Hard call on Stuart to be dropped, but Australia played all year with cute selections. From the start, the likes of Ryles, Hindmarsh and O'Meley were never going to get a look in - and in hindsight Dallas Johnson, Danny Buderus and Justin Hodges would have been handy inclusions, too.
Too much was made of Inglis' brilliance, which only shows when the forwards are winning the ruck and his halves give great service.
Slater cost us a try, but engineered at least two. Watmough also had a big part to play in Heather's second try. Thurston could have engineered the big comeback play late in the game had Jeremy Smith not ankle tapped him.
Cameron Smith, like Inglis, went MIA. Slater had a dig, IMHO his biggest blunder was being absent when Jeremy Smith strolled through.
Where Sticky and the selectors went wrong was not having the foresight to have a forward leader to take the reigns when the going got tough - read Hindmarsh, Ryles and Mason (who is still possibly injured). Even the likes of Carl Webb and Nate Myles could have produced that when the Kiwis surged home.
And cutie as the utility? What does he add? Clearly Kidley was missed, but since Craig Wing, Australia has not developed anyone for that role, when Prince, Farah, Cronk, Lyon, Mullen, Rogers, Anasta or Bowen provide a pool of players capable of filling that role with development and experience.
To call for Stuart's sacking is a bit harsh, though. Bennet lost a home test to NZ and made some bizare selections (Waterhouse in the centres) in the run up to the 05 loss. At least Stuart had the Kangaroos in the game until the end. He also fronted the media, and didn't use the secret tunnel from Suncorp to platform 3 at Roma St station to avoid the media.
