Indeed the Kiwis have named Hohaia at fullback instead of Perrett, which IMO is a mistake. Although Perrett has played on the wing a lot for New Zealand, he is still a much better fullback. Regardless, he will still be among NZ’s best come the Four Nations.

OME: Bloody hell that’s a strong team. Glad to see young Dugan is starting to get recognition from all quarters.

Thanks a million mate, and i have to say your team is as formidable as any in the NRL. These guys would probably be favourites to win the premiership. Thurston at halfback feeding off the work from Civoncieva and Galloway while Farah darts away from dummy half. IMO, i would have thrust Bronson Harrison into the starting side in place of Luke O’Donnell. He could go to the bench. Luke Douglas for mine would also start in place of Lars. Still a great team though.

Here’s to the Roosters going up in 2010, even if we do so without a major sponser.

Too often the News Limited and Channel 9 NRL media machine completely ignores the well performing players in the teams that finish down the bottom of the ladder. This is a true thinking piece.

The Dall M Medal is a poor reflection of the true effort that all of the aforementioned players put in this season and that players of their ilk put in previously. The old Rothmans Medal, judged by the referees was a far better gauge of players performance accorss the spectrum of all the clubs – it was common for teams that finished low on the ladder to supply the winner of the Rothmans medal.

It is much easier to play well in a team that is going forward than to play well in a team that is getting smashed. This is why in a perverse way I quite enjoyed seeing my beloved Roosters getting shellacked this year, and the enormous effort being put in by the likes of Perrett (I have said elsewhere here on the boards he is in the NRL team of the year), Mitchell Pearce, Fitzy and God forbid even at times big Willie. It was a throwback to the days of when Horrie Hastings, Hugh McGahan (the pokie king), Craig Salvatori and others stood out in very badly beaten teams.

Here is my NRL team of players taken from teams that did not make the finals:

Josh Dugan
Sam Perrett
Michael Jennings
Joel Monaghan
Taniela Tuiaki
Benji Marshall
Jonathan Thurston
Luke O’Donnell
Gareth Ellis
Tom Leeroid Lars
Petero Civoneciva
Robbie Farah
Keith Galloway

Pretty good team that would knock the stuffing out of most.