My Australian side aganist the Kiwis

[Go The Roos]

1.Karmichael Hunt
2.Darius Boyd/Joel Monaghan
3.Greg Inglis
4.Israel Folau
5.Brent Tate/David Williams
6.Darren Lockyer
7.Johnathon Thurston
8.Steve Price
9.Cameron Smith
10.Petro Civenceva
11.Anthony Tupou
12.Craig Fitzgibbion
13.Paul Gallen

14.Kurt Gidley
15.Brent Kite
16.Anthony Laffranchi
17.Anthony Watmough

 

[KiWi_BoI_15]

My team to smash the Roos..;-).

1. Jason Nightingale
2. Krisnan Inu
3. Iosia Soliola
4. Steve Matai
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Benji Marshall
7. Thomas Leuluai
8. Adam Blair/Nathan Cayless
9. Isaac Luke
10. Sam Rapira
11. Simon Mannering
12. Jeremy Smith
13. Setaimata Sa

14. Lance Hohaia
15. Greg Eastwood
16. Sika Manu
17. Adam Blair/David Fa'alogo

 

[Go The Roos]

My Kiwi Team

1.Lance Hohia
2.Krisnu Inu
3.Iosia Soliola
4.Steve Matai
5.Manu Vatuvei
6.Benji Marshall
7.Nathan Fien
8.Nathan Cayless
9.Issac Luke
10.Adam Blair
11.Greg Eastwood
12.Simon Mannering
13.Jeremy Smith

14.Jerome Ropati (forgot About Him)
15.Sika Manu
16.David Falongo
17.Setamina Sa

 

[Poul]

If the Kiwis are going to cause an upset against the Kangaroos, then I don't believe they can carry Thomas Leuluai in the 17. I'd have Benji at half and Jerome Ropati who has been playing very well at the end of the season, including his 3 tries against the Tongans yesterday, at five eighth.
So here's my Kiwi team.

Krisnan Inu
Manu Vatuvei
Iosia Soliola
Steve Matai
Jason Nightingale
Jerome Ropati
Benji Marshall
Jeremy Smith
Simon Mannering
David Fa'alogo
Nathan Cayless
Isaac Luke
Sam Rapira
Lance Hohaia
Adam Blair
Sika Manu
Setaimata Sa

 

[Chook Norris]

If the Kiwis are going to cause an upset against the Kangaroos, then I don't believe they can carry Thomas Leuluai in the 17. I'd have Benji at half and Jerome Ropati who has been playing very well at the end of the season, including his 3 tries against the Tongans yesterday, at five eighth.
So here's my Kiwi team.

i think that too... but apparently he combined very well with Benji agaisnt the tongans

best persist with the combo imo and let it develop, why change it when it's going well? ;-)

 

[Poul]

i think that too... but apparently he combined very well with Benji agaisnt the tongans

best persist with the combo imo and let it develop, why change it when it's going well? ;-)

Perhaps that's true, but I don't think the defensive frailty of a Leuluai/Marshall halves combination would have been tested by the Tongans in the manner in which it will be exposed by the Kangaroos. It won't be possible to hide both Leuluai AND Marshall in defense. Still if Leuluai and Marshall have got their attacking game right, they just might cause some concerns for the Kangaroos defense.
I'm getting excited and there's still a week to go :crazy:

 

[shinobi]

If the Kiwis are going to cause an upset against the Kangaroos, then I don't believe they can carry Thomas Leuluai in the 17. I'd have Benji at half and Jerome Ropati who has been playing very well at the end of the season, including his 3 tries against the Tongans yesterday, at five eighth.
So here's my Kiwi team.

Krisnan Inu
Manu Vatuvei
Iosia Soliola
Steve Matai
Jason Nightingale
Jerome Ropati
Benji Marshall
Jeremy Smith
Simon Mannering
David Fa'alogo
Nathan Cayless
Isaac Luke
Sam Rapira
Lance Hohaia
Adam Blair
Sika Manu
Setaimata Sa

Im a fan of Ropati but hes a disaster at 5/8 same with Hohaia.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Perhaps that's true, but I don't think the defensive frailty of a Leuluai/Marshall halves combination would have been tested by the Tongans in the manner in which it will be exposed by the Kangaroos. It won't be possible to hide both Leuluai AND Marshall in defense. Still if Leuluai and Marshall have got their attacking game right, they just might cause some concerns for the Kangaroos defense.
I'm getting excited and there's still a week to go :crazy:

How is Leuluai defensively frail? He's actually a good defender. Puts in some good hits. You obviously don't watch footy too closely, and have preconceieved notions about Thomas defense cos he's small. It's actually the best part of his game.

And Benji is looking very solid in defense at the moment. Hopefully his shoulders hold up.

 

[Freddo]

Billy Slater
Brent Tate
Joel Mongahan
Greg Inglis
Israel Folau
Darren Lockyer
Jonathan Thurston
Steve Price
Cameron Smith
Petro Civienacieva
Paul Gallen
Anthony Watmough
Terry Campese

Kurt Gidley
Anthony Laffranchi
Craig Fitzgibbon
Brent Kite

 

[Butters]

Billy Slater
Brent Tate
Israel Folau
Greg Inglis
Joel Monaghan
Darren Lockyer
Jonathan Thurston
Steve Price
Cameron Smith
Petro Civienacieva
Paul Gallen
Craig Fitzgibbon
Terry Campese

Kurt Gidley
Anthony Laffranchi
Anthony Tupou
Brent Kite

 

[Poul]

How is Leuluai defensively frail? He's actually a good defender. Puts in some good hits. You obviously don't watch footy too closely, and have preconceieved notions about Thomas defense cos he's small. It's actually the best part of his game.

And Benji is looking very solid in defense at the moment. Hopefully his shoulders hold up.

Well, let's put it this way; I think both Leuluai and Marshall will be targetted in the defensive line. I actually do watch quite a bit of footy :shock:, although I must admit I don't get to see too much of Leuluai playing in the ESL. He did play a good game for Wigan against Les Cats, but he has been shown to be wanting against Australia previously. I hope he proves me wrong

 

[screeny]

Bobby Digital is right: Leuluai's defence is very solid.

And why question the halves at this stage: Kearney has said who they are so that's it. Also, surely Hohaia is a dead cert at FB, no?

Ropati has been in good form by accounts, so do NZ posters here reckon he'll get a centre shirt at the expense of Soliola? And who will partner Vatuvei in the winger slots, Nightingale or Inu?

I've never seen Sika Manu, Luke, Nightingale or Sa play so I'm really looking forward to seeing them go. So having said all that I expect to see:

1. Hohaia
2. Inu
3. Matai
4. Ropati/Soliola
5. Vatuvei
6. Benji
7. Leuluai
8. Cayless
9. Fein
10. Blair
11. Mannering
12. Fa'alogo
13. Sa

14. Luke
15. Rapira
16. Eastwood/Manu
17. Ropati

 

[Butters]

Bobby Digital is right: Leuluai's defence is very solid.

And why question the halves at this stage: Kearney has said who they are so that's it. Also, surely Hohaia is a dead cert at FB, no?

Ropati has been in good form by accounts, so do NZ posters here reckon he'll get a centre shirt at the expense of Soliola? And who will partner Vatuvei in the winger slots, Nightingale or Inu?

I've never seen Sika Manu, Luke, Nightingale or Sa play so I'm really looking forward to seeing them go. So having said all that I expect to see:

1. Hohaia
2. Inu
3. Matai
4. Ropati/Soliola
5. Vatuvei
6. Benji
7. Leuluai
8. Cayless
9. Fein
10. Blair
11. Mannering
12. Fa'alogo
13. Sa

14. Luke
15. Rapira
16. Eastwood/Manu
17. Ropati

I find your lack of Jeremy Smith disturbing

 

[westie]

Benji's defence is rather good in my opinion. Prince was always the weak link in the WT defensive line.

And wasn't Leuluai the bloke who smashed Fa'asavalu a while back?

 

[Glen from the Mount]

Benji's defence is rather good in my opinion. Prince was always the weak link in the WT defensive line.

And wasn't Leuluai the bloke who smashed Fa'asavalu a while back?

That was a great hit. I remember Fa'asavalu acknowledged as much, once he came round.

 

[screeny]

I find your lack of Jeremy Smith disturbing

Aye, you're right, I forgot about him. I'd definitely expect to see Mannering and Fa'alogo as starters though, so maybe he'd come in at 12 and Fa'alogo would play at lock, a position he played with such aplomb in 2006 TNs.

I'm not an Eastwood fan as I consider him soft, but I've not seen him play for a year and he might have gotten better conditioned.

Still, a gun side that looks good although, having seen the highlights of the Tonga match, I seriously hope they're not expecting to run into paper defence like that next Sunday!

 

[Big Pete]

Australian Side

1. Karmichael Hunt
2. Israel Folau
3. Brent Tate
4. Greg Inglis
5. Joel Monaghan
6. Darren Lockyer (c)
7. Scott Prince
8. Steve Price
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceiva
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Craig Fitzgibbon
13. Paul Gallen

14. Kurt Gidley
15. Brent Kite
16. Glenn Stewart
17. Anthony Watmough

New Zealand Side
1. Lance Hohaia
2. Krisnan Inu
3. Steve Matai
4. Jerome Ropati
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Benji Marshall
7. Thomas Leuluai
8. Sam Rapira
9. Issac Luke
10. Nathan Cayless (c)
11. Simon Mannering
12. Setaimata Sa
13. Jeremy Smith

14. Nathan Fien
15. Adam Blair
16. Greg Eastwood
17. David Fa'alogo

 

[welshmagpie]

Im no Wigan or NZ fnbut i think they need Tommy Leuluai in he team, he has a good step.. and despite his slight is a good defender, and if he did do well with Benji against Tonga.. i say keep it as it is.

 

[shiznit]

man i remember Leuluai's massive shot on Petro in the opening exchanges of one of the Anzac tests... if the aussies send alot of traffic his way then expect afew aussie forwards to come off 2nd best...