'10 | TEST | Fri 7 May | Australia 12-8 New Zealand | AAMI

[Dr Crane]

Lance Hohaia needs to be kept as far away from NZ teams as possible. He is a average fullback at best and he keeps interfering in the work of the halves to the detrement of the NZ attack. Luke, Marshall and Foran are more than capable of steering the side and it looked good when they did so until Lance the useless lump tried to float and play every playmaking position in a set.

usually with one of three moves:

1) dummy and accelerate at a gap
2) step and accelerate at a gap
3) kick dead/out on the full/to the winger or fullback/any other non-threatening option

 

[kia ora storm]

Luke Lewis should have played a lot more tests than he has...his defensive positioning and the lines he ran in attack were impressive.

 

[umina panther]

Luke Lewis should have played a lot more tests than he has...his defensive positioning and the lines he ran in attack were impressive.

best lock in the game by a long way

 

[Panther_Daz]

Luke Lewis should have played a lot more tests than he has...his defensive positioning and the lines he ran in attack were impressive.

Showed great strength at times yesterday too. After the initial contact on a few hit ups his leg drive got him a few more metres despite having 2 or 3 Kiwis trying to bring him down.

The fact that Gallen and Thiaday went off the field before him shows how much he is rated by the coaching staff too.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Gidley once again proves he offers nothing at rep level.

Plays two games this season, then walks in to the Australian side. FMD.

 

[gronkathon]

Lewis was great but IMO he has only really hit his straps in the last 2 seasons.

He has had glimpses before but the last two years he has been one of the top 5 back rowers in the game

 

[umina panther]

Lewis was great but IMO he has only really hit his straps in the last 2 seasons.

He has had glimpses before but the last two years he has been one of the top 5 back rowers in the game

thats coz he plays for a sh*t team and gets f**ked around. even had to play halfback for a year

 

[gronkathon]

I understand but I think those experiences have made him a better player in the long run. His football brain has improved as well

 

[Panther_Daz]

Yeah he has only really being played in the backrow for the past 2 seasons. Before that he was playing in the centres and the halves. Put him anywhere and he will do a job for you, a complete footballer.

 

[Iafeta]

i'm gonna give Zeb Taia a bit of a wrap. 130m, 18 tackles, 3 tackle breaks and 0 errors with a dud knee was a great effort... especially against the aussies in wet weather.

once again, people harsh on gidley after a stupid decision... he did a lot of the dirty stuff in defence.

... and for some reason Sau remembers how to pass the ball when he plays for NZ. i'm sure he'll forget again by Sunday.

Taia was terrific. He is deadset one of the most underrated players in the NRL. Top offloader, good footwork for a big man, and strong in the tackle. Runs excellent lines.

 

[Iafeta]

Heard it was a head high, I'd have to see it again.

To suggest the Kiwis won a moral victory is stupid. Australia were easily the superior side and when the Kiwis had their chances, they blew them because their playmakers aren't up to International standard (in the case of Foran - yet, in the case of Marshall who knows).

I can assure you it wasn't.

What happened was Matulino smashed Thaiday... who of course reacted like a sour puss and pushed Matulino, who pushed him back. Somehow that constitutes an Australian penalty, and another set of six that leads to a try.

 

[Chook Norris]

just wanted to say... how good was that hit from Matulino on Thaiday? ahahah

edit: oops

 

[Iafeta]

Jesus what a soft penalty again...

Slater voluntarily tackling himself, tells him to play on, the players do and get penalised.

:lol::lol: "Play on"

WHISTLE

"what was that for?"

"You can't tackle the man."

"But you said play on?"

It should have been a penalty to New Zealand for a voluntary tackle. I know there's an allowance for players to dive over the goal line to get out of their in goal, but he was already out. He went to ground so he couldn't be pushed back. That's what you call knowing the flaws in the rule book and exploiting them.

 

[Covellius Maximus]

Shame the weather dampened the match, but good to see the score wasn't a blowout but Australia still won. Good to see Gallen again in the green and gold. Another tireless effort for not much credit, but I certainly noticed it.

 

[kia ora storm]

:lol::lol: "Play on"

WHISTLE

"what was that for?"

"You can't tackle the man."

"But you said play on?"

It should have been a penalty to New Zealand for a voluntary tackle. I know there's an allowance for players to dive over the goal line to get out of their in goal, but he was already out. He went to ground so he couldn't be pushed back. That's what you call knowing the flaws in the rule book and exploiting them.

I agree...that was a crap call against the Kiwis.

The ref was a schocker.

 

[Noa]

If NZ have a genuine half and a strike center, they win this game, maybe Kearney has to have more faith in Inu or play Foran out wide.

Cant beleive that old dribbler Fulton thinks the Roos would flog NZ anymore, but I suppose he has to defend his selections. I mean give me the full-strenght NZ 10 over the best Australian 10 forwards any day of the week.

 

[Serc]

Taia was terrific. He is deadset one of the most underrated players in the NRL. Top offloader, good footwork for a big man, and strong in the tackle. Runs excellent lines.

Shh, don't tell anyone!

 

[raiders fan forever]

Weather def played a major part in this test match glad Australia got their win but was quite unconvincing, good looking stadium they have down in melbourne as well

 

[Big Pete]

Just watched the replay on NRL.com to find out what that penalty was for.

Definitely wasn't for a high shot, rather an innocuous hand on the ball penalty. Fair call, but really the referee could've allowed play to go on; Matulino hadn't really obstructed play at all.

That solves that mystery.