International Pacific Championship

[kos]

What a fantastic finish in Aus Nz for Faamaanu Brown a real journeyman who has battled multiple injuries
Fairy tale finish before move to Uk

 

[sup42]

So now seems the perfect time to sack Madge and bring in Tony kemp?

We always get flogged in the first game and come right after a couple of weeks in camp eh.

Madge picked a really good side with the new forwards really standing out yesterday.

Neame looks like he is a grow another leg test match player, reminds me of Beastwood with his hard running and unlikely looking appearance.

 

[sup42]

That Kiwi side could be stronger with the inclusion of the Warriors best players.

Obviously SJ and Tohu are better than the incumbent Kiwis who played yesterday and they would add a new ball playing attacking dimension to the Kiwis that would really be threatening.

DWZ is another Warrior that is better than the incumbent Wingers as an out and out attacking finisher, and if we are putting SJ in there, it makes sense to have a familiar Warriors edge, ideally you are talking RTS coming off a successful Warriors 2024 at Center.

When you see some of the Kiwis plays looking clunky on the edges you could imagine a smooth and lethal Warriors edge added to that side, SJ, CNK DWZ RTS could bring that nice shape over from the Warriors and round that raw Kiwis side off.

Hard to leave players out though, and conventional wisdom says after breaking records and winning the first ever new era Pacific cup that you stand by your players and give them the first option next year.

 

[Completion Rate]

We always get flogged in the first game and come right after a couple of weeks in camp eh.

Madge picked a really good side with the new forwards really standing out yesterday.

Neame looks like he is a grow another leg test match player, reminds me of Beastwood with his hard running and unlikely looking appearance.

I have to admit I underestimated Neame but the way he wrong-footed Hynes was pure skill. Maybe like me, they didn't expect late footwork from him. He will only get better with experience and age (he's only 22!) I expect he'll now be among the first picked.

 

[kos]

That Kiwi side could be stronger with the inclusion of the Warriors best players.

Obviously SJ and Tohu are better than the incumbent Kiwis who played yesterday and they would add a new ball playing attacking dimension to the Kiwis that would really be threatening.

DWZ is another Warrior that is better than the incumbent Wingers as an out and out attacking finisher, and if we are putting SJ in there, it makes sense to have a familiar Warriors edge, ideally you are talking RTS coming off a successful Warriors 2024 at Center.

When you see some of the Kiwis plays looking clunky on the edges you could imagine a smooth and lethal Warriors edge added to that side, SJ, CNK DWZ RTS could bring that nice shape over from the Warriors and round that raw Kiwis side off.

Hard to leave players out though, and conventional wisdom says after breaking records and winning the first ever new era Pacific cup that you stand by your players and give them the first option next year.

No way I would put SJ or Tohu in after the incumbents beat Aus 30 nil

Don’t see any spot for Rts

And Mulitalo and Isaako played out of their skin
Isaako also- missed only one goal

Beers wearing off!

 

[sup42]

No way I would put SJ or Tohu in after the incumbents beat Aus 30 nil

Don’t see any spot for Rts

And Mulitalo and Isaako played out of their skin
Isaako also- missed only one goal

Beers wearing off!

Fair call.

I am a don't change a winning team guy myself.

Especially test sides, any test side that can beat the Kangaroos is the one you want to move forward with.

Still, it is a long way away next year and if some of these Kiwis are not available if would be interesting to see Tohu passing the ball our there and SJ kicking with Hughes.

RTS I would not write off, he is that kind of guy that if he wants back in he will drive himself to get there eh.

Isaako as you say is a good kicker and so no ones taking the Wing off him if he wants it, and he is in form too.

 

[kos]

The Aus press are singing the praises on Ronaldo Mulitalo s performance

RTS

Remain to be convinced

Happy for him to prove he still has ‘ it’

 

[The Shah of Iran]

Throw the cheque book at Joey Taps, heck throw in a couple boats some paper bags and a kitchen sink too. While we're at it throw some money at Leo Thompson, kids a beast!

 

[sup42]

Throw the cheque book at Joey Taps, heck throw in a couple boats some paper bags and a kitchen sink too. While we're at it throw some money at Leo Thompson, kids a beast!

Warriors fans can't help but look on at the Kiwis forwards from any generation and wonder how so many great ones never got scouted for us.

Hard to watch sometimes and not fantasize about these players coming home to play for Auckland.

If I could take three Kiwis for the Warriors, only three, then I would go JFH, NAS, and Hughes I recon.

 

[sup42]

The Aus press are singing the praises on Ronaldo Mulitalo s performance

RTS

Remain to be convinced

Happy for him to prove he still has ‘ it’

The presser with Mal and Teddy was hilarious, touches of the office....awkward much.....

 

[The Warrior Waka]

The Aus press are singing the praises on Ronaldo Mulitalo s performance

RTS

Remain to be convinced

Happy for him to prove he still has ‘ it’

I Have a feeling he will put his hand up to play for Samoa anyway

 

[kos]

He had a crack at Qld but couldn’t meet elegibility
He has done a great job for the kiwi s
Dunno
Would you want to play for Samoa
Kiwi s 50 Samoa zero
Kiwi s 30 Aus zero

But I suppose he ll do what his parents tell him to do - apparently they manage his money

 

[Defence]

When do they announce the golden boot winner?
U would have to think it’ll be a kiwi or Pom.
Tapine and jfh would have to be a chance.
Think I’d go jfh having won the premiership and captained his country to a series win.
A props never won it before and interestingly the last time an Australian player won it was Cameron smith all the way back in 2017.

 

[NZDoug]

How good is Jerome Hughes?
i can’t recognise him without his helmet.

 

[sup42]

When do they announce the golden boot winner?
U would have to think it’ll be a kiwi or Pom.
Tapine and jfh would have to be a chance.
Think I’d go jfh having won the premiership and captained his country to a series win.
A props never won it before and interestingly the last time an Australian player won it was Cameron smith all the way back in 2017.

Golden boot is a cool award since it often goes to someone unexpected, and when they say the best player in the world they really mean the best test match performer of the year.

I thought Sam Burgess should have won it as the best forward at the world cup, even though SJ knocked his pommy side out of the Cup in that epic quarter final.

Kiwis have done well out of the Golden boot awards hey.

 

[sup42]

I Have a feeling he will put his hand up to play for Samoa anyway

Yeah he did say in that interview that Samoa as an option is there.....

It would be great to see Roger play for Sa.

Samoa were missing so many of their best players this tournament, it really would have been good to see them competitive.

 

[Bay39er]

It is insane how much work CNK does and even more so considering he had a broken rib from two games ago

 

[sup42]

How good is Jerome Hughes?
i can’t recognise him without his helmet.

Very similar player to SJ the Elder.

Especially his tackle five options where he favors the up and under, that is very SJ esque.

I could not help but wonder after that game we lost whether having more Warriors in the Kiwis who are used to the bomb and kick chase would have made the game a lot closer. I see a future role for kick chase expert Rocco Berry in a Kiwis jumper there.

Given Hughes plays a lot like SJ, and given that the Warriors will feature in future Kiwis back lines if the likes of Rocco etc continue to be finals footballers, then the stars would seem to be aligning as far as a Kiwis side using a Warriors template with success long term.

The reason I keep bringing up the Warriors in this discussion is that they were after all....nigh on the third best team in the NRL and therefore grossly under represented in a NZ line up in this Pacific cup.

I never plug Warriors players for the Kiwis, in my experience the Kiwis are better off when they do not have to scrape the Warriors barrel, but all that has changed in my mind after the Warriors became a top four NRL side and should therefore be a significant part of a NZ backlines attacking maneuvers...because the Warriors are bloody great at fast shifts and fancy backline plays. They can score against any Australian NRL players.

 

[sup42]

It is insane how much work CNK does and even more so considering he had a broken rib from two games ago

Yep brave lad.

Comes down to which Rib you break. If it is one that effects your breathing then game over.

 

[Noitall]

Very similar player to SJ the Elder.

Especially his tackle five options where he favors the up and under, that is very SJ esque.

I could not help but wonder after that game we lost whether having more Warriors in the Kiwis who are used to the bomb and kick chase would have made the game a lot closer. I see a future role for kick chase expert Rocco Berry in a Kiwis jumper there.

Given Hughes plays a lot like SJ, and given that the Warriors will feature in future Kiwis back lines if the likes of Rocco etc continue to be finals footballers, then the stars would seem to be aligning as far as a Kiwis side using a Warriors template with success long term.

The reason I keep bringing up the Warriors in this discussion is that they were after all....nigh on the third best team in the NRL and therefore grossly under represented in a NZ line up in this Pacific cup.

I never plug Warriors players for the Kiwis, in my experience the Kiwis are better off when they do not have to scrape the Warriors barrel, but all that has changed in my mind after the Warriors became a top four NRL side and should therefore be a significant part of a NZ backlines attacking maneuvers...because the Warriors are bloody great at fast shifts and fancy backline plays. They can score against any Australian NRL players.

Kiwis seem to be strong when Warriors are going well. Last Kiwi win in 2018, when Warriors last made finals before this year. My memory isn’t sharp enough to remember if there’s any truth to that statement beyond that though.