Tri-Nations 06: Grand Final; Kangaroos vs Kiwis

[jenny]

Focus on Mason to shift south, says Kiwis coach


November 22, 2006


BRIAN McClennan, New Zealand's newly crowned international coach of the year, claimed Willie Mason's legs and not his head will be the focus in Saturday night's Tri-Nations final at Aussie Stadium.

McClennan said his side wouldn't go out looking for a repeat of the knockout blow David Kidwell put on Mason in the series opener.

"You want to bring down tall timber, you've got to get the legs," McClennan said. "It's a little bit of a goal of ours to have it so that Willie says at the end of the game that he's never been tackled so hard around his legs."

Mason has taken his headline-grabbing to another level during this Tri-Nations. The haka scandal preceded a one-game suspension for punching Great Britain prop Stuart Fielden. Fresh from his one-week ban, Mason has vowed not to back down.

While his first clash with Kidwell, the Melbourne Storm forward, will be eagerly anticipated, his 80-minute duel with Roy Asotasi is one that could well determine the course of the match.

McClennan said that victory on Saturday night would elevate his squad to the top of the pile after last year's stunning romp to the title. "For us to win two Tri-Nations in a row ? we would be deemed the greatest Kiwi team in history," McClennan said.

AAP

[Capital_Shark]

Focus on Mason to shift south, says Kiwis coach


November 22, 2006


BRIAN McClennan, New Zealand's newly crowned international coach of the year, claimed Willie Mason's legs and not his head will be the focus in Saturday night's Tri-Nations final at Aussie Stadium.

McClennan said his side wouldn't go out looking for a repeat of the knockout blow David Kidwell put on Mason in the series opener.

"You want to bring down tall timber, you've got to get the legs," McClennan said. "It's a little bit of a goal of ours to have it so that Willie says at the end of the game that he's never been tackled so hard around his legs."

Mason has taken his headline-grabbing to another level during this Tri-Nations. The haka scandal preceded a one-game suspension for punching Great Britain prop Stuart Fielden. Fresh from his one-week ban, Mason has vowed not to back down.

While his first clash with Kidwell, the Melbourne Storm forward, will be eagerly anticipated, his 80-minute duel with Roy Asotasi is one that could well determine the course of the match.

McClennan said that victory on Saturday night would elevate his squad to the top of the pile after last year's stunning romp to the title. "For us to win two Tri-Nations in a row ? we would be deemed the greatest Kiwi team in history," McClennan said.

AAP

No worries, Kiwis. You focus on Mason's knees while the QLD connection run in an avalanche of tries.

[jenny]

Aussies eye off revenge in league final


November 23, 2006 - 9:00PM


Equally desperate for Tri-Nations glory, Australia and New Zealand head into Saturday night's final at Aussie Stadium with vastly different motivations.

Veteran prop Petero Civoniceva says the Kangaroos are bent on avenging last year's embarrassing 24-0 series final loss while the Kiwis say they have nothing to prove and they'll be driven by their "brother-like" bond.

Civoniceva said the hurt from last year's trouncing by the Kiwis in England had lingered long into this year.

"(Last off-season) was the longest off-season I've had mainly because of that disappointment and it's something that probably followed me throughout the season," said Civoniceva.

"But this is our chance on Saturday, we have one last 80 minutes to hopefully put all those bad memories to the side."

Civoniceva said the Kangaroos would throw everything into the match, knowing it was the last game of their extended and draining season.

Meanwhile, Kiwis hardman David Kidwell insisted New Zealand was not out to prove last year's series win wasn't a "fluke", even though Australia has won all three matches between the two teams since.

And he said there was no lack of internal motivation within the New Zealand camp.

"I don't think we've got anything to prove, but we have a group of guys that have been together for six weeks and I think we just want to do it for each other and all our families that have sacrificed a lot for us to come here," Kidwell said.

"Kiwi camps are always special and it's a known fact we are very close.

"We are brothers and it does show on the field with our passion and camaraderie.

"This year is no different to last year in that we're all close and we're all gunning for that one goal - to win."

Kidwell said the return of power forward Willie Mason for Saturday's game was a huge boost for Australia but played down another showdown in their first meeting since he hit the big man with a shuddering shoulder charge in the series opener in Auckland.

"I haven't really thought about it, you can't think about those things because you've got a role in your team and the team comes first," Kidwell said.

"I'm sure we're going to come together at some stage, but that's football and whatever happens, happens."

The game is shaping up as a highly physical encounter, despite coaches Ricky Stuart and Brian McClennan playing down any kind of "biff".

Kiwi's captain Ruben Wiki said his side would be more focused on completing their sets and minimising the sort of errors which cost it victory in the final minutes of their 20-15 loss to Australia at the Telstra Dome last month.

New Zealand has named the same side that thumped Great Britain 34-4 two weeks ago, while Brisbane's Brent Tate has retained his spot on the wing for the Kangaroos despite Matt King proving his fitness.

Tate believes Australia's backline can do some real damage if Australia's forwards can get on top early.

"The forward battle is probably going to determine this game," he said.

"Both forward packs are really going to rip in and if our forwards can set a platform for us early then the backs can wreak a bit of havoc."

[jenny]

League
Petero wary of Kiwis seeking revenge

By Stuart Honeysett
November 24, 2006

FORGET about Australia exacting revenge on New Zealand in the Tri-Nations final tomorrow night.

According to Kangaroos prop Petero Civoniceva, the Kiwis have their own score to settle after Australia stole a victory from them last month.

The Brisbane front rower sounded the warning at the team hotel in Coogee where a handful of players gathered to watch the start of the first Ashes Test yesterday.

While much of the hype for tomorrow night's game at Aussie Stadium has centred on Australia regaining the tag of Tri-Nations champion which New Zealand took from it last year, the Kiwis have plenty of motivation after a heartbreaking loss in Melbourne.

The Kiwis led 15-8 with fewer than five minutes to go before some brilliance from Darren Lockyer and Greg Inglis resulted in two converted tries for the home team to snatch a memorable win.

The anger over the loss was most palpable on the face of Kiwi back rower David Kidwell, who was seen on television footage kicking the ground in disgust after Kangaroos centre Mark Gasnier scored the match winner.

"You could just see the disappointment on their faces after that game," Civoniceva said.

"They pretty much had that game in the bag and if it wasn't for a bit of Darren Lockyer and Greg Inglis brilliance, we wouldn't have escaped with it.

"They beat us in most facets of the game: Their ball control was great, their kicking game was great, their line speed was just a touch better than ours.

"For 75 minutes, that was their game and we were fortunate to get away with it."

New Zealand's capitulation in Melbourne raised questions of whether it had reverted to old habits of matching strides with Australia until the final 10 minutes of a game.

However, Civoniceva believes New Zealand's 24-0 thumping of the Kangaroos at Elland Road, Leeds, in the final last year proves it is now just as mentally tough as it is physically.

"You can just see the amount of spirit in that side and it's taken some really good performances by us to defeat them," Civoniceva said.

"They're definitely tough enough to go the whole 80 minutes. We're going to have to be able to match them and go a step above them in intensity.

"One thing that they bring is the physical toughness up front. It's pretty brutal and I know from previous games in the tournament it's taken a few days to recover from the soreness. I know it's definitely going to be a very physical encounter up front."

Civoniceva said last year's final loss had motivated him to make the Australia team this year for a shot at redemption.

Until last year, the Kangaroos had an imposing record on the international stage, having not been beaten in a series for 27 years.

"It's certainly something that carried me throughout the pre-season," Civoniceva said.

"It was the longest off-season I've had, mainly because of that disappointment, and it's something that's followed me throughout the season. This is our chance on Saturday night.

"It's one last 80 minutes to hopefully put all those bad memories to one side."

Gasnier agreed.

He compared the Kangaroos' quest for revenge with that of the Australia cricket team, battling to wrestle the Ashes urn off England this summer.

"They're probably similar circumstances," Gasnier said.

"(Australia's cricketers) were dominant for so long and then got it taken away from them.

"But in saying that, they've prepared as we've prepared and they've done as we have done. Hopefully they get a good result and so do we."

Both men played down talk of burnout after another arduous year that started with pre-season games in February.

Gasnier said playing the Tri-Nations series in Australia instead of the usual venue of England had made a huge difference and all the players were still feeling mentally fresh for tomorrow night.

"Obviously we'll be happy when it's finished as far as giving everybody a rest and stuff like that," Gasnier said.

"We're all very excited about playing in the final and, as I said before, we really want the Tri-Nations title back.

"Even if we were (tired) we'd tend to get up for a final."

[Grimmace]

Mo better, no blues for Willie
By Steve Mascord
November 24, 2006 WILLIE Mason isn't just playing for nothing in tomorrow night's Tri-Nations final; it has been revealed the tournament's villain will also be raising thousands for charity.

After being suspended for punching Great Britain prop Stuart Fielden a fortnight ago, Australia's Test prop Mason was fined $5000, twice his wages for the Aussie Stadium showdown against New Zealand.

But as he prepares for a rematch with nemesis David Kidwell, the clown prince of the NRL last night uncovered his serious side as he spoke of a commitment to promote the fight against cancer, which claimed his father, Ian, nine years ago.

"Whenever I get man of the match, for Origin or whatever, I usually donate it to the cancer council," Mason said.

"I'm comfortable talking about it now, it doesn't really bother me.

"I lost my old man to cancer in 1997, before I came down to Sydney, so whatever I can do to raise money for that research, I'm happy to do."

Mason's comedy moustache can be sponsored by fans as part of Movember, a charity that promotes awareness of men's health issues, including cancer prevention.

Mason conceded he started his own growth to compete with teammate Nathan Hindmarsh rather than for charity.

"Hindy was growing his and I thought I could grow a better mo," he joked. "His is pathetic. He looks like a 70-year-old Chinese man.

"I thought I'd go something better than the sleazy little mo that he's got. I thought I'd go the choppers."

Mason, 26, cast himself as a villain even before the Tri-Nations series kicked off on October 14 when cameras caught him swearing during the haka.

His punch, which concussed Fielden and broke the prop's nose, got him offside with the Brits, too.

But Movember officials are thrilled at his decision to back their charity. A spokesman said fans could sponsor him by quoting Mo Bro No.56221 when they visit the Movember website.

ARL chief executive Geoff Carr revealed his board would allow Mason to donate the Fielden fine to the charity.

Mason missed the second game against NZ with concussion suffered in a ferocious clash with second-rower Kidwell.

Kiwis coach Brian McClennan said: "I think they'll probably bring Willie off the bench. He hasn't played in a while. He's had two games since the Dogs finished.

"They might have concerns with his match fitness."

But Mason hit back last night:

"I probably couldn't be fitter at the moment so I'm not worried about my fitness at all. I was training with the boys last week and then I was training with (trainer) Ron Palmer, just getting flogged."



Source: Daily Telegraph

[Grimmace]

Leadership's the key against NZ: Lockyer
Friday, November 24, 2006 - 10:46 AM

Australian skipper Darren Lockyer says his leadership, and not playmaking abilities, will be more important for the Kangaroos in Saturday's Tri-Nations rugby league final against New Zealand.

The Kangaroos wrapped up preparations for the final at Aussie Stadium with a final training run at OKI Jubilee Stadium on Friday morning.

Lockyer is chasing a remarkable captain's treble in the clash, having already skippered Queensland to State of Origin success and Brisbane to the NRL title this season.

"I'm going out there not only as a player but also as a captain," Lockyer said before today's training session.

"And I think what's more important for me is my leadership. I'm not going out there to be a star, but a leader for the team."

After a long and gruelling season, Lockyer said the Australian players were desperate to end the year on a high.

"I think like everyone involved they want to finish the year on a good note. It makes the off-season a lot easier to take when you finish ion a winning note.

"That's one motivation the team is using."

Source: AAP

[jenny]

Kiwi coach promises trickery

By Steve Mascord

November 24, 2006 12:00
Article from: The Daily Telegraph



NEW Zealand coach Brian McClennan has openly admitted he will be employing "trickery" in tomorrow night's Tri-Nations final.

And Kiwi captain Ruben Wiki reckons the Australians are kidding themselves if they believe the average league fan sees the Aussie Stadium showdown as a 50-50 bet.

Set plays, tap moves and sleight of hand, such as Stacey Jones pretending he has the ball as he runs from the scrumbase, are all tipped to be parts of the champions' armoury tomorrow night.

"I think it's always good to have an element of surprise going into a grand final," McClennan told The Daily Telegraph.

But prop Wiki countered Australian claims this week the match was an even-money bet.

"Australia's been on top for a long time . . . they've always been dominant," he said.

[jenny]

League
Petero

Beware ... Kiwis to settle the score. Pic: David Kapernick
Petero wary of Kiwis seeking revenge

By Stuart Honeysett
November 24, 2006

FORGET about Australia exacting revenge on New Zealand in the Tri-Nations final tomorrow night.

According to Kangaroos prop Petero Civoniceva, the Kiwis have their own score to settle after Australia stole a victory from them last month.

The Brisbane front rower sounded the warning at the team hotel in Coogee where a handful of players gathered to watch the start of the first Ashes Test yesterday.

While much of the hype for tomorrow night's game at Aussie Stadium has centred on Australia regaining the tag of Tri-Nations champion which New Zealand took from it last year, the Kiwis have plenty of motivation after a heartbreaking loss in Melbourne.

The Kiwis led 15-8 with fewer than five minutes to go before some brilliance from Darren Lockyer and Greg Inglis resulted in two converted tries for the home team to snatch a memorable win.

The anger over the loss was most palpable on the face of Kiwi back rower David Kidwell, who was seen on television footage kicking the ground in disgust after Kangaroos centre Mark Gasnier scored the match winner.

"You could just see the disappointment on their faces after that game," Civoniceva said.

"They pretty much had that game in the bag and if it wasn't for a bit of Darren Lockyer and Greg Inglis brilliance, we wouldn't have escaped with it.

"They beat us in most facets of the game: Their ball control was great, their kicking game was great, their line speed was just a touch better than ours.

"For 75 minutes, that was their game and we were fortunate to get away with it."

New Zealand's capitulation in Melbourne raised questions of whether it had reverted to old habits of matching strides with Australia until the final 10 minutes of a game.

However, Civoniceva believes New Zealand's 24-0 thumping of the Kangaroos at Elland Road, Leeds, in the final last year proves it is now just as mentally tough as it is physically.

"You can just see the amount of spirit in that side and it's taken some really good performances by us to defeat them," Civoniceva said.

"They're definitely tough enough to go the whole 80 minutes. We're going to have to be able to match them and go a step above them in intensity.

"One thing that they bring is the physical toughness up front. It's pretty brutal and I know from previous games in the tournament it's taken a few days to recover from the soreness. I know it's definitely going to be a very physical encounter up front."

Civoniceva said last year's final loss had motivated him to make the Australia team this year for a shot at redemption.

Until last year, the Kangaroos had an imposing record on the international stage, having not been beaten in a series for 27 years.

"It's certainly something that carried me throughout the pre-season," Civoniceva said.

"It was the longest off-season I've had, mainly because of that disappointment, and it's something that's followed me throughout the season. This is our chance on Saturday night.

"It's one last 80 minutes to hopefully put all those bad memories to one side."

Gasnier agreed.

He compared the Kangaroos' quest for revenge with that of the Australia cricket team, battling to wrestle the Ashes urn off England this summer.

"They're probably similar circumstances," Gasnier said.

"(Australia's cricketers) were dominant for so long and then got it taken away from them.

"But in saying that, they've prepared as we've prepared and they've done as we have done. Hopefully they get a good result and so do we."

Both men played down talk of burnout after another arduous year that started with pre-season games in February.

Gasnier said playing the Tri-Nations series in Australia instead of the usual venue of England had made a huge difference and all the players were still feeling mentally fresh for tomorrow night.

"Obviously we'll be happy when it's finished as far as giving everybody a rest and stuff like that," Gasnier said.

"We're all very excited about playing in the final and, as I said before, we really want the Tri-Nations title back.

"Even if we were (tired) we'd tend to get up for a final."

[Grimmace]

Thurston our main man, says Stuart
Friday, November 24, 2006 - 2:58 PM

Dropped three weeks ago, Johnathan Thurston will carry the weight of a nation as Australia bids for rugby league Tri-Nations redemption.

A year after being humbled 24-0 by New Zealand in the 2005 decider, the Kangaroos can further repress memories of that shock defeat when they again battle the Kiwis in the tournament decider at Aussie Stadium on Saturday night.

Darren Lockyer will skipper the Kangaroos chasing a remarkable captain's treble, having already led Queensland to victory in the State of Origin series and Brisbane to the NRL title.

But it's Thurston who will carry much of the load during the game after coach Ricky Stuart said the North Queensland halfback would again assume the role of on-field general.

"He took a lot of pressure off Darren (last week against Great Britain), and it's something I've asked of him again, to take that role as a leader at first pivot," Stuart said.

It is a remarkable change in responsibilities for Thurston who just weeks ago was dropped from the side after starting the first two games against the Kiwis.

Stuart opted for Ben Hornby at No.7 for the November 4 clash with Great Britain, but after Australia lost that game went back to Thurston at halfback for the Lions re-match last weekend.

Thurston didn't disappoint, starring in the Kangaroos' 33-10 win.

Stuart, though, is demanding more for the final.

"I think he was more hungry in his last game and it showed ... that was his best game of the series," Stuart said.

"But I want him go out there and want to perform better than he what did last game.

"He's still got a lot of football ahead of him. He's just growing into the position and it's important for him to take that role as a leader and dictator of the team."

Five-eighth Lockyer believes his most important role will be as captain, not playmaker.

"I'm going out there not only as a player but also as a captain. And I think what's more important for me is my leadership. I'm not going out there to be a star, but a leader for the team," Lockyer said.

The Kiwis haven't beaten Australia since its Tri-Nations triumph in Leeds last November, but have drawn closer in each of their three meetings this year.

Australia cantered home 50-12 in the Anzac Test in May, before winning the opening Test of the Tri-Nations 30-18 last month.

The Kangaroos won 20-15 in Melbourne the last time the two teams met four weeks ago, but needed two tries in the final five minutes to sneak home.

While happy to reveal the workings of his halves combination, Stuart was far more guarded about Willie Mason's role, claiming he was still to decide on whether to start the Bulldogs enforcer or unleash him from the bench.

"I'll make that call about a half-hour before the game," Stuart said.

Both sides have accused the other of playing mind games during the build up, but Stuart didn't believe counterpart Brian McClennan was foxing when he openly admitted the Kiwis were saving a few trick plays for the final.

"He probably has, we'll just have to wait and see," said Stuart.

Australia: Karmichael Hunt, Brent Tate, Mark Gasnier, Justin Hodges, Greg Inglis, Darren Lockyer (c), Johnathan Thurston, Willie Mason, Cameron Smith, Petero Civoniceva, Andrew Ryan, Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke O'Donnell. Interchange: Shaun Berrigan, Anthony Tupou, Mark O'Meley, Brent Kite.

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

Source: AAP

[Robbie_Dee]

I'm sure he will lead australia to success along with Darren Lokcyer!

[Future Star]

i wanna c Brent Kite score a 100M try!

and if he doesnt.....

[Poida]

Tri-Nations Final Preview: Australia v New Zealand
Written by: Matt Starkey
24/11/2006

We've arrived at the final destination for the 2006 Tri-Nations tournament with the two Antipodean sides set to meet in an almighty clash.

It's finally time to put aside all the controversy that has embalmed this year's series and get down to business for 80 pulsating minutes of Rugby League, putting to rest who the greatest team in the world is.

This will be the seventh match of International Rugby League to be held at Aussie Stadium since the ground came into use in 1988. It's a shame that the anticipated crowd for this game is well down on expectations and ground capacity, which will probably result in Brisbane hosting the 2008 World Cup Final.

Let's take a look at the teams, with the current World Champions first up:

New Zealand: Brent Webb, Shontayne Hape, Iosia Soliola, Steve Matai, Manu Vatuvei, Nigel Vagana, Stacey Jones, Ruben Wiki (c), Dene Halatau, Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, Simon Mannering, David Fa'alogo

Interchange: Motu Tony, Nathan Cayless, Adam Blair, Frank Pritchard

No changes here to a side that belted the Lions a fortnight ago. They were hungry for points and ran over the top of Great Britain giving a summary of what they are capable of.

Unfortunately, all of New Zealand had to sit by and cheer for Australia last week. Poor buggers!

Moving onto the Aussies now?

Australia: Karmichael Hunt, Brent Tate, Mark Gasnier, Justin Hodges, Greg Inglis, Darren Lockyer (c), Johnathan Thurston, Willie Mason, Cameron Smith, Petero Civoniceva, Andrew Ryan, Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke O'Donnell

Interchange: Shaun Berrigan, Anthony Tupou, Mark O'Meley, Brent Kite

There's a couple of changes here with Mason coming straight back into the frontrow at the expense of Kaufusi. Tate has held his wing position and Kite moves back to the bench.

Tupou has also retained his spot ahead of Thaiday, which is still an absolute travesty. I know Tupou had a good game in Brisbane but the whole team played well. There's a suggestion out there that Mason might come off the bench with Kite starting which isn't a bad idea. It would make up for some of the impact lost through the omission of Thaiday.

The Decision

This game presents an interesting challenge for both sides and whilst Australia head in as favourites, this could assist the Kiwi's.

Overall I think the Kangaroos look the stronger side. They have a genuine five-eighth and hooker, who are both in career-best form.

Aside from that the teams are fairly similar.

Hunt and Webb more or less cancel one another out, each possessing good overall skills and pace. Similarly they are both a little shaky making big tackles at the back but if I had to choose between them I'd say Webb returns the ball better.

Both teams have big, mobile backs but it's fair to say Australia is more skilled. Soliola and Matai held their own against Gasnier and Hodges in the last meeting, with a freakish passage of running by Inglis breaking the game open.

It's hard to split the props with Wiki and Asotasi at least the equal of Mason and Civoniceva. I think the Aussies have a slight advantage in the backrow with Hindmarsh, Ryan and O'Donnell very well rounded. For the Kiwis, Kidwell is obviously the more senior player with Mannering and Fa'alogo both rookies at this level but the latter is performing strongly.

I'm still not convinced with Mannering, even though he did play well against the Lions. If the rest of the pack lays the foundations then it makes things a lot easier for him.

Off the bench?and again things are locked up.

Berrigan and Tony are similar in their versatility. Kite and O'Meley come up against Cayless and Blair with a struck match between them again. I'd probably lean towards the Aussies a little here but Pritchard matching up on Tupou evens things out. Both players will look to exploit the tired props in the fringes of the rucks towards the latter stages of the first half and the middle of the second.

This brings us to the halves and hookers.

Australia has a distinct advantage here. The trio of Lockyer, Thurston and Smith are proven champions with three Dally M's and two Churchill medals between them. They are all pure footballers and can adapt to changing situations throughout the game with ease.

For New Zealand, the combination of Vagana, Jones and Halatau is well behind in terms of skill but not heart. Jones is going very well at the moment and back to arguably his career best form. Since returning to the southern hemisphere he has improved with every Test Match and it's easy to imagine he will lift again for this final, reputedly his last International.

I say that because he came in and out of retirement several times during last year's tournament and most people assumed the 24-nil victory in the 2005 final would be his last appearance for the Kiwis.

Looking at Vagana, he's always tried hard at five-eighth even if he's not the preferred option and Halatau won't let them down even if he fails to add little more than adequate service from dummy half. He may act as another forward when Tony comes on though, which could work in this game.

Traditionally, Australia would look to wear down their opponent's pack and then spin the ball wide, but New Zealand has proven themselves capable of squaring off in the forwards against Australia in three of the past four games they've played (this year's ANZAC Test being the exception).

The likely tactics for New Zealand will be to bash their way through the middle and this has worked on occasion for them. For Vagana to be useful he will need to run straight lines at the defence and try to break the line which has also worked in the past. I'd like to see Webb used a little more up close as his creativity is sometimes underrated.

So this leaves us with who has the better halves, which is Australia. For this reason alone I think the Kangaroos will reclaim their crown as World Champions of Rugby League. The Aussies really want this title but the choice of referee (Klein) won't do them any favours and again could help out the Kiwis.

Whilst a Kiwi victory is not out of the question by any means, and they are in very good form, I get the feeling that this Australian side has been storing up plenty of revenge material for 12 months.

[Future Star]

Locky for PM!

[Poida]

McClennan promises some trickery

By Steve Mascord
November 24, 2006

NEW Zealand coach Brian McClennan has openly admitted he will be employing "trickery" in tomorrow night's Tri-Nations final.

And New Zealand captain Ruben Wiki reckons Australia is kidding itself if it believes the average league fan sees the Aussie Stadium showdown as a 50-50 bet.

Set plays, tap moves and sleight of hand, such as Stacey Jones pretending he has the ball as he runs from the scrumbase, are all tipped to be parts of the champions' armoury tomorrow night.

"I think it's always good to have an element of surprise going into a grand final," McClennan said.

But prop Wiki countered Australian claims this week the match was an even-money bet.

"Australia's been on top for a long time ... they've always been dominant," he said.

[jenny]

Thurston ordered to step up





DROPPED three weeks ago, Johnathan Thurston will tonight carry the weight of a nation as Australia bids for rugby league Tri-Nations redemption.

A year after being humbled 24-0 by New Zealand in the 2005 decider, the Kangaroos can further repress memories of that shock defeat when they again battle the Kiwis in the tournament decider at Aussie Stadium.

Darren Lockyer will skipper the Kangaroos chasing a remarkable captain's treble, having already led Queensland to victory in the state-of-origin series and Brisbane to the NRL title.

But it is Thurston who will carry much of the load during the game after coach Ricky Stuart said yesterday the North Queensland half-back would again assume the role of on-field general.

"He took a lot of pressure off Darren (last week against Great Britain), and it's something I've asked of him again, to take that role as a leader at first pivot," Stuart said.

It is a remarkable change in responsibilities for Thurston, who just weeks ago was dropped from the side after starting the first two games against the Kiwis.

Stuart opted for Ben Hornby at No. 7 for the November 4 clash with Great Britain, but after Australia lost that game went back to Thurston at half-back for the Lions' re-match last weekend.

Thurston didn't disappoint, starring in the Kangaroos' 33-10 win.

Stuart, however, is demanding more for the final.

"I think he was more hungry in his last game and it showed ? that was his best game of the series," Stuart said.

"But I want him to go out there and want to perform better than he what did last game. He's still got a lot of football ahead of him.

"He's just growing into the position and it's important for him to take that role as a leader and dictator of the team."

Five-eighth Lockyer believes his most important role tonight will be as captain, not playmaker.

"I'm going out there not only as a player but also as a captain. And I think what's more important for me is my leadership," he said.

"I'm not going out there to be a star, but a leader for the team."

The Kiwis haven't beaten Australia since their Tri-Nations triumph in Leeds last November, but have drawn closer in each of their three meetings this year.

Australia cantered home 50-12 in the Anzac Test in May before winning the opening Test of the Tri-Nations 30-18 last month.

The Kangaroos won 20-15 in Melbourne the last time the two teams met four weeks ago, but needed two tries in the final five minutes to sneak home.
__________________