Pacific Cup 2024

[Matua]

Mulitalo, Nikora and Iro all ruled out

Are they actually injured or are they Ponga-ed?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Are they actually injured or are they Ponga-ed?

All injured, apparently Shaun tested himself and his Achilles is not up to it so no SOS there

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Crichton, To'o and Tago may also be unavailable for Samoa according to sydney herald over the weekend.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The squad, listed alphabetically, is as follows:

Mitch Barnett * New Zealand Warriors
Matt Burton Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Bradman Best * Newcastle Knights
Patrick Carrigan Brisbane Broncos
Xavier Coates * Melbourne Storm
Lindsay Collins Sydney Roosters
Reuben Cotter North Queensland Cowboys
Angus Crichton Sydney Roosters
Tom Dearden * North Queensland Cowboys
Dylan Edwards Penrith Panthers
Harry Grant (vc) Melbourne Storm
Ben Hunt St George Illawarra Dragons
Zac Lomax * St George Illawarra Dragons
Liam Martin Penrith Panthers
Mitch Moses * Parramatta Eels
Cameron Murray South Sydney Rabbitohs
Reece Robson * North Queensland Cowboys
Lindsay Smith * Penrith Panthers
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Dolphins
Tom Trbojevic Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Isaah Yeo (c) Penrith Panthers

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Lindsay Smith is one of the weirdest selections of all time, thought he was a good player and will fill a hole for them well next year, but not rep level just yet

Do we have a shortage of white Aussie front rowers in the comp ?

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

No Tedesco? Wow... 1 point off Dally M and cant make the test team.

I know Mal said he was looking for versatility once he'd settled on his starters, and Edwards deserves the 1 jersey... but still cant believe there isnt room for Teddy somewhere.

 

[Matua]

No Tedesco? Wow... 1 point off Dally M and cant make the test team.

I know Mal said he was looking for versatility once he'd settled on his starters, and Edwards deserves the 1 jersey... but still cant believe there isnt room for Teddy somewhere.

I just assumed he was injured. I guess Mal doesn't want to have the old test captain in the squad if he's not getting game time?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Guess when you’re only naming 21, it’s hard to carry 2 guys who are #1 only, and you have Hamiso and Trbojevic who are equally adept at 1 and 3/4

 

[Blair]

The squad, listed alphabetically, is as follows:

Mitch Barnett * New Zealand Warriors
Matt Burton Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Bradman Best * Newcastle Knights
Patrick Carrigan Brisbane Broncos
Xavier Coates * Melbourne Storm
Lindsay Collins Sydney Roosters
Reuben Cotter North Queensland Cowboys
Angus Crichton Sydney Roosters
Tom Dearden * North Queensland Cowboys
Dylan Edwards Penrith Panthers
Harry Grant (vc) Melbourne Storm
Ben Hunt St George Illawarra Dragons
Zac Lomax * St George Illawarra Dragons
Liam Martin Penrith Panthers
Mitch Moses * Parramatta Eels
Cameron Murray South Sydney Rabbitohs
Reece Robson * North Queensland Cowboys
Lindsay Smith * Penrith Panthers
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Dolphins
Tom Trbojevic Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Isaah Yeo (c) Penrith Panthers

One take out there is how few Polynesians and Melanesians choose to play for Australia.

 

[JJ]

Interesting team - surprised at no DCE, guess he views Tom as more future oriented than Teddy, and Tom can play centre.

I like the selection of Smith, probably at the expense of Jake T? I think, TBH, both are borderline rep level, one brings experience, character and leadership, the other is a kid... neither would be much of a feature, and Jake can't play in 13 unless both Yeo and Murray are out, maybe Carrigan too

Great for Barnett too, in the same mix - thoroughly earned it with his work this year

 

[Big Marn]

Not much experience in their halves. i like our chances.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Lindsay Smith is one of the weirdest selections of all time, thought he was a good player and will fill a hole for them well next year, but not rep level just yet

Do we have a shortage of white Aussie front rowers in the comp ?

I honestly thought Collins was completely useless in the finals too but he seems to be one of those likeable lads who looks the part and no-one questions his selection.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

One take out there is how few Polynesians and Melanesians - choose to play for Australia.

This is ‘progress’, ironically - the Maori Kiwis vs the Pakeha Roos. Not like the bad old days of like…multicultural teams that reflected the player base of each nation.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Geez, that is a beatable Australian team.

If you picked a best XVII, from everyone who plays Origin, how many of that team would make it? Grant, Turbo, Edwards, Martin, Crichton, might be about it?

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Crichton, To'o and Tago may also be unavailable for Samoa according to sydney herald over the weekend.

Levels pod been talking about this for a while, Crichton's wedding apparently. Willie Mason was strenuously defending them - got right on a commenter's back for suggesting it was the wrong thing to do and devalued the international game. Apparently the dates were confirmed late? Does seem a real shame that the World Cup finalists from two years ago won't have three guys of that repute (presume Luai would be unavailable as well).

 

[shinobi]

Geez, that is a beatable Australian team.

If you picked a best XVII, from everyone who plays Origin, how many of that team would make it? Grant, Turbo, Edwards, Martin, Crichton, might be about it?

Not with the team we named this morning...

Who's in and who's out? Stacey Jones names Kiwis squad

Kiwis to host the Kangaroos and Mate Ma’a Tonga in Christchurch and Auckland respectively.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Not with the team we named this morning...

Who's in and who's out? Stacey Jones names Kiwis squad

Kiwis to host the Kangaroos and Mate Ma’a Tonga in Christchurch and Auckland respectively.

www.nzherald.co.nz

Yea more than a few useful names unavailable..

A couple of positives though.. pleasant surprise seeing one of the Penrith McLean boys there; I didnt know they had Kiwi ties. Happy to see Kini there too.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Not with the team we named this morning...

Who's in and who's out? Stacey Jones names Kiwis squad

Kiwis to host the Kangaroos and Mate Ma’a Tonga in Christchurch and Auckland respectively.

www.nzherald.co.nz

I don't agree with that...

1. Kini 2. Warbrick 3. CNK 4. Timoko 5. Isaako 6. Nikorima 7. Hughes 8. JFH 9. Crossland 10. Tapine 11. Niukore 12. Riki 13. Papali'i 14. Neame 15. Thompson 16. Clark 17. Sorenson

I don't hate it, at all. Apart from Nikorima (who to be fair, has been pretty good for the Phins this year) that is a backline with points written all over it. And there is class in the forwards, too. They'll match anything Australia does.

I know you can sit there and think this person isn't there, nor is this one etc, but it's still a pretty decent team. Yep, no doubt it'd be stronger with Marshall-King, Leota, Smith, Brown, Nikora etc.

I still think Australia will win with the motivation of 30-0 on their shoulders, but it'll be a great contest.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I don't agree with that...

1. Kini 2. Warbrick 3. CNK 4. Timoko 5. Isaako 6. Nikorima 7. Hughes 8. JFH 9. Crossland 10. Tapine 11. Niukore 12. Riki 13. Papali'i 14. Neame 15. Thompson 16. Clark 17. Sorenson

I don't hate it, at all. Apart from Nikorima (who to be fair, has been pretty good for the Phins this year) that is a backline with points written all over it. And there is class in the forwards, too. They'll match anything Australia does.

I know you can sit there and think this person isn't there, nor is this one etc, but it's still a pretty decent team. Yep, no doubt it'd be stronger with Marshall-King, Leota, Smith, Brown, Nikora etc.

I still think Australia will win with the motivation of 30-0 on their shoulders, but it'll be a great contest.

No room for Hiku? I have no idea how he's been playing in SL but it'd be odd for Stacey to bring him all the way back unless he planned to play him in the 17 somewhere. Which might mean CNK shifts to 1 and Kini to the bench.

I do like the idea of Kini at 1 though. Dude is a game breaker.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

No room for Hiku? I have no idea how he's been playing in SL but it'd be odd for Stacey to bring him all the way back unless he planned to play him in the 17 somewhere. Which might mean CNK shifts to 1 and Kini to the bench.

I do like the idea of Kini at 1 though. Dude is a game breaker.

Yeah I obviously don't watch the Super League, I just figured that a 31-year-old Hiku wouldn't be sharp enough to come back in and mark up on Bradman Best. I hugely rate Timoko and I want Kini to play, so I thought CNK to 3 would be the best move for the team as a whole. Stacey might well go for Hiku in the centres, CNK at 1 and Kini bides his time.