'12 | Test | Sat 13 Oct | AUS 18-10 NZ | Dairy Farmers

[Timmah]

1. Billy Slater
2. Darius Boyd 3. Greg Inglis 4. Josh Morris 5. Brett Morris
6. Johnathan Thurston 7. Cooper Cronk
8. Matthew Scott 9. Cameron Smith 10. James Tamou
11. Greg Bird 12. Paul Gallen
13. Nate Myles

Interchange: 14. Robbie Farah 15. Ryan Hoffman
16. David Shillington 17. Tony Williams

Reserves: 18. Ben Te'o 19. Josh Reynolds



1. Josh Hoffman
2. Sam Perrett 3. Krisnan Inu 4. Dean Whare 5. Gerard Beale
6. Benji Marshall 7. Kieran Foran
8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Isaac Luke 10. Sam Kasiano
11. Frank Pritchard 12. Kevin Proctor
13. Simon Mannering

Interchange: 14. Elijah Taylor 15. Ben Matulino
16. Greg Eastwood 17. Adam Blair

Reserve: 18. Sam McKendry




Referee
Ben Cummins (AUS)
Sideline Officials: Russell Turner (AUS) and Shane Rehm (NZL)
Video Referee: Paul Simpkins (AUS) and Leon Williamson (NZL)


Curtain Raiser #1: Palm Island v Australian Army, 2:50pm local AEST (3:50pm AEDT)

Curtain Raiser #2: Junior Kangaroos v Junior Kiwis, 4:00pm local AEST (5:00pm AEDT)

Twitter Tag #AUSvNZ
Follow LU @LeagueUnlimited

[Saints fan]

Difficult to see us getting up in this one. We might stick with the Kangaroos for 40 minutes but they will finish over the top of us.

Kangaroos 13+.

[IanG]

Originally Posted by Timmah

Referee
Ben Cummins (AUS)

Ok they haven't got a neutral ref to do this one.

[user_nat]

Feels like this game is the least hyped Aus/NZ game ever. Ever since being announced.
At least it is sold out, which is good to see after a fairly lackluster year of crowds in Townsville.

Australia by 20.

[Springs]

Well I hardly care for it, mainly because it's all they're doing. If it was the first game of a tournament it might be more interesting.

[nqcowboy87]

why is reynolds 19th man and barba is twiddling his thumbs

[Billythekid]

That NZ team looks so incredibly average. This will probably come back to bite me but it's hard to see them even competing with Australia. Wouldn't be at all suprised to see a blowout.

Originally Posted by nqcowboy87

why is reynolds 19th man and barba is twiddling his thumbs

Where can they get picked? The only possible spot for them to be is on the bench and clearly that spot is going to Farah.

Originally Posted by Springs

Well I hardly care for it, mainly because it's all they're doing. If it was the first game of a tournament it might be more interesting.

Pretty much this. When you consider how bad NZ are in one offs and then look at their squad it's hard to be excited. I mean i'm still looking forward to it but i understand why casual fans aren't.

That plus nothing in the NRL really gets hyped (except SOO). Hopefully that starts changing a little from next year.

[Vic Mackey]

The 2-5 of nz is pretty terrible. Beale and whare aren't even good first graders. I know matai, skd, nightingale, vatuvai and ropati are injured but surely they have better somewhere?

[Timmah]

2-5 terrible?

Inu and Perrett have been outstanding. Don't understand Whare given he's barely kept a FG spot, Beale's incumbent isn't he?

Whare and Beale are really only there because Nightingale's injured anyway.

[Usain Bolt]

Kiwis will get thrashed

[Billythekid]

Originally Posted by Timmah

2-5 terrible?

Inu and Perrett have been outstanding. Don't understand Whare given he's barely kept a FG spot, Beale's incumbent isn't he?

Whare and Beale are really only there because Nightingale's injured anyway.

Beale has been embarrasingly bad this year and Whare isn't near test level. Inu has been good but he's wildly inconsistent and who knows what player will show up this weekend. Perrett is a sure bet but overall i wouldn't feel at all confident going against Australias 2-5 with that line-up, could be a blood bath.

I think there is too much focus on their 2-5 anyway at the moment. They are completely outclassed at 1,6,7,9 and their forward pack looks average and is going to get smashed.

[parraparraparra]

Kiwis will get massacred

[diggo]

I totally agree with the sentiment here. Australia out-classes the Kiwis across the park. The 12.5 points start the bookies are offering won't be enough. Australia will only need to lift to 3rd gear for a win here. Could easily be an embarrassing 30+ point margin by the final siren.

I'm all over Aus (-12.5) @ $1.85. I'll be taking higher margins when they are released for some real good value.

[Hutty1986]

Aussies 13+, but Beale to play a blinder to pull down the pants of anyone who ever doubted the Steve Price masterstroke of signing him at Saints

[Patorick]

Originally Posted by Vic Mackey

The 2-5 of nz is pretty terrible. Beale and whare aren't even good first graders. I know matai, skd, nightingale, vatuvai and ropati are injured but surely they have better somewhere?