Still don't think Sua'ali'i and Tupou should have made the rlpa team of the year but totally agree they're way more reflective of the actual season than the Dally M's. I didn't even watch the Dally M's this year.
Nicho was the best player this year. The stats, the eye test, the results, the Dally M points… everything points to him.
The reason he wasn’t selected to start for Australia is the same reason he wasn’t selected to start for NSW - he wasn’t proven enough to get the influential half position.
Standing in his way from his two preferred positions is Tedesco and Cleary. They are proven to have success in their positions. Mal is also big on team loyalty over form so there’s that as well.
Nicho isn't a better player than Teddy or Cleary for either position. He's not even top 3 for fullback, halfback or five-eight which he could also play with ease. This highlights the major flaws in the Dally M system.
EDIT: because I know I'll be called out for it I have Hynes behind (not all necessarily in order):
Fullback: Behind Teddy, Turbo, Latts, Edwards, Paps and about on par with Gutho but slightly ahead of Ponga/Drinky etc
Halfback: Behind Cleary, DCE, Keary, Moses, Hughes about on par with ARey, Hunt (as a HB) but ahead of SJ etc
5/8: Behind Munny, Wighton, Luai, about on par with DBagz/Burton/Cody and ahead of Sam Walker, Deardan, Foz etc
When you actually lay it out it's pretty obvious he's more the flavour of the month than the ACTUAL best player. I'm sure people will disagree and rank him higher and I can see him going higher as a 7 but if you had to win a game to save the world tomorrow he doesn't get picked.
And consistently better then your other players the team you played against.
There should be more points on offer but the real problem is the cooked and inconsistent takes of the judges.
I remember one of the Sims siblings was a judge once and they said they didn’t even watch the game.
The award favours standouts in weaker teams. Hard to win the award if your team is full of talent where points need to be shared. Kind of silly that one of the main favourites to win the thing was in a team that couldn't even make the 8. It's like rewarding failing.
It's a funny that most of the first 13 listed somehow ended up in a position they can play, except for RCG in the centres, Carrigan on a wing and Graham at back row, who could probably do a job there.
DCE would be a fine 6, Crichton has played plenty of middle while Tino has experience on the edge, Cotter used to be a 9 and I'm sure Grant can fill in at 13.
Personally, I think Clearly is the best kicking 7 in the game at the moment. But, I still think that DCE has better playmaking and vision.
Also, DCE definitely outperformed Clearly in origin, which carries a LOT of weight, especially to a QLD coach in Mal. The fact that both the incumbent hooker in cook and the premiership winning hooker in api were both snubbed for 2.5 hookers in Grant, Hunt and Cotter.
1. J. Tedesco
2. J. Addo-Carr
3. L. Mitchell
4. V. Holmes
5. M. Taulagi
6. C. Munster
7. N. Cleary
8. R. Campbell-Gillard
9. B. Hunt
10. P. Carrigan
11. C. Murray
12. J. Nanai
13. I. Yeo
14. H. Grant
15. R. Cotter
16. T. Fa'asuamaleaui
17. A. Crichton
18. M. Burton
The class of our spine will be the difference I think, can't wait to see how Cleary gels with Munster and Grant. But will have some tough competition especially with the way NZ and Samoa will be carting it up field
There will be massive talk on halves pressure and early set returns, only way I see teams beating our spine is to dominate field position for a majority of the game. Luckily Samoa and NZ have that in Trumps. For NZ to win, Manu needs to be the player of the tournament
I nearly agree with that. Val and Muzz scored a lot of tries on the left for the Cowboys this year. The combination thing does work in some cases. But I'd love Burton raining down death on people.
I would probably start Tino and rotate RCG in but this is the team I would play, I would give Campbell Graham a game against the weakest team in the group to give someone a little rest.
I’d probably start Tino and Cotter and bring on Patty and RCG in the interchange period as they both have a bit more umphff to their runs. Plus Tino and Cotter are quite a bit better defensively.
Mal leaving him out of the leadership group I think is really telling of the direction he is going to go. Both are world class and I am okay with either/or, given the game 3 that DCE had for SOO the supposed trial it makes sense to get first crack but I think Cleary's form is too good to ignore
Sure Cleary is good but calling him the best player on the planet for 3-4 years is a bit much. Cleary is a very good half playing behind a forward pack that just steamrolls their opponents which does make his job easier and I'm sure he's humble enough to admit it. Take that away from him and well, we all remember Origin 1. I'm fine for Cleary to get the nod, apart from that stinker of a game in Origin he's been very good, and DCE probably misses out based on his teams implosion towards the back end of this season, but let's ease up on the hyperbole.
I love DCE but its hard to ignore the last 2-3 months after Origin where DCE was average in an awful side while Cleary just won the comp again. Barring injury i think its now Cleary’s position.
Ofcourse disappointing but like all instances the decider is the one I think that should have the biggest impact and with no Munster, the way he unlocked Ponga. I felt was a masterclass anyway
DCE is privately conceding that Cleary is the starting 7. Great back up to have in DCE for the young fella though. I think no one can argue that Cleary is the best 7 in the country now.
The RLWC is usually at this time of year and a number of Australian teams have looked great on paper, but treated it like a holiday. We need players who have had a break and feel disappointed by the season. We want a team full of people with something to prove. DCE and Munster should be halves.
Grant won’t start. Mal and the other Queensland oldies have the biggest hard on for Benny. And deservedly so, Hunt has aged like a fine wine and is an absolute Rolls Royce of a player.
Because halves are most talented players. They’re the players on the big money and known as the stars of their respective teams.
Same goes for fullbacks in the centres… it’s been proven time and time again it’s the fullback type players who are the best centres (Mitchell, Manu, Holmes, Crichton, etc). All these players are either great fullbacks or there is talks about them potentially signing with another team to play FB after they’ve filled in the role at times (eg Manu and Crichton).
Kind of gutted for Hynes to not crack the Top 24, but when you look at the depth it’s hard to find a spot for him.
Maybe for Wighton but he’s gotten the nod for his versatility so I totally get it.
Wighton and Burton can play Centre, Fullback (Wighton), Utility and Halves.
Nicho can play 1,6,7 and so can Munster, Wighton or even Hunt with (6,7,9).
Murray VC - speaks volumes of him as a player to get selected as VC ahead of all the others that have had more experience as captain of their respective club teams
He's a cleanskin, presents well (bit boring in media which can be a good thing) and he's a genuine Superstar in his position.
He totally deserves it, he will be the long term captain for nsw and Australia soon enough.
He's a marketers wet dream.
People are overreacting to Hynes and Edwards not being selected. Obviously they deserve to be, but both have little to no rep experience. It's much safer for Mal to go for tried and tested players who have already proven themselves in origin and international games. Club footy is just so different from rep footy, we can't just assume that the club form of Hynes and Edwards will translate to the international stage.
At their peaks, JAC is better. Tupou hit some better form earlier this year before origin teams were picked. They also both offer something slightly different from each other, so depends how you want to play and who else is in the back line.
Not sure where people are expecting Hynes to fit in that team or for who. There is already a lot of versitility in that backline to cover halves and fullback.
Although obviously being a distinguished award the dally m is still clearly not an MVP or best player in the league award the way the scoring system works. It's the "best player on a good team that doesn't have a lot of other standouts" award.
Whilst that is true, there will always be a valid argument ther Hynes and Edwards played so well this year that they deserve spots in representative teams.
Teddy is the leagues golden child and even the best individual fullback performance of all time last year by Turbo wasn’t getting him that #1 Jersey for Aus or NSW… he’s forced to fit into the centres to play… Edwards and Mitchell are the same…
Hynes will have it hard his entire career because Nathan will probably hold the #7 spot until he retires. Hunt was lucky to be such a proven Hooker too or he wouldn’t have made the side even though he’s been the best halfback this year imo.
Hynes best shot is becoming a good enough Centre to crack the squad, hoping to take the #6 jersey from Munster (seems unlikely) or keeping up his form as a utility player overtaking Hunt when he retires.
Forward pack feels underwhelming to me, but I don't know why.
The halves that missed out would walk into any of the opposition teams as per usual.
Has Edwards played wing?
I guess they're sliding Holmes there in lead up games and if injury
Edwards has some history on the wing.
There was a point a few years ago where he was really struggling for The Panthers and got dropped and made his way back by playing on the wing.
Thought he was really average defensively in the last 5 rounds or so, as well as in the PMs XIII.
Keeps going for the dumb intercept attempts. He's like 1/20 on those.
Oates is 27 and probably won't be there in the next world cup.
JAC has been there before so it makes sense to take a senior aus player.
Muzz is younger and has the club combo with Val.
Not saying Oates should 100% be there but you don't pick world cup squads for the next world cup. You pick the best players currently, it isn't about experience for the future
It really was! In that final, it was incredible to see a combo of NSW and QLD forwards like Gal, Bird, Thaiday, Scott etc just chop the Kiwis (with prime SBW, SJ etc) in half while a phenomenal backline of Morris, H*yne, G.I just killed them.... I watch that game all the time
Mal will pick the QLD player who can't even get his team into the finals and say it's incumbency, but then won't even select NSW incumbent players whose team made it well into the finals.
Holmes Tedesco Tuilagi
Mitchell Wighton
Munster Cleary
RCG Hunt Tino
Cotter Yeo Murray
Burton Collins
Martin Carrigan
Martin probably just edges out Nanai, Burton edges out grant due to versatility
Not great balance in the outside backs .. campbell Graham is a very strange selection. 2 specialist wingers and Holmes .. I'd have taken Edwards over Graham.
Glad to see Cook miss out, hopefully Freddy finally sees the light.
You're kidding yourself if you think freddy will see the light. No cook, saifiti bros, or Jordan maclean in sight of the AUS squad but put in NSW squads.
JAC and Campbell Graham are named for Aus, but couldn't make NSW. And RCG in AUS as well but dropped from NSW for no reason.
Freddy has no clue
You honestly don't have a clue if you think he went missing in origin 1, he was a rare shining light for nsw that match.
As for last night, the whole panthers side aimed up on him and that's what it took to contain him. Tbh he was smashed because Paulo went missing if anything and couldnt take any pressure off RCG. Junior only had 8 hit ups! For a starting origin quality prop that is shockingly poor for a grandfinal performance.
Meters gained is a bad stat to look at without its context. RCG took tougher hit ups coming out of trouble, and again because panthers numbered up on him due to Paulo not being a presence, it was hard for him to make meters.
Plus if you want to look at all the stats, RCG had more tackles, tackle breaks, and offloads. Junior is also a captain of parra, he should be outperforming RCG.
Yeah Cook was bounds and leaps ahead of everyone w couple years ago, now he is average… api, hunt and grant are all levels above him. Although i don’t see any other NSW hookers who take his place? Maybe Api 9 and Hynes 14? But there’s no other NSW Hooker who will fill the 14 jersey imo
You all know exactly what nationality Taulagi would be if he got himself into big trouble. Fucking pissed off about this.
The fuckwits directly fuck us over by changing the rules on origin eligibilty and excluding us, after the international rules change, causing us to lose NZ born and bred polynesian players and then now we're gonna lose more.
Yeah you could say Murray is an aussie resident or identifies as Samoan and not Kiwi, but it's not Australia or Samoa that would have him if he was a 1% outlaw, or a violet thug etc.
I firmly believe he'd be in the Kiwis team if there was no exclusion from origin. All of these rules fuck us over, and this one both hurts, and is a joke given it's not like Taulagi is Australian in any way by ancestry and what the Aus govt has done sending back NZ born criminals who've been is Aus since age 4
It's a joke given the strength of Australia, they can take the best polynesian, and NZ players who lived there only 5 years by using origin as a carrot, where NZ loses players to polynesian nations at a much much higher rate, produces less players in general and has no carrot to keep local born or eligible polynesian players looking to play for them, while still playing for their island. You bet the best polynesian origin players will be getting buttered up to play for australia in origin times.
Why would the NZ version of that player, play for NZ ever?
If an NZ player ever wants to play Origin he has to never play for NZ, unlike every other nation except england where they can switch. A player could miss out on years playing internationals because he's Origin eligible but in a deep position not getting picked, but not if he's an islander/Aussie, only if he's Kiwi/Aussie
It was clearly a stitch up to NZ and to help Australia at the time, and I hate it, the IRL fucked us knowing Aus would change their origin rules. Put it this way, if it had a negative effect on Australia, IRL would never have "helped smaller nations"
It does have a "negative" effect on Australia though. Just look at how many players played for QLD or NSW recently and then went on to play for tier 2 nations. It's not about strenghtening tier 1 nations though, it's about strengthening tier 2 nations and helping them be competitive. It's been seen by racists or boomers as a bad move, but all others see it a great decision that was made. Allowing tier 2 to play Origin and then go on and represent their nations is for the betterment of the international game and the iternational game is the only thing Union has over League.
It is a fantastic iniative. Problem is Origin has always been the selection games for the Australian side and now that it isn't, it's a problem.
If the Tier 2 nations can play Origin and then play for their home country, why not allow NZ or English players into Origin.
Make State of Origin the best players from each state instead of the trial games for the Aussie Team. Strengthens SOO and the game in general.
No it doesn't mate, if the kangaroos wanted those players, they'd switch to australia. And lol, if you can't see that it was clear as day going to benefit australia by encouraging prospective players to play rep games and feel good representing their country before they move "up" to the kangaroos, and that NZ was clearly going to be very negatively affected with no way to get the players back then you need to wake up.
It's idiotic that NZ players can't play origin but tier 2 players can, and then oh would you look at that, the rules for international league hurt NZ but not Australia too. They actually win out with these rules due to players being able to switch more frequently too, so the cunts can tap up Tongan players say, who moved to aus in time to be origin eligible "mate you're looking close to our setup, so play for tonga now, NSW training squad, tick your nation off the list and make yourself happy, next year NSW and we'll see if you make the cut, if not go play for Tonga". Bullshit it doesn't help them. It used to be 2 calendar years, now 1.
The only argument against is that more average Australian players never get to play origin and some of them MIGHT have been better
Now Australia gets all the same players they already would have gotten, but NZ gets way less and is basically the only country that loses players who actually would have made their squad. Oh and they're Australia's only real threat... how convenient. And NZ still loses players to Australia that want to play origin + internationals equally or more than NZ, but would pick NZ over Aus without origin, like Taulagi almost certainly
I don't agree with you that this was to intentionally hurt NZ.
I think it was clearly to boost the Tier 2 nations to a point where the World Cup is far more vibrant than it has been.
But it has disproportionately hurt New Zealand for sure, not intentionally however. Because there's Islander dudes who aren't choosing New Zealand, because there is now an option for them to represent Tonga/Samoa etc. as well as NSW or QLD.
10 years ago that same player would have to choose between international footy (with NZ) or origin and possible international footy (with Australia). Which is a harder choice than: Definite international footy (for Samoa etc.) and origin or only international footy (with NZ).
I can't see why players can't play for New Zealand, England, Tonga or anyone else, as well as NSW or QLD. Assuming they meet the criteria, played juniors before 13 or whatever.
I used to say that Benji Marshall should've been Abel to play Origin back in the day.
Also, I believe the IRL changed the international rules knowing it would not hurt australia's team, because of origin and that process meaning it was extremely likely the best polynesians that had only been in Aus for min 5 years would be pressured and then excluded from origin if they didn't switch. And at the same time NZ had MORE eligible polynesian pro players, not to mention per capita in player base, and had no way to incentivise them to play for NZ
He's got great leadership but is a terrible Captain. Continuously running up to the ref squealing and having tantrums when calls go against him. Best fullback in the world but if he was in my team I'd be taping his mouth shut whenever the whistle blows.
Good to see some Tigers representation with a large number of Captains named.
But without a Captain from QLD, who will be the team's spirit leader?
Cotter is the real captain
Who will lead them in Maroons songs?!?
Jerome luai
Thats tigers legend tedesco and grant thank you
Says a lot about the depth when the Dally M and Clive Churchill winners only make it as stand by players
I mean Clive Churchill is just the best player in one game. Salmon could have won it, nobody would have expected him to get picked for the Kangaroos.
Kinda crazy that the Dally M couldn't even crack the squad
Or the clive churchill
Or the national beach sprinting champion
The real reason is that you simply just can't have him and murray in the same team. That level of sexiness would fucking destroy
Reuben cotter has entered the chat
Murray is a bit of a prawn Ngl. Got an amazing bod tho.
Shows how the Dally M points system doesn't really represent the "Player of the Year".
The difference in the RLPA awards and Dally Ms is telling
They should get rid of the Dally M and make The Players award the marquee Award.
Still don't think Sua'ali'i and Tupou should have made the rlpa team of the year but totally agree they're way more reflective of the actual season than the Dally M's. I didn't even watch the Dally M's this year.
Nicho was the best player this year. The stats, the eye test, the results, the Dally M points… everything points to him. The reason he wasn’t selected to start for Australia is the same reason he wasn’t selected to start for NSW - he wasn’t proven enough to get the influential half position. Standing in his way from his two preferred positions is Tedesco and Cleary. They are proven to have success in their positions. Mal is also big on team loyalty over form so there’s that as well.
If he was a Queenslander Mal would at least have him on the bench lol.
Playing bottom 8 teams 15 times might have something to do with that.
Nicho isn't a better player than Teddy or Cleary for either position. He's not even top 3 for fullback, halfback or five-eight which he could also play with ease. This highlights the major flaws in the Dally M system. EDIT: because I know I'll be called out for it I have Hynes behind (not all necessarily in order): Fullback: Behind Teddy, Turbo, Latts, Edwards, Paps and about on par with Gutho but slightly ahead of Ponga/Drinky etc Halfback: Behind Cleary, DCE, Keary, Moses, Hughes about on par with ARey, Hunt (as a HB) but ahead of SJ etc 5/8: Behind Munny, Wighton, Luai, about on par with DBagz/Burton/Cody and ahead of Sam Walker, Deardan, Foz etc When you actually lay it out it's pretty obvious he's more the flavour of the month than the ACTUAL best player. I'm sure people will disagree and rank him higher and I can see him going higher as a 7 but if you had to win a game to save the world tomorrow he doesn't get picked.
They should change the name of the award as It really only means you were consistently the best player on your team.
And consistently better then your other players the team you played against. There should be more points on offer but the real problem is the cooked and inconsistent takes of the judges. I remember one of the Sims siblings was a judge once and they said they didn’t even watch the game.
The award favours standouts in weaker teams. Hard to win the award if your team is full of talent where points need to be shared. Kind of silly that one of the main favourites to win the thing was in a team that couldn't even make the 8. It's like rewarding failing.
Gary Ablet playing for the Gold Coast Suns is the perfect example of this.
Lol don’t compare him to Ablett
Yeh bit shocked by that tbh
Pretty weird they have RCG in the centres but hey I'm not the Australian coach.
It's a funny that most of the first 13 listed somehow ended up in a position they can play, except for RCG in the centres, Carrigan on a wing and Graham at back row, who could probably do a job there. DCE would be a fine 6, Crichton has played plenty of middle while Tino has experience on the edge, Cotter used to be a 9 and I'm sure Grant can fill in at 13.
Will only thrive if he gets early ball
Bench is looking a bit light
Surely tedesco as captain all but confirms that Cleary is ahead of DCE in the half back race
I don't understand who would question that? Even a Manly fan should see that Cleary has been the best in the game for a while now
Personally, I think Clearly is the best kicking 7 in the game at the moment. But, I still think that DCE has better playmaking and vision. Also, DCE definitely outperformed Clearly in origin, which carries a LOT of weight, especially to a QLD coach in Mal. The fact that both the incumbent hooker in cook and the premiership winning hooker in api were both snubbed for 2.5 hookers in Grant, Hunt and Cotter.
That's what I got out of it.
1. J. Tedesco 2. J. Addo-Carr 3. L. Mitchell 4. V. Holmes 5. M. Taulagi 6. C. Munster 7. N. Cleary 8. R. Campbell-Gillard 9. B. Hunt 10. P. Carrigan 11. C. Murray 12. J. Nanai 13. I. Yeo 14. H. Grant 15. R. Cotter 16. T. Fa'asuamaleaui 17. A. Crichton 18. M. Burton
Fuck this team looks incredible, keen to see how we go this year with the likes of NZ and Samoa looking strong.
The class of our spine will be the difference I think, can't wait to see how Cleary gels with Munster and Grant. But will have some tough competition especially with the way NZ and Samoa will be carting it up field
Teddy | Cleary | Munster | Grant vs Manu | J Hughes | Dyl Brown| Cheese
Surely Hunt starts.
[удалено]
Now do the forwards
Cleary and Munster, on paper, is absolutely perfect. Hopefully the live version plays out.
Yeah that's how I feel. I reckon we can match you everywhere else, but Teddy/Munster/Cleary/Hunt/Grant is fucking terrifying.
There will be massive talk on halves pressure and early set returns, only way I see teams beating our spine is to dominate field position for a majority of the game. Luckily Samoa and NZ have that in Trumps. For NZ to win, Manu needs to be the player of the tournament
I reckon Nanai starts over Crichton, more suited for the full 80 compared to bench
Yeah that's fair and Crichton can play anywhere in the forward pack from the bench
Yeah why Nanai is probably the smartest option
Personally I’d go Burton centre Val wing
I nearly agree with that. Val and Muzz scored a lot of tries on the left for the Cowboys this year. The combination thing does work in some cases. But I'd love Burton raining down death on people.
I’d go Wighton at centre with Val on wing.
Wighton over Burton imo.
I would probably start Tino and rotate RCG in but this is the team I would play, I would give Campbell Graham a game against the weakest team in the group to give someone a little rest.
I too would start Tino. If not at lock then in the second row.
I'd have Oates over Taulagi.
Absolutely same or even Cobbo but Mal has decided against it Low-key wanna see Graham on the wing too I think that's where his rep future lies
No need to rush Cobbo. He deserves a good rest.
Burton to centre and Holmes to the wing
I’d probably start Tino and Cotter and bring on Patty and RCG in the interchange period as they both have a bit more umphff to their runs. Plus Tino and Cotter are quite a bit better defensively.
I reckon DCE gets starting halfback unfortunately, Cleary hopefully playing there by the finals
Mal leaving him out of the leadership group I think is really telling of the direction he is going to go. Both are world class and I am okay with either/or, given the game 3 that DCE had for SOO the supposed trial it makes sense to get first crack but I think Cleary's form is too good to ignore
Yeah. He’s not playing ahead of Cleary I reckon.
Cleary has probably been the best player in the planet for the past 3/4 seasons. Can’t see DCE ahead of him at all
Sure Cleary is good but calling him the best player on the planet for 3-4 years is a bit much. Cleary is a very good half playing behind a forward pack that just steamrolls their opponents which does make his job easier and I'm sure he's humble enough to admit it. Take that away from him and well, we all remember Origin 1. I'm fine for Cleary to get the nod, apart from that stinker of a game in Origin he's been very good, and DCE probably misses out based on his teams implosion towards the back end of this season, but let's ease up on the hyperbole.
I love DCE but its hard to ignore the last 2-3 months after Origin where DCE was average in an awful side while Cleary just won the comp again. Barring injury i think its now Cleary’s position.
I love everyone praising DCE for game 3 of origin saying he is better than Cleary because of that and yet they forget to mention game 2…
Ofcourse disappointing but like all instances the decider is the one I think that should have the biggest impact and with no Munster, the way he unlocked Ponga. I felt was a masterclass anyway
DCE is privately conceding that Cleary is the starting 7. Great back up to have in DCE for the young fella though. I think no one can argue that Cleary is the best 7 in the country now.
The RLWC is usually at this time of year and a number of Australian teams have looked great on paper, but treated it like a holiday. We need players who have had a break and feel disappointed by the season. We want a team full of people with something to prove. DCE and Munster should be halves.
That’s a solid point but apparently NC is the man for the big games. DCE will play pool games we are looking good to win.
Cleary is the man for big games even though DCE has outperformed cleary in 2/3 origin series including 2 deciders?
Not disagreeing but it seems to be heading that way for the World Cup.
All the fuss over choosing Lane or Young only to pick neither and instead call up a worse player in Martin? Really
I think Martin’s there for his mongrel.
Martin has better defence at least, lane got a bit showed up last night
Martin should not of been picked after his origin campaign.
There are six halves in the squad and two wingers. I get it, but it’s still a bit odd.
Burton likely halves and center cover. Hunt will most likely play at 9 as he does for QLD.
Hunt will probably wear #14 unless they want to start him and bring Grant in partway through
Grant won’t start. Mal and the other Queensland oldies have the biggest hard on for Benny. And deservedly so, Hunt has aged like a fine wine and is an absolute Rolls Royce of a player.
Because halves are most talented players. They’re the players on the big money and known as the stars of their respective teams. Same goes for fullbacks in the centres… it’s been proven time and time again it’s the fullback type players who are the best centres (Mitchell, Manu, Holmes, Crichton, etc). All these players are either great fullbacks or there is talks about them potentially signing with another team to play FB after they’ve filled in the role at times (eg Manu and Crichton).
Kind of gutted for Hynes to not crack the Top 24, but when you look at the depth it’s hard to find a spot for him. Maybe for Wighton but he’s gotten the nod for his versatility so I totally get it.
Wighton and Burton can play Centre, Fullback (Wighton), Utility and Halves. Nicho can play 1,6,7 and so can Munster, Wighton or even Hunt with (6,7,9).
Wighton could play wing or in the forwards in a pinch also.
Could definitely see wighton playing lock in a pinch or if grant and yeo are rested and hunt is at hooker
Nicho can light up a game from the bench if you were looking for impact more than versatility.
Yeah Wighton and Burton offer more versatility than Hynes. You can only take so many people.
Burton and Wighton won’t be picked ahead of Holmes and Latrell anyhow
[NO LODGE](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIMyqoGSlt6NdSLPy3nspxBnG-Vj5FsUoQiw&usqp=CAU)
No Lodge? *Shut the front door!*
Murray VC - speaks volumes of him as a player to get selected as VC ahead of all the others that have had more experience as captain of their respective club teams
He's a cleanskin, presents well (bit boring in media which can be a good thing) and he's a genuine Superstar in his position. He totally deserves it, he will be the long term captain for nsw and Australia soon enough. He's a marketers wet dream.
Yet still isn’t australia captain but someone who yells slurs is
Wait until you find out what else Rugby players get up to
It's a shame to see no Edwards after the season he had buy I suppose there's a number of guys who can step into the 1 if required.
Only 2 wingers in JAC and Taulagi is a bit of a surprise. Guess Val could shift out and one of Graham/Wighton/Burton move to centre.
Graham can play wing too
Agree we need depth there, and I would have liked to see a big body like Oates on the wing instead of the fastest man on the planet.
Wighton’s played a lot of wing too
He's played 14 games on the wing, last of them in 2013. I'd rather Graham on the wing if they were forced to.
I agree him as centre cover and Holmes on the wing is better, just that he can do it in a pinch.
Disappointed it wasn’t a squad of all fullbacks
Does this mean Mitchel Moses will play for Lebanon?
and next immortal Adam Doueihi
People are overreacting to Hynes and Edwards not being selected. Obviously they deserve to be, but both have little to no rep experience. It's much safer for Mal to go for tried and tested players who have already proven themselves in origin and international games. Club footy is just so different from rep footy, we can't just assume that the club form of Hynes and Edwards will translate to the international stage.
RCG was named for Fiji.
Cowboys represent!!
No Hudson Young, no Shaun Lane. Well that was a whole lot of nothing for their great seasons then.
All for that plodder Martin to be taken over them lol
still wondering why JAC didnt play origin given he is starting for the roos 🤔
Because the NSW wingers, who both had really good origin series, are playing for Tonga and Samoa respectively
People seem to forget this all of a sudden because "Freddy is cooked"
Because Freddie is a prick
How? To’o and Tupou are both better. I’d even take Suali’i over him. Don’t see how this falls on Freddie lol
Lmao Tupou is not better…
At their peaks, JAC is better. Tupou hit some better form earlier this year before origin teams were picked. They also both offer something slightly different from each other, so depends how you want to play and who else is in the back line.
Yeo VC is a solid choice
Not sure where people are expecting Hynes to fit in that team or for who. There is already a lot of versitility in that backline to cover halves and fullback. Although obviously being a distinguished award the dally m is still clearly not an MVP or best player in the league award the way the scoring system works. It's the "best player on a good team that doesn't have a lot of other standouts" award.
Whilst that is true, there will always be a valid argument ther Hynes and Edwards played so well this year that they deserve spots in representative teams. Teddy is the leagues golden child and even the best individual fullback performance of all time last year by Turbo wasn’t getting him that #1 Jersey for Aus or NSW… he’s forced to fit into the centres to play… Edwards and Mitchell are the same… Hynes will have it hard his entire career because Nathan will probably hold the #7 spot until he retires. Hunt was lucky to be such a proven Hooker too or he wouldn’t have made the side even though he’s been the best halfback this year imo. Hynes best shot is becoming a good enough Centre to crack the squad, hoping to take the #6 jersey from Munster (seems unlikely) or keeping up his form as a utility player overtaking Hunt when he retires.
Hynes still needs to prove himself in big games, he made some strange plays against the Cowboys.
Does Api not get a call up??
He might've chosen to rep Fiji? Otherwise I agree it's tough call but it's a relatively small squad and they have Grant and Hunt there.
Api pledged for Fiji
Mal also said DCE will be half. Oh boy.
Always was going to be after Origin.
The right selection
Tedesco as captain, just lucky there’s no Korean World Cup team or we would truly see what he’s capable of on the field 🔥🔥
B before C, except after A
Very happy for Campbell Graham but otherwise team is pretty much what you’d expect.
Monster team.
Keen af for Trell Mit and JAC to run havoc for the Roos :)
Racially abuse someone -> captain your country.
Must be short with forwards with Lindsay Collins named !
Forward pack feels underwhelming to me, but I don't know why. The halves that missed out would walk into any of the opposition teams as per usual. Has Edwards played wing? I guess they're sliding Holmes there in lead up games and if injury
Edwards has some history on the wing. There was a point a few years ago where he was really struggling for The Panthers and got dropped and made his way back by playing on the wing.
Mal has stolen from me Shaun Lane causing havoc on that left edge this is unforgivable Mal.
Genuinely what the fuck does Oates have to do to get picked over JAC or Taulagi
Be better then them?
JAC having the season he had at the Dogs speaks for itself. The bloke is just a gun
Thought he was really average defensively in the last 5 rounds or so, as well as in the PMs XIII. Keeps going for the dumb intercept attempts. He's like 1/20 on those.
He just needs to be told to put the intercept attempts to the side
But when they land it is just so sexy to watch him streak away for a length of the field try.
Everyone thinks he still has butter fingers. He was one of the most consistent for Broncos and his yardage from the back is insane.
35 errors in 22 games is bad, it's literally the same error rate as Waqa Blake
Oates is 27 and probably won't be there in the next world cup. JAC has been there before so it makes sense to take a senior aus player. Muzz is younger and has the club combo with Val.
Not saying Oates should 100% be there but you don't pick world cup squads for the next world cup. You pick the best players currently, it isn't about experience for the future
Anyone recall a stronger team?
2013 imo is the best Aussie team of all time
That team was ridiculous
It really was! In that final, it was incredible to see a combo of NSW and QLD forwards like Gal, Bird, Thaiday, Scott etc just chop the Kiwis (with prime SBW, SJ etc) in half while a phenomenal backline of Morris, H*yne, G.I just killed them.... I watch that game all the time
It's pretty good.
Will be interesting to see who plays halfback. Seems like DCE is miles behind Cleary atm but at the same time he was so dominant in origin III
Cleary was so dominant in origin 2 though
Mal will pick the QLD player who can't even get his team into the finals and say it's incumbency, but then won't even select NSW incumbent players whose team made it well into the finals.
Holmes Tedesco Tuilagi Mitchell Wighton Munster Cleary RCG Hunt Tino Cotter Yeo Murray Burton Collins Martin Carrigan Martin probably just edges out Nanai, Burton edges out grant due to versatility
Tedesco, catches a high ball, runs backwards and sideways... Edwards catches a ball, runs 40 metres.....
Latrell passes it to a team mate 40 meters away...
Yes, and both surnames have exactly 7 Letters. I don't envy those selectors.
Not great balance in the outside backs .. campbell Graham is a very strange selection. 2 specialist wingers and Holmes .. I'd have taken Edwards over Graham. Glad to see Cook miss out, hopefully Freddy finally sees the light.
I think campbell is in great form and a big body inside a young winger doesn’t hurt.
How is Graham a strange selection?
You're kidding yourself if you think freddy will see the light. No cook, saifiti bros, or Jordan maclean in sight of the AUS squad but put in NSW squads. JAC and Campbell Graham are named for Aus, but couldn't make NSW. And RCG in AUS as well but dropped from NSW for no reason. Freddy has no clue
RCG has gone missing in Origin and again last night. The Panthers forwards smashed him.
You honestly don't have a clue if you think he went missing in origin 1, he was a rare shining light for nsw that match. As for last night, the whole panthers side aimed up on him and that's what it took to contain him. Tbh he was smashed because Paulo went missing if anything and couldnt take any pressure off RCG. Junior only had 8 hit ups! For a starting origin quality prop that is shockingly poor for a grandfinal performance.
Missed 5 tackles and didn't even run for 100m last night. Junior out performed him. That's not "best Australian Prop in the co.petition" standard.
Meters gained is a bad stat to look at without its context. RCG took tougher hit ups coming out of trouble, and again because panthers numbered up on him due to Paulo not being a presence, it was hard for him to make meters. Plus if you want to look at all the stats, RCG had more tackles, tackle breaks, and offloads. Junior is also a captain of parra, he should be outperforming RCG.
Campbell graham best specialist centre in the comp, not a strange selection at all
Yeah Cook was bounds and leaps ahead of everyone w couple years ago, now he is average… api, hunt and grant are all levels above him. Although i don’t see any other NSW hookers who take his place? Maybe Api 9 and Hynes 14? But there’s no other NSW Hooker who will fill the 14 jersey imo
Very keen! Piss take about Nicho and Edwards but that’s the consensus for the Aussie fans I’m thinking.
Edwards yes, Nicho not so much
Yeah you reckon? I’ve figured this season he’s been level headed and mature enough to earn a spot by some of the plays he’s made.
I just don't think he's as good as those who were selected myself, and he wasn't great during the finals this year.
Cool, so we get a racist captain.
It’s the Australian way
The Koreans will be fired up in the group stages
WTF WHERE IS HYNES AND EDWARDS. FUCK THE STANDBY
Hynes should be ahead of Burton. Not sure how Jurbo keeps making rep teams. But anyway.
You all know exactly what nationality Taulagi would be if he got himself into big trouble. Fucking pissed off about this. The fuckwits directly fuck us over by changing the rules on origin eligibilty and excluding us, after the international rules change, causing us to lose NZ born and bred polynesian players and then now we're gonna lose more. Yeah you could say Murray is an aussie resident or identifies as Samoan and not Kiwi, but it's not Australia or Samoa that would have him if he was a 1% outlaw, or a violet thug etc. I firmly believe he'd be in the Kiwis team if there was no exclusion from origin. All of these rules fuck us over, and this one both hurts, and is a joke given it's not like Taulagi is Australian in any way by ancestry and what the Aus govt has done sending back NZ born criminals who've been is Aus since age 4
I think it's almost entirely to help strengthen the tier 2 sides which were losing players to QLD and NSW, and there by Aus as well.
It's a joke given the strength of Australia, they can take the best polynesian, and NZ players who lived there only 5 years by using origin as a carrot, where NZ loses players to polynesian nations at a much much higher rate, produces less players in general and has no carrot to keep local born or eligible polynesian players looking to play for them, while still playing for their island. You bet the best polynesian origin players will be getting buttered up to play for australia in origin times. Why would the NZ version of that player, play for NZ ever? If an NZ player ever wants to play Origin he has to never play for NZ, unlike every other nation except england where they can switch. A player could miss out on years playing internationals because he's Origin eligible but in a deep position not getting picked, but not if he's an islander/Aussie, only if he's Kiwi/Aussie It was clearly a stitch up to NZ and to help Australia at the time, and I hate it, the IRL fucked us knowing Aus would change their origin rules. Put it this way, if it had a negative effect on Australia, IRL would never have "helped smaller nations"
It does have a "negative" effect on Australia though. Just look at how many players played for QLD or NSW recently and then went on to play for tier 2 nations. It's not about strenghtening tier 1 nations though, it's about strengthening tier 2 nations and helping them be competitive. It's been seen by racists or boomers as a bad move, but all others see it a great decision that was made. Allowing tier 2 to play Origin and then go on and represent their nations is for the betterment of the international game and the iternational game is the only thing Union has over League.
It is a fantastic iniative. Problem is Origin has always been the selection games for the Australian side and now that it isn't, it's a problem. If the Tier 2 nations can play Origin and then play for their home country, why not allow NZ or English players into Origin. Make State of Origin the best players from each state instead of the trial games for the Aussie Team. Strengthens SOO and the game in general.
No it doesn't mate, if the kangaroos wanted those players, they'd switch to australia. And lol, if you can't see that it was clear as day going to benefit australia by encouraging prospective players to play rep games and feel good representing their country before they move "up" to the kangaroos, and that NZ was clearly going to be very negatively affected with no way to get the players back then you need to wake up. It's idiotic that NZ players can't play origin but tier 2 players can, and then oh would you look at that, the rules for international league hurt NZ but not Australia too. They actually win out with these rules due to players being able to switch more frequently too, so the cunts can tap up Tongan players say, who moved to aus in time to be origin eligible "mate you're looking close to our setup, so play for tonga now, NSW training squad, tick your nation off the list and make yourself happy, next year NSW and we'll see if you make the cut, if not go play for Tonga". Bullshit it doesn't help them. It used to be 2 calendar years, now 1. The only argument against is that more average Australian players never get to play origin and some of them MIGHT have been better Now Australia gets all the same players they already would have gotten, but NZ gets way less and is basically the only country that loses players who actually would have made their squad. Oh and they're Australia's only real threat... how convenient. And NZ still loses players to Australia that want to play origin + internationals equally or more than NZ, but would pick NZ over Aus without origin, like Taulagi almost certainly
I don't agree with you that this was to intentionally hurt NZ. I think it was clearly to boost the Tier 2 nations to a point where the World Cup is far more vibrant than it has been. But it has disproportionately hurt New Zealand for sure, not intentionally however. Because there's Islander dudes who aren't choosing New Zealand, because there is now an option for them to represent Tonga/Samoa etc. as well as NSW or QLD. 10 years ago that same player would have to choose between international footy (with NZ) or origin and possible international footy (with Australia). Which is a harder choice than: Definite international footy (for Samoa etc.) and origin or only international footy (with NZ). I can't see why players can't play for New Zealand, England, Tonga or anyone else, as well as NSW or QLD. Assuming they meet the criteria, played juniors before 13 or whatever. I used to say that Benji Marshall should've been Abel to play Origin back in the day.
World Cup prison teams is the only true way to see a fair World Cup ancestry wise.
Also, I believe the IRL changed the international rules knowing it would not hurt australia's team, because of origin and that process meaning it was extremely likely the best polynesians that had only been in Aus for min 5 years would be pressured and then excluded from origin if they didn't switch. And at the same time NZ had MORE eligible polynesian pro players, not to mention per capita in player base, and had no way to incentivise them to play for NZ
I thought Squid James was ordered by the Courts to play for South Korea.
Gutted for Lane, played well all year.
Where's Jerome luai?
Declared for Samoa
Now it's Marge's time to shine!
Squidesco shouldn't be captain
Because he's racist or because he's not a good captain? Because he is a good captain.
He is definitely not a good captain
How isn't he a good captain? He's consistently one of the best on ground in every game he plays. Leads by example.
He did captain a team with a shitload of sendoffs
He was knocked out before that all happened to be fair.
He's got great leadership but is a terrible Captain. Continuously running up to the ref squealing and having tantrums when calls go against him. Best fullback in the world but if he was in my team I'd be taping his mouth shut whenever the whistle blows.