Australia Vs New Zealand Rugby League "ANZAC TEST"

[Jarro]

Australia's team :

AUSTRALIA: Anthony Minichiello (Roosters), Matt King (Storm), Mark Gasnier (Dragons), Matt Cooper (Dragons), Timana Tahu (Eels), Darren Lockyer (Broncos, captain), Andrew Johns (Knights), Willie Mason (Bulldogs), Danny Buderus (Knights), Petero Civoniceva (Broncos), Luke O'Donnell (Cowboys), Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), Ben Kennedy (Sea Eagles). Interchange: Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys), Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs), Steve Menzies (Sea Eagles), Steve Simpson (Knights).

Can't help but feel a little ****ed off that Justin Hodges isn't in the side. He's been the standout performer for the Broncos so far this season.

Greta to see Like O'Donnell get a spot though, he's a great player.

[3oneday]

How about the goose in Sydney's paper on Thursday, "Thurston to miss Test", absolutely guaranteed NOT to get a game. Actual headline on the backpage, like it was gospel !!! FFS....

Who is Hodges ???

[Courty]

For once I had to agree with that idiot Gould. During today's Many/ Parra game, he said that the form centres of the League this season are Hodges & Tahu and that they should be the centre pairing for the Test.
The Dragon's pair have been ok, but not outstanding.
This picking for loyalty is horse****. Part of me wants to see the Kiwi's win just to light a fire under the selectors. :evil:

[terryand]

Particularly seeing the dragons are setting the comp on fire too :mrgreen:

Terry.

[Moe Norman]

Hodges is without doubt the form centre in the comp. But Thurstons is without doubt the form 5/8 too. So why is the argument for Thurstons over Lockyer not as loud as Hodges over Gasnier/Cooper?

Sure I would pick Hodges if Gasnier and Cooper were playing poorly but they're not. In fact, Id be pushing Thurston ahead of Lockyer before I'd pick Hodges ahead of Gasnier or Cooper.

Locky has been making rep sides on reputation for 18 months now, he needs to step back into the form of old, sooner rather than later.

[Grunt]

has he ever really been the form 5/8?
I think he is/was a great fullback but never really rated him as a 5/8.
I agree Hodges is one of the form centres.
Is Matt King one of the form Wingers? not from what I have seen, Eric Grothe is playing well too, same type of winger too.
Heaps of options for all positions. The list is pretty much endless.

[Moe Norman]

Did you see his performance agains the Poms in 04?

I've never seen a 5/8 dominate a game like that - it was almost like he has a union background his vision was so good!

[3oneday]

Did you see his performance agains the Poms in 04?but there hasn't been too many rare performances though unfortunately. Still, they all play too much footy, it's too hard to be up mentally let alone physically every week.

[Jarro]

i think they got it wrong having Mason in the starting lineup. He's much better coming off the bench as an impact forward ..... they should've put Shrek in there to start, he can cop a bashing and still come back for more.

I've never been a fan of the Johns/Lockyer combination either. Having 2 champion playmakers playing next to each other seems to create too much confusion.... one of them will have a blinder while the other will probably have a shocker.

[3oneday]

I've never been a fan of the Johns/Lockyer combination either. Having 2 champion playmakers playing next to each other seems to create too much confusion.... one of them will have a blinder while the other will probably have a shocker.bit like Warne and MacGill ;)

[Moe Norman]

Jarro - you're right about Mason and I suspect Stuart will do just as you have suggested.

Remember, the selectors give him the side and he can now tinker as he sees fit.

[Fishman Dan]

Lockyer fullback, Thurston 5/8. Minna down at the Coogee Bay Hotel.

Hodges is the unluckiest player in the NRL.

[Jarro]

might still happen Dan, word is that Mini's hammy is still rooted.

**edit** just read on FoxSports that Mini is indeed OUT, and Karmichael Hunt is to take his place 8)

looks like Hunts decision to knock back the offer to play for the Kiwis is gonna reap instant rewards.

[Fishman Dan]

Hunt is ****in Kiwi!!

They dead-set make the rules up as they go in this game.. next we'll have Morley, and that useless Pommy ref on the wing!

[Moe Norman]

i would have thought Bowen would get the gig.

will be interesting to see if Hunt gets a look in for the origin side now.

[Courty]

Give me Bowen over Hunt anyday. Bowen is so unpredictable in attack. There is no way you can defend against unpredicability...

[Jarro]

Bowen was thought to be a little suspect under the high ball, but tell me who isn't these days :roll:

I also think there were better options than Hunt for the job (Patten/Hornby)

[Courty]

If I was selctor I would pick a team that looked something like this: Minichiello, King, Tahu, Hodges, Grothe jr, Johns, Thurston, O'Meley, Buderus, Civoniceva, Crocker, Hindmarsh, Kennedy. Interchange: Mason, O'Donnell, Webb, Flannery.

[Fishman Dan]

Yep, Eric Grothe Jr can also feel a little unlucky that he's missed out.

Heard from Benji today about Hunt playing for Australia not NZ... 'disappointed' was the term he used. Pi$$ed off was the tone of voice he said it in.

[Jarro]

so i suppose now that Webb has chosen to play for the Kiwis, he won't ever be eligible to play for the maroons will he.

He is an Aussie after all isn't he ?

[Courty]

I think (Brent) Webb is from up this way somewhere. He used to play in Mike's territory (Mareeba) from memory.

[Jarro]

i think the administrators really need to look at the terms of eligibility for national selection a bit more closely. All this cross-tasman crap talk is really gonna heat up now.

Should a person really be allowed to turn his back on his country of birth ?

What should the ruling be ? Country of birth, or place where your first top grade game was played ?

Personally i think it should be the country stamped on your passport as being your place of birth.

[3oneday]

Personally i think it should be the country stamped on your passport as being your place of birth.and what if you left your country of birth under duress ??? Too hard to discriminate I reckon.

Isn't Tony Carroll a Kiwi ??? didn't hear as much fuss when he played for Australia ??

Pete

[Fishman Dan]

I don't think it's a matter for authorities, but for a bloke to pretend he's an Australian when he's plainly not is pretty poor form.

[Jarro]

and what if you left your country of birth under duress ??? Too hard to discriminate I reckon.

Isn't Tony Carroll a Kiwi ??? didn't hear as much fuss when he played for Australia ??

Pete

you're kidding aren't you :shock: the cuzzy-bro's just about went to war with us :razz:

you bloody NSWelshman howled as well when he played Origin.

something needs to be done about it anyway 'cos it's starting to get outta hand.

[Moe Norman]

so if you're born in japan and move to Australia at the age of three you should have to play Rugby League for Japan?

[Jarro]

IF Japan has a national rugby league side, yes.

[Courty]

Should a person really be allowed to turn his back on his country of birth ?

When it comes to representative footy, it should be the country of birth OR country of residence (but only if naturalised). That means Webb & Pritchard could only lay for Australia as they are both Australian born.

[Grunt]

Well, Morley is thinking of Naturalisation so he can play origin for NSW.

[Moe Norman]

as if he'd get a guernsey anyway

[Grunt]

You never know nowadays, look at test selection.

[Jarro]

When it comes to representative footy, it should be the country of birth OR country of residence (but only if naturalised). That means Webb & Pritchard could only lay for Australia as they are both Australian born.

i believe both the Cayless boys were born in Australia too :smt002

oh well, at least it's all good publicity for the game.

[Courty]

I also found out that Jake Webster was born in Melbourne. What a bunch of ****-stirring hypocrits!

[Moe Norman]

they have 4 aussies in their side.

[Jarro]

it's actually 5 Moe.

Webb, Cayless brothers, Jake Webster, and one other that i can't quite recall.

Hypocrites indeed :evil:

[Courty]

it's actually 5 Moe.
Webb, Cayless brothers, Jake Webster, and one other that i can't quite recall.


Frank Pritchard

[Courty]

Is anyone going to watch this match live?

[Jarro]

is it live on TV ?

[Courty]

It will be Friday Night Footy on Channel 9, but I don't know if it will be live or delayed (as usual).

[Jarro]

i think it'll be a delayed telecast (as usual)

[Grunt]

Delayed, you guys won't see it as Delayed as I will. I probably won't see until Sunday or Monday.

[Courty]

So we shouldn't PM you the result, then? :twisted:

[Grunt]

I will see it off and on @ work on friday night and no doubt the result will be pretty hard to hide from throughout the weekend. I think I may only watch it if the game is reviewed as a great one and is one that it would appear as a not to miss one. (bit like a Souths win that I miss)

[Courty]

(bit like a Souths win that I miss)

That wouldn't happen too often, would it? ;)

Sorry, couldn't resist that one. :mrgreen:

[Jarro]

Grant, i'm working friday night too, so probably wont get to see any of the game either.

if you want a live score, text KANGAROOS to 193030 to get the live stats.

[3oneday]

Fox Sports is replaying it at 3pm on Saturday as well, well for those lucky enough to have Fox anyway !!!

[Jarro]

pretty convincing win to the Aussies in the end really. I was kinda hoping the kiwis would come out and play footy nad not try and "bash" the Aussies out of it like they usually do ... but they proved me wrong :roll:

What did everyone think of Lockyers short stint back at fullback ? I thought he went great when he was put back there ... he picked up where he left off i think, support play was awesome and he actually ran the ball better than i've seen him in quite a while 8)

Johns is a freak :shock: there is nothing that guy can't do on a field. For once in my life i actually agree with Ricky Stuart... he said last night that Johns was the best player he has ever seen ... i'm starting to believe it to. NSW are going to have an almighty hole in their halves this year if he decides to skip Origin, especially now they've declared Anasta to be their #1 choice for 5/8th.

Mason and Petro had big games too i heard. What was the go with Hunt getting knocked out ? was it an illegal high shot or what ?

[Courty]

Hunt copped a chest/ shoulder from Pritchard. It wasn't really intentional, just sorta happened that way. Pritchard's on report, but I don't reckon it was an illegal play. Those things happen in footy sometimes. The jury's still out on his performance in the match. He didn't do anything that any other fullback couldn't do, and made a few mistakes. I don't think he did enough to get a recall. They should've played Matty Bowen.

Mason, Petrol Seventycentsalitre, the Ogre, Hindmarsh, Kennedy (actually all the forwards) played exceptionally well. It was a pretty good performance right across the paddock. Tahu was excellent. Gasnier scored an early try but was quiet after that. King made a lot of good runs. It would have been nice to have seen Thurston on earlier (like as soon as Hunt came off).
Not a surprising result really. I expected the Aussies to exact some revenge froom the Tri-Nations.

[goughy]

Not that I know anything about football. And the only part of the match I saw was lockyer's try. But lockyer always seemed to me (and now) better coming in later in the play rather than getting the ball first or second. He seems like a player who is always gonna be there to take advantage of someone else's play/break rather than have to create it himself. Just my uneducated thoughts. It just seems he needs to be 3rd or 4th hand on the ball, not first or second.

[Jarro]

not a bad call for a bloke that knows nothing about the game ;)

FWIW, i agree with you %100 Goughy, Lockyer, by all accounts, was pretty good back at fullback last night.

Maybe they might throw him there for SOO :-s

[Grunt]

Have always said he is a Fullback not a 5/8

[PeteyD]

It's funny how there used to be many vocal calls to move Locky to 5/8th ...

For the record he is a great 5/8, and I would still pick him there with Thursty at 1/2 and Bowen at full.

[Grunt]

He was only put there because there was no test level 5/8 available and he was a compromise.

[PeteyD]

And I suppose there were no valid captains so he was a compromise captain as well?

[PeteyD]

not a bad call for a bloke that knows nothing about the game ;)

FWIW, i agree with you %100 Goughy, Lockyer, by all accounts, was pretty good back at fullback last night.

Maybe they might throw him there for SOO :-s

He was pretty good at 5/8 as well, setting up tries when the game was close. He was given a bit more freedom having a great halfback inside him. The combination of the halves is as important as the individuals.

[Moe Norman]

He was only put there because he's one of the most brilliant attacking players the game has ever seen and his skills were wasted at fullback.

People have short memories, he is a sensational 5/8 he just hasn't performed in the maroon there yet.