Test team

[willstyles]

Choc, Gift and Kitey all got the call-up.

There are some players out there (from other clubs) who have every right to feel cheated....

 

[Cameron]

Choc, Gift and Kitey all got the call-up.

There are some players out there (from other clubs) who have every right to feel cheated....

I think kitey was a little lucky this time.
But Choc and Gift deserve it.

Cant believe matai didnt make NZ team

 

[willstyles]

You reckon Choc deserved it?

I don't. Inconsistent as hell. He's played at least two very, very good games for Manly this year (3 if you include the game against Leeds). But just look at the past two weeks for reasons why he should be excluded - crucial missed tackles on the goal-line, too much dropped ball and silly penalties.

He's been one of our better players in 2009, BUT there are so many good backrowers in the NRL... So that's why he is lucky.

 

[Disco]

Yep players like O'Donnell, Waterhouse and Creagh are playing very well

For mine i would have had O'Donnell in for Watmough

 

[willstyles]

Agree, O'Donnell is very unlucky. Those other two also have legitimate reasons to feel like they'll be in the wrong place on Friday evening. Wade Park ain't the same as Suncorp....

How much quality depth does NSW have in backrowers? It's crazy. I mean, NSW is battling to have a decent starting front row, BUT we've got enough backrowers to fill 3 quality starting backrows. Stewart, O'Donnell, Waterhouse, Creagh, Laffranchi, Gallen, Choc, Bobcat, Tupou, Hindmarsh, Fitzy....and there's more after that. Insane depth in the one position.

 

[DVS Matt]

i think Luke Lewis has been the forgotten man. He is a phenominal player in my opinion.

Probably doesn't help that he has played wing, centre, 5/8th, half back, back row, lock

I would love to see him in a) a NSW jersey and b) a manly jersey.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Agree, O'Donnell is very unlucky. Those other two also have legitimate reasons to feel like they'll be in the wrong place on Friday evening. Wade Park ain't the same as Suncorp....

How much quality depth does NSW have in backrowers? It's crazy. I mean, NSW is battling to have a decent starting front row, BUT we've got enough backrowers to fill 3 quality starting backrows. Stewart, O'Donnell, Waterhouse, Creagh, Laffranchi, Gallen, Choc, Bobcat, Tupou, Hindmarsh, Fitzy....and there's more after that. Insane depth in the one position.

Not that I watch much of the Cows but when was the last time O'Donnell made a break? He seems a bit slow since his serious leg injury.

 

[Ryan]

Ok, Matai has almost been our most consistent player this year. He just turns up every game. It pisses me off really. What chump is in the centres for him?

 

[willstyles]

Looks like Ropati and Soliola are the Kiwi centres. Seems very odd that Matai has been overlooked. Especially for Soliola, who is playing fairly ordinary football - to the point where Fittler actually moved him into the backrow this weekend. Matai has been one of our best this season, so yeah, he's unlucky. Better for Manly though...

i think Luke Lewis has been the forgotten man. He is a phenominal player in my opinion.

Probably doesn't help that he has played wing, centre, 5/8th, half back, back row, lock

I would love to see him in a) a NSW jersey and b) a manly jersey.

I wouldn't worry about him getting a Blues jersey. On his form he'd be one of the first picked. I've been keen to put him in the centres because defensively he's top notch. I think he's one of the few NSW blokes who would be able to contain Inglis/Hodges (whichever side of the field he was put on). You're right though - he's killing it at the moment. The other option would be to use him as the utility on the bench (because of all the roles he can fill), but personally I'd still go with Wing there.

As for O'Donnell, he probably has lost a bit of speed since his hammy was torn from the bone...fair point. But he is still making good metres per game. He's not going to break the line and run 40 metres to score, like Choc might, but I think he's more consistent - particularly in defence.

 

[ManlyBacker]

At the moment Choc is listed on the bench and that is probably the right place, coming on as an impact player. The last two weeks have been below his best but he never stops trying.

 

[Jethro]

Maybe the Kiwi selectors think that Matai is an injury liability with his neck.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

They are just staying loyal I think

In a way, Soliola is kind of like a modern day Olsen Filipina. He is always average for the Roosters, but put the black jersey on him and he goes up about 3 gears. In the Anzac test last season, he absolutely dominated his opponent, who from memory was Folau

 

[ssar]

May 8th 2009 Australia v New Zealand Test Match

Venue: Lang Park, Brisbane, Queensland
Kick-Off: 7:45pm (EST) Friday 8th May
Telecast: Live Channel 9

Teams:


Australian Squad:

1. Billy Slater, Melbourne
2. Israel Folau, Brisbane
3. Greg Inglis, Melbourne
4. Justin Hodges, Brisbane
5. Darius Boyd, St. George Illawarra
6. Darren Lockyer (Captain), Brisbane
7. Johnathan Thurston, North Queensland
8. Petero Civoniceva, Penrith
9. Cameron Smith, Melbourne
10. Steve Price, New Zealand
11. Anthony Laffranchi, Gold Coast
12. Paul Gallen, Cronulla
13. Glenn Stewart, Manly

Bench:
14. Kurt Gidley, Newcastle
15. Brent Kite, Manly
16. Luke Bailey, Gold Coast
17. Anthony Watmough, Manly
18: Luke Lewis, Penrith
19: (Standby for Boyd) Joel Monaghan, Canberra


New Zealand Squad:

1. Lance Hohaia, New Zealand
2. Sam Perrett, Sydney City
3. Iosia Soliola, Sydney City
4. Jerome Ropati, New Zealand
5. Manu Vatuvei, New Zealand
6. Benji Marshall (Captain), Wests
7. Nathan Fien, New Zealand
8. Roy Asotasi, South Sydney
9. Isaac Luke, South Sydney
10. Adam Blair, Melbourne
11. Simon Mannering, New Zealand
12. David Fa'alogo, South Sydney
13. Jeremy Smith, St. George Illawarra

Bench:
14. Frank Pritchard, Penrith
15. Jason Nightingale, St. George Illawarra
16. Jeff Lima, Melbourne
17: Greg Eastwood, Canterbury
18: Bronson Harrison, Canberra


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Go Kangaroos!

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This game is being played simultaneously with the NSW City v Country game on the same night - what a stupid idea, the test match should have been scheduled for the Saturday night 9th May.