vs Australia

[Meth]

And I don't care what anyone says, that team would have been much, much better with JWH in there

 

[jaseg]

And I don't care what anyone says, that team would have been much, much better with JWH in there

You might not care, but I disagree wholeheartedly . I thought our three props were each among our best, and don't think JWH could have (or certainly would have) added much.

Anyway, game definitely changed for the worse when John came on, and again when Havili came off. That said, Henry looked better than Taylor ever did at hooker.. hopefully RTS gets the next shot at fullback.

And hopefully Havili gets minutes at hooker for the Warriors.

 

[Meth]

Moa and Bromwich were great. Taupau was ok. Isaac John, as it turned out was a waste of space. Definitely would have had JWH there. He's the best prop in the world.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I went to the game, and boy Bromwich stood out with his workrate as did Mannering who was everywhere covering everyone and everything.
Interesting to see Isaac Luke come out with the boys while they were warming up just pumping the boys up giving then tips always in Haviilis ear etc

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Moa and Bromwich were great. Taupau was ok. Isaac John, as it turned out was a waste of space. Definitely would have had JWH there. He's the best prop in the world.

No way was he missed, our props outshone Aussies and JWH would of made no difference

 

[TheDMC]

JWH was pretty crap in the world cup and previous tests I've seen him in, maybe my expectations of him were too high but all he seemed to deliver was noise, penalties and agro and sfa performance. Saying that, he should be kicking ass for NZ, hopefully this demotion will see him up his international game in the future...Wasn't missed out there last night at all. Maybe he is the Matthew Sinclair of kiwi league (that just sounds wrong).

 

[Blair]

I noticed most of the Kiwis played with their socks down, is this a kiwi thing?

 

[Meth]

JWH was pretty crap in the world cup and previous tests I've seen him in

True enough. I still think he would have been better on the bench than John at least (as it turns out, we were better with Harris at 6)

 

[Rich102]

I hope Cappy watched the game and gives Havili a decent run at 9.

Jeez some of the Australian forwards put in a lot of rubbish. Smith is filth and how can the ref's miss Bird's forearm in the defenders face? Oh, they're Australian refs? Right.
So that accounts for Hiku being lifted off his feet and carried over the sideline. Once both feet leave the ground the tackle is deemed to be completed.

Good game. Well done Kearney. Well done boys.

 

[vvvrulz]

True enough. I still think he would have been better on the bench than John at least (as it turns out, we were better with Harris at 6)

Leave John alone, yeah he was poor but he's an NRL club level player at best.
With the side we had on paper its a miracle we weren't flogged.

 

[JoeD]

Couple things

Anyone else think it was weird that non players were involved in the haka? Didn't like it at all.
JWH wouldn't have made a difference. I totally agree with the no dickhead policy, he was obviously a dickhead at the WC.
Ref was shit both ways. Sooner we get a captain's challenge the better.
Thouroughly enjoyed the game. Sick of league fans moaning about international games. Do irish union fans moan before playing the ABs? They've never won ever.

 

[Meth]

Leave John alone, yeah he was poor but he's an NRL club level player at best.
With the side we had on paper its a miracle we weren't flogged.

I don't disagree with any of that, I am not really having a go at John...he never should have been selected.

 

[spear tackle]

I noticed most of the Kiwis played with their socks down, is this a kiwi thing?

The spirit of Gary Freeman lives on in their socks, good effort not exactly the flogging we all expected, rabbits must have been in denial at fulltime announcing the score to be 30-12.
i look forward to some of those new guys being selected in the future.

 

[JJ]

Not sure how you know that. It seems to me that the Kiwis were keener, but outclassed and outsmarted at the end. Add a couple of smarter, more experienced players like Foran and Luke and I think we may not have surrendered that lead at the back end of the game.

I think the Aussies (like everyone else) knew they could win that in a canter... and tbh they did...

Had the Kiwi team been capable of a real challenge, they would have been switched on from the kickoff...

Not disrespecting the Kiwis effort which was good, but there was no way they could win that game, no way

 

[Iafeta]

Yeah they could. There was no way we could win the Tri Nations final in England, or the Four Nations a couple of years ago, or the World Cup in '08. We did.. There was no way Olsen Filipaina would manhandle Wally Lewis. He did.

Rugby League is a funny game. For as much talk of the Aussies taking it easy, some of those blokes are deadset tilting to decline. Slater in particular IMO is already on the decline.

We just made a couple of key errors at key times. Otherwise we were up for it.

 

[ozbash]

Anyone else think it was weird that non players were involved in the haka? Didn't like it at all.

that was downright embarrassing, the felt tip tatts looked amateurish.

Issac John went ok, don't see what the fuss is about. The only waste of time was Beale.

 

[what ever]

that was downright embarrassing, the felt tip tatts looked amateurish.

Issac John went ok, don't see what the fuss is about. The only waste of time was Beale.

Agree. And yes i thought Beale let himself down.