NZ v AUS Rugby League Test- May 5

[Simon]

No they won't. We will be rugby league World Champions until Sonny Bill and Benji Marshall retire. The Aussies are soft and disinterested when it comes to international league. Even their fans claim to have no interest in it. We will win with ease

Sonny Bill is a great player at times, but boy he can make mistakes, he drops the ball more than anyone (except Paul Gallen) and his shoulder charges which look great when they come off are a high risk option...
Marshall wont be able to do it alone, quite simply Australia will continue to produce enough good players to see off any challenge from NZ or Eng for years to come...

 

[Blaze]

its happened before, if johns plays theres simply no way we can lose, player for player we have NZ covered very easily, we will start red hot favourites without doubt...

So you should... doesn't mean you will win. I thought you would have learnt something from last years tri nations.

 

[Simon]

So you should... doesn't mean you will win. I thought you would have learnt something from last years tri nations.

yeh, we wont pick a team dominated by over rated Dragons and Roosters players this time...
10 of the 17 ive picked in my team there didnt play in the tri nations final, only Minichiello would come in for bowen if he was fit, but i think we will pick the right team this time...

 

[Blewy]

IMO Benji would be wasted at 1/2...

The wider he gets the more effective he is..

As for him being fit, reports i have heard say that he has been training with the team for just over a week and Tim Sheens has told Brian Mclenan that a decision will be made if he is available later in the week... But he wont risk him if he is not 100%...

 

[Blaze]

IMO Benji would be wasted at 1/2...

The wider he gets the more effective he is..

Yeah he almost plays like a centre when he is at his best on attack.. He will have to play half back though and do most of the kicking. We simply don't have anyone else.

Of course it should have been 6) Marshall 7) Khunt but we all know what happened there...

 

[Smudge]

Cayless is good, Leuluai and Solomona are duds though...
neither are up to NRL standard and NZ are desperate to get them into a test match, says a lot really...

NZ are probably desperate to put 50 on this time round, while keeping a toothless Kangaroo attack to 0 - again.

 

[Simon]

Yeah he almost plays like a centre when he is at his best on attack.. He will have to play half back though and do most of the kicking. We simply don't have anyone else.

Of course it should have been 6) Marshall 7) Khunt but we all know what happened there...

why should it be, im sick of people having a go at hunt for not going to NZ, no one ever mentions the cayless brothers or webb or any of thse guys for chosing to play for NZ when they should be eligible for Aus...

 

[Simon]

IMO Benji would be wasted at 1/2...

The wider he gets the more effective he is..

As for him being fit, reports i have heard say that he has been training with the team for just over a week and Tim Sheens has told Brian Mclenan that a decision will be made if he is available later in the week... But he wont risk him if he is not 100%...

yeh risk benji early again and see him suffer another injury, some people just never learn...
why dont they give him the year off, get himself right and hopefully for everyone's sake he'll play 24 games in 2007...

 

[Burpey]

Jason Cayless actually played for City a few years back.

Australia should win (as always) but you never know with NZ. They could play awesome or look like a park footy side.

 

[howardj]

i think this could be the time to pick my test side though

1 Matt Bowen
2 Matt King
3 Justin Hodges
4 Mark Gasnier
5 Timana Tahu
6 Darren Lockyer
7 Andrew Johns
...

So you've baled out on Schiffers?

 

[Blaze]

why should it be, im sick of people having a go at hunt for not going to NZ, no one ever mentions the cayless brothers or webb or any of thse guys for chosing to play for NZ when they should be eligible for Aus...

Yeah fair point... the whole thing is a shambles. Brad Thorn plays for the All Blacks but won't play for the kiwis? Toni Carrol has played for both AUS and NZ? Pritchard is born in AUS but plays for NZ?

 

[Simon]

So you've baled out on Schiffers?

no, ive realistically decided that Schif has no chance of being picked for Australia...
Bowen shouldnt be there, but he will be...

 

[chaminda_00]

1 D Lockyer
2 J Hodges
3 M Gasnier
4 M Cooper
5 M King
6 J Thurston
7 A Johns
8 L Bailey
9 D Buderus
10 P Civoniceva
11 N Hindmarsh
12 L O'Donnell
13 Ben Kennedy
Reserves
14 M O'Meley
15 W Mason
16 S Menzies
17 T Barrett

That would be my side

 

[Burpey]

Menzies? Please stop him Now. I've had enough.

 

[Blaze]

Menzies? Please stop him Now. I've had enough.

What club does he play for again?

 

[chaminda_00]

Menzies? Please stop him Now. I've had enough.

You got to remember he is one of Ricky's favorites and his been in awsome form. But if Crocker or Simpson get picked infront of him it wouldn't matter.

 

[Cloete]

Menzies? Please stop him Now. I've had enough.

I know.. he's kidding himself!! How could he leave out Bell and Orford?? Surely Johns should play 5/8 and Orford at 7!

I hear Monaghan's a shot at hooker actually!

 

[chaminda_00]

I know.. he's kidding himself!! How could he leave out Bell and Orford?? Surely Johns should play 5/8 and Orford at 7!

I hear Monaghan's a shot at hooker actually!

Don't forgot Stewart how did i miss him, even if his on one leg he would be better then Lockyer, Bowen and Hornby

 

[Blaze]

I am not sure about the NZ backline anymore. I kind of don't want them to pick Tupou because Johns will pepper him with bombs all night and he could make a fool of himself.

Webster is solid and can finish so I reckon they should go for him on one wing with Vatuvei on the other.

Webb will obviously be picked at fullback, Whatuira is a certainty for a centre berth and Toopi will most probably play.

Vagana at 5/8 and Marshall hopefully at halfback makes for an adequate backline. I suppose if they wanted fire power they could play Sonny Bill in the centres... it is not as if we lack second rowers.

My 17

1. B Webb
2. L Vainakolo
3. Sonny Bill
4. P Whatuira
5. M Vatuvei
6. N Vagana
7. B Marshall
8. R Wiki
9. D Faiumu
10. N Cayless
11. D Kidwell
12. A Lauatiti
13. D Halutau

14. R Asotasi 15. S Famauina 16. Fui Fui Moi Moi 17. J Cayless

 

[Simon]

1 D Lockyer
2 J Hodges
3 M Gasnier
4 M Cooper
5 M King
6 J Thurston
7 A Johns
8 L Bailey
9 D Buderus
10 P Civoniceva
11 N Hindmarsh
12 L O'Donnell
13 Ben Kennedy
Reserves
14 M O'Meley
15 W Mason
16 S Menzies
17 T Barrett

That would be my side

Hodges on the wing, what a waste, cooper can play there but he doesnt deserve to be in the side anyway... Menzies shouldnt be picked, theres too many players better than him...