Anthony Minichiello (Great selection, still the best man for the job)
Matt King (Due to past club and rep performances, worthy of another shot)
Mark Gasnier (Best centre in the world, needs more ball)
Matt Cooper (Great defender, worth a shot)
Brent Tate (Great selection, can finish a try)
Darren Lockyer © (Barrett deserves a run)
Andrew Johns (Keep him there)
Petero Civoniceva (Not the most mobile man in the world, prob should go)
Danny Buderus (With no dummy half on the bench, I expect a tough night for him)
Steve Price (Definite keeper)
Luke O'Donnell (Great selection)
Craig Fitzgibbon (Offers NOTHING in attack, must go)
Ben Kennedy.(Deserves another run, awesome player)

Interchange:
Trent Barrett (Great player, but not the best utility selection)
Jason Ryles (Definite retention, played well)
Mark O'Meley (Great selection, if fit)
Trent Waterhouse (Great selection, very underrated by fans) As I've said before, the guy must run the ball much more often than he does, as he is downright devastating. He will work his ass off, being the only backrower on the bench.

1. Brent Webb (Back to his best)
2. Jake Webster (Very underrated player, Im glad they kept him)
3. Paul Whatuira (Great selection)
4. Shontayne Hape (I don't know much about this bloke, so I'll wait and see.)
5. Manu Vatuvei (Awesome potential, but should have made way for the Volcano)
6. Nigel Vagana (I put this guy in the "freak" class.)
7. Stacey Jones (Great finale to an awesome career)
8. Paul Rauhihi (Very good selection)
9. Motu Tony (Awful selection. Aussie forwards will run at him all night and he doesn't have the workrate to keep all of them at bay)
10. Ruben Wiki © (Great selection)
11. David Kidwell (The guy has the knack of getting the job done at rep level.)
12. David Solomona (Not a starter, but a great bench player)
13. Louis Anderson (Tough-as-nails and very reliable)

14. David Faiumu (Great selection, will get heaps of gametime)
15. Roy Asotasi (Very good prop)
16. Iafeta Palea'aesina (Awesome impact player)
17. Tony Puletua (One of the best forwards in the world)




Interesting to see that that there are no dummy halves on the bench for Australia. That would mean that Buderus would have to play close to 80 minutes in that position. No offence to Buderus, but at this level, the game is too damn hard and fast to play a quality 80 minutes. I would never go into a game against big, strong and fast kiwis, with one dummy half to patrol the ruck for 80 minutes.
Buderus is an 80 minute club player, but at the rep level, he will deadset burnout if they play him for the 80. I love Trent Barrett and even rate him a better player than Gower. But, Gower is definitely the better man for that utility spot, as he can play 5/8th, half and hooker.

I think that the Kiwis will get us again. :( That bench will have a huge impact on the game.

Shontayne Hape has been brilliant for the Bulls this year, his understanding with Lesley has been awesome. Should play together.

How did Tony get in the team?? and at hooker?? Strange selection. Have NZ no hookers???

Gower being dropped and Pritchard for the Kiwi's as well....would have to be the two dumbest things i've ever seen with the games they had in the first test.

Actually, guys, you'll find that some of Motu Tony's best games for the Warriors were when he slotted into the #9. He absolutely tore some sides up from there. I daresay Louis Anderson will move into the hooking role when it's time to tackle.

Buderus actually improves over the eighty minutes. Some of you are forgetting that, prior to this year's injury, he had a record for most consecutive minutes of football played.

haha and i thought our commentators was biased after the mini no try. look closely gould and rabs the white thing touching the ground is the tape around the wrist of the defender not the ball.

Ha hah, what about Bennets comments after the game on Lockyer, i admit he played well last night, better than ive seen for quite some time, but Bennet saying that his pass made Gasnier's try was a complete joke, all he did was catch and pass and gasnier did his 'shimmy shimmy bang' or whatever gus calls it to score a great try......

Wayne Bennet :ouch:

:bang: Gus Gould

:drunk: Austaralia won a great game

:kicking: International league is looking stronger than i can remember

:randell: just because he does

id also like to think the ref, although making some dodgy calls, should be congratulated for having the balls to make those calls, i like the fact he didnt use the video ref to make every decision for him.

Most refs :yellow: