New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney has named his squad to take on the Australian Kangaroos in next Friday’s Anzac Test.
The Kiwi coach has laid down the law with representative hopefuls by not being afraid to omit some big name players due to poor form and club indiscretions.
Superstar Kiwi hooker Issac Luke has struggled this season and has been dropped while the headline grabbing off-field shenanigans of Ben Matulino and Manu Vatuvei saw them miss out as well.
Stephen Kearney has shown in the past that he will not tolerate players not abiding by the standards he and the nation expect from them.
For Kearney, representing the New Zealand national side is clearly a privilege and a responsibility, with his selections continually living up to this standard. With their current world ranking of number one, this selection approach is certainly hard to argue with.
As for the fine details, captain and 41-Test veteran Simon Mannering is out injured with Jesse Bromwich, considered to be the best forward in the game right now, being handed the captaincy role for the first time.
Penrith’s Dallin Watene-Zelezniak finally makes his international debut along with fellow debutant Manu Ma’u from the Parramatta Eels.
Enigmatic halfback Shaun Johnson will be the only Warriors player to be represented in this Test match while his international partner in crime, Kieran Foran, has ruled himself out for personal reasons.
With all the selections seemingly now settled between Australia and New Zealand, next Friday’s Test match should be a beauty.
The squad selected is as follows:
– Adam Blair (Brisbane Broncos)
– Jesse Bromwich – captain (Melbourne Storm)
– Lewis Brown (Manly Sea Eagles)
– Greg Eastwood (Canterbury Bulldogs)
– Alex Glenn (Brisbane Broncos)
– Tohu Harris (Melbourne Storm)
– Peta Hiku (Penrith Panthers)
– Shaun Johnson (NZ Warriors)
– Jordan Kahu (Brisbane Broncos)
– Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters)
– Manu Ma’u (Parramatta Eels)
– Sam Moa (Sydney Roosters)
– Jason Nightingale (St George Dragons)
– Kodi Nikorima (Brisbane Broncos)
– Kevin Proctor (Melbourne Storm)
– Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
– Martin Taupau (Manly Sea Eagles)
– Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Penrith Panthers)
– Danny Levi (19th man) (Newcastle Knights)
Bernard
Guest
I think the kiwis will play well just need to shut that Fiji winger down oops I mean that Australia winger down semi and Blake if there see a hole bye bye Kiwis that the only thing I am worried about in the Australia team and Johnson has not had a good start to the year too so he needs to have a big one I like tohu he a good player and he plays a 100% for his club and for his country so seeing him at 5\8 he will do his job but I thing kodi will share the 5\8 role with tohu Brown will play a full game at hooker and could share that with Kenny or Levi but Jessie captain that good by Steve he looking for a leader to lead from the front and Jessie be rank as the Number 1 prop in the game he will lead this team well and you will see this kiwi team give there best for there Country. And for there new Captain Good luck boys go hard mean kiwi mean .Proud to been a Kiwi if we win or lose still a proud kiwi 100% being my Team .
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
:)
Alex L
Roar Rookie
I know Sleiman, thus why I was using past tense!
Mervyn Cuthbert
Guest
Add extra NRL FRANCHISES to the N.Z.market starting with Wellington ,& then a South Island team & encourage with financial incentives , Pacific Islands teams to play more games. Australia ,naturally should have more depth ,but international games have a real future if supported by NRL clubs.
maximillian
Guest
Good pick up on Brad Takairangi, hes been called into the squad as potential cover for SKD, who is currently in a moon boot. Hiku officially ruled out in a further blow to the Kiwis chances. Kahu to fullback & Grard Beale to start in the centres. Id rather take Takairangi over Beale though, or even Feki could've been an option.
Sylvester
Guest
Kearney's game plan will the same that has led to success in recent tests against Aussie. Dominate through the forwards and expect the rest will take care of itself.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I'm still a big fan of Benji but even I wouldn't pick him now. I think the Kiwis do have a winning culture, despite not picking their 'best' side each match. They, after all, world number one.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I think the higher ups did get behind the coach, what with that punishment and all.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Interesting stats there. They suggest that Australia have until now had it 'easy'. Not that I necessarily agree with that entirely but I think the point stands that if the opposition are more or less your equals, then defeating them is more of an achievement. The age of professionalism for the Kiwis has done wonders and if England can continue their own upward trajectory, well, the future looks bright for Test football.
Jacko
Guest
Aussie's have 61% of players in NRL, Kiwi's 29% and the rest from England and the Pasific islands
maximillian
Guest
If Jaydon Nikorima fulfills hos potential it could get really interesting in the future with his brother playing for the Kiwis.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Peter Hiku or Tohu Harris are better options for this team. You already have a dominant playmaker in Shaun Johnson in the halves, all you need is a distributor and runner of the ball at 6 as well as a strong defender who can rack up 30+ tackles in a game helping out the middle. That is not Benji Marshall.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Dont forget the 3.15pm kick off - Junior Kangaroos v Junior Kiwis Note the huge Polynesian influence in the Australian side. 2016 Junior Kangaroos squad is: 1 Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers) 2 Curtis Scott (Melbourne Storm) 3 Robert Jennings (Penrith Panthers) 4 Tyrell Fuimaono (Parramatta Eels) 5 John Olive (Gold Coast Titans) 6 Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers) 7 Lachlan Croker (Canberra Raiders) 8 Tevita Pangai (Brisbane Broncos) 9 Jayden Nikorima (Sydney Roosters) 10 JJ Felise (Wests Tigers) 11 Coen Hess (Nth Qld Cowboys) 12 Jaydn Sua (Brisbane Broncos) 13 Tyrone May (Penrith Panthers) 14 Junior Tatola (Wests Tigers) 15 Jacob Host (St G Ill Dragons) 16 Alex Twal (Parramatta Eels) 17 Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters) 18 Brian Kelly (Gold Coast Titans) 2016 Junior Kiwis squad: Brad Abbey (Canterbury Bulldogs) Ken Tofilau (Newcastle Knights) Patrick Herbert (St George Dragons) Greg Lelesiuao (Gold Coast Titans) Reimis Smith (Canterbury Bulldogs) Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos) Ata HIngano (New Zealand Warriors) Cowan Epere (Penrith Panthers) Brandon Smith (North Queensland Cowboys) Ofahiki Ogden (New Zealand Warriors) James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers) Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers) Isaiah Papalii (New Zealand Warriors) Nathaniel Roache (New Zealand Warriors) Kurt Bernard (Gold Coast Titans) Marata Niukore (New Zealand Warriors) Poasa Faamausili (Sydney Roosters) Siosifa Talakai (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Benji hasn't won a game this year, case closed! For all of Shaun's critics, he plays well, like most halves, behind a dominant forward pack. The UK tour had no established halves at all OR Taumalolo.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Yeah the same city Nightingale was born in. Pretty sure he is this guy...former Titan Don't get me started on Tamou, Karmichael Hunt, Semi & co. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/10534023/Jason-Taumalolo-named-in-Kiwis-train-on-squad
jimmmy
Guest
Peter Hiku or Harris are better options at sstandoff than Benji
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Benji hasn't had a single game worth mentioning in his last couple of years at the Dragons, indeed they look better with a reserve grader playing in his spot. I don't think Kearney could in any way be considered to be making a bad decision by omitting him.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Kearney is letting his personal issues with Benji Marshall affect his judgement. There is no way on earth you can tell me Peter Hiku or Tohu Harris are better options at standoff then Benji. We should be approaching every match with our best possible side, that's how you create a winning culture. Looking at that group we are light on play makers. If it was up to me Nikorima and Johnson will be in the halves with Lewis Brown at hooker and Levi will get a spot on the bench. If we go into the match with a makeshift standoff we are going to get destroyed. We looked pathetic against England with Hiku at standoff. Johnson cant handle having so much responsibility, he would have to take control of everything and that is not when he plays his best league. The pack is strong, will be very interesting to see who misses the cut.
Sylvester
Guest
I think Kearney's thinking is not making an inexperienced side even more so. Nightingale and SKD are proven performers.
Fiddlesticks
Guest
Is Adam Blair going better than he was at wests? Or does it look that way because he's in a better team ? His stats are average at best