Australian FB for end of year tests?

Who should be FB for Australia for the end of year tests?

  • James Tedesco

    Votes: 5 20.8%

  • Kalyn Ponga

    Votes: 13 54.2%

  • Dylan Edwards

    Votes: 6 25.0%
  • Total voters
    24
Joshhh said:
Sounds very focused on that premiership. There was definitely a switch that flicked in him a few years ago now where you could tell he wanted to become the best player he could rather than being this cruisey dude who has a lot of things outside of football. He's been steadily getting more and more influential, between the injuries. The Cowboys game he was taking the game on like a superstar should, knowing the game is in his hands. He seems ready to be that leader we need. Reality is though, Ponga could go nuclear next season, but if we don't have the cattle around him, it will probably fall short in the big games. Next year is huge for the trajectory of Ponga's reign at the club.
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I'm feeling a bit more optimistic about something being sorted out with our halves situation. I'm just not sure this is a decision you make if you expect to be playing with Crossland and Cogger as your halves next year, with no disrespect to either player.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
I'm feeling a bit more optimistic about something being sorted out with our halves situation. I'm just not sure this is a decision you make if you expect to be playing with Crossland and Cogger as your halves next year, with no disrespect to either player.
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Maybe he’s planning on training extra to make up for their inadequacy?
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
I'm feeling a bit more optimistic about something being sorted out with our halves situation. I'm just not sure this is a decision you make if you expect to be playing with Crossland and Cogger as your halves next year, with no disrespect to either player.
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Hopefully that's what it's pointing to. I thought the same as @Joshhh ... how much can he improve from an extra few weeks at pre-season? It's up to others to lift and our recruitment to find some support.
 
I think the NRL only have themselves to blame for allowing international footy to become such a non event. Can’t expect players to treat it with any real seriousness when the game itself has treated it as an afterthought for years now.

For KP in particular, given he’s lived a lot of his life in NZ I can’t imagine it’s that enticing for him to play for the Kangaroos vs NZ anyway.

Hopefully his decision also shuts up any of the remaining mouth breather knights fans who want to cry about how much he’s paid or his commitment to the club because he’s nOt A LocAl jUnIoR

Fingers crossed he can have an injury free year so we get to see the best of him for a full season. He deserves some luck on that front
 
Joshhh said:
Sounds very focused on that premiership. There was definitely a switch that flicked in him a few years ago now where you could tell he wanted to become the best player he could rather than being this cruisey dude who has a lot of things outside of football. He's been steadily getting more and more influential, between the injuries. The Cowboys game he was taking the game on like a superstar should, knowing the game is in his hands. He seems ready to be that leader we need. Reality is though, Ponga could go nuclear next season, but if we don't have the cattle around him, it will probably fall short in the big games. Next year is huge for the trajectory of Ponga's reign at the club.
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He definitely needs some more help than what he has been getting to date.
O’Sullivan may have arrived at the right time, we can’t have any player cruising and expect the team to win premierships. Just look what has happened at Penrith over recent years. Attitude is everything in the modern game.
 
Battler said:
If Mal plays the loyalty card and picks Teddy, he's approaching Brad Fittler lunacy. Do we not remember last years final? We scored zero points. None. As James suggests, I'm pretty sure which one NZ don't want picked at FB. They have to put Ponga there.
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Teddy is a very good player with an enormous ego. He has a problem passing the ball with the risk that they may score a try and he wouldn’t be in the limelight.
Although last weekend he passes twice, the second time I nearly fell out of my chair!
 
Wow crazy about the announcement for Ponga. Yes it was an interview on SEN yesterday! He said he was fit and available to play. I wonder what the discussion was after that interview. Something from the club?
 
Journos now crying about it and the NRL looking to investigate. Funny they never care enough when players regularly pull out for "smaller" nations. Stefano pulled out for Samoa last week and no one said boo. Both Saifiti's are pulling out for Fiji again as they have multiple times in their career. Sure there's numerous other examples for this year alone. If they're really trying to grow the international game those are the sides they should care about strengthening. Not a problem until it's Australia missing out.
 
mullenmagic said:
Journos now crying about it and the NRL looking to investigate. Funny they never care enough when players regularly pull out for "smaller" nations. Stefano pulled out for Samoa last week and no one said boo. Both Saifiti's are pulling out for Fiji again as they have multiple times in their career. Sure there's numerous other examples for this year alone. If they're really trying to grow the international game those are the sides they should care about strengthening. Not a problem until it's Australia missing out.
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Yeah I think technically you’re not allowed to pull out like this unless you’ve been granted a representative retirement (or have some injury excuse, obviously).

But such a double standard. The number of times clubs have told players they can’t play for the Kiwis over the years! Now it happens with Australia and it’s finally a problem.
 
He can’t win either way. He plays gets injured and you have fans whinging about him prioritising rep footy over the Knights. He withdraws puts the Knights first and people still complain.

He probably should’ve spoke to Mal first before making a public statement, I think that was a mistake.

Also, just because someone is physically fit doesn’t mean they’re mentally up for it. He’s had a very rough past few years with injuries and serious concussions, I think he might be entitled to a break.

He shouldn’t have to but I’d just sight mental health reasons and make all the jerks criticising him have to shut their mouths for a change.
 
mullenmagic said:
Journos now crying about it and the NRL looking to investigate. Funny they never care enough when players regularly pull out for "smaller" nations. Stefano pulled out for Samoa last week and no one said boo. Both Saifiti's are pulling out for Fiji again as they have multiple times in their career. Sure there's numerous other examples for this year alone. If they're really trying to grow the international game those are the sides they should care about strengthening. Not a problem until it's Australia missing out.
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they have to write some **** to get clicks.
 
Watching NRL 360 on delay as I have had a lot of work today, my goodness they have given this a solid 10 minutes 🤣

Now Mal is never picking him again. Hey Mal, look at the scoreboard, clown.

Mal's done this, Mal's done that. Mal's side got b1tchslapped by NZ last year and as much as James enjoyed it, it really shouldn't happen. It's like NZ playing Sri Lanka in the cricket.
 
I enjoyed listening to the tears of Paul "Poor Crybaby" Crawley on 360, once again showed why he's the worst journo of a big bunch of mediocre journos on there. Mal should be in no position to put red lines through players after NZ embarrassed them last year. No-one cared when the Saifiti brothers pulled out of playing for Fiji at WC.

As a New Zealander, I can't see us winning by that margin anytime soon and also Madge not coaching us now but Australia should never be losing 30-0 to anyone. Mal should have been lucky to have kept his job, his selections were Freddy Fittler like last year.
 
Some of the NZ cricket team selections might have been made by Mal as well, that’s how much sense they make.
 
Sheent14 said:
I'm loving this mindset by KP. Really turning into a leader, and he clearly cares for this club. Whether he leaves or not at the end of his contract, i really hope we have a red hot crack in the next few years and KP can achieve success at this club.
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At least crack a Pre-lim and give him some hope we can get to the GF, some reason to extend beyond this contract.
 
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