The New Zealand Rugby League today named their squad for the upcoming Four Nations competition to be held in England and France.
The squad contains seven uncapped players and really has a bit of an eye on the future with some very good young talent in the team.
The Kiwi’s have been hit hard by injuries already with a number of their higher profile players pulling out of the competition weeks ago. Still, the squad they named was a good one.
2009 New Zealand Four Nations Squad:
Adam Blair (Melbourne Storm)
Greg Eastwood (Bulldogs)
Nathan Fien (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Kieran Foran (Manly Sea Eagles)
Bryson Goodwin (Bulldogs)
Bronson Harrison (Canberra Raiders)
Lance Hohaia (NZ Warriors)
Krisnan Inu (Parramatta Eels)
Thomas Leuluai (Wigan Warriors)
Jeff Lima (Melbourne Storm)
Kevin Locke (NZ Warriors)
Issac Luke (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers)
Steve Matai (Manly Sea Eagles)
Ben Matulino (NZ Warriors)
Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta Eels)
Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Frank-Paul Nuuausala (Sydney Roosters)
Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters)
Frank Pritchard (Penrith Panthers)
Junior Sau (Newcastle Knights)
Iosia Soliola (Sydney Roosters)
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Manly Sea Eagles)
And my preferred lineup?
League Freak Proposed New Zealand Team
1. Sam Perrett
2. Kevin Locke
3. Krisnan Inu
4. Iosia Soliola
5. Bryson Goodwin
6. Kieran Foran
7. Benji Marshall
8. Fuifui Moimoi
9. Isaac Luke
10. Jeff Lima
11. Adam Blair
12. Frank Pritchard
13. Greg Eastwood
14. Nathan Fien
15. Ben Matulino
16. Frank-Paul Nuuausala
17. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
There is a lot of depth in the squad and a lot of versatility. As with the last few squads the Kiwi’s have named, gone are the days of big lumbering forwards, you have a lot of big players with great mobility and endurance is this squad, thats what I like to see from the Kiwi’s.
I think a few players will really stand out on this tour.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Kieran Foran and Kevin Locke have a chance to make a name for themselves and really cement a place in the New Zealand team for a long time if they can show they can perform at this level.
Benji Marshall is the captain of the squad, taking over from Nathan Cayless who retired from Test football after his World Cup triumph last year.
A great Kiwi squad, can’t wait to see the squad Australia named in return.
