Tri-Nations 06: Grand Final; Kangaroos vs Kiwis

[jenny]

Kiwis rested and hungry

AUSTRALIA skipper Darren Lockyer says the nature of New Zealand's 34-4 win over Great Britain is all the motivation the Kangaroos need for Saturday night's Tri-Nations final at Sydney's Aussie Stadium.

[DIEHARD]

If the Kiwis bailed out the damage would have been enormous, something international rugby league could never have recovered from.

One big casulty would have been good will and cooperation of media and sponsors. Multi national Gillette would not have bene happy, you do not play school yard games with blue chips.

[jenny]

League
King pushes for starting spot


November 20, 2006

AUSTRALIA winger Matt King is confident he'll be fit to push for a berth in Saturday night's Tri-Nations final against New Zealand.

The Melbourne Storm flyer has been struggling with a calf injury, but after completing a light training session today he is confident he'll be right to challenge for a spot in the Kangaroos' talent-laden backline.

"It went a lot better than expected today so it was pretty pleasing," King said.

"I'm pretty confident I've got on top if it now. I'm not 100 per cent, but pretty close to it. If I get through tomorrow's session and Wednesday's session, I'll certainly give (coach) Ricky (Stuart) something to think about.

"I just want a jumper. It's a pretty classy backline at the moment. I'll be happy enough to fit in anywhere along that."

Australia plays the Kiwis at Aussie Stadium looking to re-claim the Tri-Nations title after New Zealand surprised the Kangaroos 24-0 in last year's decider.

AAP

[Robbie_Dee]

All i hope is to see Mason come one and be sensible and not get sent off in the first 10 minutes! If he does something completely stupid this game, he won't exactly be my favourite person! He sends out a bad image for Australia too!

Oh and i also want to see Australia win too :lol!:

[~Wild Child~]

Roos Set For Final Revenge on Kiwis

Article Taken From Sunday Mail

Nov 19

Great Britian coach Brian Noble says Australia will have to 'step it up' to reclaim the Tri-Nations crown next weekend despite the Kangaroos demolishing his Lions 33-10 at a packed Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Australia will meet NZ in the series decider at Sydney's Aussie Stadium next Saturday in a re-match of the 2005 final when the KIwis embarrassed the Kangaroos with a 24-0 romp.

The Darren Lockyer-inspired Roos ran in six tries to two in front of 44,358 spectators, including a spectacular four pointer to winger Brent Tate after the siren.

But Noble said Ricky Stuart's men would have to lift to exact revenge in the Trans-Tasman showdown.

'This is not disrespectful to the Australians, but they will have to step it up a little bit,' Noble said.

'I'm sure they will improve their intensity.

Stuart agreed with his British counter-part, but did not elaborate on the key areas that needed improvment.

'It's a fair call. It's something I've just talked to the players about too, so I would agree with that' he said

The Kangaroos boss said survivors from the 2005 disaster had talked about avenging the dissappointing result from Leeds last year, but he would not use that result as motivation.

To be honest I don't think I need to and I won't be,' Stuart said.

The players that were there and played, the best motivation they have got is that they know what it feels like to not win the Tri-Nations.

I've heard a couple of the boys talking about it and they were hurting over it but it's not going to be used as motivation.

Stuart said he was delighted with the performance of half back Johnathan Thurston, who was dropped from the side folowing Australia's two victories over New Zealand.....


(This article is incomplete as the finishing paragraphs are duplicates of things already posted here).

[jenny]

Even-money call

By Steve Ricketts

November 20, 2006 12:00
Article from: The Daily Telegraph



AUSTRALIAN skipper Darren Lockyer says the nature of New Zealand's 34-4 win over Great Britain is all the motivation the Kangaroos need for next Saturday night's Tri-Nations final at Sydney's Aussie Stadium.

Lockyer yesterday described the Kiwis as more impressive than the Kangaroos' 33-10 win over Britain at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night but refused to concede favouritism to the Kiwis for the final.

"I reckon it's a 50-50 call," he said.

"We have beaten them both times in the tournament so that's a positive for us.

"But they're in form and they're fresh after a weekend off.

"The fact the Kiwis beat us 24-0 in last year's final in England hasn't been brought up much and it's not a big motivation for the team as a whole.

"Their win over Britain was the best performance by a team in the tournament as far as I'm concerned and that would have done their confidence the world of good.

"That's motivation enough because you know you have to play at your best to beat a team in that sort of form."

Lockyer missed last year's final because of injury but the loss possibly cut even more deeply from his vantage point in the stands at Elland Road, Leeds, where most of the crowd of 26,534 were behind the Kiwis.

There were thousands of British fans in the crowd at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night and Lockyer broke their hearts along with those of the British players when he kicked a field goal in the 73rd minute to make the score 23-10 and end any hope of the Lions at least salvaging a draw which is all they needed to qualify for the final.

The Kiwi team watched the match from their hotel in Sydney where they went into camp last Wednesday in anticipation of an Australian win.

"I didn't think about knocking the Poms out of the final so much as just winning a Test match," Lockyer said of the field goal.

"I would have done it in any other game.

"It's just a natural thing to do."

If Lockyer leads Australia to victory on Saturday he will complete an amazing treble after captaining Queensland to a State of Origin series win and the Broncos to the title.

Tonight in Sydney he is set to be named winner of the 2006 Gillette Golden Boot award presented annually to the player voted the world's best by the rugby league media in Australia, England, New Zealand and France.

Former Australia, Queensland and Broncos skipper Wally Lewis, Lockyer's boyhood hero, was the inaugural winner in 1985 with Brett Kenny, Ellery Hanley, Mal Meninga, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler, Stacey Jones, Anthony Minichiello and Andy Farrell among the other award winners.

Lockyer won in 2003.

[Poida]

Mason won't back off
Tuesday, 21 November 2006 @ 7:49 AM
sportal.com.au

Kangaroos star Willie Mason says he won't be backing off in Saturday night's Tri-Nations final against New Zealand, warning the Kiwis his side is 'ready for anything'.

Mason angered New Zealand when he swore at Queensland-born Kiwi Brent Webb while he performed the Haka in the first Tri-Nations match of the tournament, before being felled by a David Kidwell shoulder charge.

The Bulldogs hard man then missed the return clash a week later as a result of heavy concussion he suffered in the Kidwell incident, before his return was marred by him being suspended for punching Great Britain's Stuart Fielden.

But Mason, who says he will go hard in the game no matter the consequences, is expecting fireworks from both teams.

"It's a final so you can't get suspended," Mason told The Daily Telegraph. "It's a final and a lot of players are just looking at this game - they're not looking at next year."

"They're aggressive, they're big and they love to intimidate - that's what rugby league is all about," Mason added of the New Zealanders. "They always try and use that intimidating factor and they always try and bully us around."

"We are used to it because we've played plenty of Tests against them, so we're going to be ready for anything. Whatever they give to us we will try and give back to them. At the moment they're No.1 in the world - unless we beat them on Saturday night."

Australia and New Zealand go head-to-head in the Tri-Nations final on Saturday night at Sydney's Aussie Stadium.




i hope kidwell gives mason another big hit.

[~lee~]

"It's a final so you can't get suspended," Mason told The Daily Telegraph.

ohh man sounds like he is going to put some illegal shots on the kiwis - i cant wait

[Poida]

Failures haunt O'Donnell
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...003409,00.html

Failures haunt O'Donnell

Steve Ricketts
November 19, 2006 11:00pm


IMPRESSIVE . . . Kangaroo lock Luke O'Donnell proves hard to take down on
Saturday night. Picture: Jamie Hanson.

AUSTRALIA's lock Luke O'Donnell yesterday revealed his burning desire to bury the demons of 2005 when he was twice on the receiving end in grand finals.

O'Donnell is one of seven survivors from Australia's 24-0 loss to New Zealand in the 2005 Tri-Nations climax in England and played in the Cowboys' 30-16 loss to Wests Tigers in the NRL grand final.

The 26-year-old was magnificent in Australia's 33-10 win over Great Britain at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday with his running battle with British enforcer Adrian Morley a highlight.

The pair swapped jerseys after the match in what could be Morley's last Test for Britain in Australia, the veteran forward throwing his boots into the crowd as he headed to the dressingrooms.

"I've always admired him and it was a great honour to get his jumper," O'Donnell said. "They were a desperate side and they threw a lot at us and displayed a lot of skill.

"The Kiwis will be the same next week and we know what they're capable of after last year.

"That loss is something that has been with me all year and it's certainly part of the motivation for next Saturday. But it's not something we've talked about too much as a team because there are a lot of new faces."

O'Donnell, Matt King, Mark Gasnier, Brent Tate, Petero Civoniceva, Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley are the survivors from the 2005 final with King (calf strain) and Mason (suspension) missing Saturday's win over Britain.

Australian coach Ricky Stuart said he would select his team tomorrow and admitted he had some tough choices to make.

"I don't know which way I'm going to go yet," he said.

Mason is likely to return to the starting pack with Brent Kite dropping back to the bench and Antonio Kaufusi out of the squad while King is set to replace Brent Tate on the wing.

Tate bombed an early tryscoring chance when he put down a pass from Mark Gasnier but showed great positional sense and pace to finish a length of the field move after the hooter.

Halfback Johnathan Thurston cemented his place after being dropped for Ben Hornby for the November 4 clash with Britain and is primed for a big performance against New Zealand maestro Stacey Jones.

"He (Jones) seemed to have a lot of room to move last week because his forwards ran over the top of Great Britain's pack," Thurston said.

"Hopefully we can shut his time down a bit."

Stuart said Thurston knew the reasons he had been dropped and had responded well.

"Me and Sticky (Stuart) spoke about why I didn't play that week and I was looking forward to playing tonight and things just fell into place," Thurston said.

"It's just between us two (what was said) and that's the way I'd like to keep it."

The battle of the packs finished about even on Saturday with Britain's Morley, Gareth Ellis, Gareth Hock and Jamie Pea**** making inroads.

Prop Stu Fielden was a disappointment and copped a physical and verbal pounding from the Australians.

Australian fullback Karmichael Hunt also copped plenty of physical punishment and needed four stitches after a head clash. But Hunt never wavered in his determination to run the ball into the teeth of the defence.

Stuart has called off today's scheduled training run at Kogarah Oval as part of his strategy to give the players light duties after Saturday's torrid clash.

[Poida]

ohh man sounds like he is going to put some illegal shots on the kiwis - i cant wait

mason is a complete fool if he does that.
i wouldnt put it past him to want revenge. its about egos and kidwell shattered it good. hope to see him repeat it

[Poida]

Poor crowds endanger Tests (in Sydney)
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001023,00.html

Poor crowds endanger Tests

November 19, 2006

SYDNEY is in danger of losing Test match rugby league following slow ticket sales for Saturday night's Tri-Nations final at Aussie Stadium.

ARL chief executive Geoff Carr says officials can no longer sit back and tolerate empty seats at major games in Sydney when Queenslanders are fighting for tickets to any game played at Suncorp Stadium.

"Since Suncorp reopened, we've had crowds of more than 40,000 in Brisbane at every Test,'' Carr said. "And whenever we take a game to Melbourne and promote it as a major event, we get great crowds, support and atmosphere.

"We all realise Sydney is the heartland of rugby league. But for whatever reason, whenever Tests are shown live on TV, fans haven't gone to the ground. It's something we're going to have to look at. We're running a business and gate receipts are an important part of that.''

Two weeks ago the "official'' crowd was 22,000 when Australia played Great Britain at Aussie Stadium. Insiders have told The Sunday Telegraph there was some creative counting going on and the true figure was closer to 18,000.
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[Grimmace]

Kiwis unchanged for final

November 21, 2006 NEW Zealand has named an unchanged team for Saturday night's Tri-Nations decider with Australia at Sydney's Aussie Stadium.

Kiwi coach Brian McClennan has shown faith in the squad which defeated Great Britain 34-4 in Wellington two 10 days ago, saying that continuity plays a large role at the selection table.

The defending Tri-Nations champion heads into the final as underdog, having lost to Australia in its three previous meetings this year.

The side trained in stifling conditions at Parramatta Stadium this morning, with McClennan saying he would go easy on his squad to ensure it is at its best for Saturday.

The Kangaroos side will be named later today.

Brent Webb, Shontayne Hape, Iosia Soiola, Steve Matai, Manu Vatuvei, Nigel Vagana, Stacey Jones, Ruben Wiki (capt), Dene Halatau, Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, Simon Mannering, David Fa'alogo.
Interchange: Motu Tony, Nathan Cayless, Adam Blair, Frank Pritchard.
AAP

[DIEHARD]

Wow I cant believe the crowd could have possibly been 18,000!

Thats only an above average NRL crowd!!!!

There are massive problems in Sydney!

Why doesn't the NRL just get all season ticket holders onto one list and offer them all Test Match tickets. Even go to ticketek and get the details of people that buy rugby league tickets (Which some teams do already) and send them an offer.

There are 10 NSW based teams! We have one in Southern QLD!

[Grimmace]

Klein takes whistle for final

November 21, 2006 ENGLISH-based Australian referee Ashley Klein has been appointed to control Saturday night's Tri-Nations rugby league final between New Zealand and Australia at Aussie Stadium.

The assignment tops off what has already been a massive week for the former Parramatta junior referee after he was crowned international referee of the year at Monday night's Golden Boot awards dinner.

It will be Klein's sixth international overall after he was the man in the middle in both of Australia's wins over the Kiwis so far this series.

"It has been a great tournament and I'm honoured to play a role in the final," Klein said.

With early fireworks promised on Saturday night, Klein could have his hands full dealing with the likes of Australia big men Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley up against Kiwi juggernauts Roy Asotasi and Ruben Wiki.

But Klein said he would try to keep his role as simple as possible.

"As with any appointment my goal is very simple ? to make sure players and spectators enjoy a good, fair game," he said.

Klein moved to England six years ago and was last year named Super League referee of the year.

AAP

[Grimmace]

Great news for Klien as he has been the best Ref of the series so far, Hope he can comeback to the NRL shortly.