Australia: Test chance for Cronk

[philstorm]

Need I mention one particular fact that a lot of people have overlooked?

Queensland won Origin this year ...

I don't think people appreciate how huge an impact this will have on selection ...

[Chaos]

We aren't going to agree Chaos unfortunately.

Scott Prince is a fine player and I am over the moon to have a world class halfback at the Gold Coast Titans though he is no where near being the second best halfback in the competition.

DeeGan,
It is obvious I rate Scott Prince's ability higher then you do. I know you still rate him as a player but I feel you and a lot of others do under rate is ability in the halves.

You did mention his time at 5/8 and I can imagine Prince and Campbell swapping roles on the field while playing for the Titans.

[TITANS007]

DeeGan,
It is obvious I rate Scott Prince's ability higher then you do. I know you still rate him as a player but I feel you and a lot of others do under rate is ability in the halves.

You did mention his time at 5/8 and I can imagine Prince and Campbell swapping roles on the field while playing for the Titans.

I'm not so sure they would go well if they swapped roles. I think Prince plays better at half now that he has had a lot more experience there. He used to be a better 5/8, but I think he needs to be the main controller now.

[TITANS007]

Let's make it clear first off, Prince got his chance before Craig Gower did in last year's tri-nations series. Johns played the first two games, once he was ruled out of the UK leg of the tour, in came Prince and he struggled initially.

To answer your question, yes, Gower deserved and needed to come in to the Test side at halfback.

Prince made his debut versus Great Britain in the fourth test in rain soaked conditions. He was average and was not given ample chance to show his wears at halfback. It was not a debut to write home about.

Great Britain and New Zealand played the fifth test in which Bennett paired Gower with Prince in the halves (7. Gower, 6. Prince) where we defeated France 44-12. Gower starred as captain having a hand in three tries and scoring one himself. Prince was good notching up 16pts at five-eight.

The sixth test pitted us again Great Britain who had upset New Zealand giving them a chance to play the final versus the Kiwis if they were able to defeat us with a significant points differential to boot. Bennett made the smart decision of going with the more experienced Gower who was in better form than Prince on tour. Gower played awesome despite injurying himself in the warm up.

Gower earnt his spot in the tri-nations final with Barrett outside him and as we know, the team stunk. No need to go further. Would Prince of made a difference? No.

We aren't going to agree Chaos unfortunately.

Scott Prince is a fine player and I am over the moon to have a world class halfback at the Gold Coast Titans though he is no where near being the second best halfback in the competition. Whilst we are all entitled to an opinion, think otherwise is what I call "head in the sand" stuff.

Exactly, Prince played well against France, but was not given a very good opportunity to shine against GB.

I think Gower is overrated at halfback. I think he is better suited to hooker.

[Grimmace]

Thurston eyes Australian jersey
Saturday, September 2, 2006 - 4:11 PM

North Queensland star Johnathan Thurston has his sights set on retaining his treasured Australian jersey after making a successful return from a knee injury on Friday night.

Thurston played a leading role in the Cowboys' final round 22-8 NRL win over Parramatta at Dairy Farmers Stadium despite it being his first game in six weeks.

The 23-year-old feared his season was over when he dislocated a kneecap and copped grade three medial ligament strain in round 20.

But Thurston was buoyed by the way his knee stood up against the Eels and took aim at the Kangaroos' vacant No.7 jersey.

Thurston, who made his international debut against New Zealand earlier this year, is locked in a tense four-way tussle for the right to replace Andrew Johns as Australian halfback in this year's Tri-Nations.

Melbourne's Cooper Cronk, Manly's Matt Orford, Penrith's Craig Gower and Thurston are set to duke it out for the coveted role.

Thurston said he was ready for another taste of international rugby league and will be named in the Kangaroos' initial train-on squad on Monday.

The initial squad will be comprised of players from teams that failed to make the finals and is likely to contain fellow Cowboys Luke O'Donnell, Carl Webb and Matt Bowen.

"The knee pulled up pretty good," Thurston said.

"It was very good during the game. I tested it out a few times and I'm pretty confident with it. There's not fitness like match fitness."

Thurston's combination with certain Australian selections Darren Lockyer and Cameron Smith during this year's triumphant State of Origin series win for Queensland should hold him in good stead.

Thurston said the knee provided no problems against the Eels.

"You can't worry about it or you'll probably get injured again," he said.

"I was pretty confident going into the game with it and there were no signs of weakness or anything there. The way it pulled up I'm very happy."

Thurston is in line to take over from Travis Norton as skipper next season with hooker Aaron Payne another candidate.

Norton (retirement), Matt Sing (Hull) and Josh Hannay (Cronulla) played their final games for the club on Friday night.

Norton said he feared his last shoulder separation, against the Bulldogs in round 22, would cost his "fairytale" farewell on Friday night.

"I was a bit concerned," Norton said.

"There was a couple of weeks in a row where I'd injured my shoulder and after talking to the specialist I found out that I had to have surgery.

"But in saying that he said if you leave it for a little while, see how we go and try and get some strength into it. Fortunately I came through alright."

Source: AAP

[DeeGan]

Johnathan Thurston will be out future long term halfback for mine - he has it all.

It was hard to rank him ahead of Orford given his lack of playing time of late though he was very good in his come back to rugby league on Friday night. He will make the squad and then duke it out with the others for the coveted number seven jersey.