ANZAC team

[Philip_Smith007]

Matty Johns show does not know how JWG not picked, wonder if anything off the field at the world cup?
Also questioned the depth of the kiwis, that a few years back a second kiwi team would be needed in NRL to accommodate them all, asking where have they gone.

Injuries are a huge issue.

If Aussie doesn't put 50 on us I'll be impressed.

 

[Green River Eel]

Kearney is the biggest dope ever to coach a team, thats not an opinion, its a fact, Steves boarder line a few chromosomes short, real nice guy but a dead set dope.

 

[JJ]

Apart from mumbling about building for the future, has Kearney said why Wairea-Hargreaves isn't there?

Seriously, he's better than every prop named, just bizarre - is his test career over? At least while we have no viable coaching options?

 

[The European Polynesian]

Don't expect to win this one, as with everyone else, but I'm sure that will be an advantage for the side.

Can't wait to see how Havili goes - him having some game time at 9 will be excellent for the Warriors.

Also questioned the depth of the kiwis, that a few years back a second kiwi team would be needed in NRL to accommodate them all, asking where have they gone.

I can think of one or two in the Aussie jersey.

 

[WellsNZ]

Apart from mumbling about building for the future, has Kearney said why Wairea-Hargreaves isn't there?

Seriously, he's better than every prop named, just bizarre - is his test career over? At least while we have no viable coaching options?

He refused to go any further into it.

 

[vvvrulz]

Apart from mumbling about building for the future, has Kearney said why Wairea-Hargreaves isn't there?

Seriously, he's better than every prop named, just bizarre - is his test career over? At least while we have no viable coaching options?

The NRL is a good forum for building for the future.
The ANZAC test only puts out lambs for slaughter.

 

[JJ]

The NRL is a good forum for building for the future.
The ANZAC test only puts out lambs for slaughter.

Agree, 100% - some like John, this will be the highlight of their career, others like Havili are actually young and promising, but not yet even close to established in first grade

He refused to go any further into it.

Am I the only one that thinks that's bullshit? JWH is not old, so the building for the future is stupid - if it's that Kearney thinks JWH is a merkin, can't he just say that? At the end of the day, he's clearly our best prop, to suggest that Bromwich #2 is even playing the same sport is a joke...

I get not going with SBW, but JWH is petty, and stupid...

 

[jaseg]

I'm guess JWH's exclusion has something to do with the World Cup, since it just doesn't make sense otherwise.

But JJ mate I think you need to replace your meds - Bromwich isn't worlds away from JWH... in fact I think he's better

 

[WellsNZ]

Yeah I would really, really, really doubt that JWH not being picked was simply part of a "youth movement".

Has to be more to it than that.

He isn't exactly an old bugger himself, you'd like to think he'll be at the front of our pack for another 5 or 6 years at least.

 

[Scott]

Take it as fact that JWH & FPN were falling asleep during the video sessions in the lead up to the final of the World Cup.

It's not only about the future, it's about standards & culture. I applaud Kearney for leaving these 2 out.

 

[Cloudsurfer]

Yeah I would really, really, really doubt that JWH not being picked was simply part of a "youth movement".

Has to be more to it than that.

He isn't exactly an old bugger himself, you'd like to think he'll be at the front of our pack for another 5 or 6 years at least.

Put on notice I'd say...noone is guaranteed a walk in every year & if behaviour is part of it why would you put him with a bunch of young guys with the right attitude? Having a bit of mongrel doesn't make you a leader necessarily - I was at the Test last year in Canberra - his mongrel turned to s***e. Kearney wouldn't go further into it probably because he's left the door open for JWH...lesson learnt, welcome back? You'd hardly call him a merkin if you wanted to leave the door open for him would you?

As for Matty Johns, can anyone really take someone seriously who thinks he's the funniest person on the planet (embarrassed for him tbh). Likes to think he's an authority but hasn't got enough upstairs in the first place...I'm waiting for Hindy to get totally pissed at him (or Tallis, or Fletcher) and give him one. Worst NRL show on. Re NZs lack of depth...conveniently didn't mention the crap list of injuries atm...even OZ would struggle.

Totally behind Kearney's 2014 team...brave decision, precict it will be a brave performance too. Might not get the numbers on the board by the end but won't be for not trying. Lambs to the slaughter, maybe, we'll see - you might be surprised. I'm excited because it isn't the same old, same old dished up every year. GO THE KIWIS!

 

[JJ]

I'm guess JWH's exclusion has something to do with the World Cup, since it just doesn't make sense otherwise.

But JJ mate I think you need to replace your meds - Bromwich isn't worlds away from JWH... in fact I think he's better

I was referring to Kenny...

Jesse is a fine player.

I dunno, I am a bit frustrated, but like Elliott, the one thing we know for certain about Kearney is he is a shit coach... tbh I feel sleepy whenever I hear Kearney talk too

 

[WellsNZ]

I have no problem with him leaving JWH if it's for disciplinary related reasons, just annoying for us as fans to be left in the dark. At the same time I understand why he wouldn't want to just throw JWH under the bus, but "Jared has been left out for disciplinary reasons and we won't go further into that" or something along those lines might have been better than just saying nothing at all and leaving the fans to piece things together.

I find the Monday night show the most enjoyable of the lot personally. He's right and wrong about the depth. There's plenty of depth in some areas, we've got second rowers, we've got wingers (now), we've got props, we're even starting to gather up centres now. But in the key positions there's no depth. We've got one top 9, one top 7, one top 6 and then we've got TL who is the band-aid to cover if one of those three gets hurt. There's one Kiwi who is regularly starting at fullback in the NRL and he's really a winger. Injuries have certainly hit the Kiwis hard, but those injuries are exposing the team for how little depth we have.

Aussie wouldn't struggle in that situation. If Smith, Cronk, Thurston, Slater all went out, you've got Farah, Friend, McCullough, DCE, A Reynolds, J Reynolds, Hayne, Dugan, Stewart, Pearce, Maloney, Carney, list goes on of capable replacements.

 

[jaseg]

I was referring to Kenny...

Jesse is a fine player.

Haha, my bad - totally read that wrong. Dead on about Kenny of course.

 

[Diesel]

NZRL looks to be paying for the bad decision to re-sign him. Bennett got the team the WC, other than a try in the final minutes of the 2010 4 Nations final, what has Kearney achieved?

 

[vvvrulz]

NZRL looks to be paying for the bad decision to re-sign him. Bennett got the team the WC, other than a try in the final minutes of the 2010 4 Nations final, what has Kearney achieved?

Nothing.

He's a dud coach and I don't know why we stick with him.

 

[oikee]

I agree with Scotty and a few others. Something happened in that last world cup final.
They got hammered and hardly put up a fight.
I know Kearney has picked a few rookies, but i mean what choice has he got, no Luke, no Foran.
You dont have a production line of players to replace them with.

Matai never wants to play, it seems like Kearney is flogging a dead horse every time he needs players to rise to the occasion.
Jamie Lyon has let NSW down now for years, he can play club footy but cant play for his state or country. ??
What's that all about.
It is nearly getting to the stage that if you get pcked and make up some excuse that you cant play, you should be sat on the sideline for two weeks from club duty.
That will fix em. These clubs are starting to rest their good players so they are ready for the finals, while other teams players are busted and broken. Manly and the Roosters are the main culprit's.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I have no problem with him leaving JWH if it's for disciplinary related reasons, just annoying for us as fans to be left in the dark.

I agree. If you want us to give a sh*t about this Test match every year, and it's bloody harder and harder to do so as the list of losses gets longer, you're going to have to be upfront about why one of the game's premier props is not playing.

SBW, we know about and I don't want that princess in our side anyway. But JWH is in every day of the week unless there's a disciplinary reason or the Roosters don't want him playing because of a niggle.

 

[vvvrulz]

The stupidest thing is this excuse of "planning for the future".

What future? The world cup every four years that only three teams even manage to compete in? Its basically a tri-nations + curtain raisers which Australia wins 9 times out of 10.

If we are going to be taken seriously by Australia we need to field our very best every time and treat each test match like its the last. Treat it like an Origin match, you only ever see the top guns playing that.

Even if it means moving mountains and swallowing pride towards getting SBW to play, its a one off test match not a club contract and there is no doubt about his ability as a player.

Dumb attitude, barring a miracle we are going to get spanked and the poor kids selected will learn nothing.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Not fussed about FPN or SKD missing out.
Would like to have had JWH in there of course.

I guess the good thing with having so may debutants this time is that they are locked in for us and escapes the SOO trap. Had Hiku not played for us soon, makes you wonder how long someone would find a loophole to let him play in SOO.

On paper, it looks like its gonna be a one sided affair, but its these types of affairs that could spring an unlikely upset