Australian Side Announced

[Sack the refs and media]

I am not the person with the name "sack the refs and media"....yeah, how long did it take you to think of that one?

I am a realist and was not shocked that this team was picked, not in the slightest....but it seems the majoiry of you morons live in a bubble and have NFI how it works.

Dont start with this "this is not hunts country crap".....is it Kostya Tszyus country? He was not born here, hardly spoke a word of english when he came here, yet as Australia is the land of opportunity, we gave him and many other people an opportunity to make a better life for themelves and he proudly represented this country and i assume 99% of people took to him.

Ohhhhhhhh but its different cause its Hunt and its Rugby League right?


Moron

The point of the thread is not 'how it works', the problem is that the system is unfair. Anyone that has followed league for any time since the inception of SOO could've rattled off 15, 16 or all 17 of the players to be picked, the point is that the selectors need to change their tune, players should only be there who DESERVE to be there, who are playing well week in, week out, in the toughest rugby league competition in the world.

Isn't rugby league different? We rave on and on and on and on .... about SOO and passion, playing for your state, mate against mate, blah blah blah, ask big Gordie if would've been happy being forced to pull on a Sky Blue, the answer is HELL NO!! In this country rugby league is suppose to inspire that passion of competing fiercely for where you come from, look at the competitive juices flowing from Marshall and Sonny Bill, why shouldn't the same be expected of Hunt?

Kostya Tszyu lived in the former Soviet Union, in a small apartment, two families co-existing in what amounted to a shoebox. I am sure New Zealanders would enjoy their country as a background being looked at as similar to the oppressive regime of the Soviet Union.

Attacking the name? A little petty isn't it?

 

[lockyno1]

Good side, no dramas really. I would have had someone over Tate though, perhaps even Hayne to be honest.

 

[Ghoulies]

Premierships aren't won in April, but Anzac tests are, so pull your head out of your arse and take off the Broncos-tinted glasses.

Since when did Saints fans wear Broncos tinted glasses? :crazy:

I lol'd at your "lockyer scraped in" comment too. You're as comically anti-Bronco as Razor.

 

[slacko_mitch]

1, 2, 3, 15, 16 f**king joke

 

[Mr Saab]

The point of the thread is not 'how it works', the problem is that the system is unfair. Anyone that has followed league for any time since the inception of SOO could've rattled off 15, 16 or all 17 of the players to be picked, the point is that the selectors need to change their tune, players should only be there who DESERVE to be there, who are playing well week in, week out, in the toughest rugby league competition in the world.

Isn't rugby league different? We rave on and on and on and on .... about SOO and passion, playing for your state, mate against mate, blah blah blah, ask big Gordie if would've been happy being forced to pull on a Sky Blue, the answer is HELL NO!! In this country rugby league is suppose to inspire that passion of competing fiercely for where you come from, look at the competitive juices flowing from Marshall and Sonny Bill, why shouldn't the same be expected of Hunt?

Kostya Tszyu lived in the former Soviet Union, in a small apartment, two families co-existing in what amounted to a shoebox. I am sure New Zealanders would enjoy their country as a background being looked at as similar to the oppressive regime of the Soviet Union.

Attacking the name? A little petty isn't it?

Why cant the same be expressed to the Cayless brothers. Born in Australia yet play for the kiwis. Thats ok though isnt it?

So for example, Darren Lockyer...been a mainstay since 1998, captained the country since 2003, played over 30 tests, scored over 25 tries...say he has as bad first 4-5 games to the yr...he should be dumped? The captain?
Its called loyalty, being "Rewarded" for over 10 yrs of service and hardly ever letting the team down...being there to score the match winning try set up by Thurston.
Throw that all away cause he has had 5 poor games. Thank f**k you are not a selector otherwise we would have the likes of Bird, Merritt, Holdsworth, Prince etc.

Hunt is different, he made his choice to represent QLD and Australia as he sees himself as an Australian/Qlder.

I am not comparing NZ to the Soviet Union, but why is it ok for Kostya to come here and represent us, but if a kiwi does it, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh not cant have that...joke, not watching the game, hope the kiwis win...blah blah blah.
Take a trip down to the AIS in canberra and take a look at all the foreign coaches in diving, gymnastics etc. They are not "Australian" but they come here and they coach our stars.

 

[Geohood]

Most of you guys clearly havn't watched Tupou play this year lol.

He's the first person Id have in my team for the Roosters with Minichiello.

 

[KiWi_BoI_15]

Shrek and Steve Price should have been in there somewhere. Oh well.

Lookin Forward to the Game!

 

[borat]

You are an idiot. The selectors are suppose to be picking the BEST team to win.

LMFAO Your really this stupid aren't you. WHEN HAVE WE LOST THE ANZAC TEST knob goblin? The selectors ignore whiney little girls like you and each year we win game by a thousand.

The players I suggested hardly have put together a mere 5 games of good play. Billy Slater played on the wing for QLD when he scored THAT try, and he, Bowen and Minichiello have been the best fullbacks in the league CONSISTENTLY for a period of about 4 years. Hunt got picked at fullback last year when he had played about 4 good games in a row.

4 good games that happend to be part of a premiership winning team. I know this is going to be stretch for your limited capabilities but there is a thing called combination the selctors have to look at. The Test team is built around Lockyer like it or not and Hunt combines well with Lockyer. I would have selected Mini myself but he is only 4 games back from injury so I can understand that.

Berrigan played what, 15 games max at hooker in the regular season for the Broncs last year, and you've ridiculously anointed him as the best hooker in the comp. Cameron Smith : the Storm lost 4 regular season games all year and then the GF by a small margin and some absurd refereeing decisions. Danny Buderus, sensastional time and again, and Robbie Farah, together with Prince, the only reason the Tigers didn't finish on 0 points. Those 3 players have been the best hookers in the comp for at least 3 years, not a couple of games like your sub-par utility Berrigan. Tahu, yeah he hasn't performed, fool. The rah-rah defence at least has some weight..

I take back the question, you are that stupid. For a start Berrigan with his 15 games was if not the best hooker equal to it, which is why he made the test team and forced Smith to spend alot of time on the bench. He was also one of the main reasons the Broncos won the comp.

BUT once again you clearly overlook the fact that as a utility on the bench he is miles infront of Farah or Buderus. Berrigan can play a number of positions which is why HE IS ON THE BENCH. You did see that didn't you:sarcasm:

We have never and will never pick the test team off the back of 5 games. Is this so hard for you to comprehened?

Go back to watching Netball or basketball because Rugby League is obviously too difficult for you to understand.

AND STOP STEALING MY OXYGEN.

 

[voltron]

K-hunt: i thought last year they took a chance with him, because the first choices were injured or out. and also i thought it was to stop NZ from getting a crack at taking him. cuz there was that whole "please play for NZ k hunt" and he was chosen for Aust. not total coincidence i reckon.
but its not like he was a huge gamble either, he had been playing well with locky for ages.

thats the problem with test footy, you throw someone like Falou or meritt in, you have no idea how they'll perform, they dont have the same connection with these players.
thus usually their bolters are players who have already formed a partnership with other players.

and tate and topou have already proven themselves at test level, and trained with this team for the tri-nations tour.
matuia is in form, but that half a game counts against him when compared to topou, cuz he had less training with the rest.

price should have been there, i reckon.

and how come everyone is bagging ricky about the team, he isnt a selector is he? he might have some influence over the team, but not entirely.

im sad that buderus isnt there, but i can understand why not.

but overall i agree with Mr Saab. for the ANZAC test, it cant be just on form. they have like four days of training together, the fact they have already played together helps.

for Origin, form is more a consideration, same with the Tri-nations are the end.

 

[Red Bear]

Well minichello is better than Hunt, but justback from injury so fair enough he didnt get selected.

Tate sucks, surelythey could find someone better to play there.

Tupou deserves his spot, justcos you are at a sh*t club doesnt mean youdont playwell.

6 Bronco's seems like overkill.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

And 6 Broncos in the Aus team, from a club team that has won only one game out of 5 (and that was against maybe the worst First Grade team in 40 years), suggests that Stuart, at least has nothing against the Broncos.

I love it! It's like some people think the entire Broncos line up was picked. If you can't recognise the positional individual form of those players (barring Tate), you need to start watching another sport.

Also, I got many laughs at how some people can judge a season from 5 games. This is the tricky part about playing a test 5 rounds into the regular season - you have to choose a proven winning formula and make slight changes with individual form.

I would love to hear the decision making process involving a rationale like yours:

Selector 1: "Civoneciva will play at prop"

Selector 2: "But his team has won only 1 game in 5!"

Selector 1: "Yeah he must be crap"

I eagerly await your ad hominem retort laced with low brow insults.

 

[Sack the refs and media]

I love it! It's like some people think the entire Broncos line up was picked. If you can't recognise the positional individual form of those players (barring Tate), you need to start watching another sport.

Also, I got many laughs at how some people can judge a season from 5 games. This is the tricky part about playing a test 5 rounds into the regular season - you have to choose a proven winning formula and make slight changes with individual form.

I would love to hear the decision making process involving a rationale like yours:

Selector 1: "Civoneciva will play at prop"

Selector 2: "But his team has won only 1 game in 5!"

Selector 1: "Yeah he must be crap"

I eagerly await your ad hominem retort laced with low brow insults.

I said before Civoniceva was leading the comp in metres coming into the previous round and THOROUGHLY deserved his spot. Also said Hodges and Lockyer should be in. I am more than capable of looking at individual spots, but with 6 players in the Aus team plus Eastwood for NZ, there is a problem with individuals (incl. some of the picked) and combinations not firing. While Berrigan played well toward the end of last year it was shock value (hooker being an attacking position for the Broncos unlike it had been for the rest of the year, with attack dominated by 6, 1, and the centres) as much as anything that led to his success. This year with teams prepared for him and the fact that he has been struggling with niggling injuries he has had little to no impact. Hodges form is undeniable and would be close to the first named in a World XIII at the moment, and Lockyer is Lockyer. But Tate has done nothing right, and Hunt has looked bad, unsafe under the high ball for the first time in a couple of years and not finding any combo with
Lockyer, the lack of scoring proof of that, most points have come directly from Lockyer and even more have come from Hodges. With Thurston in scintillating form, his dynamic combination with Bowen would be more effective, and there are other wingers who have played Aus or at least Origin in the past who are in form that could have been selected in Tate's stead.

My point is there must be a balance between form and proven winners, not just all players based on previous selection. What is the point in selecting again if we are just going to name the Tri-Nations team?

 

[Mr Saab]

I said before Civoniceva was leading the comp in metres coming into the previous round and THOROUGHLY deserved his spot.

and Hunt has looked bad, unsafe under the high ball for the first time in a couple of years and not finding any combo with

My point is there must be a balance between form and proven winners, not just all players based on previous selection. What is the point in selecting again if we are just going to name the Tri-Nations team?

* Basing things on stats? You are a rookie.
* Hunt let one ball bounce and he is looking shaky?
* There are no tests at the end of the yr, so this is the first and last team for 2007.

 

[voltron]

really?
there is no Tri-nations series at the end of the year?
is it because of the world cup next year?

 

[Twizzle]

Who really cares who got picked? Every man and his dog knows that Australian teams are hardly ever picked on form.

that pretty much sums it all up

did anyone really expect them to pick the team on form ?

they haven't done it in the past, why would they start now ?

 

[Mr Saab]

really?
there is no Tri-nations series at the end of the year?
is it because of the world cup next year?

More or less, and the players have been having end of season tours, tournaments for the past 4 yrs.
2003 Roo tour
2004 Tri nations in England
2005 Tri Nations in England
2006 Tri Nations in Australia/NZ

They need a break. They will have the WC next yr, and then the tri nations in 2009 again