Australia v New Zealand Test Match Thread

[deluded pom?]

This man really said Hodgson

Ricky will stop Hodgson playing in the 4N and that will pave the way for him to play for Australia at the WC ;-)

 

[DiegoNT]

Ricky will stop Hodgson playing in the 4N and that will pave the way for him to play for Australia at the WC ;-)

You'd think Hodgson would be a certainty for the 4 nations squad, but with a Queenslander now in charge you never know right;-)

 

[Parra Pride]

Is Cam Smith the only one you'd rid? I'd take Cronk out too and bring in Milf. They need a running half like Morgan but Morgan went ok at 13 so Milf in. I'll bring in TedEsco at fullback and Oates for Semi. Yous don't really need Semi.

You we don't need Semi, then name him anyway. So do we or don't we need him?

 

[Scubby]

I think if Cameron Smith plays then Australia need an alternate dummy half on the bench. He is a legend but he is offering less and less as an individual threat. Thaiday, Parker and maybe even Cronk need the boot. Australia have to move on and quickly. You can't keep all these guy and Gallen, Thurston, Scott and Smith.

The Kiwis made a massive mistake going with Nikorima at 6. They should have stuck to Harris 6, and put Takairangi in the centres. Brown then replaced by Nikorima at 20 minutes to cause problems around the rucks. Kenny Bromwich at hooker was a selection right up there as a dead set insult to international RL.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Would the Kiwis be allowed a hit out too or do they have to go in cold?

Yeah we get a hit out too but that's kind of beside the point. Had the Roos had one, I think those multiple near miss tries would've hit tonight because of that cohesion built up. If they played England next week the Roos would be much more clinical BECAUSE they had a hit out.

You we don't need Semi, then name him anyway. So do we or don't we need him?

Obviously yous don't need him. Yous got Oates, Dugan and a whole lot of other good wingers. It's overkill but if I was the coach I'd pick him but I know very well that he's surplus.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Are you just going to ignore the fact that you named an Englishman who played for England as recently as last year as the starting hooker in your Australian World Cup side?

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Are you just going to ignore the fact that you named an Englishman who played for England as recently as last year as the starting hooker in your Australian World Cup side?

Oh shucks I assumed he was Australian lol. Apologies. As a kiwi I'm happy Cam Smith is playing cos without Slater, he's got no one to chip too/make him look good.

While we're on the subject of England..lot of comments made about them to be the team to look out for and those comments coming off the back of tonight's dismal test. I wonder if that's pretty rash given the mediocre ANZAC test and that we haven't seen England play yet.

The thing for me is that in the club challenge this year the Super League sides failed to beat the NRL sides. I'm just wondering if that might be an indicator of things to come..we'll have to wait and see when they come down here.

 

[roughyedspud]

No its not a indicator....our best players play in the nrl...and australias oldest players play for the roos

 

[Paullyboy]

Were there any injuries? That's the important thing

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

No its not a indicator....our best players play in the nrl...and australias oldest players play for the roos

Lol the Roos and as old as some of the regulars are, still need them.

-Thurston is the best and consistent half every week in the NRL.
- Gallen has that robustness and one of the best of the short stocky square forwards like Taumolo, Papalii etc..
- Inglis might be crap in the NRL but he's only as good as his team, he showed that last night and went well in the centres and if he links up with Thurston/Morgan as often as Nielsen does at the Cowboys, he'll score a lot more test tries.

Those guys would be my bolters.

 

[Dummy Spit Johns]

Lol the Roos and as old as some of the regulars are, still need them.

-Thurston is the best and consistent half every week in the NRL.
- Gallen has that robustness and one of the best of the short stocky square forwards like Taumolo, Papalii etc..
- Inglis might be crap in the NRL but he's only as good as his team, he showed that last night and went well in the centres and if he links up with Thurston/Morgan as often as Nielsen does at the Cowboys, he'll score a lot more test tries.

Those guys would be my bolters.

Who is Nielson?

 

[Pommy]

Oh shucks I assumed he was Australian lol. Apologies. As a kiwi I'm happy Cam Smith is playing cos without Slater, he's got no one to chip too/make him look good.

While we're on the subject of England..lot of comments made about them to be the team to look out for and those comments coming off the back of tonight's dismal test. I wonder if that's pretty rash given the mediocre ANZAC test and that we haven't seen England play yet.

The thing for me is that in the club challenge this year the Super League sides failed to beat the NRL sides. I'm just wondering if that might be an indicator of things to come..we'll have to wait and see when they come down here.

The super league sides in the WCC this year haven't had the best seasons whilst two of the NRL sides have just carried on in the same form that go them to the NRL grand final last year.
Anyone with any sense would always pick the NRL sides to win but this years WCC was a particularly bad showing, in 2015 whilst still being a white wash the SL sides gave it a go.
As has also been said our best players play here and our coach is the guy who should have got the Kangaroos job.
We also managed to beat a depleted Kiwi side 2/3 in a test series just a few months ago whilst one of our best players wasn't even in the code.

 

[roughyedspud]

The kiwi team yesterday was way worse than the kiwi team that toured england last year..

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Who is Nielson?

Oh sorry not Nielsen. It's the Cowboys centre same colour as Nielsen and is always scoring. Forgotten his name..

 

[Pommy]

The kiwi team yesterday was way worse than the kiwi team that toured england last year..

Sorry I didn't really state my point properly we convincingly beat a somewhat depleted NZ side in much better fashion than Australia did a very depleted side.
The world cup could be the most open yet due to Australia going backwards and NZ and England's rise.

 

[Burns]

Sorry I didn't really state my point properly we convincingly beat a somewhat depleted NZ side in much better fashion than Australia did a very depleted side.
The world cup could be the most open yet due to Australia going backwards and NZ and England's rise.

Give Samoa and Fiji access to their players and we could a performance like Samoa did in the 2014 Four Nations. 5 countries that could be competitive.

 

[Pommy]

Give Samoa and Fiji access to their players and we could a performance like Samoa did in the 2014 Four Nations. 5 countries that could be competitive.

Your preaching to the converted on that topic.

 

[Matterhorn]

if benji marshall and issac luke played would the result of been different

I think it would of taken the pressure of Johnson & luke would of added more spark around the ruck especially when there were near the try line

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Of all Kangaroos over 30, only Thurston deserves to be there on merit.

Inglis is looking older than his 29 years too.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Sorry I didn't really state my point properly we convincingly beat a somewhat depleted NZ side in much better fashion than Australia did a very depleted side.
The world cup could be the most open yet due to Australia going backwards and NZ and England's rise.

Although I'd hold the Roos at favorites to win this year's 4Ns, it could be quite close.

As good as England is, I just don't see them beatin the Kiwis and the Roos here in the south and especially if they had to do it back to back. The same goes for us considering where we are right now, it's too taxing for all teams but the Roos I think could handle it.

Give Samoa and Fiji access to their players and we could a performance like Samoa did in the 2014 Four Nations. 5 countries that could be competitive.

Oh absolutely, Tonga as well. That would be a strong demonstration from the heads of the game in that they truly ARE trying to develop League internationally. Right now they're talking about the good of the game but the easy actions (such as releasing players) seem a bit tentative and the clubs don't always help either.

if benji marshall and issac luke played would the result of been different

I think it would of taken the pressure of Johnson & luke would of added more spark around the ruck especially when there were near the try line

With Luke absolutely, hes a different player after he's done the haka and he's just coming back into form with the Warrior.

Benji I see as a weakness in the defence line. His attack before was what got him in but now he's just a distributor. Without his unpredictable fancy plays he'll end up playing structured which is great if you got players in your backline like the Roos have but if you have players that AREN'T really noted line breaking backs, then your gonna need a half that can spark something to give his back line ideal attacking situations.

So no to Benji for me unless Kearney is willing to let Benji play off the cuff which would be more fun to watch then the Kiwis BORING attack last night.