Mal Meninga will blood three debutants for Australia when the Kangaroos take on England in their opening match of the Rugby League World Cup on Friday night in Melbourne, while Michael Morgan has been named as Cooper Cronk’s halves partner.
Plenty of speculation surrounded who would line up at five-eighth alongside Cronk in the tournament opener in the absence of the injured Johnathan Thurston, but it is Thurston’s North Queensland teammate Morgan who has been given the nod ahead of James Maloney and Cameron Munster.
In addition to the inclusion of Morgan, Dane Gagai will make his first international appearance for Meninga’s side in the winger’s jersey. Gagai became the first winger to be named State of Origin player of the series earlier this year.
“This is obviously a very important game in the context of the Rugby League World Cup and this squad of players reflects that,” Meninga said.
“Dane had a tremendous State of Origin series and deserves to play for the Kangaroos and it will be great to see him in the green and gold.”
Joining Gagai as the side’s debutants are forwards Wade Graham and Jordan McLean. Cronulla forward Graham played all three State of Origin games for New South Wales this year, while Storm prop McLean – who is moving to North Queensland next year – will make his first representative appearance since playing for Country Origin in 2016.
“Wade offers enormous impact for us while Jordan had a wonderful season for the Storm. Jordan was also extremely strong in the pre-tournament exhibition against Fiji and PNG.”
With the exception of the three debutants and Morgan in the number six jersey, the Kangaroos side has a familiar feel to it, with the Melbourne Storm ‘Big Three’ of Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cronk forming the spine alongside Morgan.
Will Chambers and Josh Dugan will start in the centres with Valentine Holmes partnering Gagai on the wing.
In the forwards, Aaron Woods and David Klemmer will start in the front row either side of skipper Smith, while vice-captain Boyd Cordner will form the back-row with Matt Gillett and Jake Trbojevic.
Graham and McLean will be joined on the bench by Tyson Frizell and Josh McGuire.
England coach Wayne Bennett also named his team for the tournament opener, revealing a line-up full of recognised NRL stars like Gareth Widdop, Josh Hodgson and Sam Burgess.
1. Billy Slater
2. Dane Gagai
3. Will Chambers
4. Josh Dugan
5. Valentine Holmes
6. Michael Morgan
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Aaron Woods
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. David Klemmer
11. Boyd Cordner (vc)
12. Matt Gillett
13. Jake Trbojevic
Bench
14. Wade Graham
15. Jordan McLean
16. Josh McGuire
17. Tyson Frizell
Reserves
18. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
19. Ben Hunt
20. Tom Trbojevic
21. Felise Kaufusi
1 Jonny Lomax
2 Jermaine McGillvary
3 Kallum Watkins
4 John Bateman
5 Ryan Hall
6 Gareth Widdop
7 Luke Gale
8 Chris Hill
9 Josh Hodgson
10 James Graham
11 Sam Burgess
12 Elliott Whitehead
13 Sean O’Loughlin (c)
Bench
14 Alex Walmsley
15 Chris Heighington
16 Thomas Burgess
17 James Roby
Reserves
18 Ben Currie
19 Kevin Brown
20 Mark Percival
21 Scott Taylor
Ghost Crayfish
Roar Pro
I think Williams will be on the bench by the end of the tournament. Hodgson hasn't played for two months (last week's training run aside), so probably needs cover at hooker. Bennett may also be playing both hookers to test who the No. 1 hooker should be. No better test than giving them both a go against Australia, and seeing who gets the side functioning better. Roby's a great player, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's 9 and Williams is on the bench by the end of the tournament.
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
Having Graham in the side as a back rower is semi justifiable to me. But as a bench utility? If any of the backs go down it'll be Morgan to centre and Graham to five-eighth. That stuff us up a bit for me. I think his kicking game is over hyped. He has a very good kicking game for an edge back rower (although i've seen very little evidence that he can kick long or put up well-placed bombs - all his kicks seem to be grubbers). Does that mean he can handle playing 6 in a test match against formidable opposition? I doubt it very much.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
If an outside back goes down, Gillett probably goes to the centres.
matth
Guest
Pretty close to what I would have picked, except like others I would have left out Graham for a utility / back on the bench. What happens if an outside back goes down in the first 10 minutes? So I would have had either Munster or Hunt ahead off Graham on the bench. Munster is not a great organising passing half yet, but off the bench he would be a handful. The only other thing would be to consider starting with Maguire and then bringing J Turbo off the bench. He had good impact off the bench in Origin and Maguire to me is more a starting player. But it should work ok either way. Woods is there because with Scott out and Tamou falling away, there was a lack of rep experience in the forwards. He won;t win us the game, but he won't lose it either.
Raugeee
Guest
Wests and NSW - both losing teams. Woods was also starting prop when the Kangaroos lost 3 in a row to NZ. Then - when he's out injured - Kangaroos start winning again. NZ are not a real threat this year, luckily. Woods will probably not be found out this tournament, he may even thrive against less than Origin standard defence.
Raugeee
Guest
Woods is definitely a big unit, takes up a lot of space mid field. He can offload too. Maybe less than SOO intensity in defence will see him prosper. I wish him well, it just rankles me that lazy commentators trot his name out like he's an automatic selection. NZ without Bromich, Procter, Taumalolo won't have the grunt to really put the pressure on the Kangaroos pack. Tonga might but don't have the fire power to really take the game away from the Kangaroos. James Graham and England may provide something of a test. I would rather have Wallace or even Napa, or even Tamou in the trenches. As for Graham - he did look brilliant in the first 2 SOO he played. Game 3 2016 NSW received the penalties 12-3. Game 1 2017 - QLD were just a speed bump that night. He has the 2016 Premiership under his belt - Meninga will be hoping he can reproduce some of that great kicking from wide out.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Sorry, but as a centre Dugan is a good fuulback.. In the centres he has been owned in SOO.
Long Black
Roar Rookie
Disagree. He was "silenced" by the best defensive team in the competition in the Grand Final, that is, by one team in one game. He also carried his team through one of their most difficult season's by changing the entire way he approached the game, then was the form half through the finals series. In terms of keeping a premiership/Origin winning spine together, I'd find it hard to argue against it, but the "hype" is justified. Morgan's a great runner, kicker, defender and has experience in the Aus side. Hard to fit all the stars in the side. Munster will get a shot, and I think he deserves a shot over Maloney, but I'm not sure I see it happening.
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
I think Woods is there because of incumbency and because he's a senior player. Mal values that for the start of a tournament, but I think by the time the finals roll around, other players like RCG and McLean will have out-performed Woods and Mal will see that and drop him (if not from the 17, at least from the 13). Also agree re Graham. He's been quiet-poor so far in his NSW career and does not deserve a promotion to the Aussie side in any capacity. But as bench utility???? I think that's a huge selection blunder by Mal. Munster, Hunt and even Maloney would have been a better choice than Graham.
Jimmmy
Guest
Rene , like you I would have had Munster and Morgs in the side but Duggan is a strong runner of the ball and a good defender. He is just not a classy ball playing centre. I don’t think we lose a lot with him there. The forward pack is very strong. Woods , I can take or leave but overall it’s the right team.
Brendon
Guest
Completely agree. I dont understand the hype around Morgan. He played well for 3 games last year, and then was silenced, convincingly, by the Storm. Munster would 100% be the better option to pair with Cronk and fit into the already dominant Melbourne spine...
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Big Shaza will flop the Poms into submission.
Bonza
Guest
No. James Roberts makes oppositions more nervous but Dugan benefits from previous games' service of JT, Darius and co which made him look good. Go Tonga!
Dean
Guest
Morgan may have been the form no6 in the finals right up to they ran out in the grand final. Then he was put back into his box by The Melbourne Storm defence. As Munster showed in SOO3, he's the logical player to partner Cronk in the halves. A bench spot for sure for Morgan. I'm not sure why Woods cops such a hard time on here. Maybe he needs to get a crew cut & some tatts around his neck to look tougher. He always seems to do his job and make decent metres. He's not too bad in defence. Perhaps it's got something to do with he's been playing for West's and not the team that some boofheads follow. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Rod
Guest
Good Aussie side, not a great one though . Any team with Woods and Dugan in it has a question mark against it.
Chris
Roar Pro
That is true. Dugan's rep form is impressive however he was amazingly disappointing the whole year. Based on their 2017 form (which I assume is the factor behind all selections- apart from Sharon Woods), Munster would be a great five-eighth and Morgan could easily shift to centre. Basically my point is that Dugan's recent form does not warrant selection.
Griggso
Guest
Well yes indeed, you are correct. Actual rugby league fans are not. Are you enjoying yourself?
Griggso
Guest
League articles on The Roar have really been bringing the drooling munters out from under their rock recently. I'm sure it's indicative of something, just not sure what.
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
Morgan deserves his chance. He was the form player of the finals series. I could see him continue to develop as a world class half back and form a deadly halves combo with Munster in the future for both Qld and Aust
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
Joke of a line up? Joke of a tournament? How so? Please explain in detail....