23 man Test squad announced

[northey]

. He's one of the best wingers going around at the moment, and it showed when he returned on Friday night. Just look at how poor the Panthers looked without him and Priddis against Parramatta

as much as is kills me to say it, i have to agree with you there, luke is a talented winger.


Luke Bailey (St George Illawarra)
Shaun Berrigan (Brisbane)
Tonie Carroll (Brisbane) (god help us)
Petero Civoniceva (Brisbane) (yes)
Craig Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters) (yes)
Craig Gower (Penrith) (i would have put matt orford there)
Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta) (yes)
Ben Kennedy (Manly) (maybe)
Brett Kimmorley (Cronulla)
Luke Lewis (Penrith) (he has been out of form, but this might boost him)
Darren Lockyer (Brisbane) (yes)
Anthony Minichiello (Sydney Roosters) (or slater, i would lean towards slater)
Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs) (yes)
Steve Price (NZ Warriors) (yes)
Luke Priddis (Penrith) (yes)
Luke Rooney (Penrith) (yes)
Andrew Ryan (Bulldogs) (yes)
Jason Ryles (St George Illawarra) (no)
Matt Sing (North Queensland) (i thought he had retired from rep)
Billy Slater (Melbourne) (yes)
Willie Tonga (Bulldogs) (maybe, not)
Trent Waterhouse (Penrith) (no)
Craig Wing (Sydney Roosters) (no)

 

[Hero]

no preston campbell either i think i c a reason why these playerz arent gettin in

 

[pennywisealfie]

1. Slater (Go Billy!)
2. Sing (Announced he wants to come back to rep footy, go Matty!)
3. Berrigan (i thought he was playing ordinary, but now id say hes the form centre)
4. Tonga (as much as i like the guy he doesnt really deserves it but theres not much else there)
5. Rooney (Theres other deserving wingers, but he doesnt look outta place)
6. Lockyer (L) (for Leader!)
7. Kimmorley (Id like to see orford there, but thats not the case so kimmorley for sure)
8. Civoniceva (Go Civ, so deserves it)
9. Priddis (Smith should be there but priddo is going just as well)
10. Price (Pricey owns)
11. Fitzgibbon (Kicker, good player, has to be there)
12. Ryan (Its a toss up between him and hindmarsh but im going ryan)
13. Carroll (Best Lock in the world!)

14. Hindmarsh
15. Mark O Meley (if injured then put in Bailey or ryles, there both the same guy really)
16. Trent Waterhouse (Been going awesome)
17. Craig Gower

 

[Doctor]

I have to disagree with you on Rooney. He's one of the best wingers going around at the moment, and it showed when he returned on Friday night. Just look at how poor the Panthers looked without him and Priddis against Parramatta.

EDIT: I meant Luke Rooney, but had written Lewis.

Rooney is a bit of a princess when he takes on the line -- a bit of a fairy. But I suppose others just aren't consistently producing, and that's the way the selectors have gone.

If Danny Buderus was back, he'd be in. The only other eyebrow-raiser was no suggestion of Steve Simpson: if you want a mistake-free second-rower then look no further than the boy from Broke. His problem at the moment is that the opposition know he's the only forward worth his salt in a team full of under-achievers.

 

[Grantwhy]

Matt Sing announced his retirement from rep footy last year. Are the selectors persistent? Or has he come out of retirement again?

he announced his intention to do so, but to make it official it needs a signed letter from Sing to the ARL. That hasn't happened ;-).

While on the Tri Nations tour last year he missed the birth of his child and that (I think) was the reason he wanted to give up Rep football.

I wouldn't be surprised that at the end of this season he does make it offical and give up Rep football.

 

[Nuke]

When was the last time Newcastle didn't have a rep? :?

If I remember correctly, it was the ANZAC Test in 2000. Andrew Johns was originally selected to play hooker, but pulled out because of a groin injury. I tend to think he was insulted that if he was to play test footy, it was in the hooker position, and not his deserved half-back spot.

That Test match was the one and only Test I have been to. Living here in Perth, the opportunity doesn't present itself very often! I was annoyed that I was going, but for the 1st time in my memory, there were no Knights players in the team.

That was the game Mat Rogers bagged a lot of points, and that Kiwi fullback (was it Richie Blackmore? I can't quite remember) had his cheek smashed in when it collided with Wendell Sailor's head.

--------------------
As for this current squad, I reckon it's a bloody disgrace Matt Orford didn't make the squad - even if he missed out on the actual team that gets announced next week. Now I know I'm a passionate Kimmorley-hater, but Orford deserves his chance over Kimmorley. Cameron Smith deserved to be in the squad too. I'm definitely not a Melbourne Storm supporter, but I do believe these players should've been in the squad.

 

[Misanthrope]

Richie Blackmore

Richie Barnett. Richie Blackmore was a centre/back rower.

 

[Nuke]

Yep. That's the guy I was thinking of. I had a brain-fart that night that I typed that, and couldn't think of Mr Barnett's name! I was close though!

Thanks ChrisWalkerBush.