT who else are you gonna pick???

On Darren Lockyer....Well he's awesome and has all the experience in the world. He's a better player than both Sam and Eastmond but at least they didn't look out of place. I'd still pick them again.

[Panchitta Marra]

I thought our halfback pairing was "a season too early".
Sam T only has a half season under his belt,Eastmond the same.Did anyone notice that everytime Locyear got the ball ,he looked to have some much time.the sign of a great player imo.

I don't. They are without a doubt the two most exciting English halfbacks. I think even if we'd put Burrow and Maguire together or linked in Sinfield, the result would have been the same. Giving Tomkins and Eastmond a run out at this level was crucial for the future. They offer you something different IMO and let's face it Maguire had a shocker at Wigan.
I appreciate that they're only kids and they were thrown into it very suddenly BUT who else are you gonna pick???

On Darren Lockyer....Well he's awesome and has all the experience in the world. He's a better player than both Sam and Eastmond but at least they didn't look out of place. I'd still pick them again.

The Red Rose pairing would well outplay their white rose counterparts.
Sam T and Eastmond for me any day, they are naturally more talented, just as fast and defensively sound too.
Both will learn from this game and go forward.
Rob Burrows has a big heart which now gives competition to Eastmond.
At no 6, McGuire and Pryce are liabilities on the pitch and just wont hack it when the presure is on.
Sam T thrives under pressure, his desire to be the best is there for all to see.
Maybe not immediately, due to the learning curve, but I think Sam Tomkins will become a vastly improved player under MM's guidance.

[old hooker]

I thought our halfback pairing was "a season too early".
Sam T only has a half season under his belt,Eastmond the same.Did anyone notice that everytime Locyear got the ball ,he looked to have some much time.the sign of a great player imo.

You are spot on,I would say that ST is going to be a top class player but he still has a lot to learn. Lockyer has that rare ability to go through a game and hardly get tackled.This is the main reason he is still no 6 for Australia at 32 and considering the amount of talent at half back down under this is no mean feat.IMO he could play at the highest level until he is 35 or 36,i hope he does because players like him are so rare and it has been a privilege to see him play

[Panchitta Marra]

I thought our halfback pairing was "a season too early".
Sam T only has a half season under his belt,Eastmond the same.Did anyone notice that everytime Locyear got the ball ,he looked to have some much time.the sign of a great player imo.

You are spot on,I would say that ST is going to be a top class player but he still has a lot to learn. Lockyer has that rare ability to go through a game and hardly get tackled.This is the main reason he is still no 6 for Australia at 32 and considering the amount of talent at half back down under this is no mean feat.IMO he could play at the highest level until he is 35 or 36,i hope he does because players like him are so rare and it has been a privilege to see him play

Like Sam T, Lockyer also strated his Australian international career at 20 years of age.