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The sporadic wonder of the Four Nations is upon us again after a three-year hiatus, and 2014’s instalment is set to be one of the most open fields in the tournament’s haphazard history.
With Australia missing almost a team of future hall-of-famers, New Zealand having nearly have beaten them already this year, England looking as strong as they have in years, and Samoa looking to go H.A.M. in their first tournament appearance, every match will be worth watching and every team will think they’re in with a chance.
Without further ado, let’s have a look through each team and see how they shape up heading into the tournament.
Australia
Australia is the home of rugby league and always manages to field a good side, even with as many injuries as the team is suffering now.
As earlier mentioned, the Australian infirmary ward is tattered with Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Paul Gallen and Justin Hodges. Other players to miss out include a bunch of world-class names such as Darius Boyd, Brett Morris, Matt Scott, Nate Myles, James Tamou, Josh Dugan, Trent Merrin and Andrew Fifita, as well as (need I remind us) NFL-bound Jarryd Hayne.
Nonetheless, the Australians will still field a strong team against the Kiwis on Saturday night. Notable selections include debutants Josh Mansour, Dylan Walker and Daniel Tupou, Daly Cherry-Evans at five-eighth, Beau Scott into the starting line-up for Corey Parker (coming off the bench), and an extended interchange including Boyd Cordner, David Klemmer and Sione Mata’utai.
Player to watch: Matt Moylan
With Hayne departing to the NFL, not only has a wide hole opened up in the Parramatta line-up, but also the New South Wales line-up. Enter Matt Moylan.
Look for him to get a chance against Samoa, and if he does, watch closely. Moylan will be looking to stick his hand up as NSW’s fullback when Origin rolls around next year, and he can do so with a strong performance for the Kangaroos.
Game-breaker: Greg Inglis
Of all the players to face New Zealand, Greg Inglis (alongside his teammate Dylan Walker) has had the longest year. 43 years is a severely long premiership drought and it is likely the partying only stopped when the Kangaroos entered training camp. Nevertheless, an important contribution is needed out of Inglis, especially with his shift to fullback in place of the evergreen Slater.
While he is not the first-choice fullback for his country, he is still the best fullback in the tournament, and if he can be prominent in the Aussie attack and score a try every game, you wouldn’t bet against them to take out the tournament.
It is usually true that if Greg Inglis is the best player on the park – whether he’s representing Souths, Queensland or Australia – his team will win on the day.
Tip
While many rugby league tragics – even some living in Australia – would rather see another country win the Four Nations for the sake of the international game, I just don’t see it happening.
Despite relative inexperience in their backline, each and every player selected plays the game like they’re a veteran, and apart from the debutants, each player is a routine fixture in the toughest rugby league competition of all – State of Origin.
Expect the Aussies to retain the trophy.
New Zealand
While New Zealand can never match the Aussies in terms of rep footy experience, they always bring to the table a hateful respect for their cross-the-pond neighbours in the form of an exciting backline and an energetic forward pack.
While this team is slightly different to the one that impressed against Australia at the Anzac Test, many would argue it is in fact much better, and the Kiwis are a red-hot chance to go through the tournament unbeaten, with their main competition to that fact being Australia on Saturday night.
Notable selections include Sauaia Matagi on an extended bench.
Player to watch: Peta Hiku
Of the three nations expected to be challenging for the trophy this year, Peta Hiku is the least experienced fullback – and it’s not even close.
Lining up for England is the game-breaking Sam Tomkins, who is almost impossible to stop with a head of steam, and for Australia the great Inglis. If New Zealand are truly to be in calculations for tournament victory, Hiku will need to play well above himself, and make it impossible for selectors to think twice about him in jersey number 1.
While he’s not going to tear apart the game like Inglis, Tomkins or even Roger Tuivasa-Scheck may, some big runs from fullback into an opponent’s half will be all that is needed to get the Kiwi attack going.
Game-breaker: Shaun Johnson
If Hiku can give the Kiwis some good field position on the first play of the set, the rest is elementary for Shaun Johnson. A few dummies, a few hesitations, a few changes of pace, a skip through the defensive line, and all of a sudden New Zealand have scored off the back of their young general.
Johnson proved himself the ultimate game-breaker in world footy when he sunk the English on their home turf last World Cup. If the rest of New Zealand’s team can keep up and help keep the side in the game until the last 10 minutes, just put the ball in Johnson’s hands and let the rest take care of itself.
Tip
While the Kiwis gave the Aussies a big fight earlier in the year, I’m tipping New Zealand to finish a disappointing third. Kieran Foran and Johnson are undoubtedly world-class talents, but the rest of their team lacks the superstar firepower of previous encounters for New Zealand to beat both Australia and England.
England
As always, the English will be out to prove that they are the true home of rugby league, and that the stars of their own competition can match it with the stars of the NRL. And this year will be one of their hottest chances to do so.
England field class all along their backline, with the absence of English league legend Kevin Sinfeld going almost unnoticed. Their forward pack also includes the best two props in world league, George Burgess and James Graham. All this should make for interesting viewing when they take on the two more-fancied nations Australia and England.
Don’t baulk at England’s chance to upset both these nations and take out the 2014 Four Nations crown.
Player to watch: Matty Smith
Relatively unheard of in NRL circles, halfback (or as the English call it, ‘scrum-half’) Matty Smith will be the one to fill Sinfield’s ominous boots.
Despite being inexperienced at international level, Smith has no shortage of big-game experience in Super League, playing in many big outings for Wigan. He has twice been named in the Super League dream team, and will be looking to firmly put himself on the map as one of the sport’s best players.
Game-breaker: George Burgess
With the absence of Sir Kev, James Graham is now the heart and soul of this England line-up. However George Burgess is arguably their best and most important player.
While his heroics in the NRL grand final were largely overshadowed by the courage of his big brother, George proved his big-game worth, and if he can make that same impact each time out in the Four Nations and get his outside backs good field position, England will be a chance to score every time up the field.
Tip
England have too much experience and class for this squad to not do well – however, the loss of Sinfield and Sam Burgess will take some getting over, and with those two huge cogs missing, I don’t expect them to win the tournament – yet. Second.
Samoa
As is the case with most fourth nations in this competition, Samoa will be thrilled just to be there. Still, don’t believe they’ll just roll over for the other three nations to practice against. The Samoans boast plenty of NRL quality with Ben Roberts, Kyle Stanley, David Fa’alogo and Frank Pritchard, as well as young go-getters Josh McGuire, Tim Lafai and Joseph Leilua.
Expect them to bring plenty of energy to each game, and have the advantage of little to lose.
Player to watch: Ben Roberts
While most will look through the selection of Ben Roberts as just one of necessity, don’t be surprised to see him have a good Four Nations. A year under the tutelage of Craig Bellamy and alongside Cooper Cronk in the halves at Melbourne has shown him a thing or two about footy, and he had his game of the year against the Gold Coast during the Origin period when the Storm were missing Slater, Cronk and Smith.
Hopefully he will thrive in this increased role.
Game-breaker: Tim Lafai
While he won’t go around against England in their first hit-out due to personal reasons, expect Lafai to assume a big leadership and a starring role in this team.
The Bulldogs star had a breakout year in 2014, and with an increased role in this Samoan team, likely at fullback, expect him to impress. He needs to be the leading metre-maker if the Samoans want to upset one of the big three.
Tip
While I am positive on the Samoans’ ability to play good games of footy, I don’t expect them to win any of them; rather I expect them to finish first on the moral standings.
A more realistic goal for this side will be to prove that they can hold their own against the big nations, and to rise a few places in the world rankings. Last.
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