OT Pick Your Anzac Test Team.....Potentially Our Strongest Line Up In Years

[Manu Vatuvei]

But where do u put him Manu

Lance was one of our bests in the World Cup while Tuiaki is on fire for the Tigpies and yourself claims the other wing spot. Maybe Perritt to the back and Lance to the bench but who drops off

1. Hohaia
2. Perrett
5. Vatuvei

The same combo we had all through the World Cup, of course!

Why anyone would want to change that I have no idea. Tuiaki was in red hot form for the Tigers all through 2007 and he tanked for the Kiwis. Perrett has proven himself as a big game player and deserves first dibs.

 

[mean_maori_mean]

1. Hohaia
2. Tuiaki
3. Sau
4. Ropati
5. Vatuvei
6. Sa
7. Marshall
8. Asotasi (c)
9. Luke
10. Lima
11.Fa'alogo
12. Harrison
13. Smith (vc)

14. Iosefa / Halatau
15. Rapira
16. Blair
17. Eastwood / Pritchard

For the experience:
18. Pettbourne
19. Packer

Moimoi will never ever play for NZ again and nor should he. Remember he was apart of the tongan world cup squad as a trainer.

Plus NZ has plenty of props.

I know mannering will be picked in starting lineup though - I just think Harrison who also plays 80 minutes etc has much more attacking prowess.

Also I think Jessie Royal is a kiwi dark horse for the end of year tour.

 

[Blaze]

Yeah, wouldn't have Tuiaki in my squad for three reasons:

1) He player poorly for the kiwis in 2007 whilst in good form for his club

2) He can't decide whether he is Tongan or Kiwi

3) Perrett (the incumbent) is in good form and has never let us down


I think the side will be as close as possible to the one that won the World Cup. Asotasi will obviously come back in. Wouldn't bother with Pritchard tbh. His form has hasn't been good enough.

WORLD CUP WINNING SIDE

1 Lance Hohaia (Vodafone Warriors)
2 Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters)
3 Simon Mannering (Vodafone Warriors)
4 Jerome Ropati (Vodafone Warriors)
5 Manu Vatuvei (Vodafone Warriors)
6 Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers)
7 Nathan Fien (Vodafone Warriors)
8 Nathan Cayless (c) (Parramatta)
9 Thomas Leuluai (Wigan)
10 Adam Blair (Melbourne)
11 David Fa'alogo (South Sydney)
12 Bronson Harrison (South Sydney)
13 Jeremy Smith (Melbourne)

Interchange:
14 Issac Luke (South Sydney)
15 Greg Eastwood (Brisbane)
16 Sam Rapira (Vodafone Warriors)
17 Sika Manu (Melbourne)

The only guys I can see dropping out of that side are Leuluai and Sika Manu

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Yeah, wouldn't have Tuiaki in my squad for three reasons:

1) He player poorly for the kiwis in 2007 whilst in good form for his club

2) He can't decide whether he is Tongan or Kiwi

3) Perrett (the incumbent) is in good form and has never let us down


I think the side will be as close as possible to the one that won the World Cup. Asotasi will obviously come back in. Wouldn't bother with Pritchard tbh. His form has hasn't been good enough.

WORLD CUP WINNING SIDE

1 Lance Hohaia (Vodafone Warriors)
2 Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters)
3 Simon Mannering (Vodafone Warriors)
4 Jerome Ropati (Vodafone Warriors)
5 Manu Vatuvei (Vodafone Warriors)
6 Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers)
7 Nathan Fien (Vodafone Warriors)
8 Nathan Cayless (c) (Parramatta)
9 Thomas Leuluai (Wigan)
10 Adam Blair (Melbourne)
11 David Fa'alogo (South Sydney)
12 Bronson Harrison (South Sydney)
13 Jeremy Smith (Melbourne)

Interchange:
14 Issac Luke (South Sydney)
15 Greg Eastwood (Brisbane)
16 Sam Rapira (Vodafone Warriors)
17 Sika Manu (Melbourne)

The only guys I can see dropping out of that side are Leuluai and Sika Manu

Tuiaki doesnt have to choose whether he is tongan or kiwi - he is clearly both.

But I know he has always wanted to play for kiwis and still aspires to play from them.

Like Sau and Iosefa who both turned down Samoa (even though they could have played and then switched.

Dont blame him for his flatties actions _ Moimoi.

 

[ozbash]

The only guys I can see dropping out of that side are Leuluai and Sika Manu

I thought Sika Manu was outstanding in the WC games he played. pure, unadulterated mongrel..

 

[LeagueNut]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10566337

Jones says no to Kiwis

He still has that magic touch but little general Stacey Jones has ruled himself out of contention for New Zealand's clash with Australia next month at Suncorp Stadium.

The scheming halfback said he wouldn't be available for selection for the Brisbane match which takes place on May 8, the day after his 33rd birthday.

After one year out of rugby league, Jones made a shock return to the NRL this season and has shown he still has a knack for creating tries.

Not that it will extend to playing for the reigning world champions.

"No, I have just come back for one season and just want to get things sorted out there," he said.

"I have only signed for one year with the Warriors and then that's it.

"Hopefully we have Lance Hohaia coming back next week and that is going to put some pressure on some of us players."

 

[ozbash]

bugger..

 

[Iafeta]

1 Sam Perritt - he's playing there regularly at the moment, and going well. Played real good a couple of weeks ago at the back.
2 Taniela Tuiaki
3 Junior Sau - I had Krisnan Inu in there, but Sau is a machine breaking out of tackles and at the moment Inu is highly overrated and underperforming
4 Jerome Ropati
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Setamaita Sa - it's either Fien, or find something else, and at the moment I'm tempted to find something else. He's a fairly adaptable type who has some nice short passes in him.
7 Benji Marshall
8 Adam Blair
9 Isaac Luke
10 Roy Asotasi (captain)
11 Simon Mannering
12 Bronson Harrison
13 Jeremy Smith

Interchange

Lance Hohaia
Sika Manu
Sam Rapira
Frank Pritchard

18th man: Greg Eastwood, highly unlucky, playing some of his best footy at the moment... David Fa'alogo desperately unlucky also, same with Jeff Lima. In years gone by, they're walk up starters. Aside from the halves, the depth is developing.

There's a lot of good players who miss out. Strange to see Dene Halatau in so many teams, he's been poor for the Tigers thus far and really adds nothing. If you want to play him as a hooker, Luke and Hohaia are better. If you want to play him as a backrower, he's competing against all of the above and they are all better than him. Not enough to be considered of any value as a utility, as Mannering can easily go into the centres, Hohaia can go to the back if needed or into the halves if needed in desperation.

 

[Phillips]

Inu is sh*t.

 

[Scottey]

1 - Lance Hohaia
2 - Sam Perret
3 - Steve Matai (if he stops grabbing his shoulder after every tackle)
4 - Jerome Ropati
5 - Manu Vatuvei
6 - Benji Marshall
7 - Nathan Fien
8 - Adam Blair
9 - Isaac Luke
10 - Roy Asotasi
11 - Simon Mannering
12 - Bronson Harrisson
13 - Jeremy Smith (c)

14 - Masada Iosefa
15 - Jeff Lima
16 - Sam Rapira
17 - Frank Pritchard

 

[Iafeta]

That's the problem with Matai... massive risk. Not only does he sometimes go over the top and give away penalties (or a send off!!!!), but he also has a glass shoulder. Not saying he's not brave for soldiering on, it just seems every second run he spends a minute recuperating.

 

[LeagueNut]

10 - Roy Asotasi
...
13 - Jeremy Smith (c)

Any reason for that Scottey?

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

1 - Lance Hohaia
2 - Sam Perret
3 - Steve Matai (if he stops grabbing his shoulder after every tackle)
4 - Jerome Ropati
5 - Manu Vatuvei
6 - Benji Marshall
7 - Nathan Fien
8 - Adam Blair
9 - Isaac Luke
10 - Roy Asotasi
11 - Simon Mannering
12 - Bronson Harrisson
13 - Jeremy Smith (c)

14 - Masada Iosefa
15 - Jeff Lima
16 - Sam Rapira
17 - Frank Pritchard

Im liking that team Scotty however Simon Mannering is starting to annoy me. He looks fatigued after only 5 rounds

 

[Magic Stick]

1 - Sam Perrett
2 - Antonio Weinterstein
3 - Junior Sau
4 - Jerome Ropati
5 - Manu Vatuvei
6 - Setaimata Sa
7 - Benji Marshall
8 - Adam Blair
9 - Isaac Luke
10 - Roy Asotasi (c)
11 - Simon Mannering
12 - Bronson Harrison
13 - Jeremy Smith

14 - Lance Hohaia
15 - Jeff Lima
16 - Sam Rapira
17 - Greg Eastwood

 

[Blaze]

I can't believe the number of changes some people are making to the World Cup winning team. One of the main reasons we struggle so much in the ANZAC Test is the lack of understanding between the players because the team changes so drastically from one game to the next.

Why throw away the combinations that were developed for 5 or 6 games less than 6 months ago? We need consistency in selection. Guys shouldn't be able to force their way into the side on the back of 6-7 good games at the start of the season. Especially when they would be replacing a World Cup winner...

 

[Scott]

I can't believe the number of changes some people are making to the World Cup winning team. One of the main reasons we struggle so much in the ANZAC Test is the lack of understanding between the players because the team changes so drastically from one game to the next.

Why throw away the combinations that were developed for 5 or 6 games less than 6 months ago? We need consistency in selection. Guys shouldn't be able to force their way into the side on the back of 6-7 good games at the start of the season. Especially when they would be replacing a World Cup winner...

BINGO.
Cayless will be and should be picked. He'll also be the captain, and rightly so.
He is the current WC winning captain for god's sake. :sarcasm:

I'd say that there will be very minimal changes to the team that played the final.

1. Hohaia
2. Perrett
3. Mannering (remember he played right centre in the final)
4. Ropati
5. Manu
6. Marshall
7. Fien
8. Cayless (c)
9. Luke
10. Blair
11. Fa'aologo
12. Harrison
13. J.Smith

14. Sa
15. Eastwood
16. Rapira
17. Asotasi (has to be there somewhere)

I'd probably start Luke off the bench, and push Fien into dummy half for the fist 15 - 20 minutes, and start an extra forward.

I hope he doesn;t select Halatau to replace Thomas!!

 

[Skinner]

Simon Mannering is starting to annoy me. He looks fatigued after only 5 rounds

He's annoyed me from day one

 

[Jelly Warrior]

1. Perrett
2. Winterstien
3 Matai/Inu (depending on Matai's neck/shoulder)
4. Ropati
5. Manu
6. Marshall
7. Fien
8. R Asotasi
9. Luke
10. Lima
11. Fa'aologo
12. Harrison
13. J.Smith

14. Mannering could move in to start to play a slightly tighter game than Harrison
15. Hohia
16. Blair
17. Rapira/Packer

 

[Phillips]

He's annoyed me from day one

Did he sleep with one of your parents or something?

 

[Liam]