Kiwi squad announced.

[Philip_Smith007]

Marshall-King is our best hooker.
Not sure about Riki.
Weekes wants to play Origin.

Thanks, thought JMK was playing in halves, we had to roll Foran out for that one.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I forgot about TMM ... if we have an injury to Foran or Brown and CNK winds up at 6 I'm dropping Stacey from my greatest ever Kiwis team (Gary Freeman will be pleased to hear that.)

Yea man it’s a big call aye.

Guessing Crossland will play #14 as our hooker/halves cover, and it was a toss up between him and TMM for that utility spot in the squad.

Tricky one.. if JMK goes down I’d rather Crossland than TMM, but if one of the halves goes down I’d definitely rather TMM.

Hopefully everyone stays fit and Stace keeps his spot in your team lol

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Will Warbrick, Leo Thompson and Griffin Neame also overlooked?

It's a good squad.

 

[shinobi]

Feel like we couldve gone without CNK and blooded some youngsters. Looks like all the best young talent is heading to Samoa/Tonga (Demi, Leka, Iongi, Toia etc) or sticking with Australia for Origin eligibility (Weekes, Howarth, Strange and even Walsh even if he never would play for us). We are going to have to do more to make the Kiwis jersey desirable and i guess that starts with us consistently winning games like we did in 2023.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Will Warbrick, Leo Thompson and Griffin Neame also overlooked?

It's a good squad.

Warbrick needs a rest, he's had an arduous year with the ongoing issues with that head injury.

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

I forgot about TMM ... if we have an injury to Foran or Brown and CNK winds up at 6 I'm dropping Stacey from my greatest ever Kiwis team (Gary Freeman will be pleased to hear that.)

Whizz still sitting on the bus bitching to his manager?

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

Feel like we couldve gone without CNK and blooded some youngsters. Looks like all the best young talent is heading to Samoa/Tonga (Demi, Leka, Iongi, Toia etc) or sticking with Australia for Origin eligibility (Weekes, Howarth, Strange and even Walsh even if he never would play for us). We are going to have to do more to make the Kiwis jersey desirable and i guess that starts with us consistently winning games like we did in 2023.

We need to play more consistently. Mid year test window should be a priority

 

[Matua]

Whizz still sitting on the bus bitching to his manager?

Hahaha. I remember watching that at the time and thinking WTF.

Feel like we couldve gone without CNK and blooded some youngsters. Looks like all the best young talent is heading to Samoa/Tonga (Demi, Leka, Iongi, Toia etc) or sticking with Australia for Origin eligibility (Weekes, Howarth, Strange and even Walsh even if he never would play for us). We are going to have to do more to make the Kiwis jersey desirable and i guess that starts with us consistently winning games like we did in 2023.

Origin is the key for PIs, as you rightly point out for the non PI players, but including Leka and Longi is a stretch, Leka is one of the few born and bred Tongans in the game, and Longi is Australian. Toia has been in Aussie since he was 6 and plays Origin so unsurprising he prefers to play for Tonga.

Unfortunately we need two things, the Origin rules to be opened up to NZers, and a decent coach, things that aren't currently happening.

Will Warbrick, Leo Thompson and Griffin Neame also overlooked?

It's a good squad.

I forgot about my fellow Bay boy Leo.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Whizz still sitting on the bus bitching to his manager?

Lol when was that? Not during the 95 world cup right?

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

Lol when was that? Not during the 95 world cup right?

Yep. Shat the bed when Frank picked Stacey.

He also had a go at Ridge accusing him of influencing team selection.

From recollection Whizz only played one game that tournament at hooker?

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Yep. Shat the bed when Frank picked Stacey.

He also had a go at Ridge accusing him of influencing team selection.

From recollection Whizz only played one game that tournament at hooker?

Haha. I admire Whiz's passion for the jersey.

Yeah I think you're right about him playing the 1 game. Ridge said in his book there was a group of guys who weren't selected who were causing problems for morale which was headed by Freeman but also included Halligan and Henry Paul.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I am sorry to see the person in position 1.
Brings no honour to the KIWI's.
He's a grub. (In my opinion.)

In my opinion he brings a great deal of honour to the jersey as one of the few who has resisted every overture to play elsewhere than for his country of origin

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

In my opinion 2025’s most disgraceful defector is Deine Mariner. His old man sang “It’s a Matter of Faith” 25 years ago ffs.

If NAS decapitates him in the 80th minute when we’re 40 points up I’ll cheer.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Haha. I admire Whiz's passion for the jersey.

Yeah I think you're right about him playing the 1 game. Ridge said in his book there was a group of guys who weren't selected who were causing problems for morale which was headed by Freeman but also included Halligan and Henry Paul.

My old man (who I swear never says anything and is a million miles from the internet shit talker his son is) told me Freeman was an absolute arsehole. Never heard him say that about any other player. He also told me quite proudly how he laid him out with a right hand once, never told a similar yarn about anyone else. For whatever that’s worth.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

In my opinion 2025’s most disgraceful defector is Deine Mariner. His old man sang “It’s a Matter of Faith” 25 years ago ffs.

If NAS decapitates him in the 80th minute when we’re 40 points up I’ll cheer.

That feels a bit harsh bro lol

Lapi was always very active in the Samoan community here before moving to Aus. Probably unsurprising that his boy would feel a strong connection to the culture as well.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

He is a New Zealander from New Zealand who should play for New Zealand and like every New Zealander who fails to do so he can get hit by a bus for all I care. f**k him.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

And just to be clear, f**k all the 5,000 (figures are approximate) Kiwis playing for other nations this year. They are all scum and they are all dead to me.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I think the 2 for 1 Long Island Ice Teas at this hotel just kicked in

 

[shinobi]

We need to play more consistently. Mid year test window should be a priority

Agreed. Origin is really killing us. We should just have a midyear 2 match series against England or PNG and blood a bunch of youngsters to get them into the Kiwi system. Samoa v Tonga v NZ end of year can be our Origin games.

 

[Matua]

I think the 2 for 1 Long Island Ice Teas at this hotel just kicked in

I'm similar about them being dead to me, don't want them hit by a bus though and I'm hugely hypocritical in that I think any Maori player even when born and raised in Oz (McLean) should play for NZ (Tamou as a born and bred NZer should be banned from entering NZ and his iwi should disown him for choosing Origin and Aus). Walsh is indigenous Aus so I don't mind if he doesn't play for NZ.