KIWIS training squad

[Penrose Warrior]

You guys are way to harsh on Kearney

IN what way? He's a very successful international coach. But I'm firmly of the belief he'll never be a good NRL coach. And that's okay.

He's just not impressive. I listen to him, I'm not impressed one bit. I listen to the great coaches, even Bluey in his Kiwis days, and I'm taken by their passion, their knowledge, their drive to be great. Kearney, I'm not.

I just feel like he's been incredibly lucky in terms of the learning and systems he's been exposed to, more than any assistant I can think of. He was an assistant under Bellamy in years of success (albeit contaminated by cheating). He's done international stints under (yes, under) Bennett and now in the NRL. He should absolutely be ready to burst into the next NRL gig that is available.

 

[Fast Eddie]

IN what way? He's a very successful international coach. But I'm firmly of the belief he'll never be a good NRL coach. And that's okay.

He's just not impressive. I listen to him, I'm not impressed one bit. I listen to the great coaches, even Bluey in his Kiwis days, and I'm taken by their passion, their knowledge, their drive to be great. Kearney, I'm not.

I just feel like he's been incredibly lucky in terms of the learning and systems he's been exposed to, more than any assistant I can think of. He was an assistant under Bellamy in years of success (albeit contaminated by cheating). He's done international stints under (yes, under) Bennett and now in the NRL. He should absolutely be ready to burst into the next NRL gig that is available.

When people continue to doubt or discredit his work as the Kiwis coach when in terms of results he has overseen probably the most successful era of Kiwis rugby league in a long long time. I questioned some of his selections in 2009 and at the World Cup but I'm more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt with some of the great moves he has made since then. I don't really care about his work in the NRL.

 

[JJ]

If he keeps wining, they can do whatever the f**k they want I guess...

Would be brilliant if Wairea-Hargreaves was fit, reckon we'd have the same BS about the future etc...

 

[Marty]

Bennet backs him to be an NRL coach.

“He just needs to pick a good club next time, but I think he can certainly coach the Broncos. Steve has that ability".

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...452808213?sv=3d98fd297e9504673a7acf8b73011e36

 

[Matua]

You guys are way to harsh on Kearney

You think it's harsh to pull a coach up for not picking a player for reasons other than form when the other options are rookies not up to international standard and moving forwards or the best fullback currently running around.

That is idiotic and Kearney probably deserves to be treated harsher.

We have a history of screwed up NH tours we think we're going to win easily, going on tour with no first grade recognised halves suggests we're going to have a repeat.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Bennet backs him to be an NRL coach.

?He just needs to pick a good club next time, but I think he can certainly coach the Broncos. Steve has that ability".

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...452808213?sv=3d98fd297e9504673a7acf8b73011e36

Two thoughts...one is that Bennett is always going to publicly back his assistant and someone he's worked with extensively. Second is that Bennett has a long history at a few clubs of leaving, pitching a sub-standard option to the board and walking away with no worry about how that club is left. There was a big article written about it that I can't find now.

Kearney deserves praise for what he's done in the Kiwis, fullstop.

But the Benji thing was dumb even before Foran got injured. Now there's 3 rookie halves who will have no support structure over there. Blooding kids is fine but just giving them game time and throwing them out to learn on their own is a wasted exercise. That's not helping the future.

 

[Fast Eddie]

You think it's harsh to pull a coach up for not picking a player for reasons other than form when the other options are rookies not up to international standard and moving forwards or the best fullback currently running around.

That is idiotic and Kearney probably deserves to be treated harsher.

We have a history of screwed up NH tours we think we're going to win easily, going on tour with no first grade recognised halves suggests we're going to have a repeat.

I'm willing to back his reason for not wanting Benji there, which has been mentioned is probably that he believes he had a negative impact in camps/tours in his opinion. I know he was pretty harsh on him after the failed 2009 trip to the UK.

Of course on the players available Benji should be the number 6 or 7 currently, but there is obviously something we as just fans don't know and I'm willing to back Kearney on considering we don't have that knowledge and he has had good success with the Kiwis. The fact that he is so readily stand by it and cop grief from fans shows hopefully it must be a pretty good reason.

 

[jaseg]

I'm willing to back his reason for not wanting Benji there, which has been mentioned is probably that he believes he had a negative impact in camps/tours in his opinion. I know he was pretty harsh on him after the failed 2009 trip to the UK.

Of course on the players available Benji should be the number 6 or 7 currently, but there is obviously something we as just fans don't know and I'm willing to back Kearney on considering we don't have that knowledge and he has had good success with the Kiwis. The fact that he is so readily stand by it and cop grief from fans shows hopefully it must be a pretty good reason.

That's the thing though - he's not. If he was, he would come out and say that Benji isn't in the picture moving forward, and everyone could just move on. Instead he strings it along leaving the window apparently open. I don't think nearly as many people would have such an issue with this farcical situation if Kearney was actually publicly standing by a decision.

 

[Fast Eddie]

That's the thing though - he's not. If he was, he would come out and say that Benji isn't in the picture moving forward, and everyone could just move on. Instead he strings it along leaving the window apparently open. I don't think nearly as many people would have such an issue with this farcical situation if Kearney was actually publicly standing by a decision.

Yeah I'm not sure why he's doing it like that, I guess it's because he doesn't want to be pressed on why not and have to go into his behind closed doors reasons. Or I guess he could actually just want to keep him around as you never know possibility.

Anyway my point is that I'm willing to back his reasons and give him some credit for what he has done with the Kiwis when most people don't seem to want to.

 

[TheDMC]

When people continue to doubt or discredit his work as the Kiwis coach when in terms of results he has overseen probably the most successful era of Kiwis rugby league in a long long time. I questioned some of his selections in 2009 and at the World Cup but I'm more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt with some of the great moves he has made since then. I don't really care about his work in the NRL.

Much tougher gig being NRL coach than international and thus success at NRL level carries more weight than success at international level imo.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Much tougher gig being NRL coach than international and thus success at NRL level carries more weight than success at international level imo.

And what does that have to do with choices he makes surrounding the Kiwis, as Kiwis coach, in which he has been very successful by our standards? I couldn't care less if he had another crack at the NRL and failed miserably as long as he continues to keep the Kiwis as the best team in the world for the next 5 years.

 

[Matua]

I'm willing to back his reason for not wanting Benji there, which has been mentioned is probably that he believes he had a negative impact in camps/tours in his opinion. I know he was pretty harsh on him after the failed 2009 trip to the UK.

Of course on the players available Benji should be the number 6 or 7 currently, but there is obviously something we as just fans don't know and I'm willing to back Kearney on considering we don't have that knowledge and he has had good success with the Kiwis. The fact that he is so readily stand by it and cop grief from fans shows hopefully it must be a pretty good reason.

What a crock of shit. So Benji had a negative impact in 2009? Did he have a negative impact in 2008 at the WC or the 4 Nations in 2010? Is his negative impact only when he doesn't lead us to a win?

I've generally defended Kearney in his time as Kiwis coach when he's copped lots of shit but FFS he's coming across like a right plonker at the moment.

 

[LeagueNut]

What's the story with Adam Blair? Isn't he another one who seems to keep being mysteriously overlooked regardless of form? Or am I thinking of another forward??

 

[Fast Eddie]

What a crock of shit. So Benji had a negative impact in 2009? Did he have a negative impact in 2008 at the WC or the 4 Nations in 2010? Is his negative impact only when he doesn't lead us to a win?

I've generally defended Kearney in his time as Kiwis coach when he's copped lots of shit but FFS he's coming across like a right plonker at the moment.

I just found the article from 2010 where Kearney thought Benji joked around too much off the field and distracted the younger players in the squad, so I imagine he still holds that view and except Benji is now not the golden boot winner and is 30 years old so doesn't think its worth picking him in spite of that. As others have said I don't necessarily agree with the leaving the door open for the future thing he does though. And if we go over there and lose without much of a fight on the back of complete ineptitude from the halves then I'm sure he will get his fair share of criticism then, but until then I see it as a similar thing to do what he did with the ANZAC test in 2014.


And leaguenut it's not Adam Blair, you're probably thinking of JWH who despite being one of my favourite players was definitely more than worthy of being dropped in 2014, he has done absolutely nothing in his 10 or so tests.




On actual team selection, I'd want us to got with Nikorima and maybe a make shift ball running 5/8th instead of Lolohea I think. Would like to see Lolohea just be able to focus in on being a centre for the next few seasons.

RTS
Nightingale
Whare
SKD
Hiku
Harris?
Nikorima
Bromwich
Luke
Matulino
Mannering
Proctor
Taumalolo

Taupau
Brown
Moa
Eastwood for SK from the Roosters

 

[Matua]

I just found the article from 2010 where Kearney thought Benji joked around too much off the field and distracted the younger players in the squad, so I imagine he still holds that view and except Benji is now not the golden boot winner and is 30 years old so doesn't think its worth picking him in spite of that. As others have said I don't necessarily agree with the leaving the door open for the future thing he does though. And if we go over there and lose without much of a fight on the back of complete ineptitude from the halves then I'm sure he will get his fair share of criticism then, but until then I see it as a similar thing to do what he did with the ANZAC test in 2014.

Good to see you post on here Steve. :roll:

But seriously, all that needs to happen is for Kearney to say to Marshall - don't joke around so much off the field and distract the younger players.

And, what's the point of the golden boot/30 year old comment. It's f**king irrelevant when the other options are Lolohea and Nikorima and not being Golden Boot or being 30 doesn't mean shit if a player's in form. The other options would have played about 7 games in the halves between them.

 

[spear tackle]

What's the story with Adam Blair? Isn't he another one who seems to keep being mysteriously overlooked regardless of form? Or am I thinking of another forward??

Maybe he'll be added after todays GF, we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Good to see you post on here Steve. :roll:

But seriously, all that needs to happen is for Kearney to say to Marshall - don't joke around so much off the field and distract the younger players.

And, what's the point of the golden boot/30 year old comment. It's f**king irrelevant when the other options are Lolohea and Nikorima and not being Golden Boot or being 30 doesn't mean shit if a player's in form. The other options would have played about 7 games in the halves between them.

Thought it was pretty self explanatory, he obviously has problems with Benjis off field behaviour in Kiwis camps and doesn't think being just a solid NRL half makes that worth overlooking compared to when he was one of the best players in the world for one tour to England.

It's all to my original point, people just love to whinge about Kearney instead of giving him credit for any good things he does or back any decisions he makes. The same people who were outraged that he wasn't replaced by Glenn Morrison or Richie Blackmore in 2014.

Anyway I imagine Kidwell, Barnett, Nikau etc have a bit of say in the matter

 

[Fast Eddie]

Maybe he'll be added after todays GF, we'll just have to wait and see.

He will be. If anything Blair has made the squad a few times after poor form rather than the other way round.

 

[spear tackle]

He will be. If anything Blair has made the squad a few times after poor form rather than the other way round.

I love watching him play for the Kiwi's , I laughed when against Australia he grabbed Woods' headband and used it like a garott on him. Me and a mate were watching it wondering which front rower would be first to try it. Woods doesn't seem to wear it when he plays the Kiwis now.

 

[Fast Eddie]

I love watching him play for the Kiwi's , I laughed when against Australia he grabbed Woods' headband and used it like a garott on him. Me and a mate were watching it wondering which front rower would be first to try it. Woods doesn't seem to wear it when he plays the Kiwis now.

He is one guy that does seem to step up in form for the Kiwis. The anti-JWH.