World Cup Squads

[broncsgoat]

Aus can pick a winning team without picking guys that are eligible to represent second tier nations (like Fifita, Radradra in the past) and if we were serious anbout the national game that's exactly what we should do

The selectors/Mal should be embarrassed they ever selected Radradra

Agree re Radradra, but they cant not pick players who are eligible for other countries, especially those born in Australia - like Fifita.

McGuire is eligible to play for Samoa, and has done in the past, so should Mal not have selected him? Means they'll never pick someone like Milf either.l

 

[Super Freak]

Kidwell won't have a job by the end of this World Cup.

The team he selected.. Fucking hell, it could have been better.

Now it's not even going to be a contest for Australia. They will win this World Cup without even coming close to losing a game.

 

[Foordy]

an interesting point that someone raised on the courier mail website about the rule around NSW eligibility for Fifita once he plays for Tonga ...

apparently the wording of the rule is that you can represent a tier 2 nation (and still be eligible to represent NSW/QLD) if your are overlooked for Australia

Since Fifita was actually selected for Australia and turned them down, does that now mean that Fifita is now ineligible to play Origin in 2018 ...

**** i hope so, because it would wipe the smug look from his face, and be funny as hell

 

[Mitchell_Broncos]

Kahu missed out!, he was there best under the high ball and bringing it back last year. They want to make the New Zealand side even more shit then it has been in the past.

 

[Foordy]

Kahu missed out!, he was there best under the high ball and bringing it back last year. They want to make the New Zealand side even more shit then it has been in the past.

he may have been ruled out due to injury... he needs to get his groin right for 2018

 

[GCBRONCO]

he may have been ruled out due to injury... he needs to get his groin right for 2018

Yeah, probably for the best for his own sake. Glenn should have been in the squad though.

 

[Unbreakable]

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
2. Jason Nightingale
3. Dean Whare
4. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
5. Jordan Rapana
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Jarea Waerea-Hargreaves
9. Danny Levi
10. Martin Taupau
11. Simon Mannering
12. Elijah Taylor
13. Adam Blair (c)

14. Kodi Nikorima
15. Russell Packer
16. Isaac Liu
17. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Probably best 17 they can field with that squad.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

Everyone is raving about the Tongan team but they still have no halves and 9. Wont beat NZ, England or Australia.

 

[Dash]

Agree re Radradra, but they cant not pick players who are eligible for other countries, especially those born in Australia - like Fifita.

McGuire is eligible to play for Samoa, and has done in the past, so should Mal not have selected him? Means they'll never pick someone like Milf either.l

I'd be happy for them to decide national allegiance in a similar way to State of Origin i.e. Where were they born, where did they attend school etc. Someone like Radradra wouldn't be eligible for Australia at all.

The Pacific nations would get first choice of a lot more players, and could still have access to the Milfords etc if they aren't selected for their Tier 1 country.

 

[Super Freak]

Fixtures

Friday, October 27: Australia v England, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Saturday, October 28: PNG v Wales, National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Saturday, October 28: New Zealand v Samoa, Mount Smart, Auckland
Saturday, October 28: Fiji v USA, Townsville Stadium
Sunday, October 29: Scotland v Tonga, Barlow Park, Cairns
Sunday, October 29: Ireland v Italy, Barlow Park, Cairns
Sunday, October 29: France v Lebanon, Canberra Stadium
Friday, November 3: Australia v France, Canberra Stadium
Saturday, November 4: New Zealand v Scotland, Christchurch Stadium
Saturday, November 4: Samoa v Tonga, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Saturday, November 4: England v Lebanon, Sydney Football Stadium
Sunday, November 5: PNG v Ireland, National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Sunday, November 5: Italy v USA, Townsville Stadium
Sunday, November 5: Fiji v Wales, Townsville Stadium
Friday, November 10: Fiji v Italy, Canberra Stadium
Saturday, November 11: Samoa v Scotland, Barlow Park, Cairns
Saturday, November 11: New Zealand v Tonga, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Saturday, November 11: Australia v Lebanon, Sydney Football Stadium
Sunday, November 12: PNG v USA, National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Sunday, November 12: Wales vs Ireland, Perth Rectangular Stadium
Sunday, November 12: England v France, Perth Rectangular Stadium

Quarter-Finals

Friday, November 17: Winner Group A v 3rd Group B, Darwin Stadium
Saturday, November 18: Runner-up Group B v Winner Group D, Christchurch Stadium
Saturday, November 18: Winner Group B v 3rd Group A, Wellington Regional Stadium
Sunday, November 19: Runner-up Group A v Winner Group C, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

Semi-Finals

Friday, November 24: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2, Lang Park
Saturday, November 25: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4, Mount Smart, Auckland

Final

Saturday, December 2: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2, Lang Park

 

[Foordy]

Yep that seems like an NRL/rugby league in general way to run things ...

3 of the 4 in group's A and B qualify... but only the Winners of groups C and D ...

 

[GCBRONCO]

You know what is sad about that NZ squad, how few Warriors players are in it. Sums up really how the Warriors are traveling though.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Boyd out, Mansour in

>sigh<

Lolz .......suck on that Teddy with your "Italian" mates!!

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Everyone is raving about the Tongan team but they still have no halves and 9. Wont beat NZ, England or Australia.

Come on mate. A girls under 9's halfback could play behind that pack IF it plays to its potential and still put up a challenge to most teams. If you want to look at the quality of the team, look at the players that won't make the top 13. Ofa will be lucky to make the top 17 and he's an nrl regular. Vatuvai or tupou will miss out and they are ex rep players. Hurrell or kata will miss out and they are destructive centres and nrl regulars. Lolohea and hingano aren't great but have good footwork that will trouble teams if the pack gets a role on (which it will against nearly all teams). Havili (before he got injured)and Katoa are both regulars as nrl bench hookers, if they can put together 40 quality minutes each (highly achievable) this side will trouble even the top teams.

Will they win the World Cup? No
But could they knock one of the top tier nations out in a semi or a quarter final? Definite chance.... they will have 1 shot at it, then they will get smashed by the next top tier team they come across because a game plan will enable them to be shutdown and the top tier teams have enough quality to shut them down.

The nz team doesn't look bad despite this happening, which has surprised me. This might actually make them harder to beat because they often seem to lose heart and determination easily. If this + playing in nz doesn't stir them up they should all be dumped.

The surprise packet may be England. No one has talked about them at all. But their coach won nz a World Cup and burgess + graham would be fuming after their teams' seasons. And they finally have a quality halves pairing to help put the work their forward pack does together in luke gale + Widdop.

Italy and Lebanon look solid too. They won't get near the top tier teams but they won't be humiliated by them at all. Samoa will probably be the same.

Most interesting World Cup in memory. I will e attending a game or 2 for sure...

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

>sigh<

Lolz .......suck on that Teddy with your "Italian" mates!!

I would have picked mansour (JUST ahead of addo Carr) as well. Not just because Tedesco picked Italy. Ma sour was epic against us and his end of season form was ridiculous. We needed a winger more then another fullback, we still have 6 other very very capable back ups to slater (tommy T, Holmes, Munster, Morgan, Dugan, Gagai)....

 

[Kimlo]

Was looking forward to seeing Mansour in the Lebanese team. Lame.

 

[Horseheadsup]

Scotland were better than expected last year.

 

[ningnangnong]

Can't believe NZ didn't select Glenn. They can get fucked.