Cameron Munster has been given the number 7 jersey for the Kangaroos after Australia opted out of naming their first team and instead devised their own system of numbering.
Most sides simply list their preferred 1-17 and then reserves, but given the ongoing drama surrounding the halfback role for the Kangaroos, they have worked out their own system to avoid picking between Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans a week and a half before their first game.
Players are numbered by their appearances tally, resulting in a confusing look as Cameron Munster, who will almost certainly play as a 6, will wear the number 7.
DCE, with the most appearances, gets the 2 – captain James Tedesco is given 1 – with Ben Hunt 3 and Valentine Holmes 4.
The many debutants will simply go in alphabetical order, with Cleary assigned the 14 jumper. Only Valentine Holmes (4), Cam Murray (11) and Pat Carrigan (13), and potential bench forwards Lindsay Collins (15), Reuben Cotter (16) and Angus Crichton (17) will have numbers even vaguely related to what they might get in the traditional Australian system.
Captain James Tedesco will wear his usual No.1 jersey as captain.
Kiwis legend Tommy Leuluai will be given the honour of captaining New Zealand for their warm-up match against Leeds on Friday night.
Though the Wigan halfback is not in the squad for the World Cup, he will lead the team out as a recognition of his huge contribution to rugby league in both New Zealand and the UK in what will be the final game of his 20-year career.
Kiwis coach Michael Maguire offered Leuluai the chance to end his career with a Kiwis appearance, having served the black and white jumper since 2003, including starting at hooker in the 2008 World Cup Final win.
The playmaker might be considered the last of a dying breed of Kiwi players: those who played the bulk of their elite career in the Super League.
Leuluai has played over 400 games, with 365 in the Super League. He began with the Warriors before moving to London, then Wigan, then back to the Warriors between 2013 and 2016 before returning to Wigan for another long stint.
Over the journey, he picked up two Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, a World Cup Challenge and the Harry Sunderland Trophy, the UK equivalent of the Clive Churchill Medal, for his performance in the 2010 Super League Grand Final.
NRL Grand Final referee Ashley Klein has been named to officiate at the Rugby League World Cup, joining a host of officials from around the world who will control games across the mens and womens competitions.
30 referees and touch judges have been named, including recognisable NRL figures such as Gerard Sutton, Grant Atkins, Belinda Sharpe, Adam Gee, Todd Smith and Kasey Badger.
Almost the entire Super League panel has been appointed, as well as Paki Parkinson and Rochelle Tamarua from New Zealand and Ben Casty and Geoffrey Pommes from the Elite One competition in France.
Tamarua has been seen in the NRLW this year, while Casty is part of the international panel of officials and was in charge for last year’s end of season Test match between England and France.
This is the most diverse panel of officials ever to take control of a World Cup, with three women – Sharpe, Badger and Tamarua – plus two from France and New Zealand.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
To clarify, the rationale behind Australia's call is almost certainly what Cam stated above: "Mal’s reluctance in naming a preferred starting 17 before the comp has kicked off. He will want the squad entering camp thinking they are all equally likely to be selected."
Tony
Roar Guru
:laughing:
ALL ABOUT BALLS
Roar Rookie
fair enough ,I understand and thanks for adding a new word to my vocabulary, discombobulated,
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Commentators dream, if you're calling a game with players you're not already familiar with. You can study the squads in advance and be less discombobulated by late line-up changes.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Because it has a NRL logo on it?
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
They used a similar system on at least one Kangaroo tour. I think the fullbacks were 1 and 2, the wingers 3 to 6, etc. There's old footage of Reg Gasnier wearing the 7. Aside from the history aspect, it's probably to have a standardized system across all 16 teams to assist journalists, judiciary members, etc, be able to identify players. I imagine commentators would appreciate it by the time Ireland vs Jamaica rolls around, for example. Obviously, it's the norm in sports like football and cricket. Australia's approach to allocating numbers means it's going to look stupid, but the rationale behind that call and the cup organizer's edict is sound.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
And re-signed with the Storm too.
Albo
Roar Rookie
He got the ball boy's jumper ! Nice and quiet out on the edges !
Redcap
Roar Guru
Stop faffing about and just give DCE the 7 jersey, Mal. We all know you want to.
Tony
Roar Guru
Isn't it?
Tony
Roar Guru
Someone definitely gave Lazy Davy the wrong jersey
up in the north
Roar Rookie
It sounds like this numbering debacle has come from our officials and it's dumb. Will they also have their names on their jerseys, is there room with all the sponsors crap.
Nat
Roar Guru
In years to come, do you think the golden boy will cherish having the number 14 on his first WC jumper?
Redcap
Roar Guru
Yes, it's all coming together now. :happy:
Albo
Roar Rookie
No wonder the Titans have been going so well ! They don't know what positions they should be playing ? :silly:
Muzz
Guest
WTF!
ALL ABOUT BALLS
Roar Rookie
commentators night mare
Cam
Roar Rookie
It isn’t mentioned in the story, but the idea of allocating a player with a jersey number for the entire tournament has come from the Cup organisers, not from the ARL. It is a shame in some degree, I’d imagine Munster would love to wear the 6 jersey made famous by the likes of Brett Kenny, Laurie Daly, Darren Lockyer and the great Wally Lewis. Instead Reagan Campbell-Gillard will wear the famous 6 jersey, which just seems weird. It seems to lack a fair bit of common sense by the organisers and I can sort of understand Mal’s reluctance in naming a preferred starting 17 before the comp has kicked off. He will want the squad entering camp thinking they are all equally likely to be selected.
Pete
Guest
I don't mind the idea of players choosing what number they'd like to wear but this systems they've gone with is just weird. Either stick to the traditional system or let them pick the number that they want to wear.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Weird as.