Who should be Australia's half if Joey cant play?

[Hari Kari]

apples and oranges but the cricket lately is a good example of what happens when the aus selectors stick with has-beens instead of form players.

they're gonna pick a team full of $hitheads that shouldn't be there.

hopefully the tri final is the poms and kiwis so they learn a lesson.

 

[Razor]

Selectors will select Kimmorley. If 90% of players in the team are not in this years finals series then its a farce. I understand loyalty comes into the mix but why wont they select players from performing teams???

Why? Clubs making the finals show the best teams, not the best bunch of individuals. A team of good average first-grade players will always beat a team of 3 superstars with the other 14 being reserve grade players. Also there are Kiwis that have an influence with teams. The best team does not mean the best bunch of individuals.

 

[Bernster]

I believe that the ARL should look to the up and comming talent like Prince, Thurston and/or Smith because "Superstars" such as Johns cannot go around all the time.

 

[grouch]

I believe that the ARL should look to the up and comming talent like Prince, Thurston and/or Smith because "Superstars" such as Johns cannot go around all the time.

I think, if anything, that cheapens the Australian jersey, just as much as people have alleged Johns of doing. They should simply pick the best player.

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Why? Clubs making the finals show the best teams, not the best bunch of individuals. A team of good average first-grade players will always beat a team of 3 superstars with the other 14 being reserve grade players. Also there are Kiwis that have an influence with teams. The best team does not mean the best bunch of individuals.

But the teams performing do have players who are also performing and not being rewarded at all (unless they win the premiership of course).

Dean Widders and PJ Marsh are prime examples, both are in better form than the players who will get their (bench) positions in the Australian side (Mason and Wing) but they won't even be considered. Tahu and Grothe will be left out for those pretenders Berrigan and Rooney, and also "Mr. Reliable (but inconsistent of late)" Matt Sing.

We'll have two players in the Tri-Nations, Hindmarsh and Cayless, yet we are in second place on the table. Meanwhile the Roosters will have 5-6 players in the squad. That's a farce, underperforming teams should not contribute the majority of the players at international level.

And that idiot Bob McCarthy who said reputations will count more than form should be sacked right now! The Brett Hodgsons of this world could be forgiven for not stopping if they saw him crossing the road because those statements are joke. Great message to send players, "even if you're the best, you still won't get a spot because there's a pretender with a bigger rep than you who will and you can't do anything about it".

Australia's selections are a joke, end of story.

 

[CULLUS.ONLINE]

I think, if anything, that cheapens the Australian jersey, just as much as people have alleged Johns of doing. They should simply pick the best player.

good point. Lets take that line of thinking and have a look at the selections.
They need to fill two postions: Halfback and 5/8th. Now you say that they should pick the best player.

So the best halfbacks going around are:
Andrew Johns
Scott Prince

The best 5/8ths going around (Aussies only) are:
Barrett
Locky
Thurston
Anasta

Now johns wont get the 7 jersey because he is unavailable in which case, the 2nd best halfback available is Prince.
As for the 5/8th, Locky (although i recon he has dropped alot) is supposably the best with barret not far behind him and thurston not far behind him either. Who to choose from? Remember you said they have to pick the best player. Barrett or Locky?

If 'the best player' was chosen then it would be:
7. Prince
6. Locky or Barrett (personally i'd go barrett)

However this is where the 'favorites' games starts to come in and we will see that Barrett will be given the number 7 jersey and locky the number 6 jersey leaving Prince (who is arguably the best halfback in the game aside from Johns) in the cold.

Is it:
a - the "BEST" player in that position that should be selected or
b - the "BEST" player regardless of wheather or not he plays in that postion

Barrett hasn't played 1/2 all year, but i bet you anything that he will get it.
Now is that fair?

 

[CULLUS.ONLINE]

But the teams performing do have players who are also performing and not being rewarded at all (unless they win the premiership of course).

Dean Widders and PJ Marsh are prime examples, both are in better form than the players who will get their (bench) positions in the Australian side (Mason and Wing) but they won't even be considered. Tahu and Grothe will be left out for those pretenders Berrigan and Rooney, and also "Mr. Reliable (but inconsistent of late)" Matt Sing.

We'll have two players in the Tri-Nations, Hindmarsh and Cayless, yet we are in second place on the table. Meanwhile the Roosters will have 5-6 players in the squad. That's a farce, underperforming teams should not contribute the majority of the players at international level.

And that idiot Bob McCarthy who said reputations will count more than form should be sacked right now! The Brett Hodgsons of this world could be forgiven for not stopping if they saw him crossing the road because those statements are joke. Great message to send players, "even if you're the best, you still won't get a spot because there's a pretender with a bigger rep than you who will and you can't do anything about it".

Australia's selections are a joke, end of story.

DAMN RIGHT!
And thats why I will continue to support New Zealand until the day that the Australian Selectors pick a team based on FORM and not on reputation. Why? Because its the AUSTRALIAN thing to do!

 

[Mr_Raditch]

P to tha Rince!

 

[innsaneink]

Scott Prince should be, Kimmorley will be.

Noddy will never play reps again.

 

[LESStar58]

Scott Prince should be, Kimmorley will be.

On form I'll agree with that statement and i've voted accordingly....

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Noddy will never play reps again.

Unfortunately I'm not so confident of that

http://www.nrl.com/news.cfm?ID=12361

 

[aussies1st]

Hopefully after his shocker last night they won't pick him again. Anyone but him will do for me.

 

[drake]

Prince, I'm not a fan of picking players to represent in a position they don't normally play in, so Barrett's out.

if Barrett isn't picked at halfback then he can take his family on a holiday, Lockyer will only miss playing at 5/8th if he's dead. Bennett will get his Australian kangabroncos as usual.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Prince is the form halfback in the comp, but there is no way they will pick him.

When do they ever pick players on form?

 

[lotti]

Ox.

 

[Twizzle]

Noddy did himself alot of damage in SOO

depsite what we think, the selectors will probably go for Barrett

 

[Rammo]

Selectors will select Kimmorley. If 90% of players in the team are not in this years finals series then its a farce. I understand loyalty comes into the mix but why wont they select players from performing teams???

Why? Do you want your players to make the TriNations? Look what happened to Canterbury, won the premiership, dominated TriNations selection and cannot get anywhere neear a full strength team on the park this season. I wish your Sharks players would take up all the spots this year so no Bulldogs would go.

 

[aenima1]

tim smith is a good young kid but talking about him playing halfback for australia is a bit rich!

 

[Holla if ya hear me]

after last nites uninspired display by cronulla..Orford has to be the half for australia

 

[lazza]

the selectors have never been kind to joey, so he owes the australian team nothing,

yet they continue to back kimmorley... no matter how badly he plays.

i rekon orford, prince and gower can all do the same things as kimmorley can and if not better and are all more versatile.