Perrett will not be the NZ fullback, would probably be lucky to even be in the NZ squad. I'd say the NZ pack is just as good as its backline, but the halves are really where they stand out.
Johnson has been made to look far better than he is at this stage. The presence of a very good half in Maloney gives him the ability to do the freakish stuff and not have to worry about organising.
Guess what? NZ have the same sort of lack of obvious centres as Australia and England. NZ have Matai, who is a good player but, in my opinion, not always up to international standard, and SKD, not in great form, Australia have Hodges, who is World class, and Inglis, who is out of form, as is Tonga to an extent. England probably have the greatest choice, though not quite at the level of Hodges/Inglis/Matai etc.
My NZ squad would look something like:
1. Locke
2. Nightingale
3. Kenny-Dowall
4. Matai
5. Vatuvai
reserve backs: Duffie, Beale, Hoffman, poss. Lewis Brown, Kalifa Fai Fai Loa, Sau
6. Marshall
7. Foran
9. Fein
14. Luke
reserve halves: Rangi Chase, poss. Leuluai, Johnson (at a stretch).
8. Moi Moi
10. Rapira
11. Blair
12. Mannering
13. Smith
15. Packer
16. Matulino
17. Glenn
reserve forwards: McKendry, Tamou, Bromwich, Proctor, Lewis Brown, poss. Papalii, Manu, Harrison
Edited by Didgi, 07 August 2011 - 10:23 AM.
NRL - North Queensland Cowboys, my true team.
ESL - Huddersfield Giants
"It's long enough, it's high enough, it's straight
between the posts it's a goal!" Frank Hyde (1916 - 2007)
