Auckland 9s 2017

[Big Pete]

AUCKLAND 9s
February 4th - 5th​

 

[Big Pete]

Squads​

WAIHEKE POOL

Cronulla Sharks: Wade Graham (c), Luke Lewis, Matt Prior, Chris Heighington, Gerard Beale, Kurt Capewell, Joseph Paulo, Jack Bird, Ricky Leutele, Manaia Cherrington, Jesse Ramien, Will Kennedy, Jayden Walker, Kyle Flanagan, Sione Katoa, Billy Magoulias, Malakai Houma, Kurt Kara.

Gold Coast Titans: Morgan Boyle, Alexander Brimson, Tyler Cornish, Anthony Don, Kane Elgey, Jarryd Hayne, Ryan James, Max King, Chris McQueen, John Olive, Nathaniel Peteru, Pat Politoni, Leivaha Pulu, Tyrone Roberts, Tyronne Roberts-Davis, Hayden Schwass, Paterika Vaivai, Daniel Vidot, William Zillman.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs: Josh Reynolds (c), Brad Abbey, Tom Carr, Matt Frawley, Danny Fualalo, Craig Garvey, Kerrod Holland, Sam Kasiano, David Klemmer, Lachlan Lewis, Michael Lichaa, Rhyse Martin, D'Rhys Miller, Marcelo Montoya, Tyrone Phillips, Reimis Smith, Renouf To'omaga, Francis Tualau.

Penrith Panthers: Dylan Edwards, Corey Waddell,Waqa Blake, Jed Cartwright, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Nathan Cleary, Kaide Ellis, Sione Katoa, Darren Nicholls, Tyrone May, Moses Leota, Sitaleki Akauola, James Tamou, Christian Crichton, Corey Harawira-Naera, Isaah Yeo (c), Zach Dockar-Clay, Oliver Clark.

PIHA Pool

St George Illawarra Dragons: Tyson Frizell (c), Patrick Herbert, Nene Macdonald, Euan Aitken, Levi Dodd, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Kurt Mann, Siliva Havili, Cameron McInnes, Luciano Leilua, Joel Thompson, Jack de Belin, Tariq Sims, Taane Milne, Shaun Nona, Will Matthews, Matt Dufty, Jai Field.

Parramatta Eels: Corey Norman (c), Nathan Brown, Kenny Edwards, Jamal Fogarty, Bevan French, David Gower, Clint Gutherson, Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Cameron King, Suaia Matagi, Tepai Moeroa, Marata Niukore, Scott Schulte, Rory O’Brien, Semi Radradra, Honeti Tuha, Joseph Ualesi, Troy Dargan.

New Zealand Warriors: Ruben Wiki (c), Ryan Hoffman, Junior Pauga, Matt Allwood, Blake Ayshford, Ata Hingano, Solomone Kata, Shaun Johnson, Mason Lino, Bunty Afoa, James Gavet, Tuimoala Lolohea, Jazz Tevaga, Ofahiki Ogden, Lewis Soosemea, Toafofoa Sipley, Isaiah Papalii, James Bell.

Manly Sea Eagles: Brenton Lawrence (c), Jono Wright, Matt Wright, Brian Kelly, Akuila Uate, Jorge Taufua, Pita Godinet, Cameron Cullen, Peter Schuster, Tom Wright, Joey Lussick, Shaun Lane, Frank Winterstein, Jarrad Kennedy, Curtis Sironen, Addin Fonua Blake, Martin Taupau, Lloyd Perrett.

RANGITOTO POOL

Newcastle Knights: Jamie Buhrer (c), Peter Mata’utia, Ken Sio, Brendan Elliot, Nathan Ross, Cory Denniss, Brock Lamb, Jaelen Feeney, Daniel Saifiti, Danny Levi, Jacob Saifiti, Mitch Barnett, Luke Yates, Tyler Randell, Jack Stockwell, Sam Stone, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Nick Meaney, Sione Mata’utia (Emergency Player).

Wests Tigers: Elijah Taylor (c), Josh Aloiai, Luke Brooks, Michael Chee Kam, Joel Edwards, Matt Eisenhuth, JJ Felise, Watson Heleta, Justin Hunt, Jack Littlejohn, Kyle Lovett, Esan Marsters, Matt McIlwrick, Kevin Naiqama, Jordan Rankin, Ava Seumanufagai, Bayley Sironen, Sauaso Sue.

Brisbane Broncos: Alex Barr, Adam Blair, Darius Boyd, Gerome Burns, Mitch Cronin, Matt Gillett, Jordan Kahu, Sam Lavea, Matiu Love-Henry, Benji Marshall, Andrew McCullough, Anthony Milford, Francis Molo, Corey Oates, Jonus Pearson, James Roberts, Gehamat Shibasaki, Jaydn Su'A.

Melbourne Storm: Kenny Bromwich (c), Young Tonumaipea (c), Josh Addo-Carr, Curtis Scott, Cheyse Blair, Linc Port, Cameron Munster, Brodie Croft, Mark Nicholls, Slade Griffin, Tim Glasby, Joe Stimson, Felise Kaufusi, Scott Drinkwater, Ryley Jacks, Jake Turpin, Dean Britt, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Charlie Galo (19th man).

HUNUA POOL

North Queensland Cowboys: John Asiata, Javid Bowen, Gavin Cooper ©, Kyle Feldt, Gideon Gela-Mosby, Jake Granville, Ben Hampton, Coen Hess, Shaun Hudson, Corey Jensen, Kane Linnett, Ethan Lowe, Michael Morgan, Justin O’Neill, Kalyn Ponga, Jason Taumalolo, Johnathan Thurston, Shane Wright.

Sydney Roosters: Connor Watson, Daniel Tupou, Dale Copley, Latrell Mitchell, Joseph Manu, Paul Momirovski, Mitchell Cornish, Isaac Liu, Paul Carter, Kane Evans, Ryan Matterson, Mitchell Aubusson (c), Aidan Guerra, Chris Smith, Zane Tetevano, Brendan Frei, Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck, Bernard Lewis.

Canberra Raiders: Jeff Lima (c), Zac Santo, Eddie Aiono, Thomas Cronan, Brent Naden, Nick Cotric, Blake Austin, Aidan Sezer, Dunamis Lui, Adam Clydsdale, Luke Bateman, Scott Sorensen, Jordan Turner, Paul Roache, Mark McCormack, Anthony Moraitis, Makahesi Makatoa, Topi Tafua.

South Sydney Rabbitohs: Angus Crichton, Damien Cook, Bryson Goodwin, Aaron Gray, Zane Musgrove, Siosifa Talakai, Adam Reynolds, Tyrell Fuimaono, Braidon Burns, Kyle Turner, Alex Johnston, Anthony Cherrington, Cody Walker, Hymel Hunt, Robert Jennings, Thomas Burgess, Robbie Rochow, Cam Murray, Dave Tyrrell.

 

[Big Pete]

So the Auckland 9s are fast approaching and since it's the first taste of League we get in two months it generates hype.

Does it really deserve it?

Not only is the 9s it's own unique beast, it seems like half the competition doesn't take it seriously. Now I don't think anybody expects to see the likes of Thurston, Smith, Cronk, Inglis, Gallen etc. but I do think they want to see their teams put forward their best 9s team.

Let's look at the Warriors team real quick...

1. Tuimoala Lolohea 2. Junior Pauga 3. Solomone Kata 4. Blake Ayshford 5. Lewis Soosemea 6. Ata Hingano 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Ruben Wiki 9. Jazz Tevaga 10. James Gavet 11. Ofahiki Ogden 12. Ryan Hoffman 13. James Bell 14. Matt Allwood 15. Mason Lino 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Toafofoa Sipley 18. Isaiah Papalii

Or something along those lines, don't quote me on it, but the point I wanted to make was that this is clearly far from the Warriors best 17. No Fusitua, no Vete, no Luke, no Thompson, no Roache, instead we get players like Allwood and Lino who are clearly just there to make the numbers.

The fans don't expect to see the best 13-a-side players but they do expect to see a genuine effort. A lot of teams simply half-ass it and take the fun out of what should be a neat way to kick the season off.

The disappointing thing is, I should be excited to watch a Pauga, Soosemea, Ogden, Afoa, Sipley and Papalii in this competition, but based on some obvious omissions it's clear that Kearney just threw them in because he had to fill in the numbers.

I'll always support the Broncos, but if they bow out, I hope the Eels get up. They play this format in the right spirit and I hope they can reclaim the title they were stripped of last year.

 

[Super Freak]

I just have to say, the Dragons 9's jersey really does look horrible.

It looks like they got a 5 year old to draw the design of the dragon.

 

[Mitch06]

Does anyone know if that Korbin fella is playing 9s with the knights?

 

[Unbreakable]

Does anyone know if that Korbin fella is playing 9s with the knights?

?

 

[Mitch06]

?

I'm just bored. He is repping them in the photo for the thread.

 

[Big Pete]

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that was half the reason I posted the photo.

 

[Big Pete]

Predictions

Winner - North Queensland Cowboys

Runners Up - Brisbane Broncos

Top Try Scorer - Ponga

 

[Cult]

So 9am tomorrow right?

 

[Unbreakable]

Coverage at 8:30am QLD time, presumably kick-off around 9am.

 

[Unbreakable]

Winner: Eels
Runner-up: Cowboys
Top try scorer: French

 

[Big Pete]

You got it.

I'm not sure if I'm going to bother with the Waiheke pool. None of the teams look interested in winning...

 

[Big Pete]

I had a similar inkling @Unbreakable, but those teams can't meet in the Grand Final.

 

[Unbreakable]

I had a similar inkling @Unbreakable, but those teams can't meet in the Grand Final.

Upon further inspection, I believe you're incorrect.

Eels are in Piha, Cowboys are in Hunua.

They're on different sides of the draw.

 

[Big Pete]

Strange, the Daily Telegraph and the Roar have a completely different finals format.

The folks on NRL.com also predicting a Broncos v Cowboys GF...

 

[Unbreakable]

Interesting, who knows, I think that was directly from the NRL Auckland Nines Twitter page, you'd wanna hope they have it right.

 

[Big Pete]

http://www.nrl.com/2017-auckland-nines-pools-revealed/tabid/10874/newsid/102617/default.aspx

Was the official announcement on November, which is what the Daily Telegraph and the Roar relayed.

I'd imagine the latest graphic is actually right, but how can you mess something like this up initially?

Eels v Cowboys it is.

Piha: Warriors, Eels
Hunua: Cowboys, Roosters
Rangitoto: Brisbane, Tigers
Waiheke: Titans, Sharks