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No one is likely to congratulate New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney this week, so allow me to be the exception. Well done bro, if I may call you that in Kiwi-speak.
Through your selections and non-selections, you have done your level best to bring international rugby league to its knees at a time when the code had a chance of making some positive and significant strides in the eyes of potential viewers around the globe.
A few months ago, Kearney’s New Zealand team did exceptionally well to reach the World Cup final, but was blitzed by a white-hot Kangaroo combination. Absolutely no shame in that. The next time they go around? He has named a second string line-up that is likely to get lapped by those pesky Kangaroos again – providing the Aussies have their minds on the game.
By now, everyone knows New Zealand was down in class because of injury to the likes of Kieran Foran, Issac Luke, Manu Vatuvei and Frank Pritchard, but the decision to overlook the experience and class of NRL premiership stars Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Frank Paul Nuuausala and Jared Waera-Hargreaves is a nonsense.
“We picked the side on form and picked the side with the future in mind,” Kearney said. “We made a decision six weeks ago that we were going to pick a team based on the future.”
All well and good coach, but you won’t be a part of that future. Your coaching record isn’t exactly flash at any level and now you have alienated (and insulted) a number of seasoned performers at the very time when you need them to put their bodies on the line for the Kiwi team.
Kearney lamely told reporters the New Zealand Rugby League was building for the future. Surely, you don’t do that sort of thing against Australia.
“We’re thinking 12 months, 24 months, 36 months in terms of the Kiwi jumper and so Sonny (Sonny Bill Williams) wasn’t considered for selection,” he said. “It’s a matter of assessing what we think is best for this Test match.”
The whole scenario stinks and league fans aren’t being served up the best team New Zealand can muster at Allianz Stadium on Friday.
I am not saying the players are second rate – six talented rookies were chosen. I am saying it looks perfectly clear that some of them won their jumpers because of some misguided agenda by the coach and his selectors.
This whole business is not good enough, coach Kearney. Once the Australians have chalked up another cricket score under the guise of ‘Test match rugby league’, the powers that be will make a similar assessment of your worth.
This is supposed to be the Test arena Mr Kearney – no place for petty politics, no place to exercise personal grievances or conduct experiments. Feel free to take a bow for the disservice you have done to NZRL and take a look at what many irate and bitterly disappointed New Zealand supporters are saying.
By overlooking the obvious to allegedly prepare for the future, you have cheapened the value of the Kiwi jumper.
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