Kiwis Squad for the end of year tour

[mean_maori_mean]

Dont care what anyone else says - I would take Rangi Chase in the squad.

He has being winning games for Castleford past couple of weeks.

And have playing at 6,7,9 all season - sometimes switching during the same games.

He has a pretty good short kicking game and has being doing more and more long kicking with sherwin out.

He plays against the best of the british week in week out - so im sure he could play at international level if given the chance.

Sick of watching warriors with now creative spark. Dont want to see the same in the kiwis - with fien and leulauai

 

[Lox]

i wouldn't mind joe tomane in the end of year squad....

 

[mean_maori_mean]

As for my squad it would look something like this.

1. Nightingale
2. Vatuvei
3. Sau
4. Matai
5. Tuiaki
6. Roberts
7. Marshall
8. Lima
9. Luke
10. Asotasi
11. Pritchard
12. Harrison
13. Smith

14. Hohaia
15. Rapira
16. Manu
17. Eastwood
18. Chase
19. Mannering
20. Perret/ Inu
21. Faalogo

Then three of the following young forwards:
FPN / Tamou / Packer / Pettybourne/
Lewis Brown / Matulino / Te Maari / Steve Rapira / Cherrington / Alex Glenn

Finally a young back:
Winterstein / SKD / Tomane / Alex Glenn

How ever I believe we need at least one nz a game and/or a NZ maori game more often.

We need to blood blokes like Locke, Foran, Winterstein, Cherrington, SKD - in the kiwi jersey.

or at very least a u20 kiwi team - we could blood half the players mentioned.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Why dont we reward the players that won the WC by not selecting them. Give them the off season off. Treat this tour as a depth development tour. Kids would learn so much off Kearney

 

[Bobby DIGital]

1. Perrett
2. Tuiaki
3. Sau
4. Inu
5. Vatuvei
6. Roberts
7. Marshall (c)
8. Asotasi
9. Luke
10. Blair
11. Harrison
12. Pritchard
13. Smith

14. Hohaia
15. Lima
16. Eastwood
17. Manu
18. Nightingale
19. Bryson Goodwin
20. Glenn
21. Mannering
22. Locke
23. Sam Rapira
24. Fien

 

[JB]

Marshall aint a halfback's arsehole. Even Sheen's has realized it now. Number 6 only for Benji.

If he's at 7, we'll be lucky to win a thing.

 

[hutch]

does anyone know if roberts has switched back from samoa to nz, and if he is even eligible to yet. when was the last time he played for nz. you can only switch once every 2 years.

also, moi moi and tuaki took the rlif to court last year to attempt to play for tonga in the world cup. it was ruled that they were ineligible for tonga if they made the semi finals as it would have been 2 years since they had previously played for them. so you would assume they are not available for nz at the end of the year, even if the turncoats want to switch yet again.

 

[ozbash]

Why dont we reward the players that won the WC by not selecting them. Give them the off season off. Treat this tour as a depth development tour. Kids would learn so much off Kearney

good idea but probably beyond the NZRL's vision.

I'd like to see some young guys get a go, Matulino, Steve Rapira, Locke, Sau.

 

[Revelation 3:20]

good idea but probably beyond the NZRL's vision.

I'd like to see some young guys get a go, Matulino, Steve Rapira, Locke, Sau.

At the end of the day you have to pick the best players.
Matulino hasnt played well enough to go. Locke should. Sau maybe.
What about the other knights player Taia. Lewis brown is my bolter

 

[ME SO HORNBY!]

I'm not a kiwi but i hate seeing Australia win big and would love to see more tight matches like last years World Cup Final.

Here are a few of my ideas:

Ben Roberts and Benji Marshall have to be the halves. Nathan Fien isnt a halfback and although Marshall may not have proven himself at half for the tigers he is much better than Fien in that position. Plus Benji has the passion so he will perform for NZ wherever he is placed. And Roberts just cant be overlooked. Best NZ 5/8 going around at the moment IMO.

Isaac Luke must be hooker in front of anyone else including Fien. Your best hooker by a mile.

Nathan Fien should be on the bench. He is as good a utility as Hornby, Wing, or Gidley IMO and could cause Poms, French and Aussies some real headaches off the bench at hooker and could slot in at half or 5/8 to cover for an injury.

Jason Nightingale. Ok im a dragons supporter and i might be biased but he is BRILLIANT. He can play just about anywhere (he even played prop for the dragons a few weeks ago for about 20 mins) and is one of the toughest little guys in the NRL. Wayne Bennett chooses him every week even though some say there are better available players in the Dragons squad. The way i see it, if hes good enough for the greatest coach in the world to pick than hes good enough for NZ to pick.

Goodluck for the four nations.

 

[christopher]

24 man squad - (which i think could take out the tournament)

props - Jeff Lima, Sam Rapira, R.Asotasi, A.Blair, F.Moimoi,


backrow - Ben Matulino, Greg Eastwood, Jeremy Smith, S.Mannering, S.Manu, Prichard, B.Harrison,

halfs - Ben Roberts, Issac Luke, Nathan Fien, B Marshall,

backs - B.Webb, T.Tuiki, Jason Nightingale, M.Vatuvai, L.Hohia, Kevin Locke, Sam Perrett,

top 17
B.Webb,
T.Tuiki,
Junior Sau,
S.Mannering
M.Vatuvai, B Roberts
B Marshall
Asotasi
Luke
Moi Moi
Pritchard Manu
Smith

Hohaia
Blair
Rapira
Eastwood

 

[Revelation 3:20]

24 man squad - (which i think could take out the tournament)

props - Jeff Lima, Sam Rapira, R.Asotasi, A.Blair, F.Moimoi,


backrow - Ben Matulino, Greg Eastwood, Jeremy Smith, S.Mannering, S.Manu, Prichard, B.Harrison,

halfs - Ben Roberts, Issac Luke, Nathan Fien, B Marshall,

backs - B.Webb, T.Tuiki, Jason Nightingale, M.Vatuvai, L.Hohia, Kevin Locke, Sam Perrett,

top 17
B.Webb,
T.Tuiki,
Junior Sau,
S.Mannering
M.Vatuvai, B Roberts
B Marshall
Asotasi
Luke
Moi Moi
Pritchard Manu
Smith

Hohaia
Blair
Rapira
Eastwood

Disagree, Harrison will be a first pick in the 17.
Some question marks for me over Pritchard, Eastwood and Moimoi.
And I dont think Matalino has done enough this year to make the kiwis.
And I dont think Webb should be there - maybe as cover when the sqaud is over there.
Fien - I think he deserves a bench spot
Mannering and other Warriors will have to improve, if they wanna be in the squad though I would like to see Locke and Brown get in

 

[ozbash]

Fien - I think he deserves a bench spot

sympathy vote Rev ??

 

[stbill]

Taia is the form backrower of the competition, has to be picked.

 

[shiznit]

does anyone know if roberts has switched back from samoa to nz, and if he is even eligible to yet. when was the last time he played for nz. you can only switch once every 2 years.

also, moi moi and tuaki took the rlif to court last year to attempt to play for tonga in the world cup. it was ruled that they were ineligible for tonga if they made the semi finals as it would have been 2 years since they had previously played for them. so you would assume they are not available for nz at the end of the year, even if the turncoats want to switch yet again.

Roberts should be able to... considering Neville Costigan played for QLD in 07 then PNG in 08 and for QLD again in 09.

 

[thehattrickrabbit]

Pettybourne anyone?

 

[Skinner]

Pettybourne anyone?

I like him.

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Pettybourne anyone?

He will make it - only for development purpose at this stage but he has put in the effort past two season for sure.
Even in NYC he was playing 80mins.

However he will not stroll in thats for sure. Nor should he.

I believe Cherrington, Matulino, Packer, FPN, and lewis brown are all competing for the same spots. picked on promise.
However Cherrington, matulino havent being in great form but will eventually don a black jersey IMO.

Wish maori had a game this year so we can continue to blood blokes like cherrington, packer, brown, locke, skd,

Kiwis have done it in the past with Harrison, Eastwood etc and will definately blood some lucky youngsters against the frogs.

Taia doesnt cut it for me. ability and form yes.

Though Is he a New Zealander??? No he is only being he and doesnt have any whakapapa to NZ as far as Im aware of.
Having a cousin that lives in NZ dont cut it for me - nor does coming over to auckland to against or for the warriors (i.e fien)

He is australian born to parents from Penryn Islands (Cook Islands). Being Maori I see a strong connection to cook islands cousins but it still is debateable.

 

[Panther_Daz]

BOLTER - Junior Tia Kilifi.

The guy is a deadset machine, another 23 hit ups on the weekend and he is only going to get better. Very unfortunate that he suffered season ending injuries early in both 2007 and 2008 otherwise he would of debuted. His combination with Jennings will be one of the best in the game IMO. They played Junior reps at the Panthers since they were 15 together and went to the same school as well.

 

[taste2taste]

I dont think the selectors can pick a bad side...theres so many in form Kiwi's in the NRL.

For the first time ever we've got gun players in the important 1,6,7,9 positions. Luke, Benji and Roberts should form an awsome combination.

I'd like to see Moimoi and Inu selected, i dont think they'll get picked, but if they do i think they can trouble the Aussies.