Australian rugby league team coach Tim Sheens and the Australian selectors have announced their Kangaroos team to play New Zealand next Friday Night at Suncorp Stadium in a one-off Test match.
The Australian team named for the clash is below:
1. Billy Slater (Melbourne Storm)
2. Alex Johnston (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
3. Will Chambers (Melbourne Storm)
4. Greg Inglis (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
5. Josh Dugan (St George Illawarra Dragons)
6. Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
7. Cooper Cronk (Melbourne Storm)
8. Matt Scott (North Queensland Cowboys)
9. Cameron Smith (c) (Melbourne Storm)
10. Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers)
11. Greg Bird (Gold Coast Titans)
12. Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Corey Parker (Brisbane Broncos)
Interchange:
14. Luke Lewis (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks)
15. Trent Merrin (St George Illawarra Dragons)
16. Nate Myles (Gold Coast Titans)
17. James Tamou (North Queensland Cowboys)
18th man: Daly Cherry Evans (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Also a part of the squad: Michael Jennings (Sydney Roosters), Josh Papalli (Canberra Raiders)
The team named for the game with New Zealand has four debutants in the shape of Josh Dugan, Alex Johnston, Will Chambers and Trent Merrin. Interestingly three of these are in the backline making it a very inexperienced backline for Australia.
A 20-man squad has been named due to a number of players being under injury clouds. Billy Slater is under the biggest cloud heading into the match and you would imagine that if he can’t play for Australia, which was suspected in the lead up, then either Greg Inglis or Josh Dugan will play at fullback with Michael Jennings coming into the side.
In another interesting move Josh Dugan has been named on the wing, a position that he has never played before. He briefly played centre last year and represented the New South Wales Blues there in the State of Origin series.
Notable omissions include Cronulla captain Paul Gallen, who is injured, and Broncos captain Justin Hodges, who made a return from a hamstring injury in Brisbane’s win against Parramatta on Saturday.
Don’t forget you can follow live coverage of all the representative clashes next weekend right here on The Roar.
Albatross
Guest
I wonder why the national selectors have once again stacked the Anzac test side with Queenslanders?
Sylvester
Guest
That's promising from a Kiwi point of view, but in saying that "Aussie" Jim Tamou didn't realise there was a second verse to his adopted homeland's anthem so...
Alex L
Roar Rookie
4 forward bench instead of doing the playmaker-as-lock thing.
Tony
Guest
I wonder why Ben Hunt was left out.I thought he would have at least been 18th man.He is having a good season with the Broncos.
Mac
Guest
Very strong and inform forward pack. I would have Uate and Jennings instead of Chambers and Johnston though...
Old School
Roar Rookie
He was singing the New Zealand national anthem before kickoff yesterday vs the Rabbitohs
Damo
Guest
I agree about specialist roles. NZ are too good these days to be picking people out of position. In attack wingers know how to leap dive and get the ball down on s dime. In defence they need to read when to come in and when not to. This is learnt by experience playing on the wing. The Aussie forward pack is strong and about time Parker has been picked to start. Shame the kiwis don't pick Hargreaves as he would add some spite and sammy and he could start to build on that rivalry.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Especially when we have actual wingers who could've slotted in. Is Dugan the new Boyd perhaps?
Muzz
Guest
Merrin's engine just looks smaller however it's a Hybrid.
Muzz
Guest
The pack definitely looks meatier than the Four Nations one.
Sylvester
Guest
Has he declared his allegiance?
Sylvester
Guest
4N champs and on a winning "streak"...
Muzz
Guest
How was i being disrespectful? I did say that he's had a stella career. His contribution to both QLD and Australian in the Four Nations was average at best. The gap between Australia and NZ has narrowed.Australia will need more than just good service from dummy-half and someone who's tackle count is primarily made up of late flops.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Both much better with the offload than Gallen.
Jake
Guest
Think harder then.... Oates is hardly a 'specialist'. He has been a back rower all his life, except for about 10 games recently on the wing.
The eye
Guest
but theyre still primarily battering rams regardless of their added skill....all three are out of the same Gallen mould with slightly smaller engines
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
Are you serious? hahah mate you're entitled to your opinion but you're off your head. He is the best dummy-half in the history of the game, he doesn't deserve that type of disrespect.
nerval
Guest
Yes, he was in the 4 Nations squad last year but I've seen nothing from Johnston to convince me that he excels in any one aspect of the game. He's quickish but not blindingly fast. He doesn't seem to have a natural, effortless side-step or outside swerve. He's not physically intimidating and looks relatively weak in contact. I take your point re Roberts, eagleJack. But I'm genuinely upset that somebody like Dugan - a good if limited fullback with none of the footballing skills of a Matt Moylan - is selected to play wing for Australia. He simply doesn't deserve it.
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
Hayne and Morris look like the only major differences to me. I don't see how a side with Slater, Smith, Inglis, Cronk and Thurston in it can be considered weak. If the Aussies are considered weak then what are the kiwis?
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Agree Muzz. Parker and Merrin are two of the best offloaders in the game. They'll both look to create plenty of 2nd phase play