KANGAROOS TEAM TO TAKE ON KIWIS

By Wayne Heming

An Australian side dominated by Queensland Origin players will clash with a powerful New Zealand side at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Saturday as a dress rehearsal for the Pacific Championship final the following weekend.

Both countries have already qualified for the final at Waikato’s FMG Stadium in Hamilton with the Kangaroos heavy favourites despite resting some key players to freshen them for the big dance on November 4.

Coach Mal Meninga has handed departing Brisbane Bronco and Queensland Origin #221 Thomas Flegler and Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes their first Australian jersey for the clash in his 17-man squad which includes 11 Maroon representatives.

Meninga has rebuilt the Kangaroo’s depth since 2018 when Australia played its first Test against the Kiwis without one of the Maroon Fab-4, Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, and Cooper Cronk in the team.

New Zealand took advantage of the absence of those four superstars, upsetting Australia 26-24 in Auckland, the last time they beat the Aussies.

Eleven players who were part of Queensland’s 2-1 State of Origin series defence this year have been named in Meninga’s 17-man squad while fellow Queenslanders, Selwyn Cobbo, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, and Payne Haas are reserves, taking the tally of Maroons in the 20-man squad to 14.

New Zealand often save their best for finals against Australia and it will be interesting to see if both teams go full thrust when the big prize is still a week away.

It’s still classified as an international and the Kiwis will no doubt see it as an opportunity to get back on their neighbours across the ditch.

The Kiwis stunned Australia 24-0 in the final of the Tri-Nations in 2005 at Elland Road and went very close to ambushing them again in last year’s World Cup final, again at England’s Elland Road, losing a classic Test 16-14.

All-up the two countries have clashed 142 times since the Kiwis won the first meeting 11-10 in 1908.

For the record, the Kangaroos have won 105 of those Trans-Tasman battles.

Since 1990 they have faced-off 61 times with the head-to-head 49-12 in favour of the Kangaroos.

The game kicks off at 7.10 pm.

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND

James Tedesco Charnze Nicholl-Klokstad

Dylan Edwards Ronaldo Mulitalo

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Matthew Timoko

Kotoni Staggs Joseph Manu

Valentine Holmes Jamayne Isaako

Cameron Munster Dylan Brown

Daly Cherry-Evans Jahrome Hughes