Kiwis Train on squad

[Mr Angry]

After playing over 20 games for the Dragons over 4 seasons of NRL Thorby signed a two year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys in order to receive more game time. Thrby was named in the Cowboys Round 2 and 6 sides in 2011 but was ruled out of both clashes due to injury, which happened to be an injury effected first season in the prop's first season with the townsville club. Thorby was only available for the club for only half the season in 2011, playing well for feeder club Northern Pride after injuries plagued his season.
In 2012 Thorby was a stand-out in the Cowboys pre-season and trials and was rewarded with an 18th man spot in the clubs Round 4 clash against the Cronulla Sharks.
Thorby made his first appearance for the Cowboys Round 5 game against the Canberra Raiders, he replaced Co-Captain Matthew Scott and ran for an impressive 94 metres off the bench. He was since retained his spot for the Cowboys and has gone on to play 3 games so far in 2012 impressing in all of them.
In Round 8 2012 Thorby was rewarded with player of the match award with The anzac teddy for his strong carries. In this game Thorby made 119 metres from just 10 runs.
Thorby has been one of the most improved players in the NRL this season and has been described a human bowling ball. In his side's Round 10 away win against Newcastle he suffered rib cartlidge damage during his first hit-up of the game, he bravely toughed the game out, playing on for 26 minutes after the injury occurred. Assistant coach Peter Ryan said the following day it showed what the team meant to Thorby.
Thorby comes of contract with the Cowboys at the end of the 2012 NRL Season.

LINK

 

[Drzoidberg]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ween-kiwis-and-queensland-20120919-265uc.html

is this a gee up? Seriously considering what happened with Aussie Jim if Papalii ends up playing for QLD I will not watch another game of League again!

If papalii goes I ain't ever watching state of preference again. The supposed crown jewel is a f**king joke as it is, will be a bloody circus unless these clowns sort the effn rules out!

Seriously BS.

 

[jaseg]

If papalii goes I ain't ever watching state of preference again. The supposed crown jewel is a f**king joke as it is, will be a bloody circus unless these clowns sort the effn rules out!

Seriously BS.

I love you.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Seriously, this is no surprise with that bumbling idiot Kemp at the helm.

I had the displeasure of listening to him on Radio Sport this arvo (around 4:30 or so if anyone wants to listen to it on demand).

The question was put to him as to the status of Kasiano's decision. He appeared to lose his ability to speak English for a minute, gave the old crap about how he's signed a letter of intent (which we all know...so?) and he wants to concentrate on the finals first. He also said a bunch of other stuff about him playing for the Junior Kiwis, and is in the train-on squad (which officially he isn't, because the Dogs aren't out yet) and general rubbish that allowed him to dance around the question.

If there was a market open, I would bet on Kasiano flagging us for Origin. And seems like Papalii is in a similar mindset.

 

[Drzoidberg]

I love you.

Haha thanks man. It's true, think inglis and folau, end of story. I really don't know how they can call it state of origin. Maybe a dictionary to the commission/ARLC might make them change the rules, or at least the name.

Funny how both teams not only steal ours, they steal each others.

 

[TheDMC]

It would be quite amusing if both Australia and NZ name Kasiano...

 

[Penrose Warrior]

It would be quite amusing if both Australia and NZ name Kasiano...

Australia would win. I bet you they've already got Kasiano's word.

 

[Mixmasterreece]

We may have a leg up...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-eligibility-row/story-e6frexnr-1226477622796

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Josh Papalii, Jason Taumalolo and Antonio Winterstein have been added to the Kiwis' train-on squad to prepare for the test against the Kangaroos in Townsville on October 13.

Papalii, who will look to make his Kiwi debut, is from the Canberra Raiders, while Taumalolo and Winterstein are from the North Queensland Cowboys. Both clubs were knocked out of the NRL finals at the weekend.

Taumalolo and Winterstein have been part of previous Kiwis squads, with Taumalolo 19th man for the test in April which was won by Australia. Ricky Thorby, also from the Cowboys, was unavailable due to a hip injury that requires surgery.

National selectors Richie Barnett, Tony Iro, Stephen Kearney and Tawera Nikau will add to the squad over the next two weeks following the last two weekends of the NRL finals.

Kiwis squad: Gerard Beale, Josh Hoffman (Brisbane Broncos); Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders); Jeremy Smith (Cronulla Sharks); Jason Taumalolo, Antonio Winterstein (North Queensland Cowboys); Sam McKendry (Penrith Panthers); Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters); Ben Henry, Shaun Johnson, Simon Mannering, Alehana Mara, Ben Matulino, Elijah Taylor, Manu Vatuvei (NZ Warriors); Adam Blair, Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers)

Unavailable: Alex Glenn, Brisbane Broncos, (knee surgery); Ricky Thorby, North Queensland Cowboys, (hip surgery); Nathan Fien (retired), Jason Nightingale, both St George Illawarra Dragons, (knee surgery); Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Sydney Roosters, (thigh surgery); Kevin Locke, NZ Warriors, (high ankle sprain).

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10835107

Good to see Taumololo in there.

Who is this Ricky Thorby fella? never heard of him

Still not 100% sure why Nuuausala hasn't gotten in there. Despite his inconsistent form, he is far more of a player than someone like Ben Henry, or Alehana Mara. Find it very strange that Sam Rapira is not on the injured players list either. When fit he is one of the better front row options.

Who is still left?

Bulldogs - Perrett, Inu, Kasiano, Pritchard, Eastwood, Halatau?
Rabbitohs - Luke, Asotasi, Pettybourne
Storm - Duffie (injured), Bromwich, Manu, Proctor
Manly - Matai

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Manly - Matai

+ Whare?

 

[Drzoidberg]

Holy shit never realized Dane Gagai is eligible for the kiwis. His mum and Hoffmans dad are bro and sis.

They must be the only Maori brother and sister married to indigenous Australians.

Handy centre. Hope hopeless Kemp gives him a hola.

Not looking good tho if he ain't in the train on squad.

 

[Juju]

He played Jnr Roo's - let him go I reckon...

 

[Penrose Warrior]

We may have a leg up...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-eligibility-row/story-e6frexnr-1226477622796

Great, so he's basically been backed into a corner and has to play for us, rather than actually wanting to. I like it when people choose the Kiwis by that sort of rationale.

Every time I see Tony Kemp, hear Tony Kemp or read from Tony Kemp, I want to gouge my eyeballs out. Origin is an 'All Stars match'? I'm sure a lot of the dyed-in-the-wool QLDers or NSWers would disagree. And it's sure as shit a better product than Test football. Who cares about some lame end of year match in Townsville with half the players out with injury/surgery and the rest deciding who they belong to?

And I bet he'll trumpet himself as the great man who got Kasiano and Papalii on our side. Whatever.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Every time I see Tony Kemp, hear Tony Kemp or read from Tony Kemp, I want to gouge my eyeballs out. Origin is an 'All Stars match'? I'm sure a lot of the dyed-in-the-wool QLDers or NSWers would disagree. And it's sure as shit a better product than Test football. Who cares about some lame end of year match in Townsville with half the players out with injury/surgery and the rest deciding who they belong to?

Now thats a good attitude to have.

 

[ozbash]

Now thats a good attitude to have.

He's right though, who gives a shit about 1 offs..

Its a series or nothing imo...

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Now thats a good attitude to have.

Mate I'm sorry but it's impossible to get up for a one-off match at the end of a long season when neither side really cares too much, there's no silverware on the line (or if there is, nothing important), there's injuries all over the show, some people don't even know what side they want to play for etc.

It was kind of the same for the Anzac Test. I went to it and I didn't get a lot out of it at all, apart from hoping Tamou would be seriously maimed.

World Cup, that's a different story. I'll get up for that big time.

But if you offered me a ticket to SOO or Test football, or said you can only watch one or the other this year, I know I'd be going the former. It's sad, certainly.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Then don't whinge or complain about one off tests, or how its chucked at the end of the season because its fans that share your Origin>tests point of view that help place tests to where they are today. A three match aus/nz test series would be the tits but thats never gonna happen when the average person would rather watch two australian teams play each other (to the detriment of nz league) rather than their own country against our most hated rival. not going to be a push for a series or for tests to be more relevant when thats the case.

 

[hitman82]

With all the b.s player poaching, media jibber jabber and boredom of constant qld dominance, I am actually losing interest in origin.
I wish there were more internationals or a NZ Maori/Euro vs Pacific Roots series to amuse me. Sick of seeing the Storm androtops win everything too.

 

[taste2taste]

Then don't whinge or complain about one off tests, or how its chucked at the end of the season because its fans that share your Origin>tests point of view that help place tests to where they are today. A three match aus/nz test series would be the tits but thats never gonna happen when the average person would rather watch two australian teams play each other (to the detriment of nz league) rather than their own country against our most hated rival. not going to be a push for a series or for tests to be more relevant when thats the case.

The problem is no cares about footy at the end of the season, test footy will never rise in profile while its played out of the public eye.

There needs to be a 3 test series played after SOO...unfortunately this would be a nightmare to schedule.

In the last 5 years NZ v Aus have had some epic battles. NZ have lost their label of being 'easy beats', a series played at the right time of year, with the prospect of a genuine contest would fill stadiums the same way SOO does.

 

[Drzoidberg]

I care about footy at the end of the year, just as much as the rest of the year. I would have it all year round if it was my choice.. Hell I annoy the shit out of my family banging on about how many weeks there is till I can road trip to a preseason game.

Even pull out the video player to watch some old classic grainy footage.

We should rid the season of state of preference and replace it with a NZ v AUS. Put the SOP at the end of year instead haha.

Won't happen with how bananas they go over it in aus.