City/Country teams

[Deleted member 10972]

Australian team, based on form, should be:

Australia

Billy Slater
Jarryd Hayne (NSW)
Justin Hodges
Mark Gasnier (NSW - if injured, Izzy Folau)
Greg Inglis
Braith Anasta (NSW)
Scott Prince
Luke Bailey (NSW)
Cameron Smith
Petero Civoniceva
Anthony Tupou (NSW)
Anthony Laffranchi (NSW)
Greg Bird (NSW)

Kurt Gidley (NSW)
Paul Gallen (NSW)
Willie Mason (NSW)
Nate Myles

Obviously the NSW players picked for Australia are instant selections for NSW bar injury, so they should try out a lot of youth for the City v Country teams.

City

Luke Patten
Chris Lawrence
Dean Collis
Michael Jennings
Eric Grothe
Peter Wallace
Mitchell Pearce
Mark O'Meley
Robbie Farah
Ray Cashmere
Anthony Watmough
Ryan Hoffmann
Feleti Mateo

Brett Kearney
Mark Minichiello
Adam Cuthbertson (Trent Waterhouse and Reece Williams are injured)
Jason King (for lack of any better options)

18th Man: Ben Pomeroy or Luke Lewis

Country

Brett Stewart
Amos Roberts
Joel Monaghan
Anthony Quinn
Adrian Purtell
Jarrod Mullen
Todd Carney
Brett White
Michael Ennis
Ben Cross
Corey Paterson
Chris Heighington
Glenn Stewart

Brett Finch (just gives another option to try, otherwise, Preston Campbell)
Ben Creagh
Ashton Sims
Luke Douglas

18th Man: Alan Tongue or Todd Payten

Guys like Ryles, Kite, Clinton, Hindmarsh, Ryan, O'Donnell, Simpson need to be steered away from. I rate them as players, but they haven't been consistently explosive enough at club level, let alone rep level, to make an impact. We should focus on these younger forwards, or forwards that are blossoming late in their careers like Cashmere, Ben Cross. No need to go backwards & pick guys who have played at that level in recent years but have lacked any significant impact, it would be like picking Fitzgibbon or Menzies. They would do the job with minimal fuss, but they aren't the right direction.

Although i can tell you know, we will see Hindmarsh picked for Australia again...O'Donnell, Ryan & Simpson is CvC again, & Kite in Origin contention again. Selectors too scared to try something new.

On the subject of Dean Young and Reni Maitua, for differing reasons (injuries & off-field problems respectively), these two amazingly talented locks seem to have both missed the boat in a sense. In the time that they have been out of action, both Glenn Stewart & Feleti Mateo have flourished & deserve their chances FAR more. Luke Rooney and Justin Poore also peaked early but are now no good.

For City, past selections Luke Lewis, Ben Pomeroy & David Simmons all miss the boat. For Country, the Morris brothers have lost form at a sharp rate this year and miss out, Merritt is out of form...and Covell decided to change countries. Alan Tongue and Todd Payten are unlucky.

 

[T]

glen stewart and payten are from the country, galloway may be a bolter been solid so far this year

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Jeez does that mean Brett Stewart is from the Country too?

That country team looks unbelievably good.

Todd Payten was a Parramatta Jr? That would mean City, wouldn't it?

I need confirmation on Jennings, Monaghan, Lawrence and Payten.

Its a shame guys like Dean Young, Trent Waterhouse and Reni Maitua haven't lived up to their potential for whatever reason. But at least there is still good depth in the NRL for forwards.

 

[T]

Yeah stewart is from the country aswell, payten was born at parramatta hospital but moved to canberra early on monaghan= country lawrence= city from campbelltown
Jennings is eligible for city pretty sure he's of tongan decent so not sure if he's aligned to kiwis or tonga but i think he'll get a city jumper along with the likes of collis and lawrence in the outside backs

 

[Stagger eel]

Jeez does that mean Brett Stewart is from the Country too?

That country team looks unbelievably good.

Todd Payten was a Parramatta Jr? That would mean City, wouldn't it?

I need confirmation on Jennings, Monaghan, Lawrence and Payten.

Its a shame guys like Dean Young, Trent Waterhouse and Reni Maitua haven't lived up to their potential for whatever reason. But at least there is still good depth in the NRL for forwards.

Monoghan and Payton are both Canberra juniors while Jennings could be from the country and Lawrence is a city boy.

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Fair enough, Canberra is country yes?

It seems NSW are not willing to risk people like Monaghan, Lawrence, Jennings, etc.

 

[perverse]

i daresay buderus will play for country given that he wont make the test team.

 

[100yearsRL]

Gallon, your kidding yourself you don't put him in. It was only when he and bird gave it to the queenslanders that NSW looked good. He must be in aust team regardless coming back from suspension.

 

[Spike]

Is the Central Coast and Woollongong considered city or country in relation to selections? I remember Matt Orford has played for both and he's from the Central Coast.

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Gallon, your kidding yourself you don't put him in. It was only when he and bird gave it to the queenslanders that NSW looked good. He must be in aust team regardless coming back from suspension.

Hoffman has more strings to his bow than Gallen.

Gallen is an overrated thug.

 

[girvie]

Is the Central Coast and Woollongong considered city or country in relation to selections? I remember Matt Orford has played for both and he's from the Central Coast.

Orford qualified for City because he came down and played Juniors with North Sydney.

 

[Panther_Daz]

Jennings is definately City. Born in Blacktown Hospital played all his junior footy in Penrith.

 

[Zigwaa]

Preston Campbell and Nathan Merrit should get a run too.

Mark Minichello deserves a jersey.

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Campbell is too old IMO but if they were to use him i'd have him on the bench for Country instead of Finch, & what has Merritt done this season to warrant any selection?

By the way, i know Bryce Gibbs is City, but what about Keith Galloway, Michael Greenfield or Josh Cordoba? They are all young and must be pushing for King's prop spot.

 

[T]

galloway= city gibbs= city i'd say both greenfield and cordoba are city

 

[100yearsRL]

Hoffman has more strings to his bow than Gallen.

Gallen is an overrated thug.

I am not doubting Hoffman he is a quality player. Gallon a thug you are kidding, its called tough and intimidating and thats what we need against QLD especially. Game 1 last last year Tony Carroll whacks brett white and NSW forwards stand around. Gallon and Bird come and all of a sudden we are tough. Give me Gallon any day

 

[Johns Magic]

Yep, Gallen is exactly the type of forward we need against QLD. Not powderpuffs like Ryan and Hindmarsh.

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Gallen will def be there for NSW, my issue is whether he is of more value than Hoffman.

It is arguable but fair enough.

If i ever see Hindmarsh, Ryan, plonker O'Donnell, Kite, Clinton, Ryles ever picked for rep teams again i will shoot myself it the foot. FFS, selectors, we need to move on.

 

[watatank]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but Patten is Country.

 

[Johns Magic]

Gallen will def be there for NSW, my issue is whether he is of more value than Hoffman.

It is arguable but fair enough.

If i ever see Hindmarsh, Ryan, plonker O'Donnell, Kite, Clinton, Ryles ever picked for rep teams again i will shoot myself it the foot. FFS, selectors, we need to move on.

Ryles deserves a shot but none of the others you mentioned.