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Is Kearney the Messiah, or a very naughty Kiwi?

Roar Pro
18th November, 2015
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Stephen Kearney has the Warriors humming. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Roar Pro
18th November, 2015
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1284 Reads

Stephen Kearney is leading New Zealand rugby league towards the Promised Land but like the prophet Moses he probably should have brought a map and compass.

Since becoming the Kiwis coach Kearney has drawn a line in the sand. Unfortunately, it would seem that even he doesn’t know what that line represents.

Is it the type of line kids draw down at the beach, creating a trail through the sand with a piece of driftwood? Or does his line drawing hold greater significance?

Like the Israelites 3500 years ago the New Zealand coach has left a number of New Zealand’s rugby league players wandering in the wildness.

In 2014 Kirisome Auva’a looked like a player destined for international duties. Considering his stellar year and the Kiwis’ lack of depth in the centres, many expected that he’d get a call up for that year’s Four Nations tournament.

Unfortunately for Auva’a that call never came. Ex-Kiwis skipper Hugh McGahan voiced his surprise at the snubbing of the young centre claiming that his defensive qualities would’ve been instrumental in countering the Kangaroos.

Joss Hoffman was a solid performer for the Kiwis in his five Tests during 2012-13. The Titans fullback was a standout for the Kiwis during their two narrow losses to the Kangaroos in 2012. Since suffering a shoulder injury during the pool stages of the Rugby League World Cup Hoffman has been overlooked by the Kiwis coach and has reportedly cut ties with the New Zealand side.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is widely regarded as one of the best front-rowers in the NRL but has been criticised for not making a big impact at an international level for New Zealand. Waerea-Hargreaves was first excluded from the Kiwis during the 2014 Trans-Tasman Test match. Kearney stated that the team had been picked on form and with the future in mind.

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The non-selection of the Roosters prop is baffling when you consider at the time he was only 25 years old, one of the form players in the NRL and the Kiwis were missing up to 15 players due to injury. In 2015, despite a run of good form, Waerea-Hargreaves once again was overlooked for the mid-season Trans-Tasman Test.

The most notable omission from the Kiwis’ squad over recent times has been that of St George Illawarra playmaker Benji Marshall. The reason behind the snubbing of Marshall is unclear. Kearney has made little sense when trying to justify his decision to leave out the man who placed second equal in the Dally M player of the year award.

Prior to the Trans-Tasman Test match in April Kearney stated that he wouldn’t pick Marshall – despite his recent run of good form – if Kiwi halves Kieran Foran and Shaun Johnson were available. Both Foran and Johnson missed the tour of England due to injury yet a recall to international rugby league still eluded Marshall.

There are question marks over whether Marshall has recovered from an ankle injury that he sustained in September. However comments from the Kiwis coach suggested that Benji would not have been considered for selection even if he was fit to play.

Kearney has claimed to be focused on building for the future, NRL rookies Kodi Nikorima and Tuimoala Lolohea were selected in the halves for the 2015 tour of England under this pretence. Nikorima and Lolohea are only 21 and 20 years old respectively, how far into the future is Kearney trying to look?

Is Marshall too old to play international rugby league?

Does Stephen Kearney aka the ‘Nostradamus of the New Zealand rugby league scene’ realise that Marshall and fellow Kiwis Manu Vatuvei, Lewis Brown, Issac Luke, Sam Moa, Adam Blair, Thomas Leuluai, Simon Mannering, Greg Eastwood and Jason Nightingale are all around the same age?

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Building depth is essential but surely the Kiwis should field their strongest team possible when they play the Lions and Kangaroos. There’s no point in sacrificing games in the present in the hope that it will benefit the Kiwis in the future.

If players need to be bloodied in the black and white jersey the New Zealand Rugby League should push for regular Tests against the likes of Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Samoa.

As a fan it is hard not to assume Kearney’s selections have been influenced by his personal agendas.

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