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2017 Thanks for coming XIII vs PNG

Frenzy.

Immortal
Messages
47,951
PMs XIII named for PNG clash
National Rugby League | September 13 2017 9:12AM
Embed from Getty Images
Mal Meninga has named six debutants as part of the Australian Prime Minister's XIII to take on Papua New Guinea Prime Minister's XIII in Port Moresby on Saturday 23 September.

Valentine Holmes, Andrew Fifita, Api Koroisau, Dylan Walker, Jack Bird and Paul Vaughan will take their place in the team travelling to PNG next week, with the match to be played at the National Football Stadium in the nation's capital.

A further six players in the squad represented the Kangaroos in the ANZAC Test match earlier this year, with Tom Trbojevic the only player yet to have played a representative match at senior level.

With a little more than a month to go until the Rugby League World Cup, Meninga said the annual invitational match would be used as a genuine selection trial for players pushing for spots in the Kangaroos' World Cup squad.

"I'm absolutely delighted with this team. We've chosen the best available players in each position with fifteen of the eighteen players having represented their State already," Meninga said.

"To get these guys together so close to the Rugby League World Cup is a real coup for our preparations, which will really kick into gear following the NRL Grand Final.

"Some of them have been fortunate enough to have already experienced playing in PNG, but for the new guys, it really is something to cherish. There's nothing else quite like it.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone gels together in a short timeframe and handles the occasion."

Meninga also confirmed Wests Tigers captain Aaron Woods would skipper the Prime Minister's XIII.

"Aaron has been a fantastic leader at Club and State level for a number of years now and has fully earned this honour," Meninga said.

"I'm looking forward to seeing him lead from the front on Saturday week against an always tough, physical and entertaining Papua New Guinea Prime Minister's XIII team."

The Prime Minister's XIII will also be involved in a series of events alongside the Harvey Norman Jillaroos including community visits and coaching clinics while on the ground in Papua New Guinea and are supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Australian Prime Minister's XIII squad
1. James Tedesco (Wests Tigers)
2. Dane Gagai (Newcastle Knights)
3. Josh Dugan (St George-Illawarra Dragons)
4. Tom Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
5. Valentine Holmes (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)*
6. Jack Bird (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)*
7. James Maloney (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
8. Aaron Woods (c) (Wests Tigers)
9. Api Koroisau (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)*
10. Andrew Fifita (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)*
11. Tyson Frizell (St George-Illawarra Dragons)
12. Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
13. Jake Trbojevic (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
14. Wade Graham (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
15. David Klemmer (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
16. Dylan Walker (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)*
17. Josh Jackson (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
18. Paul Vaughan (St George-Illawarra Dragons)*
 

Stake Removed

First Grade
Messages
9,676
Exactly another waste of game that risks our players for next year, some of these guys must need surgery they should be under the knife now
 

Inferno

Coach
Messages
18,205
On the eve of this game the PNG hunters are playing in the GF for the QLD Cup meaning the PNG side wiill be severly decimated.

Ridiculous timing really.
 

shaggs

Coach
Messages
10,802
On the eve of this game the PNG hunters are playing in the GF for the QLD Cup meaning the PNG side wiill be severly decimated.

Ridiculous timing really.
Then if they win they have to play in Sydney at the GF, the Sunday after.

As if the the PNG team will be anywhere near full strength. It's there reserve grade team
 

Quigs

Immortal
Messages
34,017
From that awesomest old Rugby League Website Era Of The Biff

Story by John O'Neill on rigging the first try scorers on an end of season trip with Souths to New Guinea ...(courtesy of Tony Adams great book The Hitmen - A tribute to League's tough guys.)

"We used to have a lot of fun on and off the field. Once we went up to New Guinea for our end of season trip and wanted to make some money for our drinking fund.

So in a match against the locals, we rigged the first try scorers. We passed the word to let one of their blokes score but Gary Stevens had cauliflower ears and didn't hear the message.

We all let this bloke past us before Gary hammered him with a beauty. But he finally got the message and the next time the Papuan got the ball, he ran 70 metres to score.

There were Souths Players missing tackles left, right and centre, and this guy thought he was another Reg Gasnier.

Link thingy here
 

King Ben

Juniors
Messages
1,174
AUSTRALIA 48 (Tom Trbojevic 3, James Tedesco 3, Tyson Frizell, James Maloney tries; James Maloney 6, Valentine Holmes 1, Andrew Fifita 1 goals) def PAPUA NEW GUINEA 8 (Stanford Talita try; Jason Missian 2 goals)
 

Snoop Shark

First Grade
Messages
9,025
So Walker got stretchered off in this game lol

It couldn't of happened to a better bloke...grub

I hope it's career ending for this flea
 

coolumsharkie

Referee
Messages
26,627
Quick Q: Hunters won the Qld cup, so who are their National players then?

Kudos to them anyway, great for the game, even though they beat my team.
 
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