Australian Invitation 13 VS New Zealand A *spoilers and match talk*

[ParraDude_Jay]

When Hohaia went down injured.. they used Faiumu as hooker.. not the sort of player you'd expect at hooker.

Well it caught me off guard, I'd never expect they'd move a bloke who's been playing off the bench as a hooker all year at club level into the hooking role..

 

[girvie]

Here is another article. It's good to see the player yet to play NRL getting a wrap.

Mason injured as visitors triumph in curtain-raiser
By Brad Walter, Telstra Stadium
October 16, 2005
The Sun-Herald

NZ A 40 Kangaroos XIII 16

Willie Mason's representative curse struck again when the Bulldogs international suffered a shoulder injury playing in the curtain-raiser to the opening Tri-Nations Test at Telstra Stadium last night.

Mason, who was one of six members of the Australian squad in the Kangaroos Invitational XIII thrashed 40-16 by New Zealand A, is unlikely to be available for the second Test against the Kiwis in Auckland on Friday night and may be out for longer.

With Australia coach Wayne Bennett admitting that Mason's selection on the tour was to repay him for the foot injury sustained playing last year against the United States that sidelined him for most of this season, the news will not be welcomed by Bulldogs officials.

"I can't believe it," Mason said afterwards. "Until I got injured it was good."

Mason said the initial diagnosis of the injury was that it was a grade-one AC joint tear, which is expected to sideline for him one to two weeks but should not be serious enough to rule him out of the tour.

"I'm not sure . . . I guess I'll be doing plenty of physio and plenty of rehabilitation," he said.

Mason sustained the injury scoring the Australian's second try 12 minutes into the second half.

At the time, New Zealand A led 28-6 and were outplaying their more illustrious opponents. Unknown North Sydney hooker Billy Ngawini, who has signed for the Bulldogs next season, and Parramatta premier league backs Kris Inu and Jeremy Smith were standout performers.

Asked about Ngawini, Mason said: "I didn't know anything about him but he goes good. He'll be putting some pressure on some other players for a spot next year."

In terms of the Tri-Nations series, Penrith second-rower Tony Puletua, South Sydney-bound Joe Galuvao, Warriors prop Iafeta Paleaaesina and Hull utility Motu Tony did enough to all but guarantee themselves places in New Zealand's touring party.

"All of the young kids in our side tried real hard, but they were up against a team, all of who could slot into their Test side," Invitational XIII captain Trent Barrett said.

"They're all playing for Test spots, while there was six of us . . . we all wanted to play well, too.

"It was hard, we'd only had a half-hour training session with the young guys, but I guess we were expecting it to be difficult."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/mason-injured-as-visitors-triumph-in-curtainraiser/2005/10/15/1128796750336.html

 

[elyod138]

Lol devil9, faiumu IS a hooker and he played well from there...

 

[Hurriflatch]

how did Inu play the SMH report said he played well but what about others opinions??

 

[aqua_duck]

Here is another article. It's good to see the player yet to play NRL getting a wrap.

Mason injured as visitors triumph in curtain-raiser
By Brad Walter, Telstra Stadium
October 16, 2005
The Sun-Herald

NZ A 40 Kangaroos XIII 16

Willie Mason's representative curse struck again when the Bulldogs international suffered a shoulder injury playing in the curtain-raiser to the opening Tri-Nations Test at Telstra Stadium last night.

Mason, who was one of six members of the Australian squad in the Kangaroos Invitational XIII thrashed 40-16 by New Zealand A, is unlikely to be available for the second Test against the Kiwis in Auckland on Friday night and may be out for longer.

The rubbish he served up today when he was on the field was absolutely pathetic, he didn't make not 1 good one on one clean tackle, shouldn't be considered for the rest of the tour regardless of injury

 

[Hurriflatch]

Considering Hindy was ruled out for the entire tour for an injury that he could play with and that'll be 100% in no more then 1 more week, If Hugh Hazard has any credibility then Mason MUST be medically ruled out for the entire tour.

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Considering Hindy was ruled out for the entire tour for an injury that he could play with and that'll be 100% in no more then 1 more week, If Hugh Hazard has any credibility then Mason MUST be medically ruled out for the entire tour.

Hindy isn't a Bulldog though ;-).

 

[aqua_duck]

mate there was no way mason was even fit today, Hugh Hazard has no idea

 

[screeny]

The problem with NZ is that their players are just too big..

When Hohaia went down injured.. they used Faiumu as hooker.. not the sort of player you'd expect at hooker. And he didn't seem to do much in the hooking role as well

You have got to be kidding, right? Faiumu was unbelievable at hooker. Watch the tape and take note of his PERFECT distribution from the ruck.

Also, he chose his times to scoot superbly well, his side steps in close quarters made Buderus look like an absolute fool!

What players NZ have!

 

[Hurriflatch]

Faiumu was very good

while they never directly faced each other I'd go as far as to say that Faiumu out played Buderus

 

[***MH***]

well... mason made one good run scoring that try, everytime he scores a try he seems to get injured..... hmmm
but for most of the time he was on there he was very pedestrian in both offence and defense. O'Mealy played out of his skin though and was one of the forwards that impressed me. Barrett and Prince played well individually but when linking up in attack would often cause a breakdown in communication between the two, causing many handovers when they made the oppositions half.

 

[Jackal Dog]

Faiumu has been awesome at coming off the bench into the hooking role this year, now that Lance is out I expect him to become the 1st choice no.9

 

[Iafeta]

well... mason made one good run scoring that try, everytime he scores a try he seems to get injured..... hmmm
but for most of the time he was on there he was very pedestrian in both offence and defense. O'Mealy played out of his skin though and was one of the forwards that impressed me. Barrett and Prince played well individually but when linking up in attack would often cause a breakdown in communication between the two, causing many handovers when they made the oppositions half.

O'Meley and Mason were used as speed humps for Paleaaesina and Guttenbeil, and O'Meley in particular became target practise for Phil Leuluai.

I thought it was a thoroughly embarrassing performance from Mark O'Meley TBPH. I expected so much more.

They were cleaned up ad nauseum in the forwards, and O'Meley was supposedly the cornerstone of that pack.

 

[Iafeta]

Carmont had a dream game today scoring some great tries, definetly a bolter for the top side. Leon Bott ran down the best try saver I've ever seen!

It was on Wairangi Koopu. Took an intercept 5 metres out from his own line.

Wai's being playing backrow for the past few years so I figured he'd be caught.

 

[Iafeta]

how did Inu play the SMH report said he played well but what about others opinions??

Inu was good under the high ball.

But he dropped a couple of short passes with yawning gaps opening up in front of him.

If he can iron out the mistakes he made in that game, he'll be an international fullback I've got no doubt.

 

[***MH***]

O'Mealy was only cleaned up in one of the hit-ups he made, credit to the NZ A defense. In the rest of the hit ups he made, he was always making metres and bumping off defenders, Mason however kept trying to force passes everytime he got grabbed.

 

[The_MaFeeLi_Tiger]

Was Bronson Harrison playing?

 

[CC_Eagle]

Kylie Leuluai and Steve Matai anyone?

 

[morri (cWo)]

Was Bronson Harrison playing?

yeah he played.

 

[Stranger]

O'Mealy played awsome, should be in for Ryles or Civoniceva.

Covell and Carmot killed it :| Im shocked :|