Best matchday 17 for nations of the last 30-40 years

[Brian potter]

Yeah it would be great. The Kiwis haven't been up here in a long time.
I was a student in Lae that year in 1994 when the Kiwis stopped over to play against the Northern Zone Select side.
Getting in was a nightmare as the oval was so full.

Was that the tear gas game?

 

[Brian potter]

Yeah it would be great. The Kiwis haven't been up here in a long time.
I was a student in Lae that year in 1994 when the Kiwis stopped over to play against the Northern Zone Select side.
Getting in was a nightmare as the oval was so full.

Again off topic but how awesome was that reserve white kiwi jersey.

that jersey along with the black one has to be my favourite kiwi jersey design of all-time. Absolute classic.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Was that the tear gas game?

No, the tear gas was in Port Moresby when the Kiwis played the Vipers.

The games in Lae I went to was the third game played midweek.
It was against a select Northern Zone side which was made up of players mostly from Lae, Madang & Wau-Bulolou.
On the Video it starts about the 23-minute mark.

 

[Brian potter]

No, the tear gas was in Port Moresby when the Kiwis played the Vipers.

The games in Lae I went to was the third game played midweek.
It was against a select Northern Zone side which was made up of players mostly from Lae, Madang & Wau-Bulolou.
On the Video it starts about the 23-minute mark.

Happy days.

that pitch looked rock solid.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

This appears to be whatever the opposite of recency bias is, but a good stab at a team. Some of them only played a year or two in the era and if that's the case should JT be in there despite the fact he's a traitorous b'stard and my hex on him worked.

Of the more modern players I'd have Jesse Bromwich in there over one of the props. Isaac Luke over Paul at hooker.

Kevin Iro over McCracken. Dean Bell on the bench to cover everywhere. I don't think SBW ever started at 13, he needs to start in the 2nd row (over Kearney) with McGahan at lock.

Some good backrowers missing out Mannering, Lauititi and weird to see guys like RTS and Manu not feature.

SBW debuted at 13 and also played there in the 2004 tri nations. His only tournament during his first RL stint.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

as for the Paul brothers I must admit to having a bias there as they were simply awesome players in super league and always seemed to turn it on against Aussie when picked for the kiwis.

They definitely were awesome players. Henry played more at 9 for the Kiwis though with Robbie at standoff. Later on Robbie played once or twice at 9 after Henry went to yawnion.

 

[Brian potter]

They definitely were awesome players. Henry played more at 9 for the Kiwis though with Robbie at standoff. Later on Robbie played once or twice at 9 after Henry went to yawnion.

And so versatile. Henry played fullback, centre and in the halves at Wigan and Robbie played fullback, halves and hooker at Bradford.

if both were playing today they’d be in high demand and earning serious coin in the NRL.

 

[Matua]

SBW debuted at 13 and also played there in the 2004 tri nations. His only tournament during his first RL stint.

I stand corrected, I don't ever remember him playing there.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

I stand corrected, I don't ever remember him playing there.

Yeah it was a bit of a left field choice by Daniel Anderson at the time. He had Wiki at lock the year before, and switched him to prop. He was playing 2nd row for the Raiders at the time. Then he threw the 13 jersey to SBW. I think he wanted to give the hair bears from Penrith the first crack at the 2nd row spots. Another thing some may forget is DA picked Ali from Leeds after he got rid of him earlier in the year from the Wahs.

 

[Brian potter]

SBW debuted at 13 and also played there in the 2004 tri nations. His only tournament during his first RL stint.

That was the draw at north harbour stadium against Australia if I’m not mistaken.

 

[Brian potter]

Yeah it was a bit of a left field choice by Daniel Anderson at the time. He had Wiki at lock the year before, and switched him to prop. He was playing 2nd row for the Raiders at the time. Then he threw the 13 jersey to SBW. I think he wanted to give the hair bears from Penrith the first crack at the 2nd row spots. Another thing some may forget is DA picked Ali from Leeds after he got rid of him earlier in the year from the Wahs.

was it not just a case of Leeds offering Ali too much money rather than Anderson getting rid of him because at the time Ali was probably the best backrower on the planet?

 

[Clarkent]

I’ve been watching RL since around 1986 and these would be my best matchday 17 for each of the top RL playing nations.

England

1. kris radlinski
2. Jason Robinson
3. Gary Connolly
4. Paul newlove
5. Martin offiah
6. Garry schoefield
7. Andy Gregory
8. Adrian morley
9. James roby
10. Jamie peacock
11. Andy Farrell
12. Gareth Ellis
13. ellery Hanley
14. Sean long
15. James Graham
16.Paul Sculthorpe
17. Andy platt

wales

1. Jonathan davies
2. Phil ford
3. Scott gibbs
4. Allan Bateman
5. Anthony Sullivan
6. Iestyn Harris
7. Kevin ellis
8. rowlands Phillips
9. Kieron Cunningham
10. dai young
11. Scott quinnell
12. Paul morriarty
13. Ben flower
14. john deveraux
15. David bishop
16. Gil dudson
17. mark jones

Australia

1. billy slater
2. wendell sailor
3. mal meninga
4. Steve renouf
5. Andrew ettingshausen
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Andrew johns
8. Petero civoniceva
9. Cameron smith
10. Shane webcke
11. Gordon Tallis
12. Paul sironen
13. Brad fittler
14. Greg inglis
15. Jonathan thurston
16. glenn Lazarus
17. Bradley clyde

New Zealand

1. Matthew ridge
2. Sean hoppe
3. Jarrod McCracken
4. Nigel vagana
5. Manu vatuvei
6. benji Marshall
7. Stacey jones
8. Ruben wiki
9. Robbie paul
10. Quentin pongia
11. mark Graham
12. Steven Kearney
13. sonny bill Williams
14. Henry paul
15. joe vagana
16. Hugh McGahan
17. John lomax

whats yours?

*I’ll add PNG, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa at a later date.

David Solomona was very underrated in the Kiwis team. Matt Utai was a handful for the kangaroos. Not naming Ali Lauititi is a shocker. He's probably the greatest kiwi second rower. Clinton Toopi is also another player I liked during the Kiwis dominant era against the stacked kangaroos team

 

[Brian potter]

David Solomona was very underrated in the Kiwis team. Matt Utai was a handful for the kangaroos. Not naming Ali Lauititi is a shocker. He's probably the greatest kiwi second rower. Clinton Toopi is also another player I liked during the Kiwis dominant era against the stacked kangaroos team

David solomona was a terrific player whose move to super league probably harmed his chances of selection for the kiwis.

lauititi was again a terrific player but in my opinion just fails to make the cut in my team and as for Clinton toopi he was probably the best centre on the planet for a couple of seasons around the early 2000’s and then just seemed to fall away.

 

[mikail-eagle]

I know Brent Webb only got selected for New Zealand on residency at a time when their fullback options were pretty low, but I'm interested to know what New Zealand fans think of him.
He played 17 matches for NZ and they had some good success with him at fullback.

 

[Coastbloke]

What about Lesley Vainikolo for the Kiwis (Although he was born in Tonga)

 

[Clarkent]

I know Brent Webb only got selected for New Zealand on residency at a time when their fullback options were pretty low, but I'm interested to know what New Zealand fans think of him.
He played 17 matches for NZ and they had some good success with him at fullback.

Big fan of Webb especially at the warriors he was a very safe flb but I don't think he enough for the Kiwis to be rated up there with the greats

 

[Brian potter]

What about Lesley Vainikolo for the Kiwis (Although he was born in Tonga)

Awesome player who again imo kiwi career suffered due to him playing for Bradford bulls in the super league.

 

[Clarkent]

If your picking the Samoan team you might as well pick from the players the last 2 years lol
This is my team based on players form wearing the samoan jersey

1 Anthony Milford
2 Brian To'o
3 Tim Lafai
4 Joseph Leilua
5 Matt Utai
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nigel Vagana
8 Junior Paulo
9 Monty Betham
10 Tony Puletua
11 Frank Pritchard
12 Iosia Soliola
13 Josh McGuire

14 Pita Godinet
15 Kylie Leuluai
16 Sam Kasiano
17 Harrison Hansen

 

[Brian potter]

If your picking the Samoan team you might as well pick from the players the last 2 years lol
This is my team based on players form wearing the samoan jersey

1 Anthony Milford
2 Brian To'o
3 Tim Lafai
4 Joseph Leilua
5 Matt Utai
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nigel Vagana
8 Junior Paulo
9 Monty Betham
10 Tony Puletua
11 Frank Pritchard
12 Iosia Soliola
13 Josh McGuire

14 Pita Godinet
15 Kylie Leuluai
16 Sam Kasiano
17 Harrison Hansen

Hard to pick the teams for the relatively newer nations like Samoa, tonga and Fiji because they play even less internationals than the tier1 nations.

 

[Brian potter]

Big fan of Webb especially at the warriors he was a very safe flb but I don't think he enough for the Kiwis to be rated up there with the greats

RTS, Ridge and Richie Barnett are above him for me.