Queenslanders dominate the Australian side for Saturday’s Four Nations rugby league final against New Zealand with 10 Maroons named in the Tim Sheens’ starting side.
Winger Brett Morris and backrowers Paul Gallen and Luke Lewis are the only NSW players in the Kangaroos run-on side, with even the seven-man interchange bench sporting a Maroon tinge with another three representatives.
Matt Scott’s retention in the front row alongside David Shillington signals a changing of the guard, with veteran prop Petero Civoniceva to start the game from the bench.
Skipper Darren Lockyer, Willie Tonga, Billy Slater and Lewis return after missing last weekend’s win over the Kiwis, with two of the men they come in for – Darius Boyd and Greg Bird – named on the bench.
The pair were joined by Kurt Gidley, Nate Myles and Anthony Watmough – who were also absent last week – amongst the list of reserves to be trimmed by Sheens on Thursday.
The four squad members not named were Robbie Farah, Dean Young, Todd Carney and Wests Tigers centre Chris Lawrence.
Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney made two changes to his starting 13 for Saturday night’s Four Nations rugby league final against Australia at Suncorp Stadium.
Greg Eastwood and Bronson Harrison have both been brought into the run-on side, Eastwood swapping places with prop Frank-Paul Nuuausala who has been demoted to the bench.
Harrison, who was rested for last weekend’s 34-20 loss to the Kangaroos at Eden park, comes in for Sika Manu, who was named on a seven-man bench.
Kearney said the squad’s depth had made choosing a final 17 difficult, and he admitted he was still tossing up the exact make-up of his bench.
“We’ve had that dilemma the whole tournament, who to leave out and who to put in, it’s a healthy position for us, but it doesn’t change the fact that we have to play well on Saturday night,” Kearney said.
“We understand we have to play extremely well to challenge Australia.
Canterbury-bound backrower Frank Pritchard was not considered due to a knee injury suffered last week, while uncapped utility Lewis Brown was also part of the extended interchange list.
“He has a four to six week injury, he’s no chance,” Kearney said of Pritchard.
“He’s certainly a strike weapon with his carry, but we are fortunate in that we have a handy replacement in Bronson Harrison.”
Kangaroos team for Four Nations final: Billy Slater, Brett Morris, Brent Tate, Willie Tonga, Lote Tuqiri, Darren Lockyer (capt), Cooper Cronk, Matthew Scott, Cameron Smith, David Shillington, Luke Lewis, Sam Thaiday, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Petero Civoniceva, Greg Bird, Kurt Gidley, Nate Myles, Anthony Watmough, Darius Boyd (three to be omitted).
New Zealand team for Four Nations final: Lance Hohaia, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Junior Sa’u, Sam Perrett, Benji Marshall (capt), Nathan Fien, Greg Eastwood, Thomas Leuluai, Adam Blair, Bronson Harrison, Simon Mannering, Jeremy Smith. Interchange: Issac Luke, Ben Matulino, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Sam McKendry, Sika Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Lewis Brown (three to omitted).
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