World Cup 2017 Kiwis news

[Philip_Smith007]

I'd say NSW/QLD cup achievements in coaching are just as impressive as SL, if not slightly more so because the patterns of play for most teams are closer to the NRL.

In any case, NRL head coach experience doesn't correlate with success in NRL coaching appointments at all. If it did, someone would have signed Chris Anderson (one of the rare semi-recent 2-club premier coaches) again by now... or Folkes... (won a title, never got a chance in the NRL elsewhere)

JJ made the point about Anderson & Cleary... but I'd expand that to include messrs. Flanagan, Green, Maguire, Robinson, Bellamy and Hasler... 6 of the 7 coaches who have won all the NRL titles over the past 11 seasons - all rookies when brought in by the clubs they won with. Only Bennett breaks the pattern.

TBH I really don't like the idea of an experienced coach unless it's a genuine top level guy. Anything short of that you're not making a smart move, you're settling for something you know isn't great instead of getting the most deserving guys in the door.

I'm not wedded to the idea of Brennan either - Demetriou looks good, I personally still like the Walkers (hitting .500 right now with a bottom 3 roster and nothing - 1-2 games of Ben Hunt aside - coming down from the Broncos) and guys like Rip Taylor and Kristian Woolf know their stuff too.

Fair point.
Guess it's an over reaction to the recent past and the coaches we have had.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

After the last 9 months, if he ever had one, it should've well and truely been stamped out

Kidwell = Kearney

Kidwell is 100x worse as a coach than Kearney, scarily enough. I have no doubt we would be stone motherless last with Kidwell as Warriors coach.

 

[jaseg]

Fair point.
Guess it's an over reaction to the recent past and the coaches we have had.

Totally fair enough - (I can't help but point out though.. two of those coaches were "experienced" lol)

Despite it not working anymore at the Dogs I'd take Hasler in a second though.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Thinking about it today, this World Cup is so important for NZ Rugby League

Like it or not, the average joe looks at the Warriors as the shop window of rugby league in this country, and currently in my area, sadly the Warriors are a complete laughing stock that gets no respect

A decent kiwis run at the World Cup will give league a boost it is desperately needing at the moment to revitalise the public interest and get youngsters involved in wanting to play. On the flip side of that, if we cop dustings from Aussie and the Poms, with 2018 for the Warriors showing absolutely no upside at the moment, I really fear for how far back our game could fall in all areas from grassroots up

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Thinking about it today, this World Cup is so important for NZ Rugby League

Like it or not, the average joe looks at the Warriors as the shop window of rugby league in this country, and currently in my area, sadly the Warriors are a complete laughing stock that gets no respect

A decent kiwis run at the World Cup will give league a boost it is desperately needing at the moment to revitalise the public interest and get youngsters involved in wanting to play. On the flip side of that, if we cop dustings from Aussie and the Poms, with 2018 for the Warriors showing absolutely no upside at the moment, I really fear for how far back our game could fall in all areas from grassroots up

Oh absolutely, rugby league in New Zealand seems to me like its declining throughout, from the grass roots through to the Kiwis. Living in New Zealand, this is what Im seeing.

When we beat the Roos in the RLWC, it was one of the greatest sporting moments of my life. I LOVED that game and so I could imagine what other kiwis would've been feeling at that time. Even the league purists in the UK enjoyed such a massive upset. League in NZs needs that again. Can we do it? I don't fancy our chances against England, Tonga or Samoa let alone Australia so yeah, like you say, absolutely no upside

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Thinking about it today, this World Cup is so important for NZ Rugby League

Like it or not, the average joe looks at the Warriors as the shop window of rugby league in this country, and currently in my area, sadly the Warriors are a complete laughing stock that gets no respect

A decent kiwis run at the World Cup will give league a boost it is desperately needing at the moment to revitalise the public interest and get youngsters involved in wanting to play. On the flip side of that, if we cop dustings from Aussie and the Poms, with 2018 for the Warriors showing absolutely no upside at the moment, I really fear for how far back our game could fall in all areas from grassroots up

We are up against it, best prop preferred late nights and drugs.
If Foran and Luke are picked we are stuffed.
Our depth is always an issue.
We should go well in NZ and if we make the final,Brisbane has. been nice to us.
Poms under Bennett will offer stiff resistance.
Have to hope the long season for Smith and Cronk takes its toll.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

If Foran and Luke are picked...

Why is it that Kidwell doesn't pick Benji Marshall? I know he said something along the lines of the future and breeding the youngsters but this isn't the under 20s, its the Kiwis. Benji Marshall was a World Cup winner, has that experience and even though his defence sux he's still as good as our other halves with Johnson being the exception. I keep thinking theres more to Marshalls non selection...

 

[Meth]

f**k Rugby League until 2018

 

[Cold Roses]

We are up against it, best prop preferred late nights and drugs.
If Foran and Luke are picked we are stuffed.
Our depth is always an issue.
We should go well in NZ and if we make the final,Brisbane has. been nice to us.
Poms under Bennett will offer stiff resistance.
Have to hope the long season for Smith and Cronk takes its toll.

Bromwich out isn't really as big an issue as it appears at face value. Given that Blair will most likely start, because, well it's just going to happen, we have Tapau, Packer and NAS with maybe Fonua-Blake as well. Add in the fact Taumalolo is there and it's a pretty good pack. How Kidwill uses it is the problem. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Sio Sio Taukeiaho get a recall to the side. He's been going great for the Roosters.

Outside backs are a bigger problem. Recently we have been getting killed by the big fast strong Australian wings and centres We just don't really have the depth to match them. Rapana is the only guy who can foot it with Australia. Kidwill needs to find a way to shut down Boyd Cordner running at Shaun Johnson all game as it's sucking up his energy levels, and creating massive holes on that side. Our left side defence just doesn't have the quality to match theirs either. You know you're lacking depth when Kata has gotten a Kiwi test jersey on that edge.

Luke? Nuff said. Go and eat some pies. Hopefully Foran gets pulled by the Dogs for off season surgery, and TMM gets the gig with Nikorima as back up for Hooker and half.

If we don't lose too many to injury, whether real or imagined by the clubs, it's going to come down to how much influence Brennan and Smith can bring to the side, and whether Kidwill has learned anything from his recent disasters.

Can't help but think it feels a bit like 2008 again ...

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Can't help but think it feels a bit like 2008 again ...

I can't help but think about how Kidwell picks the worst players for the Kiwis.

Someone told me last year Kidwell picked the best team available and that cracked me up as that person was absolutely proven wrong.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Levi has to be in front of Luke.
Nikorima in front of Foran.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Levi has to be in front of Luke.
Nikorima in front of Foran.

Id like to see Roache there at hook but Levi does run his pack smoothly.

Nikorima and Johnson would be my halves but I don't think Johnson should be playing as he strikes me as getting weaker from his injury.

 

[Rich102]

If the Warriors let Johnson play they are stupid.

 

[Cold Roses]

Should think there will be a wider squad named pretty soon? In the past it's usually been at the end of the conclusion of regular Nrl rounds.

 

[Cold Roses]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=11920366

Benji Marshall could make a shock return to the Kiwis for the World Cup.

The former captain is still some way down the pecking order, with several contenders in front of him, but he has come back into consideration after five years in the international wilderness.

The Herald on Sunday understands that the 32-year-old is being watched closely by the Kiwis selection panel and the door remains open.

 

[Cold Roses]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...dan-kahu-set-to-miss-kiwis-world-cup-campaign

Kahu will most likely miss out because of end of season surgery.

Let's hope the floodgates aren't about to open.

 

[playdaball]

Griffin (storm) as a long shot?

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Making the semis is a tall order for the Kiwis this year.

 

[JJ]

If the Warriors let Johnson play they are stupid.

We know they're stupid

 

[Cloudsurfer]

I'd like to see a lot of young bloods given a crack. Besides maybe mixing it up for the established teams & perhaps only getting game experience (i.e. not be in the final) I reckon its time to blood them. The big three from Melbourne, Gallen & co. etc won't be around for the Four nations and by the next RL World Cup we can have some real experienced young players blooded & have some depth. Unfortunately NZ can't compete with Oz every time but to jag the wins like the past 4 to 5 years & some internationals every now and then, decade by decade, NZ can be as competitive decade by decade.