Insult riles Kiwis (Haha)

[DIEHARD]

TRI-NATIONS organisers have done Australia no favours by inciting the Kiwis after they discovered they weren't booked to stay for the series final in England.

New Zealand officials say it is 'disrespectful' that even before a ball was kicked in the Tri-Nations they were not expected to make the final.

The Kiwis have been the form side of the series, but there are suggestions they have been told that if they make the final they will have to move into the hotel of the team that misses out.

"The organisers thought they were going home early," said Australian coach Wayne Bennett when quizzed about the plans.

"Fortunately we're not organising the competition."

Bennett knows the Kiwis will see the decision as yet another insult to their side.

Kiwi coach Brian McClennan adopted somewhat of a siege mentality when he took the reins and news of this decision by organisers will only serve as fresh material to fire up his side.

"They would have known that, to be honest with you," said Bennett trying to nip in the bud any suggestion from New Zealand that this is a fresh insult.

"We all know our itinerary before we leave home and where we are staying. I've got to assume the New Zealanders knew what was going on before they left home.

"They've got enough chips on their shoulders. They don't need any more."

While the organisers will say they based their decision on the seedings from last year's series, it has provided added desperation for Australia and Great Britain who battle it out tomorrow morning (4am Queensland time) at Wigan's JJB Stadium.

New Zealand lead the series with two wins from three matches while Australia have one victory. The hosts are yet to get a result having lost to the Kiwis in their opening match at Loftus Road in London last weekend.

"You want to get this one done," said Bennett, who still has some selection headaches with his side.

Parramatta's Nathan Hindmarsh has not come quite right with an injured knee and will certainly drop off a five-man bench with Penrith's Trent Waterhouse on standby for St George Illawarra's Jason Ryles (quadricep).

Hindmarsh's problems mean Bulldogs forward Willie Mason will make his return to the Test arena.

"It's a good feeling. I've had a bit of an up-and-down season," said Mason.

Mason's season was slow to start after he injured his foot on last year's Tour during a match against the USA in the United States.

He also missed the first two matches of this series. The first when he was overlooked for selection and the second after injuring his shoulder in a warm-up game against New Zealand A.

"The last three weeks has been the best I've felt with my foot," said Mason.

"I'm probably a little bit underdone with game time but in training and stuff like that I have been training really well.

"Coming off my right foot feels good. I don't feel it at all and most of the year I did feel it and it was a bit of a hinderance, but now I'm probably 100 per cent."

Source: http://www.NEWS.com.au

[Queenslander]

:rotflmao: Man i love Wayne Bennett he loves to stir the pot. But N.Z. should have checked these sort of thing before and ensure they were booked for the finals.

[Super Cronk]

LOL..man thats funny.

[Cliffy GC]

whinging sheep shaggers