Kiwis Squad named for the RLWC

[ABs2011]

No SBW (has made himself unavailable), No Jason Smith (personal issues), and No SKD (broken jaw in the Grand Final)

Two new caps, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Sam Moa.

The full squad is:

• Jesse Bromwich
• Greg Eastwood
• Kieran Foran
• Alex Glenn
• Bryson Goodwin
• Tohu Harris
• Josh Hoffman
• Krisnan Inu
• Shaun Johnson
• Sam Kasiano
• Thomas Leuluai
• Kevin Locke
• Issac Luke
• Simon Mannering
• Ben Matulino
• Sam Moa
• Jason Nightingale
• Frank-Paul Nu'uausala
• Frank Pritchard
• Elijah Taylor
• Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
• Manu Vatuvei
• Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
• Dean Whare

 

[james5000]

Without SBW the squad doesn't look as good, also Matai would have been a nice inclusion and Jeremy Smith is a great leader and will be missed.

 

[ABs2011]

Without SBW the squad doesn't look as good, also Matai would have been a nice inclusion and Jeremy Smith is a great leader and will be missed.

Yup I agree. I hope the Kiwis win but as soon as I heard about the exclusions I went out and put down some $ on OZ.

 

[james5000]

No Proctor, No Horo?

 

[Larksea]

I cant help but feel what chance the kiwis had is basically gone without SBW, SKD and Smith. I was hoping for some mast ditched magic from benji as well but he pulled out early.

cant help but wonder why SBW is not going? Even if he ditches league for union he could have still gone to this world cup.

Maybe he wants in on the ABs EOY tour??? surely not...

maybe he is going to go all in for a big boxing fight? Parker? I dont seriously think SBW would fight Parker. parker is a genuine talented board and bread boxer with genuine power, SBW is good for a part time boxer but thats just it hes part time. He would need some serious training and a couple of warm up fights to be able to go toe to toe with Parker.

A botha rematch in south africa?

I dunno, SBW turning the Kiwis down has thrown the script I had written for him out the window. Its a huge suprise to me when i feel like ove predicted pretty much all his moves so far. They all made sense.

Part of me things SBWs plan was to do this world cup but the Kiwis squad just does not stack up to the Aussie one right now which will be ridiculously good. Maybe he thinks the kiwis are a lost cause this time around, if so hes probably right.

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

I cant help but feel what chance the kiwis had is basically gone without SBW, SKD and Smith. I was hoping for some mast ditched magic from benji as well but he pulled out early.

cant help but wonder why SBW is not going? Even if he ditches league for union he could have still gone to this world cup.

Maybe he wants in on the ABs EOY tour??? surely not...

maybe he is going to go all in for a big boxing fight? Parker? I dont seriously think SBW would fight Parker. parker is a genuine talented board and bread boxer with genuine power, SBW is good for a part time boxer but thats just it hes part time. He would need some serious training and a couple of warm up fights to be able to go toe to toe with Parker.

A botha rematch in south africa?

I dunno, SBW turning the Kiwis down has thrown the script I had written for him out the window. Its a huge suprise to me when i feel like ove predicted pretty much all his moves so far. They all made sense.

Part of me things SBWs plan was to do this world cup but the Kiwis squad just does not stack up to the Aussie one right now which will be ridiculously good. Maybe he thinks the kiwis are a lost cause this time around, if so hes probably right.

The kiwis had little chance even with SBW, SKD, and Smith. The only player that would boost that side out of those three would be SBW, the other two though, there are players in the squad who are equal to, or better than them.

I think the Kiwis have gradually been improving in terms of player depth and talent. They just need to perform on the field now. We finally have two good players at 6 and 7, which was something we have been lacking in the past.

And what is with Sam Moa being in the squad. The guy is a beast but he was playing for Samoa against Tonga earlier in the year. Wouldve also like to have seen Hurrell in the team. His defense lets him down but the man is dangerous with ball in hand.

 

[Amobokoboko]

This is not the strongest side on paper but they are all talented so should result in good games.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Looks like SBW will be there after all...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/9258855/Sonny-Bill-declares-himself-available-for-Kiwis

 

[Amobokoboko]

That's great news.

 

[Larksea]

good news for the kiwis, so good of him to pick up my script again! lol

dont know what to read into this in terms of his options for next year, Im pretty sure the NZRU siad some time ago that Benji & SBW would be allowed to play the league world cup

 

[ABs2011]

Looks like SBW will be there after all...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/9258855/Sonny-Bill-declares-himself-available-for-Kiwis

Assuming the reports are correct and he has had a "change of heart" I think it is pretty stink of SBW. IF they now select him, someone will have to be dropped!! I'm not sure what SBWs problem is, he knew Tuesday was the deadline, he told them he wasn't keen, and then only hours after they name the squad he decides he is in? Hopeless if you ask me. I was becoming an SBW fan but this ****** me off! Very unprofessional!!

So who do they drop?

 

[Amobokoboko]

I think he's constantly looking for new challenges. I don't approve his behavior but he's an added value to the team.

 

[Larksea]

Assuming the reports are correct and he has had a "change of heart" I think it is pretty stink of SBW. IF they now select him, someone will have to be dropped!! I'm not sure what SBWs problem is, he knew Tuesday was the deadline, he told them he wasn't keen, and then only hours after they name the squad he decides he is in? Hopeless if you ask me. I was becoming an SBW fan but this ****** me off! Very unprofessional!!

So who do they drop?

yeah it is kinda stink, but at the same time Kerney could just man up and say no thanks sonny too late.

as far as who will be dropped if anyone my guess is that will happen after the squad assembled and they assess injuries & fitness.

 

[ABs2011]

Here's a stat for ya.

SBW has played 7 matches for the Kiwis - he has turned down the opportunity to play 20 times!

A lot of speculation as to why the change of heart:
1) Boxing match fell over and therefore his schedule has opened up a bit.
2) SBW finally stood up to Khoder and said I want to play even though Khoder was advising him not to!
3) SBW is just a bit of a simple mind and wasn't able to process all his decisions in a timely fashion.
4) He just an arrogant **** and doesn't care that he is stuffing people round.

Take you pick (or add some more) - but my hunch is it is a combination of 1, 2, and 4

I do feel really sorry for the poor fringe player that got SO excited when he was named and then is about to get the call up and be told he's been dumped for SBW.

Larksea - my understanding is that the Kiwis face a very complicated process of getting SBW in (a 127 page rule book). They won't go to camp with all 28 + SBW, they will have to dump someone first IF they get exemption for bringing SBW in. Sounds like they have been up all night trying to figure out how they are going to go about this.

 

[Larksea]

yeah and of the 7 games SBW has played for the Kiwis its 6 losses and one draw!

yeah the squad size limit for the WC is actually only 24...

Im pretty sure everyone will pull the needed strings to get sony in, the issue is who will drop out? That will be easy of someone is carrying an injury that would affect them in the tournament.

 

[admartian]

Sucks for whoever gets dropped. SBW-in effect again. More 180s and U-turns and I'd be inclined to call him Sonny "Microsoft" Bill Williams.

 

[ABs2011]

yeah and of the 7 games SBW has played for the Kiwis its 6 losses and one draw!

yeah the squad size limit for the WC is actually only 24...

Im pretty sure everyone will pull the needed strings to get sony in, the issue is who will drop out? That will be easy of someone is carrying an injury that would affect them in the tournament.

Yeah sorry 24. The point I was making is that I understand they wont be able to carry the full squad + SBW into camp as you suggested.

Yup for sure, they will get him there, somehow. I imagine the guy they drop could kick up a bit of a stink if he wanted...Not sure of what the legal ramifications are. Presumably he would be awarded some kind of compo??

Anyway - overall it's a good dilemma for the Kiwis to have I guess. Just a shame they are getting screwed around by someone who it appears believes he is bigger than the game.

I hope the SBW camp come out and do a bit of PR damage control (and explain what went on), cause at this stage, from what I hearing his reputation has been damaged quite a lot, and listening to people who have talked with him, he does in fact care about what people think. He has tried quite hard to build back his is public image after a pretty up and down career in the media.

He doesn't owe anyone anything I don't think but I feel it would be better for him to come out and tell the truth about this one, other wise he just comes out looking like a jerk.

 

[admartian]

Yeah sorry 24. The point I was making is that I understand they wont be able to carry the full squad + SBW into camp as you suggested.

Yup for sure, they will get him there, somehow. I imagine the guy they drop could kick up a bit of a stink if he wanted...Not sure of what the legal ramifications are. Presumably he would be awarded some kind of compo??

Anyway - overall it's a good dilemma for the Kiwis to have I guess. Just a shame they are getting screwed around by someone who it appears believes he is bigger than the game.

I hope the SBW camp come out and do a bit of PR damage control (and explain what went on), cause at this stage, from what I hearing his reputation has been damaged quite a lot, and listening to people who have talked with him, he does in fact care about what people think. He has tried quite hard to build back his is public image after a pretty up and down career in the media.

He doesn't owe anyone anything I don't think but I feel it would be better for him to come out and tell the truth about this one, other wise he just comes out looking like a jerk.

Agreed - for his sake anyway.

I don't really care - and tbh I wasn't at all surprised at the flip-flopping that has gone on in his career. Right now, you'd be naive to expect any different from the guy. Talented, but all this stuff really detracts from making him more of a likeable character. Not his problem, but my 2 cents on the matter.

 

[ABs2011]

Agreed - for his sake anyway.

I don't really care - and tbh I wasn't at all surprised at the flip-flopping that has gone on in his career. Right now, you'd be naive to expect any different from the guy. Talented, but all this stuff really detracts from making him more of a likeable character. Not his problem, but my 2 cents on the matter.

It makes you wonder how good Khoder is for him? If what I am hearing is correct SBW is genuinely a pretty good guy, that cares about what the general public thinks of him, is trying to create a good public image and at the end of the day just wants to have a crack at a whole bunch of sports cause he IS that bloody good that pretty much whatever he puts his mind to he will either do well at (boxing) or excel at (league and union).

Khoder might be good at getting SBW top $, but you'd have to think with SBW talents (and looks) any mug could make him as rich as he wants...so what does Khoder really bring to the table? More problems than good for SBW I think.

Good luck to him anyway, all this crap aside he is a freak on the sports field!

 

[admartian]

^Agreed. I've always thought Khoder is the bigger issue - it seems that it's taking advantage of whatwe hear about Sonny being a good guy. Maybe SBW's too trusting /naive/laid back - enough for a character like Khoder to take over?