Rugby League Tri-Nations (3 Viewers)

[jake2.0]

Seems like everyone has forgotten about these. Should be great games, plus dont have to wake up at like 4am to watch them this time around.

Teams for saturdays game;

Kiwis
1. Brent Webb
2. Tame Tupou
3. Iosia Soliola
4. Steve Matai
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Nigel Vagana
7. Stacey Jones
8. Ruben Wiki (c)
9. Dene Halatau
10. Roy Asotasi
11. David Kidwell
12. Tony Puletua
13. Simon Mannering


Interchange
14. Jerome Ropati
15. Nathan Cayless
16. Adam Blair
17. Frank Pritchard

Kangaroos
1. Karmichael Hunt
2. Matt King
3. Mark Gasnier
4. Justin Hodges
5. Greg Inglis
6. Darren Lockyer (c)
7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Willie Mason
9. Cameron Smith
10.Petero Civoniceva
11.Luke O’Donnell
12.Nathan Hindmarsh
13.Reni Maitua


Interchange
14.Mark O’Meley
15.Shaun Berrigan
16.Andrew Ryan
17.Brent Kite



We should win this easy, but never know about the kiwis might just kick our ass like last time . Thurston and Lockyer are gonna be great to watch in the halves, it'll be good to see Thurston after such a long lay off. What you guys reckon?

 

[wuddie]

looking at the line up, it makes no sense why andrew ryan is on the bench and reni maitua is on the starting line up. surely everyone will agree ryan has been, and is, the better player out of the two. unless the selectors decide to use ryan as an impact player.

but yeah, we should win it, on paper, we'll just gonna have to see what will actually happen on the field. i'd say gasnier has to explode if we are to win.

 

[snickerdoodle]

looking at the line up, it makes no sense why andrew ryan is on the bench and reni maitua is on the starting line up. surely everyone will agree ryan has been, and is, the better player out of the two.

HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA.

Serious? Have you ever watched a Dogs game?

As a loyal Bulldogs supporter I'd take Maitua over Ryan ANY day. If the selectors had half a brain he wouldn't be in the squad at all.

I still haven't gotten over the selection of Jamie Lyon in the squad yet. I'm assuming at some stage in the competition he'll play, so there's something to look forward too. Are the selectors on crack?

 

[Cpt obvious]

hahaha half the names in the nz squad i have never heard of

 

[davo_]

HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA.

Serious? Have you ever watched a Dogs game?

As a loyal Bulldogs supporter I'd take Maitua over Ryan ANY day. If the selectors had half a brain he wouldn't be in the squad at all.

I still haven't gotten over the selection of Jamie Lyon in the squad yet. I'm assuming at some stage in the competition he'll play, so there's something to look forward too. Are the selectors on crack?

Firstly Ryan is a very good player - he does all the nitty gritty - sure he may not be as good to watch as Maitua but not everyone can be as explosive and such. As for Lyon, he's been carving it up in England (gotten the Super League's player of the year a couple of years running I think), I think what's partly on the selectors minds is that half of the series is against English opposition etc. And he still has a week or 2 left with the Super League before he can play anyhow.

 

[snickerdoodle]

Firstly Ryan is a very good player - he does all the nitty gritty - sure he may not be as good to watch as Maitua but not everyone can be as explosive and such. As for Lyon, he's been carving it up in England (gotten the Super League's player of the year a couple of years running I think), I think what's partly on the selectors minds is that half of the series is against English opposition etc. And he still has a week or 2 left with the Super League before he can play anyhow.

If you want someone who does the nitty gritty, why not pick say Tony Grimaldi (pre-injury)? He never would have been considered for a second for the tri-nations, and on average has performed the same amount of hit ups and twice the amount of tackles Ryan has this season. I do think having someone that does the tough stuff is important, but if that's why he was picked why isn't he in the starting squad? That I could understand.

I just think it's a little unfair to pick someone from overseas when blokes have been slugging it out in the NRL all season.

 

[mrzeidan1]

hahaha half the names in the nz squad i have never heard of

I think all of them play/have played first grade NRL...

 

[davo_]

I just think it's a little unfair to pick someone from overseas when blokes have been slugging it out in the NRL all season.

Its not like Lyon's having a holiday - he's still slugging it out.

 

[wuddie]

firstly, andrew ryan has proven himself over the years, and his consistency is only second to nathan hindmarsh, reni maitua is has only been playin well this season, so if anything, ryan should get the starting lineup.

jamie lyon has been curving it up in england, just imagine the look on british players face when he goes up against them, he'll know their game inside out.

 

[davo_]

firstly, andrew ryan has proven himself over the years, and his consistency is only second to nathan hindmarsh, reni maitua is has only been playin well this season, so if anything, ryan should get the starting lineup.

jamie lyon has been curving it up in england, just imagine the look on british players face when he goes up against them, he'll know their game inside out.

I guess you could say they'd know his game inside out as well hah, nah but I definitely agree - well at least that's why he was chosen.

 

[matt#1]

HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA.

Serious? Have you ever watched a Dogs game?

As a loyal Bulldogs supporter I'd take Maitua over Ryan ANY day. If the selectors had half a brain he wouldn't be in the squad at all.

Have you ever watched a 'Dogs game?

Ryan and Maitua are very different players, but both of the highest quality...so it is difficult to directly compare them.

Whereas Andrew Ryan is pretty much strictly a second rower...Reni Maitua is a utility player, who can play in a wide range of positions, including centre, five-eighth and the second row. Sure, Maitua is prettier to watch, faster and likely to score more tries...but it is still waaay to early in his career to call him a better second-rower than such a consistently brilliant player like Andrew Ryan.

 

[Ye Olde St Nick]

I think NZ will win.

 

[matt#1]

Australia FTW!!

...but why hasn't Sonny-Bill Williams been named in the Kiwi side? Is he out injured again?

 

[wuddie]

i think sonny bill is having surgery of some kind

just a quick question, does anyone else think matt orford deserves a game? or is it just me? he's been playing well at manly, except for the finals series. thurston has been injured half of the season and only played a few games at the end, and the selectors stuck with him? someone told me orford isnt a big game player (ie chokes under pressure), any comments on that? otherwise, i think its unfair for orford.

 

[Cpt obvious]

I think Orford Should have played origin this year, I thought during the city country game that he outplayed Brett finch.

 

[jake2.0]

I think Orford Should have played origin this year, I thought during the city country game that he outplayed Brett finch.

Not that hard to do

 

[Cpt obvious]

Yeah and finch is coming to eels so i think we will take the spoon

 

[kimi]

Yeah and finch is coming to eels so i think we will take the spoon

You probably dont actually fully understand the impact Finch has, its the beginning of the Eels downfall. Dieeeeeeeeeeeee, eels wooden spoon contenders for the next4years or till the end of Finch's contract.

I for one am not bothering to watch the tri-nations. Its some sort of sick joke now, i just hope some pom knees justin hodges and causes him so much pain.
Oh and YAY for Roosters shitness. No Roosters players in the squad, oh my no injuriiiiiiies.

 

[wuddie]

haha finch.. why would eels bother with him? they've gone from bad (tim smith) to worse (finch), if not worst. what's more, you now get michael hagan.. come to think of it, i might actually bet on eels to get the spoon next year.

does anyone want to name their own tri nation team? i am sure it'd be interesting to see.

 

[mrzeidan1]

Fullback - Brett Hodgson
Wingers - Taniela Tuiaki, Daniel Fitzhenry
Centres - Paul Whatuira, Jamaal Lolesi
Five-Eight - Benji Marshall
Halfback - Scott Prince
Lock - Dene Halatau
Second Row - Bronson Harrison, Anthony Laffranchi
Front Row - Bryce Gibbs, John Skandalis
Hooker - Robbie Farah

Bench - Chris Heighington, Sam Harris, Todd Payten, Liam Fulton