Pacific Cup

[Manu Vatuvei]

I like how Samoa have a token Samoan in the team with Fa'alogo. Just like Tonga always put Eli Katoa in the squad so they have a token Tongan.

 

[JJ]

Kiwis missing a few, but great to see JFH and Leota there - that's a good start for any team

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Dire side, Levi and Brown FFS

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Pretty embarrassing for the blokes who are too tired to play that Fisher-Harris and Foran can manage to drag themselves out there, and they don’t play with any self preservation

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Meninga a bit puzzled how Latrell was ruled out by Souths through injury but he was playing in the Koori Knockout last weekend

In Kiwis news, Brandon Smith has been ruled out

What's wrong with Brandon Smith?

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Man, I genuinely haven't heard of 5 of those guys. I thought the post on insta was a development Kiwis side.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I know this is going to send some fans into fits of rage but this is genuinely why I don't give a shit about Tests and haven't since we lost to Fiji in the World Cup. Players don't care, either.

What a joke. What's changed? The Tri Nations was a huge thing in the 00s and State of Origin was too...but now Tests mean FA and players do all they can to avoid them.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

What's wrong with Brandon Smith?

The bone hasn’t grown properly around the screw in his thumb so he has to get the screw removed

 

[Beavers Headgear]

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Man, I genuinely haven't heard of 5 of those guys. I thought the post on insta was a development Kiwis side.

I watch a good amount of footy and I literally hadn’t heard of Kini - obviously not watching Titans games closely enough. I’ve heard the name Naufahu Whyte but couldn’t pick him out of a line-up. Really feels like going back in time 20 years when every Kiwi-eligible player in the NRL was a chance of getting picked. We have so many eligible players these days that this shouldn’t happen.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I know this is going to send some fans into fits of rage but this is genuinely why I don't give a shit about Tests and haven't since we lost to Fiji in the World Cup. Players don't care, either.

What a joke. What's changed? The Tri Nations was a huge thing in the 00s and State of Origin was too...but now Tests mean FA and players do all they can to avoid them.

I think this is rose-tinted glasses. The Kiwis have always played with cobbled together line-ups, particularly for end-of-season tours or tournaments.

I truly believe that the “rise” of “Samoa” and “Tonga” has done more harm than good because it’s added to the sense that the Kiwis in particular are no longer a team that reflects the nation’s best players. Seriously, you take the best 50 or so Kiwi players in the NRL and you’ve got 25 of them cosplaying for someone else, at a time when we should be enjoying unprecedented depth. Add the usual off-season surgeries etc and our squad is a pale imitation of what it should be, while we play against a Samoa team which is basically an Australasian XIII.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Also Tohu has not copped nearly enough shit for his complete shunning of the Kiwis.

Quite ironic, given he was the one muscled out for SBW all those years ago, right?

I think this is rose-tinted glasses. The Kiwis have always played with cobbled together line-ups, particularly for end-of-season tours or tournaments.

I truly believe that the “rise” of “Samoa” and “Tonga” has done more harm than good because it’s added to the sense that the Kiwis in particular are no longer a team that reflects the nation’s best players. Seriously, you take the best 50 or so Kiwi players in the NRL and you’ve got 25 of them cosplaying for someone else, at a time when we should be enjoying unprecedented depth. Add the usual off-season surgeries etc and our squad is a pale imitation of what it should be, while we play against a Samoa team which is basically an Australasian XIII.

We might've played with cobbled line-ups, but you remember when those 05-08 or so Tri Nations and World Cups lived up to the hype.

Good point on the Samoa and Tonga thing. Doesn't affect Australia, who put out near-on full strength line-ups. And their players don't pull out, where ours do - which is a massive indictment on us. As a Warriors fan, I'm happy for SJ to not play, but I can also say that I can see why some people would be incredibly disappointed he isn't.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Wheres all our young 9s coming through

 

[Philip_Smith007]

SJ not playing makes sense as he has had injuries and missed game time because of those injuries.
He won't be around for the next world cup and we have coverage in that spot.
I love the international game and it needs to grow for the game sake, but the NRL will always hold it back.
We need a shorter season (get to 20 teams and play each other once) and these fixtures planned years in advance not months.
But firstly I want neutral refs.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

View attachment 80353
Dire side, Levi and Brown FFS

CNK or J Manu at Fullback?
Hughes and D Brown in halves with Foran backup.
Who the hell is our 9? D Levi???

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Wheres all our young 9s coming through

tbf it’s a bit of an extraordinary situation with the top 3, possibly 4 choices all out (Smith, Marshall-King, Crossland….Nikorima?). Still, feels like it’s been a long time since we had to go so deep into the depth chart and actually start picking guys who aren’t even really first graders.

 

[Blair]

Character issues aside (with Nelson only) how much would the Warriors love to have him, Leota and Fisher-Harris in their side? It's a generally weak-looking Kiwis in general but, man, there's some size.

 

[Mr Angry]

1. CNK
2. Isaako - R
3. Manu - R
4. Tamoko -L
5. Mulitano - L
6. Foran
7. Hughes
8. Leota
9. Levi
10. Fisher-Harris
11. Nikora - R
12. Papali'i -L
13. Tapine

14. F Brown
15. NAS


Not sure but the starting side is pretty good.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

SJ not playing makes sense as he has had injuries and missed game time because of those injuries.
He won't be around for the next world cup and we have coverage in that spot.
I love the international game and it needs to grow for the game sake, but the NRL will always hold it back.
We need a shorter season (get to 20 teams and play each other once) and these fixtures planned years in advance not months.
But firstly I want neutral refs.

Foran and Hughes have had plenty of injuries as well, but they are fronting up, and Hughes has been playing finals footy every year of his career. Personally I’d be remembering that when picking a kiwis side in the next couple of years and they’ll always be chosen ahead of SJ

 

[Beavers Headgear]

CNK or J Manu at Fullback?
Hughes and D Brown in halves with Foran backup.
Who the hell is our 9? D Levi???

I won’t be surprised if we see Foran playing 9