Too bad there isn’t another Test match scheduled for next weekend. It would be fascinating to see how Australia responded to what happened against New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
I couldn’t imagine a different result, no matter what the Aussies did with their team. The Kiwis have gone past the Kangaroos and it’s going to be hard to turn that back around – certainly in the short term, at least.
There were no excuses for the 26-12 loss. Australia had plenty of the players back that they missed in last year’s Four Nations tournament.
New Zealand comprehensively out-defended and out-attacked Australia. It was a tremendous display.
Perhaps the most surprising thing was how the Kiwis looked like they had been preparing for a month and the Aussies looked like they had met up the night before the game.
Australian coach Tim Sheens is one of the most experienced coaches we’ve had in club football. He won three premierships with Canberra and another with Wests Tigers. New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney was forced to resign from the only club team he has coached – Parramatta – because of a pathetic winning percentage.
So work that one out.
Surely the result will cost Sheens his job. That is three losses in a row for Australia against New Zealand now. There are no more Tests between the two countries this season and Sheens is only contracted until the end of the year.
There is no sense in reappointing him unless the appointment goes through until at least the end of the next World Cup in 2017, giving Sheens the chance to plan for that event, so it would seem more likely that he won’t get any extension at all.
Best to seek an alternative now, while we’re midway through the four years between the World Cups.
Craig Bellamy has been mentioned as a possible next Australian coach.
He is contracted to Melbourne until the end of next year and has said that will be it for him in coaching, but whether that just means coaching in the NRL remains to be seen.
Coaching the Test team is vastly different to coaching a club side in terms of time commitments. Perhaps Bellamy could be swayed into doubling up as a club and Test coach next year, when there will only be one Test – the Anzac clash – played during the actual season. The four Nations will return at the end of it.
Anyway, if another coach is sought we’ll probably find out soon enough if Bellamy is available.
There was much discussion in the period leading up to Sunday’s Test about the ageing nature of the Australian team. In the wake of the loss there were immediate calls for a number of the older players to be moved on, but it should be noted that among Australia’s best players were Corey Parker, who turns 33 on Tuesday, and Sam Thaiday, who turns 30 next month.
Based on performances in Sunday’s game, Greg Bird, who is 31, and Nate Myles, who turns 30 next month, would appear to be among those under the pump when it comes to the older players. But most of the Aussies were either below par or average at best.
Then you’ve got the fact a very experienced centre in Justin Hodges was left out of the team and Josh Dugan was played out of position on the wing. Both of those decisions proved to be negatives.
But when you take everything into consideration, the truth is New Zealand has gone past Australia. The Kiwis won the Four Nations and have now parlayed that into a rare win in the Anzac Test.
New Zealand has a terrific spine – fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 21, five-eighth Kieran Foran, 24, halfback Shaun Johnson, 24, and hooker Issac Luke, 27 – that is capable of serving for many years to come.
Australia’s spine players, if you factor Billy Slater back in at fullback after he missed Sunday’s Test with injury, are all in their 30s.
Sunday’s loss will speed up the regeneration of the Australian team and that will be a good thing. No-one wanted to go the whole hog while the Aussies were still winning, but now it is necessary. By the time Australia plays its next Test, it won’t have won a game for two years.
It is both a challenge for the Aussies and an exciting time for the international game as a whole.
Russell Johnson
Guest
To be honest I never thought they went away and unless your only criteria all have something to do with winning every game and being completely dominant nor should anyone else. If you watched the whole game and all its facets you'd be stupid to dismiss the Roos on the paddock and Oz teams generally! They were simply out defended. out attacked and met a more patient, more motivated side with a slightly better overall game plan!
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I think in this case it is very much a case of not building because they will come but build because they've already come, they've just got no place to sit. When England get it all together, watch Test football go through the roof. And then finally, we will have world peace.
Ra Bro
Guest
You are right Sleiman the Aussies will come back and if the Juniors and the Girls tit for tat recent wins against each other are any indication those future games are gonna be tight. I just hope the giants of the sport continue their investment in the Pasifika Island Nations. Its great for the players to represent, for the people and as Samoa showed in the 4Nations, for the game too.
SDJ
Guest
I can't believe Jennings was in the side, did anyone watch him throw the ball over the sideline for Sydney city the previous weekend. A great hole runner no doubt but with so much speed in the NZ defence line he was never going to have the time or space to get through the line.
ChrisB
Guest
Or we could actually make the silly immortals thing a proper hall of fame and include all the legends of earlier days who are equally deserving such as Dave Brown, Duncan Thompson, Frank Burge etc
ChrisB
Guest
Best comment ever. I too wish origin would go away. Obviously it won't, but hopefully we can start restoring perspective and putting things in their correct order of importance. Interestingly, given the over-intense focus and emotions around state football in the Qld dominance, I wonder if it's harmed the national tea ability to gel?
ChrisB
Guest
'Origin' is a blight on the game in general. How people can rate an intercolonial match or series ahead of international competition is absolutely baffling. Quite frankly the best thing would be Australia missing the final of the 2017 World Cup. Won't happen, but would be awesome. A few years of defeats by not just NZ, but also England would be fantastic, and should stop any idiot crapping on about 'origin' being the pinnacle of the game
Zero Gain
Guest
Really bad and distasteful headline. Yes, I agree that the Kiwis are the better team but why di I have to 'suck this up'? Can't I just accept it because it is obviously true? Is the aggressive headline really helpful, at all?
watcher
Guest
Well put.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Your last line hit the nail on the head - no professional environment to showcase their potential. The introduction of the Warriors gave them that and now look. I'm not belittling Australia's dominance because they have had brilliant teams, not doubt about it. But notwithstanding the English professionals who didn't 'have' to fall by the wayside, it does put the Kangaroos' dominance into perspective when their opposition have essentially had to be amateurs. Now that the playing field has been levelled out somewhat, we are seeing potentials been realised everywhere. Don't worry though, Australia will be back but geez, how good is it to see the current situation when for years, even when the Kiwis won the big tournaments, we heard nothing but contempt for the international game and its potential. More than being a sore winner, I'd like people to contemplate the arrogance and complacency that has dominated their thinking with regards to the international scene. Once England get their house in order, watch Test football soar. It's going to be great. Mark my words.
Te Rangatira
Guest
It wasn't too long ago that the Australians could say that they could roll two test teams out and both were capable of beating the Kiwis....then the best players in the world were playing SOO...Now with Kiwi and PI players proliferating the NRL....it is having a positive effect for Nz and kinda undermining the Aussies.... I was in Sydney for the 1987 Winfield Cup semis and grandfinal and there were only three playing.... Brent Todd (Raiders)...Darryl Williams (Manly).... Hugh McGahn (Easts).... Now the Kiwis are playing a brand that may take them to No1 in the Rugby League world... just amazing....but going back beyond even 1987....Nz has always had the talent, but nowhere to showcase it in a professional environment.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Makes a lot sense. Don't mind me. I get itchy when I interpret comments as being excuses. Anyway, some thoughts: Australia and New Zealand are now equals in rugby league. We've had three bashings in a row now by New Zealand. I also remember the lopsided scoreline in their World Cup win too, not to mention their 24-0 drubbing of the Kangaroos. Australia aren't the only ones to run up big scores, though I do take the point that Australia have been more consistent at it.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Every time a bomb when up there was a wall of Kiwi players storming down. Remember Cronk's peek to see who was coming at him? The guy was worried! The New Zealanders had the Australians nervous about being tackled.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
But they've always had around the same amount of time to prepare, even when Australia were dominating. I just think that New Zealand have now legitimately caught up with Australia. In the World Cup final, the Kiwis caught Australia at their absolute peak and were annihilated. This time around, the Kangaroos came up to a New Zealand side growing into their peak. It happens amongst equals. Australia will be back. It's just that now New Zealand are waiting for them. And that, I think, is where you want the international game to be.
bazza
Guest
Moylan got trampled by Croker ,he may not be up to it with that sort of defence
bazza
Guest
yes but the best of state of origin just got smashed by the kiwis so it aint the pinnacle anymore ,no way ,the kiwis are better than us so how can SOO be the pinnacle anymore its just not
m hughes
Guest
woods ?
CW
Guest
Four days is not enough time to prepare for a test match. Both for players and coach. The NRL were partly to blame for our debacle imo. Our boys did not look mentally attuned to playing a test match against an ever improving, youthful Kiwi side.State of bloody Origin has a 8/10 day camp every game to ready two Aussie teams to smash the living daylites out of each other. A test match international should warrant the same preparation time. So an Aussie team will be ready to belt all comers..Wake up NRL.
Trenno
Guest
It would have been good to see him on the wing outside Hodges. At least when Chambers is put into a gap he will run through it instead of stopping and propping like Dugan did EVERY TIME he got the ball. The game would have been a lot closer if we had Will or any actual winger out on the right flank. The Left side was no better, Jennings was shut down all night and at one stage I could remember who the Left wing was as I didn't see Alex for most of the game. We did get killed in the forwards, this will be something that has to be addressed. Bird was useless as well as Merrin. Tamou had no real impact, Scott also played below what we expect from him. Thaiday, Parker and Lewis were probably our best but far from the best on the park overall. Woods is a powder puff. Myles was found wanting. It is hard to believe the whole team has dropped so far, the coaching staff will have a lot to answer for that. The Kiwis are white hot at the moment and gone are the days when Australia can send out a second strength side and expaect to win. Heck even a couple of player out is going to cause us trouble. The team BroncoJuggernaut put up is closer to the mark.
P.Marlowe
Guest
Apologies - that didn't mean to read as a belittlling of the NZ team (as on reflection it sort of does). They have been far better than Australia in the recent contests (regardless of who played for Australia). Just wanted to sort of question the idea that a tournament that a player didn't play in can be used to question that player's legacy - if that makes sense.