Australia Kangaroos vs New Zealand Kiwis

[TITAN PETE]

I'll be there, Titan Pete too. Let's meet up for a Titans fan
photo!

Can't wait it's going to be AWESOME

[DIEHARD]

Definitely need to buy a match program for a keep safe.

[DIEHARD]

Yep we will catch up for sure mate, ill am bringing 8 people from here including a couple of AFL supporters and 2 Americans, to show them the real game.

Ring me when you get into Melbourne, i own this town at the moment

Excellent, be great to catch up. You may not know him but Ant from the Southern Legion will be down there as well. Let's all meet up.

Show your yanks and Victorians what it means to be a Rugby League fan and how we support THE GAME.

[DIEHARD]

Taia and Heremaia to make Kiwis' debuts

Newcastle back-rower Zeb Taia and Warriors hooker Aaron Heremaia will make their Kiwis' debuts in tomorrow night's test against Australia in Melbourne.

The duo have been confirmed in the 17-man match day squad, with Broncos utility Alex Glenn named 18th man for the second straight year.

Firebrand forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will start from the bench and has a role to play as an impact player. He says he is happy to come off the bench.

"I'm just honoured to represent my country once again."

Waerea-Hargreaves says he will try to bring a bit of enthusiasm to the side when he comes on to the field.

Melbourne Storm forward Sika Manu has also been included on the Kiwis bench, despite playing just 60 minutes of rugby league in the last 10 months, but Waerea-Hargreaves says Manu is in great shape and will play a big role for the team off the bench. He says Manu has brute force and will be a weapon for the Kiwis.

The Kiwis have looked inward as they try to end a 12-year drought in the Anzac test. The Kangaroos have dominated the Kiwis in the last eight editions of the mid-year test by an average winning margin of 27 points.

Waerea-Hargreaves says all the players have arrived in camp with the right attitude.

"We've had a few open discussions with each other and we're ready to get it on."

Source: http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/

[DIEHARD]

Austalian winger Jarryd Hayne given licence to roam in Test against New Zealand

AUSTRALIAN coach Tim Sheens has given Jarryd Hayne an unrestricted licence to excite. Hoping to ignite league's most lethal attacking player, Sheens said he will not confine the Eels star to the wing when against the Kiwis tomorrow night.

"I always give my wingers a licence to roam," Sheens said. "I am not going to give him too many instructions. He will have a licence to get involved."

With Hayne starved of the ball during last year's Four Nations tournament in the UK, Sheens is hoping the destructive ball runner finds the football and reproduces his club football form.

"Obviously when he plays fullback he gets behind the ruck and gets involved and that is where he is very dangerous," Sheens said. "I don't want to leave him on the wing all night but in saying that he is also a very good finisher.

"He has played on the wing at State of Origin level and has played there for me in City."

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Sheens predicted Jamie Lyon would help Hayne cause havoc for the new-look New Zealand side.

"He can run if you give him an opportunity and I think Jamie Lyon will give him that opportunity," Sheens said.

"Jamie is a winger's centre. He doesn't tuck it under his arm, he links with them.

"He can create something on the outside for a winger so I think he will get a lot of ball. If he gets that ball he won't be too worried about going and looking for a hit-up."

Hayne admitted he was a marked man and said he was working on ways to improve his game after an indifferent start to the season. He is yet to produce his 2009 form with the Eels struggling for most of the year.

"You have to come up with new ideas and ways to play when you are a marked man," Hayne said.

"I just have to cope with it. I have to keep on working hard to improve.

"I didn't get much ball last year but fingers crossed it will come my way a bit more."

Hayne is likely to play on the right wing, with Dragons try-scoring machine Brett Morris on the left.

"They both have a preference for the left hand side," Sheens said.

"Which way we go I am still pondering that. I think at the moment I will play Jarryd on the right."

Meanwhile, the Kangaroos are bracing themselves for a "bash-a-thon" with Billy Slater predicting the Kiwis will be out to belt up the Australians. After a fiery Four Nations clash against the Kiwis last year, Slater said New Zealand would bring an Origin-like intensity to the match, to be played at the new AAMI Park in Melbourne tomorrow night.

"The first 10 minutes of the match will just be brutal," Slater said.

"It is just a bash-a-thon. It can take it out of you but that is why we play the game."

Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens was also predicting the Kiwis would come out looking to bash Australia's new-look forward pack.

In one of the most ferocious international encounters in memory, New Zealand forwards pulled off some bellringing hits on the Kangaroos during a match in the UK.

"I know that they are going to come out at 100 miles an hour," Sheens said.

"They have done that every time they have played Australia. I mean a Test match is a Test match. We are going to be coming out hard too. I am not expecting anything untoward but there will be a couple of good shots."

Sheens said players would get away with more during the sold out clash. He is also expecting the game to be slowed down with English whistle blower Richard Silverwood in charge of the match.

"It is not refereed like the NRL," Sheens said.

"In the NRL you sneeze and you give away a penalty. The NRL is clinically clean compare to big match football. There will be a little more in it. With the referee it could be a little slower but we will just have to adjust to what he is doing on the run. That is all we can do because it is a very short preparation."

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport

[DIEHARD]

Cronk at home among elite company

Cooper Cronk might only be playing the Anzac Test by default, but fullback Billy Slater has no doubt where the halfback ranks among the Melbourne Storm's Kangaroos connection.

Cronk plays his third Test in three years because teammates Adam Blair and Brett Finch aggravated Jonathan Thurston's bung shoulder last Saturday night - and as preparations for Friday's Test wind up clubmates continue to play a supportive role.

Slater, who practically hangs off Cronk's every move when the Storm is rolling forward, thought the playmaker was unfairly the underrated member of Melbourne's all-star quartet.

While Slater, Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith have regularly been rewarded with State of Origin and international honours - Cronk is the odd man out, having never played for Queensland.

He is also a stop-gap measure at best for Australia but Slater scoffed at suggestions Cronk could prove a weak link against the Kiwis.

"Coop's is the most influential player in our side," Slater said.

"He creates direction, he tells the boys where they've got to get to. He's got a great kicking game, he's a dangerous runner of the football and he's got a great passing game.

Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-league-news/

[DIEHARD]

Headed to the airport to head to Melbourne. Really looking forward to this! Been waiting years for a new stadium in VIC. And i love international football.

Also headed to Storm v Broncos. My brother is a massive Storm fan.

Really wish I didn't have to leave home at 4am. DIEHARD only recognises one 4 o'clock per day! When will I learn?!?

Enjoy the Test Match guys! Should be a classic. Tests in Melbourne usually are.

[DIEHARD]

Cloudy here in Melbourne. Hope we don't get any rain.

Hazem El Masri will be taking the first ever shot at goal. Also supposed to be a laser show. Should be unreal.

Can't wait for the Hakka!

Meeting up with Pete, Ant and Coaster later.

Go Roos!

[TITAN PETE]

Exciting to be here & there is an awesome banner advertising the match on Flinders street which has a fantastic logo across an action shot of Locky "Be a Part of History".....

Yes we will

[titansrawesome]

Exciting to be here & there is an awesome banner advertising the match on Flinders street which has a fantastic logo across an action shot of Locky "Be a Part of History".....

Yes we will

is the stadium awesome?? also where is it located?

[DIEHARD]

Next to old Olympic park. Near the mcg. Gates open at 6pm. Heading in now.

[dee13]

Can I be totally honest about this game...

I would prefer to watch The Sharks play Canberra Raiders. It holds no meaning. ANZAC Test my ****. ANZAC Day has been and gone 2 weeks ago. Im glad there are no Titans players playing and The only thing I hope comes from this game is a massive injury list. Especially Melbourne.

Sorry to spoil your Panther Party, but, I don't like mid season rep games.

P.S. Don't get me started on City V Country. If the NSW selectors can't figure a team out based on overall form from the regular season, then they need new selectors.

[TITAN PETE]

Best u watch a replay of a mascots race then Dee

[dee13]

Best u watch a replay of a mascots race then Dee

Masterchef tonight then straight to bed. Isn't the AFL on at 7:30.

[daveyk]

i agree, the game has NO MEANING... if they wish to call it the ANZAC TEST then have it on ANZAC DAY only....