Post your Kangaroos Merit team

[Sproj]

If we are picking on merit and leaving Samoan / Tongan choices out of it, I'm going:

1. Edwards
2. To'o
3. Staggs
4. Crichton
5. Cobbo
6. Mam
7. Cleary
8. Tino
9. Grant
10. Haas
11. Fifita
12. Martin
13. Carrigan

14. Ponga
15. Collins
16. Yeo
17. Flegler

 

[Mustafur]

If we are picking on merit and leaving Samoan / Tongan choices out of it, I'm going:

1. Edwards
2. To'o
3. Staggs
4. Crichton
5. Cobbo
6. Mam
7. Cleary
8. Tino
9. Grant
10. Haas
11. Fifita
12. Martin
13. Carrigan

14. Ponga
15. Collins
16. Yeo
17. Flegler

Would you really throw Walsh away after one game?

he is easily the 1 from what I can see, easy to forget Edwards hasn't even played origin yet.

 

[Sproj]

Would you really throw Walsh away after one game?

he is easily the 1 from what I can see, easy to forget Edwards hasn't even played origin yet.

He went to pot on the biggest of stages and you could argue cost us the GF with some of his terrible defense. Edwards is now a three time premiership winner and Clive Churchill winner as well. I wouldn't give it to Walsh because he needs his head pulled in clearly to get to where he can and will get to.

 

[Mustafur]

He went to pot on the biggest of stages and you could argue cost us the GF with some of his terrible defense. Edwards is not a three time premiership winner and Clive Churchill winner as well. I wouldn't give it to Walsh because he needs his head pulled in clearly to get to where he can and will get to.

Yeah but Walsh also was a critical in winning state of origin, and a massive key to us demolishing Warriors to get into the GF.

Seems a bit emotional to replace him with a player who is basically a roaming centre with no creativity at all, in a kangaroos team where they are going to win field position consistently against anyone he would be at his most dangerous as well.

The Kiwis this year look quite a bit stronger than in the WC with SJ playing at the level he has been, I don't think Mal can afford to be relaxed on selections like in the past tbh.

 

[Nashy]

He went to pot on the biggest of stages and you could argue cost us the GF with some of his terrible defense. Edwards is not a three time premiership winner and Clive Churchill winner as well. I wouldn't give it to Walsh because he needs his head pulled in clearly to get to where he can and will get to.

He's still better than Edwards man.

 

[Sproj]

He's still better than Edwards man.

Fine, put Ponga there instead. Either way, Walsh shouldn't be it...yet. Make him earn it is what I'm saying.

 

[Sproj]

Yeah but Walsh also was a critical in winning state of origin, and a massive key to us demolishing Warriors to get into the GF.

Seems a bit emotional to replace him with a player who is basically a roaming centre with no creativity at all, in a kangaroos team where they are going to win field position consistently against anyone he would be at his most dangerous as well.

The Kiwis this year look quite a bit stronger than in the WC with SJ playing at the level he has been, I don't think Mal can afford to be relaxed on selections like in the past tbh.

It isn't because I don't think he is good enough, I want him to be made to earn it. Plus this isn't the team I would pick for Aus, it is based on merit for this season and Edwards is extremely underrated.

As for SJ, he isn't playing for NZ this year.

 

[Mustafur]

Fine, put Ponga there instead. Either way, Walsh shouldn't be it...yet. Make him earn it is what I'm saying.

you mean take away what's earned because he is young a cheeky? lol

 

[Sproj]

you mean take away what's earned because he is young a cheeky? lol

He blew up on the biggest stage man, don't know what else to tell you. If you don't want it to be Edwards, fine. Give it to Ponga.

 

[Mustafur]

He blew up on the biggest stage man, don't know what else to tell you. If you don't want it to be Edwards, fine. Give it to Ponga.

I watched the game in person, I don't think he played as bad as it might have looked on tv, Penrith's line speed was on another level to us all game, it strangled Walsh out of the game and that isn't all on him, line speed is a team issue, if we could match them theirs would of buckled more and considering he isn't a line defender there isn't much he could of done differently regarding it.

 

[Sproj]

I watched the game in person, I don't think he played as bad as it might have looked on tv, Penrith's line speed was on another level to us all game, it strangled Walsh out of the game and that isn't all on him, line speed is a team issue, if we could match them theirs would of buckled more and considering he isn't a line defender there isn't much he could of done differently regarding it.

Should have been there on the Herbie bat back and yeah might have made no difference but he was nowhere to be seen. Totally out of position on the last try because he didn’t track across. Knocked Staggs and Cobbo off of Crichton. There’s a video of his GF from channel 9 on YouTube, it was focused on him and shows how out of position he was on some key moments.

This isn’t a go at him, he had an amazing season and was a massive factor in us making the GF, he just saved his worst game of the year for when it mattered most. He’ll come back from it but he’s had so much positive press he needs to be bought back down a bit to learn he isn’t the complete package yet. And yeah, my views aren’t going to go down well here and totally understand you disagreeing but hope it explains why I feel the way I do.

 

[Mustafur]

Should have been there on the Herbie bat back and yeah might have made no difference but he was nowhere to be seen. Totally out of position on the last try because he didn’t track across. Knocked Staggs and Cobbo off of Crichton. There’s a video of his GF from channel 9 on YouTube, it was focused on him and shows how out of position he was on some key moments.

This isn’t a go at him, he had an amazing season and was a massive factor in us making the GF, he just saved his worst game of the year for when it mattered most. He’ll come back from it but he’s had so much positive press he needs to be bought back down a bit to learn he isn’t the complete package yet. And yeah, my views aren’t going to go down well here and totally understand you disagreeing but hope it explains why I feel the way I do.

that last try was evitable tbh, if a halfback is breaking the line and your hoping for the fullback to save it in the middle, there is obvious issues before that.

An easy one to forget is the Cleary 40/20 at the end that was done on 3rd tackle, Cobbo and Arthars hadn't retreated back yet so Walsh was left defending both sides of the feild to try stop it which was impossible.

 

[Wolfie]

I dont get how people can think Walsh was good in the final, he wasnt, but if we are talking about a team based on merit, he has to be in there. Its not based on one poor performance.

 

[Sproj]

that last try was evitable tbh, if a halfback is breaking the line and your hoping for the fullback to save it in the middle, there is obvious issues before that.

An easy one to forget is the Cleary 40/20 at the end that was done on 3rd tackle, Cobbo and Arthars hadn't retreated back yet so Walsh was left defending both sides of the feild to try stop it which was impossible.

Hence I didn’t say he should have stopped it.

 

[Sproj]

I dont get how people can think Walsh was good in the final, he wasnt, but if we are talking about a team based on merit, he has to be in there. Its not based on one poor performance.

Edwards is underrated, has three premierships on the trot never plays a bad game is super safe under the high ball and ran for 300m (depending on which site you go by) in a GF. He has every bit a shout as any other fullback, just doesn’t get noticed because he isn’t flashy.

 

[Mustafur]

I dont get how people can think Walsh was good in the final, he wasnt, but if we are talking about a team based on merit, he has to be in there. Its not based on one poor performance.

I don't think he was good but he wasn't as diabolical as it might have looked, given a near impossible task to implement his best attacking plays compared to the rest of the season, Penrith are where they have been for the last few years for a reason, unmatched line speed that lets them win field position always and limits opposition attack for set plays, you need big moments to catch them out.

 

[Mustafur]

Edwards is underrated, has three premierships on the trot never plays a bad game is super safe under the high ball and ran for 300m (depending on which side you go by) in a GF. He has every bit a shout as any other fullback, just doesn’t get noticed because he isn’t flashy.

If Walsh was in that Penrith team with how they play they would have 12 more points a game on average, even if they might let in a bit more points, they own the field when they play which makes the full backs job alot more simple.

Similar to what would happen with the Kangaroos.

 

[Sproj]

If Walsh was in that Penrith team with how they play they would have 12 more points a game on average, even if they might let in a bit more points, they own the field when they play which makes the full backs job alot more simple.

Similar to what would happen with the Kangaroos.

You don’t think Edwards’ 300m contributes hugely to that? Using your logic, if Edwards was in our side last night we win it, that says it all.