It’s hard to pick a Kangaroos team. The well of talent from which Australia can draw is very deep indeed, leading to a situation where every squad they announce is met with a howl about who isn’t in rather than who is.
With Mal Meninga seated alongside James Tedesco at the announcement press conference, any questions about the fullback role evaporated. Teddy is their captain and fullback.
There’s no argument about that, of course, given that he’s the incumbent, World Cup-winning skipper and more than worth a place in the team and the squad.
With Tedesco in, there could be no space for the Dally M Medallist, Kalyn Ponga, or Dylan Edwards or Reece Walsh, all of whom have been better fullbacks in 2023.
One wonders what those players would have to do to get a gig. It might well be that the best answer is wait, at least until Tedesco decides he’s done in rep footy.
Questioned on Edwards’ absence, Mal had a response that was, at first glance, perfectly reasonable.
“Unfortunately, he’s playing in an era where there’s James Tedesco,” said the coach. “We’ve gone with specialists. It’s only a short campaign and we’ve only got seven days off the back of what was a great Grand Final.
“Seven players from there will be in the squad and we’ve got to get the combinations going, and the best way to do that is to have players playing in their rightful positions.”
And yet: when it comes to the backrowers, they have picked just one specialist, Liam Martin, with nine middle forwards.
“It’s a good point,” admitted Meninga when asked. “Most have being playing in the middle, but people like Cameron Murray, Pat Carrigan and Reuben Cotter have played on an edge and have done that at Origin level, so I think that we have that covered.”
That doesn’t really stand up. Murray has played second row for NSW, but is widely seen as wasted in the role and far more effective at lock, where he began the third game this year – the only one that NSW won.
Cotter and Carrigan were 8 and 13 in that match for Queensland, with Carrigan playing on an edge twice at NRL level – ever – and Cotter never doing so. His only second row appearances have been one game of Origin and the PM XIII’s game two weeks back in PNG.
This could be a huge problem, because the area between the edge forward and the outside backs is perhaps the most important in the defensive line – the ‘seam’ as it is known – and the men outside who will have to tie in are also new, with Kotoni Staggs and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow likely to be on Kangaroos debut against Samoa in Townsville with Val Holmes suspended.
Given the huge depth of middles, one wonders if there might have been sense in leaving out a big man in favour of a specialist. The lack of pace could be huge issue if Mal repackages middles as edges, especially if the likes of Joey Manu and Dylan Brown get going.
There’s certainly space in the squad that Meninga could have used.
If we sketch out the rotation, it will likely be Payne Haas and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to start with Isaah Yeo in the 13 jumper, with two of Jake Trbojevic, Thomas Flegler, Lindsay Collins and Jake Trbojevic as props and Pat Carrigan in the 17.
One suspects that either of Jurbo or Flegler could have been sacrificed to allow for another pure backrower to be added.
kangaroo
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Last year, it was Angus Crichton alongside Martin with Jeremiah Nanai in the squad, but with neither likely to make this year’s edition, Mal had plenty of other options.
He could have turned to Hudson Young, who made a rep debut with NSW this year, Tyson Frizell, who excelled at the back end and has done the job before. Both were on the Dally M shortlist for their position.
There was also David Fifita, who won the Dally M award, who may now play for Tonga but has been in PM XIII’s squads, and Nat Butcher, the best defensive option in the position, who was in the long list.
The thing about picking Kangaroos’ squads is that whoever you pick, it often doesn’t matter. The options are so good that they tend to get the job done anyway. Nobody can argue with Meninga’s ability to get a team on the field that does the job superbly well.
But the great draw of the Pacific Championships is that, unlikely last year, where Australia didn’t face a test until the World Cup semis against the Kiwis, this time they will be up against it from the off.
Samoa will likely line up with Nanai – picked up from the Kangaroos – and Luciano Leilua, who wasn’t available last year but has shown plenty of upside since returning to the NRL. Throw in Stephen Crichton and Izack Tago
The Kiwis will come with Manu and Brown picking at those seams, plus Briton Nikora, perhaps the best crash-line runner in the NRL, and one of Scott Sorensen or Isaiah Papali’i. It’s a decent choice.
The rhetoric for not picking Ponga, Edwards and Walsh does make sense, especially around combinations. But it is exposed in a key part of the defensive line, too, with defensive solidity perhaps even harder to build.
There’s no room for error in a Kangaroos jumper, and there’s no question about where Samoa and New Zealand will be going with the footy.
Warren Turner
Roar Rookie
— COMMENT DELETED —
Mick P
Roar Rookie
I don’t understand the campaign against Tedesco, it’s been going on for 18 months or so with many ridiculous comments about him being only the third best fullback at the Roosters. Teddy is still the best defensive fullback in the game, provides the same high work rate and involvement on both sides of the ball as Edwards (or Gutho). I could go with Ponga or Edwards if Teddy was injured, but it’s taken the Knights 3 seasons to work out how to play consistent winning footy with Ponga. How much prep do the Kangaroos have? 7 days? Where is the urgency to throw Teddy under the bus?
Horses for Courses
Roar Rookie
I would agree with you if it was someone hopelessly out of form but is Teddy really so far behind the others that he needs to be replaced right now? To kick him out now and pick one of the others you'd be both screwing over a legend of the game AND 75% of people would still say you picked the wrong replacement, definition of a lose lose for Mal.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from But was that why he was picked last year? I’ve never heard any queries on his form or his spot before this season I don’t think it guarantees his spot forever. If his mid season form slump had continued I’d be behind him getting dropped. But it didn’t, his form post Origin was very good As I posted above, dropping him for Edwards, Walsh or Ponga means pretty big tactical and leadership changes with a short preparation time
London Panther
Roar Rookie
It’s a valid point but you could also raise the counter; because they gather so infrequently, and this is a bit of a nothing series, surely you use this opportunity to pick the guys in form that are going to take you forward over the coming 4 year cycle to give them time together. I just hate the ‘harder to get out of the Aussie team than get in’ situation. Teddy has been a great servant and deserves to be treated with respect, but let’s face it, he was only picked last year because he was captain and he didn’t exactly show himself to be the premier No 1 in the comp this year.
London Panther
Roar Rookie
My problem was that he was picked last year because he was Australian captain the year before. If you keep on doing that, you need to wait until he retires for the next bloke to get a shot!!
Antho
Roar Rookie
Not the strongest squad we can pick in my opinion but is what it is, good enough to win for sure. Holmes at centre and Addo-Carr are questionable selections for me. Mitchell not interested? Plays in another competition? Something a bit strange.
Bill
Roar Rookie
It won't be a choice for him or anyone else because next year when Turbo recaptures his 2021 and form, remains injury free for the year and wins the Dally M by 10 lengths, Teddy, Edwards, Walsh, Ponga and co will be forgotten men :silly:
The Barry
Roar Guru
Another thought on Tedesco None of Edwards, Walsh and Ponga are like for like replacements Edwards gets more metres and is almost as good in defence, but you sacrifice some of Tedesco’s ball playing. Walsh and Ponga are better ball players but neither take the carries or do the hard work that Teddy does - especially in defence. You have to seriously reshape the attack for Ponga and Walsh. For all three you have a pretty big change in leadership Even if Mal thinks Teddy is behind the other three, he might not be ready to make such big changes… especially with a limited preparation
The Barry
Roar Guru
Whoops forgot Tapine from that list of middle forwards…
The Barry
Roar Guru
Go see a doctor… you’ve got some serious paranoid delusions My pre-game comments didn’t mention you at all. You wrote about five posts specifically calling me out for not being “strategic enough” It was only after you did that, that I showed any interest in anything you had to say… and even then barely Here’s another day, another example. I haven’t mentioned you at all. We’re in an article about Australian selections and you’re ranting and raving about conspiracies and what I wrote five or six days ago and five or six years ago. Seriously get some help… Anyway, best you settle down before I sic my pecking party army of lemmings on you… :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
The Barry
Roar Guru
Actually I’ve just seen the Kiwi side… if you look at their middles of JFH, Leota, Nelson might explain why the Aussies have gone middle heavy Add Nikora, Papali’i, Thompson, Neame and Whyte and it’s a pretty tough pack…
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Tago wasn’t fit to play the semi final or GF either. Obviously still running around with the pectoral injury . He shouldn’t be playing any games .
Horses for Courses
Roar Rookie
Agreed, I don't understand everyone's rush to push Teddy out of the job. When a team gathers as sporadically as the Australian squad does you really need consistency with selections. Also considering there are three or four fullbacks waiting in the wings, all being deserving but none differentiating themself from the others I would rather they resist the temptation of greener grass.
Maddi Davis
Roar Rookie
Any Samoans in the Squad or are they just Aussies and Kiwis yet again?
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
You always conveniently forget that you start these exchanges (i.e. in the lead up to the GF not here) trying to prove you are a 'big man'. Then once you have been beaten and have your tail between your legs you cry foul and call me a stalker. I came up with the term 'Lemmings' because they are known for blindly following a leader over a cliff into the abyss. When I first started posting comments here years ago your posts dominated the landscape and you bullied your opinion on others. You helped to create a one-way mutual administration society where people were too scared to raise a contrary opinion without being targeting in a 'pecking party' led by you. I resisted you and called you out then and I continue to do so today. Now, have the final say because your fragile ego needs it and let's move on.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Clearly not… you’re still running around after me
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Yep, Teddy’s late season good form is all that counts in that regard. I’d have been fine with any of the other three FBs too, but it’s far from a bad selection to pick an in-form incumbent FB and captain.
andrew
Roar Rookie
This'll probably be Teddy's swansong.
Busty McCracken
Roar Rookie
What jumps out at me the most is 9 of the 21 players didn't play a single semi final game. Match fitness could be a huge issue in first 1-2 games.