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The last Kangaroos team to win a rugby league World Cup was the class of 2000.
I do not think that I watched a single game of that World Cup, or even had the slightest bit of interest in it (there was no point), but I did know that the 2000 Kangaroos were the best team in either code of rugby football by a significant margin.
Come 2013 that has changed. Since almost ridiculously being down 24-6 at half time against the USA in 2004 (how has that not been turned into a David versus Goliath sports movie?), Australia have never been quite the same.
They lost the 2005 Tri Nations in Stacey Jones’ last hurrah for the Kiwis, ending a couple of generations of international dominance.
They almost went down again in the 2006 Tri Nations final, managing to win with an extra time field goal, before losing the 2008 World Cup final and 2010 Four Nations.
Though the Kangaroos continue to cast a leviathan-like shadow over international rugby league, and could still make a claim to be the best rugby football team of either code in the world, they are clearly not what they once were.
Comparing the team that held the trophy aloft in 2000 with the team that played the opening game of the 2013 World Cup demonstrates a marked decline in football ability in the team.
1) Billy Slater versus Darren Lockyer
This is a tricky one because Billy Slater has one of the most complete fullback games ever.
In attack he can score tries from anywhere on the field with speed, agility and aggression in the contact.
In defence his ability to read plays, cover extensive amounts of ground and manipulate the ball carrier into not grounding the ball routinely means he is worth as many points in defence as he is in attack.
However, although he is a big game player, with things sometimes going wrong at inopportune times.
Lockyer had a mixture of speed, tenacity, gung ho spirit and football perspicacity that is rare.
If the scores were tight with 10 minutes to go, when the Broncos fullback Darren Lockyer grabbed the ball, opposition fans felt instant dismay.
Who would I pick? Lockyer. I want a player that can win close games over arguably the best positional fullback in history.
This may be controversial to some, but the decline of the Broncos since Lockyer’s retirement is vindication of this attitude for me.
2. Brett Morris versus Mat Rogers
98% of being a great player is working on the little one percenters, running hard, backing up and tackling hard.
Brett Morris represents a players that does this but probably lacks the other 2% of tactical specialness. A worthy representative player without a doubt who will not let anyone down.
Mat Rogers had speed, elusiveness and tactical nous to burn. There are not many wingers in the game like him today, which may suggest the salary cap has changed which position people with Rogers’ skill tend to play.
Rogers went on to have a successful career in union, including scoring the winning try in Australia’s last successful Bledisloe Cup campaign.
Who would I pick: Mat Rogers, though this would be different if a fit and healthy Jarryd Hayne was playing wing.
3. Brent Tate versus Adam McDougall
For me this is a no brainer, some of selections are arguable either way but for me I could never possibly pick a player with a jaw like Brent Tate’s.
Oh and McDougall was a much better player with the ability to break tackles and be almost unstoppable from close to the line.
This might be a different selection if Justin Hodges was available, and would be closer if Jennings was picked at centre, but as it stands, McDougall was a class above Tate.
4. Greg Inglis versus Matt Gidley
Where do you start with Inglis? The self belief, the acceleration over the first 10 metres, the size, the elusiveness, the physical dominance, the ball skill or the ability of Inglis to have a big role at the big moments in the big matches.
A future immortal probably. We may never see his like again.
Gidley was a great player in his own right with a brilliant flick pass and pace to burn. Arguably a better “positional” centre than Inglis.
Who would I pick? Inglis, for his big game presence mostly and a couple of other reasons. It is a little bit unfair for Gidley in a way to have to be matched against arguably the player of this NRL generation.
Gidley was a better player than other Kangaroo players from both the 2000 and 2013 side that will be picked ahead of him.
5. Darius Boyd versus Wendell Sailor
Darius Boyd is probably the best second-man playmaker in the NRL right now.
He is also a player that won’t let you down. Probably not the best ‘winger’ in Queensland, let alone Australia. Lacks speed, tactical acumen and self belief.
Big and elusive with a great right foot step, Wendell Sailor is arguably the best rugby league winger of all time.
I wish there were highlights of his early days on youtube because even his highlights post-union career when he was bloated and lacked athleticism are still good.
Put simply, give this guy a bit of space and he would invariably score from 20 metres out. He was a significant part of the Broncos’ dominance of the Super League/NRL in the second half of the 90s.
Did not have the same success in Union due to poor coaching (good coaching is an imperative for cross code players) prior to 2006, which was probably his best year in Union under Ewen McKenzie, before being thrown under the bus by the Union hierachy after a positive cocaine test. Still managed to play 40 Tests.
Who would I pick: Wendell Sailor by a country mile
6. Johnathan Thurston versus Brad Fittler
JT will go down as one of the all time greats due to the success in his tenure at the Maroons, but it has not gone unnoticed that he has failed to play a major part in a premiership winning team and Kangaroos standards have declined since his debut.
Thurston has all the attributes of a great half. People talk about him as future immortal, but for me, and I know that this will be controversial, but there is still something lacking.
Brad Fittler is one of the all time greats, who along with Andrew Johns was a big part of the reason NSW were dominant in the 90s and early 2000s in Origin.
Fittler did everything there was to do in the game and was noted for his left foot step.
Fittler’s influence over games was proved in the last five years of his career, where he took the Roosters to four grand finals. In the two years after he retired, despite having a similar playing roster, they could not even make the finals.
His ability to control the outcome of a game at five-eighth was second to none.
Who would I pick? Brad Fittler. Fittler was never a part of losing Australian teams and his presence was often the difference in big NRL games and Origin. It’s a close thing.
7. Cooper Cronk versus Brett Kimorley versus Andrew Johns
Cooper Cronk is a solid half back with a complete skill set and with the ability to make game winning plays when they matter.
Andrew Johns was actually playing hooker for this game for reasons that will probably confuse footy historians for many years to come.
Kimmorley was a more elusive player than Cronk with more skills, but I would probably pick Cronk ahead of him.
However I am going to play a ‘deus ex machina’ and choose Andrew Johns at halfback over all of them.
Andrew Johns had the best short tactical kicking game I have ever seen, and was a 9.5/10 in all other facets. Simply the most complete halfback the game has ever seen, with the added benefit of being a big-match player.
Who do I pick? Andrew Johns
8. Matthew Scott versus Shane Webcke
We all know who will win this one. Thanks for showing up Matthew Scott.
No matter how many times Webcke got smashed in a game, he found it within himself to just dust himself off and run hard for his next hit up.
This is the foundation that all great teams need. Probably the best prop of the modern era.
Who would I pick? Webcke
9. Cameron Smith versus Andrew Johns
Seeing that I have already picked Andrew Johns at no.7, this leaves the number nine uncontested for Cameron Smith. Luckily for me, Smith will probably be the next immortal.
10. James Tamou versus Robbie Kearns
Who will I pick? I will take Tamou over Kearns. More athletic and less likely to bring internal problems into the team.
11. Greg Bird versus Gorden Tallis
Greg Bird is a highly skilled forward with a lot of grit about how he goes about his business.
Tallis was simply an angry man on a football field. With Pro-Wrestling theatrics paradoxically mixed with a humble persona, he is arguably one of the biggest head cases to lace up the boots… and that is saying a lot if you follow the NRL.
Who would I pick? Tallis. The energy and charisma that Tallis exuded on the field was second to none.
Put simply, no team that Tallis was in was ever going to be steamrolled by a bigger team, or not physically dominate a smaller team.
12. Sam Thaiday versus Bryan Fletcher
Sam Thaiday just has the perfect physique for collision impacts over 10 metres. He also has charisma, presence and charm.
Fletcher was a solid, hard-working second rower.
Who would I pick? Sam Thaiday
13. Paul Gallen versus Scott Hill
Paul Gallen is metre chewer who runs hard and aggressively every time and likes to have an impact on the big moments in games, though he is yet to really stamp his authourity on an Origin series.
Scott Hill was a competent ball player with a big physique that never let his teammates down.
Who would I pick? Gallen, but saying that I would probably pick Fletcher ahead of him.
Interchange:
14. Robbie Farah
15. Andrew Fifita
16. Luke Lewis
17. Corey Parker
18. Jarryd Hayne
19. Nate Miles
vs
14. Trent Barrett
15. Nathan Hindmarsh
16. Darren Britt
17. Jason Stevens
The only player of today that would get a start is Andrew Fifita over Darren Britt.
All in all, the players of today are weaker across the board than they were 13 years ago in the Kangaroos.
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