Kiwis news

[Meth]

ok, well that was pretty close to our B team supposedly. How different would our top team look?

1- Hoffman
2- Nightingale
3- Kenny Dowall
4- Inu
5- Vatuvei
6- Marshall
7- Johnson
8- Bromwich
9- Luke
10- JWH
11- Mannering
12- SBW
13- Smith

Res- Eastwood, Matulino, Pritchard, Foran

Unlucky- Manu, Glenn

That team could win the world cup

 

[MKEB...]

Would Kasiano be back in time?

 

[Scott]

Foran stays at 6, Johnson stays at 7. No room for Marshall in my opinion. We looked so much more composed without him there imo.

 

[Cold Roses]

Not that I agree with it, but Marshall will be there. They just need to play him at 7 and leave Foran at 6. More importantly, Foran needs to be the dominant half. Last night was enough to show me just how good he can be. Questioning the ref. Yelling at the guys all game long. Telling them where to stand, where to run. Who to tackle. Check out the replay about the 28min mark where pulls Johnson and Luke into a huddle and is telling them which play they are going to run. We've waited a very long time to get a half in the Kiwis who can actually run a game. Now that he's there, he needs to be given the reins and become our onfield general, regardless of whether or not he has the captaincy.

 

[Cold Roses]

Would Kasiano be back in time?

Kasiano in for JWH imo. Mckendry offered a lot more in his limited time off the bench than Jared. And he doesn't come with a bag of penalties. 2 weeks ago I was convinced JWH had cleaned his act up, but last night was just unacceptable. Kearney should have dragged him after his 2nd penalty and never given him the chance to give away a 3rd. Poor reading of a players game by the coach.

 

[JoeD]

Have never been impressed with Maria at international level. There used to be a time when we relied on guys like him in the kiwis to try to 'unsettle' the Aussies but not anymore. Too many dumb penalties with none of the intimidation or even basic effective plays.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

ok, well that was pretty close to our B team supposedly. How different would our top team look?

1- Hoffman
2- Nightingale
3- Kenny Dowall
4- Inu
5- Vatuvei
6- Marshall
7- Johnson
8- Bromwich
9- Luke
10- JWH
11- Mannering
12- SBW
13- Smith

Res- Eastwood, Matulino, Pritchard, Foran

Unlucky- Manu, Glenn

That team could win the world cup

good team but whare in for Skd and glenn for smith

 

[JoeD]

No way smith should be one of the first picked.

 

[TheDMC]

Whare was quite impressive last night

 

[tangalife]

Have never been impressed with Maria at international level. There used to be a time when we relied on guys like him in the kiwis to try to 'unsettle' the Aussies but not anymore. Too many dumb penalties with none of the intimidation or even basic effective plays.

He totally owned the aussies in his first four nations, back in 09 I think it was. Over there in England, bashed the hell out of them and got right up their noses (who can forget the "who is this merkin" line at the scrum right in the ref's microphone lol). Blair was also there with him causing hell, really shook them up I think. If he kept it agressive and just kept the penalities out it would be great. Loved it when he gave Tamou a face full.

 

[warrior poet]

1- Hoffman / Locke / Someone else
2- Nightingale
3- Kenny Dowall
4- Inu
5- Perrett
6- Foran
7- Johnson
8- Bromwich
9- Luke
10- Kasiano
11- Mannering
12- Pritchard
13- Smith

Res- Matulino, Benji, SBW, Vatuvei

having benji, sbw and manu on the reserves is because then you could bring them on as impact players when the opposition is starting to tire (all three of them are hard to stop at the best of times, imagine if they were fresh and the opposition were tiring). I also think that fullback is still a problem area, locke and hoffman are both good players but i don't think either of them are top level players on the form from the last year or so, maybe inu or nightingale as fullback with matt duffie or alex glenn replacing them as wing or centre respectively.

 

[beefstew]

1- Hoffman / Locke / Someone else
2- Nightingale
3- Kenny Dowall
4- Inu
5- Perrett
6- Foran
7- Johnson
8- Bromwich
9- Luke
10- Kasiano
11- Mannering
12- Pritchard
13- Smith

Res- Matulino, Benji, SBW, Vatuvei

having benji, sbw and manu on the reserves is because then you could bring them on as impact players when the opposition is starting to tire (all three of them are hard to stop at the best of times, imagine if they were fresh and the opposition were tiring). I also think that fullback is still a problem area, locke and hoffman are both good players but i don't think either of them are top level players on the form from the last year or so, maybe inu or nightingale as fullback with matt duffie or alex glenn replacing them as wing or centre respectively.

The sooner the Kiwi's get rid of 50/50 players like Inu and Vatuvei the better. Rocks and diamonds players make for a rocks and diamonds team.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Bryson Goodwin was outstanding last night

He'd be my 1st choice centre on current form

 

[Cold Roses]

I'd choose from Whare Inu and Goodwin for the 2 centre spots. SKD isn't up to test level. Too suspect in his defensive reads. For a such a quick guy it seems ridiculously easy to get on the outside of him.

 

[parraeels2010]

SBW said tonight on radio that he will not be avable for the world cup.because his management is look at setting up a boxing bout for the middle of nov

 

[captainwarrior]

Watching the test the other week you guys are really going to miss Matai. Though he hasn't played for you lot in a few years, watching Whare he just doesn't seem ready yet. In saying that though, Goodwin is in very good form.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Just to have a chat about selection again

Kearney wouldn't pick Horo last season at Parra, will he keep that going again this year ? Probably will but on form Horo should be in the squad at least, runs beautiful lines and had a great combination with Foran

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Who's going to be our back 5?

Locke
Hoffman
RTS
SKD
Perrett
Inu
Goodwin
Vatuvei
Whare
Nightingale

10 doesn't go into 5. I'd be tempted to put RTS at fullback.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Jeez....we've got a lot of good wingers and no centres at all.

Luckily for us Whare and Goodwin have played centre this year, cover both sides and have had good seasons. However, while I know the game isn't played on paper, when I see those names in the side compared to what Aussie will be putting out they don't fill me with confidence.

Funny thing is, Hoffman has been playing wing most of the season and if you asked any Broncos fan they'd tell you he's a crap fullback, yet for the Kiwis he's probably a shoo-in over Locke. Hard for RTS when he hasn't really played fullback in first-grade yet.

As a Manu fanboy I have a bad feeling that Kearney has ample reason to stick to his guns and not pick him. Only thing working in his favour is Nightingale/Perrett/RTS are all right wingers, but I see Kearney picking 2 of that 3 anyway.

 

[Diesel]

It's great to finally have quality depth.

I don't think this WC will be Australia's to win, I expect the Poms and Kiwis to both have points to prove.