Matai in NZ Squad

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Downie

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From LU, who took it from NZRL Media:

Manly centre Steve Matai is the latest player to be added to the New Zealand Rugby League train-on squad.

Matai's inclusion in the squad brings the total number of players in the squad to 22 after Warriors second rower Louis Anderson and winger Patrick Ah Van were ruled out because of injury on Tuesday.

The Kiwis selectors will use the train-on squad to put together their respective squads for the Gillette Tri-Nations campaign and the New Zealand A match against Australia A.

No UK based players have been selected for the train-on squad yet.

Kiwis coach Brian McClennan said the reason for this was simple.

The Super League round robin competition has only just finished, he said.

We are still in the process of getting medical reports on all the Kiwi players who might be in contention from all the respective clubs.

We hope to have these reports in the next few days and then we will be able to make an announcement when we name the next members of the train-on squad next week.
 
Vagana, that guy who played for the Dogs but went to England, a few of the Warriors plus whoever played for them last year and on Anzac Day.
 
Vagana, that guy who played for the Dogs but went to England, a few of the Warriors plus whoever played for them last year and on Anzac Day.

haha, great argument. That dude who played for them that time the other day.

Vagana was rubbish this year btw.
 
Couldn't agree more CW. Any coach worth his salt will know how to get around our stevie. Throw it wide and then turn it in when our stevie puts the shoulder in. Bingo! though the gap and under the posts. TRY TIME. just watch.
 
It's good that he made the squad. A better coach, hoefully NZ have one, will have some influence on him which must make him a better player next season for us.
 
to answer your question Volley: Nigel Vagana, Clinton Toopi, Sonny Bill Williams, Simon Mannering. The bulldogs player that went to england i think was Willie Talau. There is also Shontayne Hape - not sure if he is more of a winger. Jerome Ropati i personally think is probably more of a centre than a five/eighth. And apparantly Tony Martin has made himself availabe to the kiwis also :wall: .

So there you go, there are others i am sure. Not including SBW the two i would select would be Talau and Matai. I think Brian McClennan will use SBW in the forwards.

IMO none of these guys have come close to Matai this season and i will be VERY surprised if he is not in the starting side.
 
Couldn't agree more CW. Any coach worth his salt will know how to get around our stevie. Throw it wide and then turn it in when our stevie puts the shoulder in. Bingo! though the gap and under the posts. TRY TIME. just watch.

Must have been some very poor coaches the final 5-6 weeks of the comp then

Open your eyes past the mid season form, and look at the end. He was 1 of our best week after week
 
Agreed, he was one of our best go forwards amongst a disappointing lot in the last 4 weeks. Hopefully he'll pick up some tips from just being there and come back with better defensive smarts next year. His go forward is not in question, but his defesive and passing skills need work.
 
Of course

Everything was on the improve with him at the end of the season, him and Robbo seem to be striking up something pretty good on the flank

Keep him away from Toopi and it will be a great experience for him
 
Of course

Everything was on the improve with him at the end of the season, him and Robbo seem to be striking up something pretty good on the flank

Keep him away from Toopi and it will be a great experience for him
Whats the Kiwi Side looking like this year mate.
Can they give the Aussies a shake.
Will Sonny Bill play this year??
If Benji was fit it would be a really good side.
 
[quote author=Kiwi Eagle]
Of course

Everything was on the improve with him at the end of the season, him and Robbo seem to be striking up something pretty good on the flank

Keep him away from Toopi and it will be a great experience for him
Whats the Kiwi Side looking like this year mate.
Can they give the Aussies a shake.
Will Sonny Bill play this year??
If Benji was fit it would be a really good side.
[/quote]

It should look alright, all depends on what Super League players become available, and what NRL clubs play ball

From what i hear SBW will be released but the Dogs will request a smaller training schedule for him

Forwards will be strong as always, the weakness, as always with be at 5/8 partnering Jones. Main contenders there will be Vagana, Ropatii or Roberts

The coach knows what makes there players tick, and they all love him, so in front of a home crowd they will def get amongst it i reckon, will be a lot closer than the mid year effort

Probably looking at something like this

1.Webb
2.Vatuvei
3.Matai/Hape
4.Whatuira/Webster/Vagana
5.Vainakolo/Meli
6.Vagana/Ropati/Roberts
7. Jones
8.Wiki/Asotasi/Tuimavavue
9.Tony/Fien
10.J.Cayless/N.Cayless/Palea'sina
11.Puletua//Lauiti'iti
12.Kidwell/Fa'alogo
13.SBW/V.Anderson

Thats just off the top of my head, probably forgotten a few, but there is some depth there
 

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