Line up for Sunday..

[Beavers Headgear]

Is a shame that Matai won't make the tour, coz it could have really been on.

Senior said in an article pre season that he regretted not going on with things with Matai, and that next time he would teach him a lesson, or words to that effect. Matai just said something along the lines of, he is an old man, i doubt we will meet again

 

[MKEB...]

Please can we have some biff?

Even if it is just a little biff. Just for me.


:hitit:

Go on.

Thanks in advance...
MKEB...

 

[Robster]

Only 2 Warriors :O

 

[Skram]

Now that the team is named, I actually feel a bit more comfortable with it.

It may not be the annihilation I originally though.

Can't see them winning but they could give it a good shot.

Funny that, I too was much less optimistic prior to the actual naming, it doesn't look too bad on paper. Less flair than we're used to but somewhat more stable with a few guns in there. Could be interesting if we gain some momentum.

 

[Ryan]

Full strength, your side should be:-

01. Brent Webb
02. Krisnan Inu
03. Paul Whateria
04. Steve Matai
05. Taniela Tuiaki
06. Jeremy Smith
07. Benji Marshall
08. Jason Cayless
09. Isaac Luke
10. Roy Asotasi
11. Feleti Mateo
12. Sonny BIll Williams
13. David Kidwell

14. Dene Halatau
15. Frank Pritchard
16. Tony Puletua
17. David Fa'alogo

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Full strength, your side should be:-

01. Brent Webb
02. Krisnan Inu
03. Paul Whateria
04. Steve Matai
05. Taniela Tuiaki
06. Jeremy Smith
07. Benji Marshall
08. Jason Cayless
09. Isaac Luke
10. Roy Asotasi
11. Feleti Mateo
12. Sonny BIll Williams
13. David Kidwell

14. Dene Halatau
15. Frank Pritchard
16. Tony Puletua
17. David Fa'alogo

Mateo is not eligible pal , and Puletua ? :lol:

 

[Ryan]

Mateo is not eligible pal , and Puletua ? :lol:

Why not? I didn't know. It would definitely make a scary back row though...

 

[Murphdogg1]

Full strength, your side should be:-

01. Brent Webb
02. Krisnan Inu
03. Paul Whateria
04. Steve Matai
05. Taniela Tuiaki
06. Jeremy Smith
07. Benji Marshall
08. Jason Cayless
09. Isaac Luke
10. Roy Asotasi
11. Feleti Mateo
12. Sonny BIll Williams
13. David Kidwell

14. Dene Halatau
15. Frank Pritchard
16. Tony Puletua
17. David Fa'alogo

Not a bad team there but in my opinion not full strength....... a few points....

- Would have Soliola ahead of Whatuira
- Why would you play Benji/Jeremy Smith out of their normal positions
- You wouldnt pick Smith and Benji togethor anyway cos there is no long kicking game - especially with Inu on the wing - need Roberts for example
- Where are the props on the bench? You basically have 4 backrowers or at the very best a utility (Halatau) and three backrowers
- Where is Faiumu/Moty Tony ahead of Halatau?
- Mateo is ineligible
- Where is Shontayne Hape
- Have to see how Tuiaki goes before announcing him in a full strength team
Thats about all i can think of at the moment

My full strength team would be......

1 - Brent Webb
2 - Krisnan Inu
3 - Iosia Soliola
4 - Steve Matai
5 - Shontayne Hape
6 - Ben Roberts
7 - Jeremy Smith
8 - Sam Rapira
9 - Isaac Luke
10 - Roy Asotasi
11 - Sonny Bill Williams
12 - Frank Pritchard
13 - Simon Mannering

14 - David Faiumu
15 - Fuifui Moimoi
16 - Jason Cayless
17 - David Solomona

something along those lines........

halves is very hard would love Rangi Chase/Benji in there but has 0 test experience (Rangi Chase that is) and they need Roberts long kicking game and at the moment Jeremy Smith is probably the best all around 7 they have - cant wait to see how Eddie Paea develops....

The team picked for Sunday isnt too bad - apart from Covell i rate the backline.....Go Kiwis!

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Vatuvei in the #1 team fo sho

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Vatuvei in the #1 team fo sho

not for sho - I think Inu is our number one winger - well just see how the other perform and let them battle it out for the other spot.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

not for sho - I think Inu is our number one winger - well just see how the other perform and let them battle it out for the other spot.

Dunno how long Inu will last on the wing (or if he'll play there for the Kiwis at all)

Manu is the incumbent anyway, get me back to me when he actually gets left out of the Kiwis when available

 

[MKEB...]

Geez though T H what did he do wrong playing full back for te Kiwis last time round. IMO he looked more solid than Webb and Vaeliki his predecessors. Sure Vaeliki did nowt wrong on defence and Webb offered an extra attacking role...Inu didnt let us down when he played fullback, on debut he had a great game.

 

[MKEB...]

Also, none of the debutantes looked out of place in the last test.

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Dunno how long Inu will last on the wing (or if he'll play there for the Kiwis at all)

Manu is the incumbent anyway, get me back to me when he actually gets left out of the Kiwis when available

you realise there are new selectors - all im saying is the manu wont walk into the side as he has done in the past. Ok so il get back to you in april.

 

[Jesbass]

Vatuvei in the #1 team fo sho

Completely agree. Quite how he keeps getting left out, I'm not too sure. I think Ropati would be in the mix there somewhere, too, most likely in place of Whatuira. (So swap Matai and Whatuira, and put Vatuvei in at left wing, so that he and Ropati can continue their combinations.)

 

[Martli]

Geez though T H what did he do wrong playing full back for te Kiwis last time round. IMO he looked more solid than Webb and Vaeliki his predecessors. Sure Vaeliki did nowt wrong on defence and Webb offered an extra attacking role...Inu didnt let us down when he played fullback, on debut he had a great game.

I think he meant as a winger.

My understanding is he's more of a centre and that he's been playing wing just to fit in the Parra backline...

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Completely agree. Quite how he keeps getting left out, I'm not too sure. I think Ropati would be in the mix there somewhere, too, most likely in place of Whatuira. (So swap Matai and Whatuira, and put Vatuvei in at left wing, so that he and Ropati can continue their combinations.)

As far as centres go...Matai, Soliola, Hape, Whatuira & Inu are all in front of Ropati. Inu will be moved to centre permanently next season due to Tahu's departure. He will probably play there for the kiwis too. Stanley is also a better centre than he is a winger, and will develop into a better player than Ropati also. I probably prefer Mannering at centre over Ropati too, but he's definitely going to end up a back rower.

J-Ro isn't an international standard player in any position IMHO.

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Completely agree. Quite how he keeps getting left out, I'm not too sure. I think Ropati would be in the mix there somewhere, too, most likely in place of Whatuira. (So swap Matai and Whatuira, and put Vatuvei in at left wing, so that he and Ropati can continue their combinations.)

Ropati - get too much praise when playing good and gets totally ridiculed when playing bad.
He's somewhere in the middle.
All those guys mannering, matai, soliola, whatuira and ropati are all of similar ability - it will be up to who is playing better at the time.

 

[Jesbass]

Ropati - get too much praise when playing good and gets totally ridiculed when playing bad.
He's somewhere in the middle.
All those guys mannering, matai, soliola, whatuira and ropati are all of similar ability - it will be up to who is playing better at the time.

That's probably a fair call. If Whatuira got selected this year, I think it's fair to say Ropati would have been picked had he not been injured. In fact, Whatuira is there more for his experience than anything else, going by his NRL form this year. But with half a dozen players making their debut, experience is something we need.

 

[Ryan]

Not a bad team there but in my opinion not full strength....... a few points....

- Would have Soliola ahead of Whatuira
- Why would you play Benji/Jeremy Smith out of their normal positions
- You wouldnt pick Smith and Benji togethor anyway cos there is no long kicking game - especially with Inu on the wing - need Roberts for example
- Where are the props on the bench? You basically have 4 backrowers or at the very best a utility (Halatau) and three backrowers
- Where is Faiumu/Moty Tony ahead of Halatau?
- Mateo is ineligible
- Where is Shontayne Hape
- Have to see how Tuiaki goes before announcing him in a full strength team
Thats about all i can think of at the moment

My full strength team would be......

1 - Brent Webb
2 - Krisnan Inu
3 - Iosia Soliola
4 - Steve Matai
5 - Shontayne Hape
6 - Ben Roberts
7 - Jeremy Smith
8 - Sam Rapira
9 - Isaac Luke
10 - Roy Asotasi
11 - Sonny Bill Williams
12 - Frank Pritchard
13 - Simon Mannering

14 - David Faiumu
15 - Fuifui Moimoi
16 - Jason Cayless
17 - David Solomona

something along those lines........

halves is very hard would love Rangi Chase/Benji in there but has 0 test experience (Rangi Chase that is) and they need Roberts long kicking game and at the moment Jeremy Smith is probably the best all around 7 they have - cant wait to see how Eddie Paea develops....

The team picked for Sunday isnt too bad - apart from Covell i rate the backline.....Go Kiwis!

Damn dude - that is a great looking side as well.
The reasons I went the way I did:-

1. You HAVE to have Benji in there don't you? His X factor alone.
2. Backrowers on the bench. Yeah, I know I went with a heap of them, but your backrowers are very big, very mobile units. I think the mobility and off loading ability etc would somewhat counter act Aust. fast ball movement.
3. I forgot about Solomona. He is a GUN. I'd definitely put him in the side.
4. Nathan Cayless I left out because of his lack of mobility, and lack of ability to play long minutes. I know what he does do on the park is class, so I'm saying what I'm saying with respect here.
5. Mannerring is a great player as well. I might even put him in the # 17 jersey to calve up whenh the big Aust. forwards are tired.

That said mate, I think your side is a lot better than mine.

Hopefully Matai will be able to actually finish a match for you !!