League: NRL finals players set to dominate Kiwis

By PETER JESSUP

The Australian selectors have leaned heavily towards NRL finals performance in selecting their squad for the Tri-Nations that opens in Auckland on October 16, and the Kiwis team to be named today will be the same.

The New Zealanders involved in the finals series are all automatic selections for the test at North Harbour Stadium.

There is little player choice available to the Kiwis selectors because of injury and the slimmer list of possibles they start from.

Major interest today will be on the choice of hooker, halfback, five-eighths and fullback. The positional choices made by the four selectors with coach Daniel Anderson will determine the Kiwis' strategy.

Bradford beat Leeds in Super League at the weekend and go straight to the grand final on October 17, making Robbie Paul, Lesley Vainikolo, Logan Swann and Shontayne Hape unavailable.

It is unlikely any others will be brought back from England since they cannot fill the critical nine, seven, six and one jerseys, where the team will be without specialists.

Motu Tony awaits arrival of his first child but will be available, subject to the timing of that event, and seems a sitter for the six jersey he has played in before. Likewise, previous test experience may determine that Nigel Vagana is fullback rather than his usual position of centre.

The Kiwis will have big forward power but it will be blunted if they cannot get a good roll out of dummy-half.

Webb shapes as best option there, with good acceleration out of dummy-half, a decent pass and good support play. Louis Anderson, who did the job for the Warriors, is the other option but a more likely role for him is in the secondary games of the tour, to blood him for next year.

There was some concern yesterday over prop Paul Rauhihi, who is carrying a knee injury suffered in the Cowboys' finals eliminator against the Roosters. He may require a knee scrape.

The selectors were seeking information on his condition yesterday, but they know he is certain to be available for the tour to Great Britain. Matt Utai has an ankle injury and is in a similar position.

The good news is that the Kiwis in finals games really stood out, right to the end where Utai scored twice for the Dogs and Sonny Bill Williams was best bench man.

Williams topped the off-loads count with four, made 20 tackles and 16 carries for 112 metres gain. Utai made 11 carries for a huge 161 metres and was responsible for three of four line-breaks for the Dogs.

Roy Asotasi also provided big impact from the interchange, 12 carries for 116m. Jason Cayless was best of the Roosters' forwards, with 21 tackles and 12 carries for 117m.

Coach Anderson attended the NRL playoffs, flew to Auckland yesterday afternoon and, with convenor of selectors and NZRL board member Keith Pitman, he was to conference-call the selectors Daryl Halligan, Darrell Williams, Gary Mercer and Tony Iro last night to discuss the team.

Given the strength of the Kiwis in the Super League competition, several who play the October 16 game may not be in the tour party for the rest of the Tri-Nations, which continues with another Kiwis-Kangaroos game in London on October 24 . The 23-man squad to tour will be named on October 17.

The Kangaroos squad named yesterday includes four players from each of the grand final teams: Craig Wing, Craig Fitzgibbon, Michael Crocker and Anthony Minichiello, and Bulldogs Andrew Ryan, Mar O'Meley, Willie Tonga and Willie Mason. There are seven debutantes: O'Meley, Ryan, Tonga, Crocker, Matt Bowen, Matt Cooper and Tonie Carroll.

The line-ups


Kangaroos squad


Shaun Berrigan (Broncos), Matt Bowen (Cowboys), Danny Buderus vice-captain (Knights), Tonie Carroll (Broncos), Petero Civoniceva (Broncos), Matt Cooper (Dragons), Michael Crocker (Roosters), Craig Fitzgibbon (Roosters), Craig Gower (Panthers), Scott Hill (Storm), Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), Ben Kennedy (Knights), Brett Kimmorley (Sharks), Darren Lockyer (Broncos), Willie Mason (Bulldogs), Anthony Minichiello (Roosters), Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs), Luke Rooney (Panthers), Andrew Ryan (Bulldogs), Jason Ryles (Dragons), Matt Sing (Cowboys), Brent Tate (Broncos), Willie Tonga (Bulldogs), Shane Webcke (Broncos), Craig Wing (Roosters).

Possible Kiwi side

Nigel Vagana, Jamaal Lolesi, Paul Whatuira, Clinton Toopi, Matt Utai, Motu Tony, Paul Rauhihi, Brent Webb, Jason Cayless, Joe Galuvao, Tony Puletua, Ruben Wiki (c), Nathan Cayless, David Kidwell, Sonny Bill Williams, Roy Asotasi.