Telegraph: 8 Saints for Roo Squad

[Hurriflatch]

8 Saints for Roo Squad
By DEAN RITCHIE Rugby League Writer

September 22, 2005

UNHERALDED St George Illawarra players Ben Hornby, Ben Creagh and Dean Young are poised to be shock inclusions in Australia's 23-man Kangaroo squad for next month's Tri-Nations tour of New Zealand and Great Britain.



The Daily Telegraph can reveal the three players are in line to join high-profile Dragons Trent Barrett, Jason Ryles, Luke Bailey, Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper on the tour, which would take Saints' representation to eight.

No team in Australian rugby league's 97-year history has ever had eight players on a Kangaroo tour.

"There are a lot of Dragons players in the mix," said Australian chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy.

Australian coach Wayne Bennett is known to be a fan of Hornby and his versatility.

Hornby, 25, was shifted to halfback midway through the season to cover for injured Mathew Head.

Creagh, 20, has been powerful in recent weeks while Young, 21, is regarded as a future St George Illawarra captain.

McCarthy described Young as "a terrific player" and Hornby "super".

"Hornby's got to be in the mix," McCarthy said.

While St George Illawarra will have a strong representation, fierce premiership rivals Parramatta may not reap the same rewards.

At this stage just two Eels players – Nathan Hindmarsh and Timana Tahu – are assured of winning places.

However, that may change depending on performances over the next two weekends, and particularly the Grand Final.

Newtown (1911-12), Easts (1937-38), St George (1959-60) and Manly (1978) had seven players on Kangaroo tours.

The seven Dragons to tour in 1959-60 were Bob Bugden, Brian Clay, Reg Gasnier, Eddie Lumsden, John Raper, Billy Wilson and John Riley. But now St George Illawarra's new breed are ready to set the benchmark.

Dragons coach Nathan Brown believes Hornby, Creagh and Young would be suited to a Kangaroo tour.

"If we make the Grand Final and win then it would just about get them over the line," Brown said.

"We've won nine in a row so plenty of our guys are in form, but it will depend on what positions they are looking at and who they want to stay loyal to.

"But Ben Hornby, Ben Creagh and Dean Young would all do very well on tour and all hold their gloves up.

"It would be a great learning experience for Ben Creagh and Dean Young in particular. Ben Hornby has been around a bit longer. "They would all bring utility value to the squad. But the next two weeks will be important."

http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,16682340-5001023,00.html

Big surprise with jokes like Daley picking the sqaud

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Excellent, we go from 12th to Minor Premiers and only get an extra player in the tri-nations squad, and he was already an international when we bought him!

Grothe is the best winger in the game at the moment, but won't make it

Riddell is better than Young (cue Dragons supporters telling me how wrong I am) and plays the same positions but he won't even be considered

Morrison has been a HUGE part of our resurgence, but won't even be looked at

Widders is the best benchie in the game, he can cover centre/five-eighth/lock/second row but won't even be looked.

I could go on all day listing Tigers players who deserve a spot but won't even be looked at aswell.

Meanwhile every Dragon that wants a shot gets one, that's a joke. That's exactly why I wouldn't piss on McCarthy if he was on fire, he's a jerk and needs to go.

 

[Matt23]

Sounds like it will be the St George Illawarra roosters, guest starring, joey, locky & hindy as well as Buderus ;-)

 

[Saint 60]

Riddell would be a very good footy player if he could play for a full game...no risk.
but thats not about to happen...is it/

funny how your whinging about Parras players --- and not the tigers and cows players...

believe the rest of the Teles facts when they happen....

 

[Timmah]

...And Buderus

 

[aussie_londoner]

i sort of have to agree with Parrajay, there does seem to be a hell of a lot of players that dont seem to get a look in.

the 8 players in question are brilliant players, no doubt, and as a dragon fan im a big fan of these guys, but there does seem to always be a lot of other brilliant players getting overlooked.

 

[aqua_duck]

hornby-no
gasnier-yes
cooper-yes
barrett-yes
ryles-yes
bailey-yes
young-no
creagh-yes

 

[El Diablo]

Imagine if it's a Tigers v Eels or Cowboys GF.

Be less than 5 players who'll represent Aus yet ONE team that didn't make it would have 8.

That would certainly make things look stupid.

What's even funnier is that if the Dragons don't make the GF it's quite possible the wooden spooners may have as many players in the Aus side as a the two GF teams combined.

 

[Sir Biffo]

IMAGINE if the Roos squad was allocated on where a team finished. I thought it was allocated based on who would combine the best and win the Tri-Nations. Silly me.

 

[El Diablo]

IMAGINE if the Roos squad was allocated on where a team finished. I thought it was allocated based on who would combine the best and win the Tri-Nations. Silly me.

Errr wouldn't you think that a team that finishes on top might just combine well?

silly me for thinking such things

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Riddell would be a very good footy player if he could play for a full game...no risk.
but thats not about to happen...is it/

And since when do Australia play an 80 minute hooker? They always bring that hack Craig Wing on to replace him, Piggy wouldn't need to go the 80.

Plus if he was considered it would be on the bench as an impact player, and he would do VERY well being injected and various points during the game.

 

[hotsnow]

More rep players leads to more highly paid players leads to salary cap problems. Yes, the Dragons are really lucky.

 

[Sir Biffo]

Errr wouldn't you think that a team that finishes on top might just combine well?

silly me for thinking such things

Well actually it is silly you. We have 4 games to qualify for the tri-nations final. Just because Paramatta finished well in the regular season doesn't mean those 17 who played most games in the season for the Eels could be the best to represent Australia. In the tri-nations it is a team of stars not necessarily a star team who will win. As long as they can combine a bit they will be sucessfull (see NSW, not having 2 clubs as the nucleus for their whole team).

 

[Balmain_Boy]

Ridiculous.

If Parra don't get Hindmarsh, Grothe, Tahu and Widders in the squad it's a farce.

Some Tigers players deserve a run too. At least we have some Kiwi representation I suppose, with Fatz, Marshall and Halatau all Kiwi test players.

Young and Creagh will go, there's nothing surer. Mcarthy has been talking them up for a month or so now. Where there's smoke there's fire.

 

[Sir Biffo]

Young and Creagh will surely not tour. Creagh is not even a good player in my books and Young needs one more season to prove himself.

 

[Sir Biffo]

Young and Creagh will surely not tour. Creagh is not even a good player in my books and Young needs one more season to prove himself.

Whoops, double post.

 

[joel caine number 1 fan]

Hornby over Hodgson :roll: :lol:

 

[Cletus]

I'd be a bit shocked if Widders doesn't get a spot on the bench, he's been in great form all year.

 

[Scorpio30]

"Shock inclusions" :lol:
They're Dragons FFS

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Hornby?

FFS.