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KIWIS training squad

JohnDoe

Juniors
Messages
245
Five uncapped players make Kiwis wider squad



http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/71839442/five-uncapped-players-make-kiwis-wider-squad



Manu Ma'u has taken another step closer to making his debut for the Kiwis.


Five uncapped players are among the first group named to the NZ Kiwis train-on squad for the upcoming tour of England.
Tuimoala Lolohea, Solomone Kata from the Warriors, the Eels' Manu Ma'u and Tim Simona and Manaia Cherrington from the Tigers have all made the wider training squad.
There were 14 players announced on Tuesday for the three-test tour to England. Those named come from NRL teams that didn't finish in the top eight.
In all, there will be about 40 players in a wider squad which will be trimmed down to 23 players soon after the NRL Grand Final, which is on October 4.
As well as the five uncapped players, Warriors second-rower Bodene Thompson has also been selected. Thompson was part of the Kiwis team for last year's Four Nations, coming in as a late replacement for Sam Moa, but didn't take the field.
Lolohea has shown during the season that he's a player with a huge upside. The two tries he scored playing for the Warriors in their loss to the Bulldogs last week were of the highest quality and his selection could mean that Benji Marshall misses out.
Kata completed the remarkable feat this year of playing in every game for the Warriors in his debut season.
He's a strong ball-runner and was his club's leading try-scorer in 2015, with 12. Defensively he was shown up at times but, like Lolohea, he is a player for the future.
Ma'u is a player who has been knocking on the door of the Kiwis for a couple of years.
The Eels second rower, who played a test for Tonga earlier this year, missed just two games for his club this season and is the sort of fast, powerful forward who Kearney likes to select.



Like Ma'u, centre Simona has been on the fringes of selection for some time, while 21-year-old Cherrington is still making a name for himself in the NRL.
He played 11 games for the Tigers this season off the interchange bench and he'll likely be Issac Luke's back-up at dummy half.
Train-on camps will begin on September 23 in Auckland and Sydney.
Players in the first group are: Lewis Brown (Penrith Panthers), Manaia Cherrington (Wests Tigers), Kieran Foran (Manly Sea Eagles), Peta Hiku (Manly Sea Eagles), Solomone Kata (Warriors), Tuimoala Lolohea (Warriors), Simon Mannering (Warriors), Ben Matulino (Warriors), Manu Ma'u (Parramatta Eels), Sam McKendry (Penrith Panthers), Tim Simona (Wests Tigers), Martin Taupau (Wests Tigers), Bodene Thompson (Warriors), Dean Whare (Penrith Panthers)
- Stuff
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
31,738
Hope they don't take Kata - or if he goes, he doesn't play and he has a couple of hours each day with Dean Whare showing him what defence is... clearly nobody in our backline, or coaching staff is clear on it
 

jaseg

Juniors
Messages
2,274
I'm expecting Kata, McKendry, Ma'u & Thompson to be cut (very harsh on the former two, but forwards competition is huge and we're full up of edge forwards). Kind of hoping Brown is cut as well (so Glenn takes that spot), but not expecting it. All as expected at this point really, except maybe a little surprise that Danny Levi didn't get a train-on spot.. no chance of making the squad - with Cherrington looking likely to be a NRL #9 next season he must surely be picked - but just so a very promising young player in a position where we lack depth can experience a rep camp.

All the others I'd be picking in the final squad are playing finals (Proctor Harris Glenn Taukeiaho Taumalolo Moa JBrom Luke Nikorima Marshall RTS Nightingale Rona Kahu).
 

Shaun Hewitt

First Grade
Messages
6,352
Overall, happy with what was announced.
No great surprises, maybe Kata, however I can't see him making the further cut.

One bolter I wouldn't have minded would have been Junior Paulo - Hes NZ born but has played age group origin (does that make him unavailable?) - But I get that we are forwards stacked
 

ozbash

Referee
Messages
26,915
Benji Marshall appears destined not to return to the Kiwis fold.

He's been left out of the latest selections for the New Zealand train-on squad for the upcoming tour of the United Kingdom, chosen from the Dragons and Rabbitohs who were knocked out of the NRL last weekend.

Marshall left the field with an ankle injury in the loss to the Bulldogs but a release from New Zealand Rugby League says selectors will develop depth in the halves with a view to the future, regardless of the outcome of his injury.

Dragons wing Jason Nightingale and South Sydney duo Issac Luke and Bryson Goodwin have been added, to bring the group to 18 players.

Camps begin in Auckland and Sydney next week.
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
31,738
He's obviously hurt, but to me that's insane and is less about development and more about politics...

He's been really good this year, clearly in our top 3 halves when everyone is fit, with Johnson and TL out that's disgraceful if he's available
 

jaseg

Juniors
Messages
2,274
So who will be the third half? Foran/Lolohea we know, is he thinking of being able to use Nikorima there instead of as the bench hooker/utility? Weird.

Maybe Mason Lino will cap a meteoric rise with a Kiwis squad place! :lol::lol:
 

Beavers Headgear

First Grade
Messages
8,648
Absolutely disgraceful decision from Kearney, nobody will be able to convince me it was a good decision

Kearney must have been the happiest man alive when JWH got injured
 

Beavers Headgear

First Grade
Messages
8,648
So who will be the third half? Foran/Lolohea we know, is he thinking of being able to use Nikorima there instead of as the bench hooker/utility? Weird.

Maybe Mason Lino will cap a meteoric rise with a Kiwis squad place! :lol::lol:

Wouldn't surprise me to see Harris in 6
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
31,738
Absolutely disgraceful decision from Kearney, nobody will be able to convince me it was a good decision

Kearney must have been the happiest man alive when JWH got injured

Could live with JWH being left out because Jesse and Ben are just better imo, and we have huge forward depth

But in the halves, we have 3 quality players - Foran, Johnson and Marshall - a plodding backup (TL), and a talented youngster (Lolohea) who has looked much better when not in the halves... with Johnson and Leuluai out, this is just insane
 

Iron Lion

Juniors
Messages
1,216
Completely scratching my head to Benjis omission. If he can't crack the squad now with injuries then his time in black is over
 

Beavers Headgear

First Grade
Messages
8,648
Could live with JWH being left out because Jesse and Ben are just better imo, and we have huge forward depth

But in the halves, we have 3 quality players - Foran, Johnson and Marshall - a plodding backup (TL), and a talented youngster (Lolohea) who has looked much better when not in the halves... with Johnson and Leuluai out, this is just insane

The form JWH was in though you couldn't justify leaving him out, was the best front rower by a mile the month before he got injured

I guess if Kearney isn't going to pick Marshall there isn't any point in naming him to train on, but I find not putting him in even a train on squad so disrespectful and spiteful, especially if Kearney wants us to believe the fact that he may pick him next year "if form is good". Form was very good this year Stephen

Whether he was injured and unavailable is a moot point, this decision was made before any of that was known
 

Iron Lion

Juniors
Messages
1,216
Could live with JWH being left out because Jesse and Ben are just better imo, and we have huge forward depth

But in the halves, we have 3 quality players - Foran, Johnson and Marshall - a plodding backup (TL), and a talented youngster (Lolohea) who has looked much better when not in the halves... with Johnson and Leuluai out, this is just insane

Not this year, JWH is clearly the best prop in the game currently and would be a MUST pick selection.
 

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