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Despite the furore surrounding the availability of key players such as Jeremy Smith, Frank Pritchard and Issac Luke, the Kiwis still have what it takes to repeat last year’s World Cup heroics against a Kangaroos side desperate to regain some lost pride.
Although Pritchard has been officially ruled out of the Anzac Test this Friday night, his replacement in Sika Manu was a part of the same New Zealand seventeen that caused chaos to Australia’s standing as the most dominant league nation.
He, along with the rest of the Kiwi squad, will be hell-bent on providing proof that last triumph at Suncorp Stadium was no fluke.
What makes this year’s Anzac Test so appealing is the fact that New Zealand’s key players are all performing well for their respective NRL clubs.
Benji Marshall has had his finest start to a season since 2005, which has seen the Tigers claw themselves out of games which they should have lost.
With the added responsibility of captaincy, expect the Tigers half to really flourish on the back of a Kiwi pack that is even stronger than last year’s winning unit.
Rabbitohs’ captain Roy Asotasi will only bolster a Kiwi pack that already counts on premiership winning forwards Jeff Lima and Adam Blair.
Greg Eastwood and Bronson Harrison will form a Kiwi second row that has enough creativity to provide Marshall and Nathan Fien with second man play options which will severely test the Australian defence.
Harrison, in particular, has probably been the form second-rower in the NRL this season, despite the fact he is playing for an underachieving Raiders outfit that sit second last on the ladder.
He currently leads the NRL in offloads, beating fancied rivals Feleti Mateo and Anthony Tupou.
Probably the only question marks surrounding the Kiwi test team is in their backline, which only makes do with the explosive form of Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei and the efficient dummy half running of Sam Perrett.
Players such as Jason Nightingale, Iosia Soliola and Jerome Ropati have failed to show enough form this season that will trouble a star studded Kangaroos backline, headed by Golden Boot winner Billy Slater.
It was a big surprise to see Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki left out of the Kiwi squad, considering he has been in much better form than fellow winger Nightingale.
Despite the limited potential of New Zealand’s backline, the Kiwis’ should have enough confidence and belief from last year’s heroics to know they are in with a good chance of causing another ‘upset’ against the Kangaroos.
Although Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis won the Channel Nine man of the match award after his side’s 22-20 win over the Wests Tigers, rival Robbie Farah should still consider himself the strong favourite to lead NSW out of dummy half when the first State of Origin kicks off in June.
Indeed the Ennis - Farah rivalry was just one of many influences that saw over 25,000 fans make their way to ANZ stadium and watch the Bulldogs account for a Tigers side pundits wrote off following Benji Marshall’s failure to take the field because of the flu.
But if yesterday’s game was supposed to be one sided, nobody told the Tigers.
After a poor start, which saw Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri score the opening try, the Tigers starting playing with composure and this allowed them to play the attacking football that has served them so well this season.
In their maiden visit to the opposition 20 metre line in the first half, Tigers five-eighth Tim Moltzen scored a crisp try, courtesy of Farah’s smart play from dummy half.
Although the Bulldogs regained the lead, thanks to a lucky try to El Masri, the Tigers looked the more potent in attack, despite the absence of Marshall.
Tim Sheens’ men tore the Bulldogs to shreds on the stroke of halftime, thanks to a terrific short side raid off a scrum which saw Beau Ryan score the first of his two tries.
The sniff of an upset was on the cards, and it was enough for the Tigers to race out of the blocks in the second half, forcing an error from Andrew Ryan, and then scoring a try courtesy of Todd Payten.
Despite conceding points early, it was the wake up call the Bulldogs needed to revert back to the form that has seen them only lose one game so far this season.
Thanks to the terrific yardage gained by front rowers Ben Hannant, Michael Hodgson and Greg Eastwood, key players Brett Kimmorley and Ennis were allowed enough time and space to dictate terms for the home side.
It was the Kimmorley - Ennis combination in the end that saw the Bulldogs hooker score under the posts, thanks to an accurate grubber by the former Sharks player.
Ennis’ four pointer seemed to take his game to a new level, and it ultimately proved decisive as he provided the grubber that allowed Bronx Goodwin to score in the corner.
As Ennis started to gain the ascendancy in his battle against Farah, the Tigers captain counter punched, assisting in Ryan’s second try that should have sent the game into golden point.
Tim Gallant’s missed conversion, however, was enough to see the Bulldogs claim a vital win which now sees them move to the top of the NRL ladder.
Although the Bulldogs position on the table cannot be questioned, the Ennis - Farah battle is still yet undecided.
Even though Ennis found himself on the winning side, one feels Farah performed just as well, or better, to see him have first crack at a NSW Origin jersey.
Regardless of who they pick though, one thing is for certain: the Ennis - Farah rivalry is one Blues selectors hope will continue as they seek to find a worthy heir to take the place of champion hooker Danny Buderus.
Matthew Elliott’s coaching career at the Penrith Panthers was on death’s door at the end of last season. An inability to get the best out of a superb roster nearly cost him his job at the foot of the mountains.
But after a bright start to 2009, Elliott has secured a deserved two year contract extension which will run until 2011.
After experiencing coaching success with the Bradford Bulls in the English Super League, Elliott secured the Canberra Raiders head coaching position in 2002, where he would guide the Raiders to four finals in five seasons.
His best season as coach came in 2003, when the Raiders finished inside the top four, only to lose both their finals games against the Storm and the Warriors respectively.
Despite never being in the running for a premiership, Elliott seemed to get the best out of a Raiders team that had to make do with a limited player roster which was constantly plagued by injury and suspension.
Elliott’s respect in the coaching arena had grown substantially, with many at the time labelling him as one of the NRL’s finest coaches.
All this hype was enough for the Panthers to sack premiership winning coach John Lang at the end of 2006 and appoint Elliott as coach for the 2007 season.
Judging from what he had achieved at the Raiders, Elliott was expected to guide the Panthers firmly back into premiership contention, considering the 44 year old had more to work with at the foot of the mountains then he did in Canberra.
The lofty expectations, however, were met with disaster.
In his first season in charge, Elliott led the Panthers to a wooden spoon in a twist that was thought unimaginable at the start of the season.
While Elliott’s fortunes could only go up the following year, he still could not manage to wake Penrith from their slumber, finishing a disappointing twelfth.
In the space of two seasons, Elliott went from Penrith’s saviour to become the scapegoat for the team’s shocking performances.
With many expecting him to get the sack at the end of last season, luck finally found its way to Elliott and he was granted just enough time to see Penrith finally produce the results necessary to see him keep his position.
With the expectation of another wooden spoon upon them, the Panthers have managed to win three games so far this season, which has secured Elliott a two year contract extension.
After two years of darkness, Elliott and his Panthers are finally approaching a dawn that should lead them back to the finals.
Although Steve Price and Petero Civoncieva will once again provide the impetus up front for Queensland this year, Canberra Raiders prop David Shillington has shown enough to suggest he’ll be able to back up the efforts of two of the NRL’s best forwards
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Although the Wests Tigers victory against the Melbourne Storm last week was based heavenly on their defence, it was their attacking display against the Newcastle Knights on Sunday that allowed them to run down a 14 point deficit and steal a season defining win
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Despite the added significance of playing in front of over 28,000 fans at the SFS on Anzac Day, the Sydney Roosters once again failed to live up to the occasion, surrendering to a Dragons unit that applied the necessary pressure to grind out a 29-0 victory
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Although Indonesia has never gotten close to qualifying for a FIFA World Cup since their declaration of independence in 1949, the Asian nation suddenly finds itself as the darkhorse to host the world’s premier sporting event in 2018 and 2022, according to FIFA
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Although the 40 man NSW Origin squad threw up its fair share of surprises, the inclusion of Wests Tigers centre Chris Lawrence was definitely not one of them. His form so far in season 2009 should see him make his debut this year for a Blues side that is looking to stop Queensland’s recent three year dominance
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It as been a mixed start to the year for the Sydney Swans in the AFL this season, registering two wins out of their first four games. But coach Paul Roos will no doubt still be pleased by the form his side has shown when they defeated Premiership fancies Hawthorn and Carlton
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If there was going to be any team in the NRL to come back from a winless first month in 2009 and stake a claim for a premiership, it was always going to be defending premiers, the Manly Sea Eagles
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Comment by Alan
on Can history repeat itself for the Warriors?
Sports Odyssey
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Google Images is good or Foxsports.com.au
Leaguehq is great aswell.