The Roar
The Roar

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Is Tim Sheens vulnerable with Hayne's departure?

Is there a case for a full-time Australia coach? (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Expert
16th October, 2014
23

Kangaroo coach Tim Sheens will have to pull some rabbits out of his hat to keep his impressive record intact when the ill-timed Four-Nations kicks off next week.

So far 22 Australians will miss the tournament, including top-liners Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Brett Morris, Paul Gallen, Trent Hodkinson, Matt Scott, Nate Myles, Matt Gillett, James Tamou, Josh Dugan, Justin Hodges, Darius Boyd, Trent Merrin, Will Hopoate, and Andrew Fifita.

Jarryd Hayne added to Sheens’ problems by his shock code switch yesterday to American football, effective immediately.

Since he took over from Ricky Stuart in 2009, Sheens has coached the Kangaroos to 16 wins from 18 internationals, with a 20-all draw against the Kiwis in 2009,and a 16-12 loss to New Zealand in the 2010 Four-Nations final, the only blemishes.

But if here’s one coach in the country who can still get the Kangaroos home, it’s Tim Sheens.

The 63-years-young Sheens will groom his 11 uncapped youngsters to fit in among his 24-man squad.

Built around the experienced nucleus of skipper Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Michael Jennings, Ryan Hoffman, Greg Bird, Sam Thaiday, Daly Cherry-Evans, Beau Scott and Robbie Farah, the ‘kids’ will have a crash course in how to compete at the top level.

Panther full-back Matt Moylan is my pick to shine. He was a surprise omission from the original squad, but won a reprieve when Hayne pulled out.

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Moylan has often been compared to Darren Lockyer, and that’s high praise.

But I’ll go a step further, and see a lot of Graeme ‘Changa’ Langlands in Moylan. Langlands could play anywhere in the backline he was so talented. Moylan is quite capable of doing the same if given the chance.

Another immortal, Bobby Fulton, once told me “Changa was the greatest footballer I ever played with or against”.

There could be no greater compliment.

But that’s not undermining the capabilities of the other 10 rookies, where there’s talent to burn.

Four classy wingers head the list – Knight Siona Mata’utia, Panther Josh Mansour, Rooster Daniel Tupou, and Rabbitoh Alex Johnston.

Mata’utia will become the youngest Kangaroo in history when he gets a guernsey.

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Israel Folau holds the record at 18 years 194 days, a record set in 2007. Mata’utia is 18 years 112 days, so has plenty of time up his sleeve.

The other rookies – Bronco Ben Hunt, Rooster Aidan Guerra, Rabbitoh Dylan Walker, Wests Tigers’ Aaron Wood, and a couple of Bulldogs – David Klemmer, and Josh Jackson.

Hunt will have a tough job ahead of him behind half backs Cronk and Cherry-Evans, but no doubt Sheens will look at Hunt’s versatility to fill the hooker’s berth to put some pressure on Farah.

So don’t write off the Kangaroos, Tim Sheens will see to that.

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