World Cup Squads

[Cult]

Haven't seen a lot about the World Cup at the end of the season. When are the squads named? How big are the squads going to be? Who do you think should and shouldn't be named?

I'd leave out some players like Josh Jackson and Klemmer because of terrible club form. Ferguson and Dugan because they shouldn't have been there in the first place. Pearce was close but DCE would fit better in my opinion. Hess was close as well but his hype has died down since Origin so Crichton has taken his rookie spot. I have named 32 players.

Fullbacks- Darius Boyd, Tom Trbojevic, Billy Slater
Wing- Corey Oates, Nathan Ross, Josh Mansour, Josh Addo-Carr
Centre- James Roberts, Dane Gagai, Jack Bird, Will Chambers
Five-eight- Anthony Milford, Michael Morgan, Cameron Munster
Halfback- Daly Cherry-Evans, Cooper Cronk
Prop- Paul Vaughan, Nathan Brown, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Dylan Napa, Andrew Fifita, Jarrod Wallace
Hooker- Ben Hunt, Cameron Smith
Second Row- Matt Gillett, Gavin Cooper, Tyson Frizell, Angus Crichton, Josh Papalii, Boyd Cordner
Lock- Josh McGuire, Jake Trbojevic

 

[Morkel]

Yep. I think that's about spot on. Close thread!

 

[Sproj]

Yep pretty good squad, can't fault it but you know Dugan, Ferguson, Moses, et al will be in there.

 

[Cult]

Yep pretty good squad, can't fault it but you know Dugan, Ferguson, Moses, et al will be in there.

Surely the NSW quota was filled by others though?
QLD- 18
NSW- 14

I just noticed Lebanon named a 40 man squad. Are there really 40 NRL players worthy of putting the Kangaroos jersey on?

 

[Big Pete]

World Cup squads consist of 24 players.

Let's use the 2016 Australia Squad as a base....

Aaron Woods
Blake Ferguson
Boyd Corder
Cam Smith
Cooper Cronk
Darius Boyd
David Klemmer
Greg Inglis
Jake Friend
James Maloney
Johnathan Thurston
Josh Dugan
Josh Mansour
Josh Papalii*
Justin O'Neil
Matt Gillett
Matt Moylan
Matt Scott
Michael Morgan
Sam Thaiday
Shannon Boyd
Trent Merrin
Tyson Frizell
Valentine Holmes

Papalii was later ruled out of the Four Nations and replaced with Jake Trbojevic.

Highlighted are the players who shouldn't be there either due to injury or form. That means the selectors have to find...

A half
Two backs
A fullback/utility
Two props
Two loose forwards

My picks
A half - Cam Munster
Two backs - Dane Gagai & Will Chambers
A fullback/utility - Billy Slater
Two props - Dylan Napa & Reagan Campbell-Gillard
Two loose forwards - Jake Trbojevic & Josh McGuire

 

[Cult]

You forgot to highlight Woods, Dugan and Klemmer, BP.

 

[Cult]

There we go. 24 man Squad
Fullbacks- Darius Boyd, Billy Slater
Wing- Corey Oates, Josh Mansour,
Centre- James Roberts, Dane Gagai, Jack Bird, Will Chambers
Five-eight- Anthony Milford, Michael Morgan, Cameron Munster
Halfback- Cooper Cronk
Prop- Paul Vaughan, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Dylan Napa, Andrew Fifita
Hooker- Ben Hunt, Cameron Smith
Second Row- Matt Gillett, Gavin Cooper, Tyson Frizell, Boyd Cordner
Lock- Josh McGuire, Jake Trbojevic

 

[Big Pete]

You forgot to highlight Woods, Dugan and Klemmer, BP.

I could give or take Dugan and Woods, but their dip in form hasn't been as dramatic as Mez or Thaiday's.

Klemmer will be one of the first picked and deservedly so.

 

[Alec]

Milford is no chance, he's having surgery.

 

[Cult]

I could give or take Dugan and Woods, but their dip in form hasn't been as dramatic as Mez or Thaiday's.

Klemmer will be one of the first picked and deservedly so.

Dugan got dropped from the Dragons, he shouldn't be there. Woods is an absolute waste. Reliance on him is a huge part of why the Tigers have been so terrible over the years. Klemmer is big but has been surpassed by numerous props this year.

I really think these teams need to start being picked on form and there are players that are far more deserving than Woods and Klemmer.

 

[Big Pete]

Dugan got dropped from the Dragons, he shouldn't be there.

Not because of his form.

Woods is an absolute waste. Reliance on him is a huge part of why the Tigers have been so terrible over the years.

And here I was thinking it was due to bad coaching, poor recruitment and retention and just being plain a inferior side.

Again, I could give or take either but the alternatives aren't better players.

Klemmer is big but has been surpassed by numerous props this year.

Best prop forward in Origin, comfortably outplayed Fifita across the entire series and the others are all behind Klemmer. It's true he had an inconsistent start to the season. One week he'd tear the Broncos a new arsehole, the next he'd barely put a dent in the Cowboys. However his form following the Origin period was awesome and his finish to the season in particular was amazing. I get there's a narrative in play and Klemmer has been over-hyped but that doesn't stop him from being the best prop forward in Australia.

 

[Cult]

Not because of his form.



And here I was thinking it was due to bad coaching, poor recruitment and retention and just being plain a inferior side.

Again, I could give or take either but the alternatives aren't better players.



Best prop forward in Origin, comfortably outplayed Fifita across the entire series and the others are all behind Klemmer. It's true he had an inconsistent start to the season. One week he'd tear the Broncos a new arsehole, the next he'd barely put a dent in the Cowboys. However his form following the Origin period was awesome and his finish to the season in particular was amazing. I get there's a narrative in play and Klemmer has been over-hyped but that doesn't stop him from being the best prop forward in Australia.

Not because of his form but because he is a dick head. You want players in the Australian team who get dropped from their club?

Obviously there's other reasons they've been shit, but Woods is a big part. He's a pillow.

When did Klemmer tear us apart? That game in the rain? I respectfully disagree. There's a reason the narrative is in play. These players are the rep players whose teams can't make the top8 that everyone has been talking about. How do you have the best prop in the game and not do well? You notice how Fifita and RCG can turn a game around? Fifita did it in the GF and RCG almost did it against us. Klemmer can't do that. Plus he's a knee lifter.

 

[Big Pete]

Again, I could give or take Dugan and Woods' selection but my point on Thaiday, O'Neil and Merrin is that their form had notably dropped off. You can't say the same for Dugan and Woods' who have really just kept on trucking.

The only argument against Dugan and Ferguson for that matter was his behaviour in the Origin camp. I could see him being punished for it and would be fine with it.

How do you have the best prop in the game and not do well?

Easily, you play him out of position and surround him with mediocre players.

Fifita is a loose cannon and Campbell-Gillard doesn't have enough runs on the board yet. Personally I'd like to see RCG get an opportunity but not at the expense of Klemmer.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

The Kangaroos will unveil their 24-man World Cup squad in Sydney on Tuesday morning, with Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Munster, Will Chambers, Cameron Smith, McLean and Kaufusi all rewarded for their title success at ANZ Stadium on Sunday night.
Runners-up North Queensland will have just one player in the Kangaroos team, with Michael Morgan fighting Munster for the right to partner Cronk in the halves in the opening game of the tournament against England in Melbourne on Friday, October 27.
The Sharks are the equal second-most-represented team in the competition, with Wade Graham, Andrew Fifita, James Maloney and Valentine Holmes earning selection.
The Broncos also have four players in the squad, including Darius Boyd, who is expected to overcome a hamstring injury that plagued his finals series in time for the world cup.
Matt Gillett, Josh McGuire and Hunt have also been included in Meninga's squad, so too Manly brothers Jake Trbojevic and speedster Tom.
It's been an incredible 12 months for Kaufusi, who scored a try in Melbourne's emphatic victory against the Cowboys at ANZ Stadium.
He was part of Melbourne's extended squad for the decider against Cronulla last year, admitting the pain of missing the grand final spurred him on to the heights he has reached this year.
"I was on the extended bench last year. It's been a massive turnaround," Kaufusi said.
"This year has been a bit of a breakout year for myself. I worked hard in the off-season and just grateful to be in this team. In the back of my mind [missing] last year did hurt ... it was just one of those light bulb moments. Something clicked.
"Playing off Cooper Cronk, Slater and Cameron Smith, they make me look better than I am. The opportunity was there at the Storm last year with Kevin Proctor leaving. There were a couple of boys fighting for that spot. Lucky enough I got through."
BACKS: Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Will Chambers, Dane Gagai, Tom Trbojevic, Josh Dugan, Valentine Holmes, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Munster, Michael Morgan, James Maloney
FORWARDS: Aaron Woods, David Klemmer, Josh McGuire, Andrew Fifita, Jake Trbojevic, Jordan McLean, Boyd Cordner, Matt Gillett, Tyson Frizell, Wade Graham, Felise Kaufusi, Cameron Smith, Ben Hunt

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sp...-felise-kaufusi-a-bolter-20171002-gysx7c.html

 

[Sproj]

I reckon Addo-Carr should be a bolted as well (if he qualifies). Other than that, Kaufusi is a no-brainer. Dugan and Fergusen should be replaced by Roberts and Addo-Carr in my opinion.

 

[Sproj]

Also, since Morgan, Munster, Cronk and Hunt will all rightly be picked, do you need Maloney?

 

[Mitch06]

Also, since Morgan, Munster, Cronk and Hunt will all rightly be picked, do you need Maloney?

Pearce or DCE would be more balanced options I think.

 

[Unbreakable]

1. Slater
2. Holmes
3. Munster
4. Chambers
5. Gagai
6. Morgan
7. Cronk
8. Woods
9. Smith (c)
10. Klemmer
11. Cordner
12. Gillett
13. McGuire

14. Hunt
15. Fifita
16. Frizell
17. J.Trbojevic

Tough to leave out Maloney & Tommy Turbo, but you've gotta pick that 1-7.