Centenary Test Team (Australia) (Official)

[Black Philip]

Shifting Bird to 5/8 would be a real kick in the teeth for Prince, and calling up Crocker? That I don't understand.

The only thing that should change is Thurston to 5/8 and Prince to halfback.

 

[Coxy]

Personally I would've gone Tonya Harding on Gallen and Bird, in order to select real footballers to replace them - Thaiday, Crocker, and then as you say get Prince in to replace Locky.

 

[Flutterby]

Thaiday will be hard-pressed to get a run whilst Stuart is the coach and has a say on selections.

 

[Coxy]

Thaiday will be hard-pressed to get a run whilst Stuart is the coach and has a say on selections.

Maybe Thaiday needs to hard-press Stuart a bit more huh?

 

[Denny Crane]

I don't think Prince and Thurston would compliment each other very well. They are the exact same sort of player. They are both dominate half backs who like to call the shots and have their hands on the ball 3+ times per set. We'll win either way but I'm not sure that Prince-Thurston combination would set the world on fire.

Alternatively, I'd have picked Inglis at 5/8 and drafted in another winger. Imagine Thurston running the show and dishing it out to Inglis to weave his magic? Good God! :shock:

 

[Flutterby]

Alternatively, I'd have picked Inglis at 5/8 and drafted in another winger. Imagine Thurston running the show and dishing it out to Inglis to weave his magic? Good God! :shock:

Are you serious? Inglis has been pretty poor at 5/8 for Melbourne.

 

[Fozz]

I know Inglis won a Clive Churchill at 5/8th but Manly was crap!

He is far better out wide on the wing, fullback or centre.

 

[Coxy]

I don't think Prince and Thurston would compliment each other very well. They are the exact same sort of player. They are both dominate half backs who like to call the shots and have their hands on the ball 3+ times per set. We'll win either way but I'm not sure that Prince-Thurston combination would set the world on fire.

I tend to agree, but the way the game is played these days, it's usually half or five-eighth on one side or the other. Prince and Thurston could easily patrol their own side of the field.

And in saying that, I think Thurston looks worst when he really tries to take over a game. He's at his best when Payne and Bowen are contributing, and he has a decent five-eighth (Burns) with him. He's so poor whenever he's partnered with Justin Smith.

Prince is a far better organiser than Thurston. Let Thurston chime in when he wants to and let Prince run the forward pack like a good halfback does.

Alternatively, I'd have picked Inglis at 5/8 and drafted in another winger. Imagine Thurston running the show and dishing it out to Inglis to weave his magic? Good God! :shock:

Inglis at five-eighth never excites me. He's wasted there. Does nothing unless his halfback and hooker have created momentum with the forwards.

I hate Bird as a five-eighth. We might as well just pick a team of locks and hope for the best.

 

[Russo]

Can't believe they are going to bypass the 18th man Lafranchi and bring another backrower in Crocker into the side.

Honestly what more does Lafranchi have to do, he is the form backrower if not form player of the season to date.
Agree hate Bird at five-eighth, and can't believe I'm going to say this but I'd rather Anasta 'the cat' at #6.

 

[Jeza23]

Can't believe they are going to bypass the 18th man Lafranchi and bring another backrower in Crocker into the side.

Honestly what more does Lafranchi have to do, he is the form backrower if not form player of the season to date.
Agree hate Bird at five-eighth, and can't believe I'm going to say this but I'd rather Anasta 'the cat' at #6.

No idea how they can do that. eusa_think What is the point of the 18th man then? Isn't the 18th man there just in case someone pulls out with injury?

Crocker has absolutely nothing on Laffranchi at the moment, they're dead set on some serious drugs.

There's Bellamy's influence for ya! He is assistant coach isnt he?? Or at least he was.

Anthony has got to be wondering what is going on seeing as he was named the 18th man, there is an injury to Lockyer and now hes not in the team! How does that work eusa_think

Laffranchi all the way!

 

[Foordy]

What does Prince have to do to get a run in rep footy. Cronk has been placed on standby for Thurston because of his dodgy ankle. :shock:

 

[Clintos]

Ironically, Cartright is the assistant coach.

 

[schmix]

Of course Prince has been in better form than Cronk, but when you've got a team with Cameron Smith, Slater, Inglis and Folau, and you've only got 24 hours to get some combinations going, you pick the bloke that's played with them for 3 years. Surely you can't argue with that decision? eusa_think

 

[Russo]

The Kiwis will be laughing if Cronk plays, Kearney knows his game so well and to be honest Cronk is an honest but not flashy half at best. Prince on the other hand would have bought the unknown to the side. We will be very predicatable with a halfs combo of Bonk and Bird. Sorry Ricky reckon you got it wrong this is the Australian team and the best should be picked.

 

[Nashy]

KANGAROOS coach Ricky Stuart took the unusual action of telephoning Titans halfback Scott Prince to personally explain why he was overlooked as the standby player for injured Test No.7 Johnathan Thurston.
The decision to rush Cronk into the squad after Thurston put himself in doubt by rolling his left ankle at training was not totally unexpected given he played halfback in Australia's 58-0 drubbing of the Kiwis last October when Greg Bird stood in at five-eighth for Darren Lockyer.

With only 24 hours of preparation time, Cronk's combination with Storm teammates Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis and Billy Slater also came into play.

Titans managing director Michael Searle revealed Stuart had contacted Prince to explain the reasons why he was not drafted into the Australian camp in Sydney.

"Scott has spoken to Ricky Stuart and understands the reasons behind the decision," Searle said.

"He's now very focused on winning selection for Queensland Origin."

Titans coach John Cartwright, who is Stuart's assistant, and who'd spoken out about Prince's representative claims, preferred not to comment on the choice of Thurston's standby.

"The selectors have made a decision and we've got a game to win," said Cartwright from within the Kangaroos' Sydney camp.

Australian and Queensland selector Des Morris said the decision to call Cronk into the Kangaroos squad ahead of Prince was not a black mark against the Gold Coast playmaker.

Morris said Prince was still well in the running to be selected in Queensland's 17-man State of Origin squad which will be announced next Tuesday.

Queensland selectors could be facing the unthinkable next week when they pick their team - going into the Origin battle without the game's best two players, Lockyer and Thurston.

"Scott is still very much in our discussions," Morris said.

"He's one of the form players of the competition and he's just unlucky because there really wasn't time to work a player in and Cronk played in the last Test.

"Cronk has also been playing very well for Manly."

North Queensland already suffered a major blow this week with dynamic attacking fullback Matt Bowen ruled out for two to three weeks with a knee injury.

Leading sports bookmaker Sportingbet Australia quickly suspended betting on Saturday night's NRL clash between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Sharks once news of Thurston's injury filtered through.

"The phones ran hot straight away with one of the first bets being $5,000 on the Sharks at the plus four points handicap," said Sportingbet's chief executive Michael Sullivan.

TAB Sportsbet was also hit hard with a string of bets of $30,000 and two more of $15,000 at the handicap start, forcing the Sharks line odds in from $1.90 into $1.85.

It makes sence too.

 

[mick]

Course it makes sense.

Prince has been in awesome form, but with 24 hours notice it's imperitave to get a halfback in there who consistently plays with the fullback and hooker, not to mention a couple of forwards too.

 

[Guest]

"Cronk has also been playing very well for Manly."

Who wrote this?

 

[Guest]

Thurston is back in apparently