Bennett's Player Guide

[Kiwi Eagle]

Bennett releases player position guide

NRL Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:00:00

NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett has today issued his selection guide for fans who from tomorrow will begin the final stage of choosing the NRL All Stars to take on the Indigenous All Stars in the Harvey Norman All Stars match at Skilled Park on February 13.

With 64 of the NRL’s biggest names now shortlisted, the-six time premiership winning coach has, for the first time in his career, given fans a personal insight into his views on constructing the ultimate team.

As he prepares to hand fans full control of the selection process through www.nrl.com/allstars from 9:00am AEDT (8:00am AEST) tomorrow (January 4) the coach has said he will continue to provide guidance in the weeks before voting closes at midnight AEDT (11:00am AEST) on January 29.

His first act is to assign each of the 64 short listed players the position he wants fans to consider them for when lodging their votes from tomorrow. Players must be voted for in one of their designated position/s.

The coach has divided the backs into three groups:
- Fullback – Specialist role
- Outside Back – Includes centres and wings
- Inside Back – A player who can play five-eighth or halfback

Forwards are also divided into three categories
- Tight Forwards – A player who plays front-row and also second-row
- Edge Forwards – A second-rower or lock that can play on both the right and left side edge of a team’s attack and defence.
- Hooker – Specialist role

The coach wants at least three tight forwards in the starting line-up

The Coach’s remaining notes are:
- Players marked as utility players have been designated on the basis of their ability to cover multiple positions.
- The seven man bench will require:

    - two Tight Forwards
    - one Edge Forward
    - one Inside Back
    - one Outside Back
    - two Utilities

The public now faces the testing task of narrowing down the 64 players to just sixteen, choosing at least one player from every NRL club.

They will join the four internationals, Darren Lockyer, Benji Marshall, Cameron Smith, and Adam Blair who have already been named in the in the first ever twenty man NRL All-Stars squad.

Bennett has already designated Lockyer at five-eighth, Marshall at half, Smith at hooker and Blair in the front row.

The coach has spoken of his excitement at the prospect of having both Marshall and Lockyer in the same jersey:

“One of the exciting things to me is that they can all play together for the first time in their careers.

“I spoke to Benji recently and I’ve got to say that he was so excited about the fact that he would be playing with Lockyer and I know that Lockyer is excited about getting to play with him.

“Just those two alone, I just want to spend a week with them and enjoy their company and watch them play football.”

A full interview between Wayne Bennett and Brad Fitler on the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars can be viewed online tomorrow at www.nrl.com tomorrow (January 4).

Wayne Bennett’s nominated positions for the 64-shortlisted NRL All Stars contenders are:

Club


Name


Position/s

Brisbane Broncos

Corey Parker

Edge Forward

Nick Kenny

Tight Forward

Israel Folau

Outside Back

Peter Wallace

Inside Back

Canberra Raiders

Alan Tongue

Edge Forward, Utility

David Shillington

Tight Forward

Terry Campese

Inside Back

Joel Monaghan

Outside Back

Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs

Michael Ennis

Hooker

David Stagg

Edge Forward

Josh Morris

Outside Back

Luke Patten

Fullback

Cronulla Sharks

Anthony Tupou

Edge Forward

Luke Douglas

Tight Forward

Trent Barrett

Inside Back

Luke Covell
Outside Back

Gold Coast Titans

Anthony Laffranchi

Edge Forward

Luke Bailey

Tight Forward

Mat Rogers

Utility, Inside Back

Ashley Harrison

Edge Forward

Manly Sea Eagles

Anthony Watmough

Edge Forward

Glenn Stewart

Edge Forward

Michael Robertson

Outside Back

Kieran Foran

Inside Back, Utility

Melbourne Storm

Ryan Hoffman

Edge Forward

Aiden Tolman

Tight Forward

Billy Slater

Fullback

Brett Finch

Inside Back

Newcastle Knights

Ben Cross

Tight Forward

Chris Houston

Edge Forward

Kurt Gidley

Fullback, Utility

Jarrod Mullen

Inside Back

North Queensland Cowboys

Luke O’Donnell

Edge Forward

Antonio Kaufusi

Tight Forward

Ashley Graham

Outside Back

Josh Williams

Outside Back

Parramatta Eels

Fuifui Moimoi

Tight Forward

Nathan Hindmarsh

Edge Forward, Tight Forward

Jarryd Hayne

Outside Back, Fullback

Feleti Mateo

Inside Back, Utility

Penrith Panthers

Petero Civoniceva

Tight Forward

Frank Pritchard

Edge Forward

Michael Jennings

Outside Back

Luke Lewis

Edge Forward, Utility

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Dave Taylor

Edge Forward

Isaac Luke

Hooker

Fetuli Talanoa

Outside Back

Colin Best

Outside Back

St George Illawarra Dragons

Ben Creagh

Edge Forward

Jeremy Smith

Tight Forward, Edge Forward

Matt Cooper

Outside Back

Darius Boyd

Outside Back, Fullback

Sydney Roosters

Nate Myles

Tight Forward

Jason Ryles

Tight Forward

Anthony Minichiello

Fullback

Mitchell Pearce

Inside Back

New Zealand Warriors

Micheal Luck

Edge Forward

Sam Rapira

Tight Forward

Manu Vatuvei

Outside Back

Simon Mannering

Edge Forward

Wests Tigers

Gareth Ellis

Edge Forward

Robbie Farah

Hooker

Chris Lawrence

Outside Back

Tim Moltzen

Fullback, Utility

The first player selected in the NRL All Stars team public vote will be the representative who receives the highest overall number votes for a single position. His selection will mean that no other player from that representative’s club will be eligible to make the side. The next player selected will have recorded the second highest number of overall votes for a single position ….and so on.

If a player is unable to play due to injury, he will be replaced by someone from the bench.

The bench spot will then be filled by another player from the injured player’s club – the new player having recorded the second highest number of votes from that club, either as a forward, back or utility, depending on the position needed for the bench.

Already 18,000 fans have been involved in the NRL All Stars voting through Stage One, selecting two forwards and two backs from each club. They joined the 17,000 who cast their votes for the Indigenous All Stars side last November.

In an expansive nrl.com interview, Wayne Bennett has spoken about his excitement at being a part of the inaugural Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars game on February 13, 2010 at Skilled Park:

“I just thought it was a wonderful concept and I felt proud and privilaged to be asked to be a part of it.

“It was something that I liked the idea of it of and something I think has a lot of merit to it.

Given the opportunity, it is something that I want to add to as well, it is a wonderful concept.”

There are only a handful of remaining tickets, including corporate packages and single seats. Ticket enquiries can made through Ticketek outlets, on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au.

 

[Matabele]

Sucked in to Melbourne having to provide so many players to this circus.  How did Adam Blair become an automatic selection?

 

[willstyles]

Vice captain of the Kiwis...

 

[Matabele]

You're joking!  Where's their captain then?  Is Marshall that?  I don't pay much attention given they can't even make a Tri-nations final.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I had no idea Blair was the vice this season

We prefer to win the World Cups Mata

 

[Chip and Chase]

Fark the selection process sounds confusing ?? So each club is only allowed to have one representative in the team ? So am I right in guessing that it's the 4 auto selections (Lockyer, Marshall, Smith and Blair) and then 1 from each club to make up the squad of 20 ?

We should have a "guess the final team" contest as it sounds like a bloody lottery.

 

[DSM5]

What's this 'edge forward' thing?  Fittler as assistant coach says it all.  Nonsense game for the stupid to watch.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Assuming that no Hookers from the list can be chosen because it is a specialist position and Smith has already filled it, then this is what I could come up with based on Bennetts criteria.

FB Slater (Melb)
RW Folau (Bris)
RC J Morris (Cant)
LC Jennings (Pen)
LW Hayne (Parra)
5/8 Lockyer (Auto)
HB Marshall (Auto)
LK J Smith (StGIll) [Tight/Edge F]
SR Watmough (Man) [Edge F]
SR O'Donnell (NQld) [Edge F]
FR Bailey (GldC) [Tight F]
HK Smith (Auto)
FR Blair (Auto)

Bench

Tight F Douglas (Cron)
Tight F Myles (Easts)
Edge F Taylor (Souths)
Inside B Mullen (Newc)
Outside B Vatuvei (NewZ)
Utility Tongue (Canb)
Utility Moltzen (Wests)

I'd actually prefer Farah as the utility instead of Moltzen for the Tigers representative, but he is listed as a hooker only.

 

[DSM5]

C & C, what is an 'edge forward' and a 'Tight F'?  Where did these things come from?  Did I miss a decade or so?

 

[Matabele]

Moltzen?  How can a side be "all star" containing dross like that?  They might as well recall Luke Dorn and Chad Randall from England.

This game should be played on 26 January and be titled the Invasion Cup. 

 

[The Wheel]

I am hoping Robbo will be our rep

 

[Chip and Chase]

Well you've got to include 1 player from each of the 16 sides, so it's odds on that there will be a couple of nuffies in the side. Really there is no way any Cronulla or Easts player should make an All Star side anyway. Moltzen gets in by default because Farah is the pick of the Tigers players nominated and he can't be picked because Smith has hooker sewn up. Lawrence isn't going to poll over any of the myriad of better Outside backs nominated and Ellis isn't in the top 10 backrowers in the comp. It's a rubbish concept I agree, but you try and come up with a side to fulfill the selection criteria, it ain't easy.

DSM, Edge forward and Tight forward are Bennett's definitions as explained above. Sounds like dribble to me.

 

[Fro]

This game should be played on 26 January and be titled the Invasion Cup. 

Or April 18th

 

[Matabele]

April 18 would be a good day to play for Malcolm Fraser's trousers.

 

[The Wheel]

April 18 would be a good day to play for Malcolm Fraser's trousers.

Sorry Byso is wearing them, along with John Howard's glasses, Andrew Peacock's tie, Peter Costello's smirk and Tony Abbott's budgie smugglers.

 

[lsz]

What about Ellis from the Tigers?

 

[Fro]

April 18 would be a good day to play for Malcolm Fraser's trousers.

at least you got it

 

[Matabele]

[quote author=Matabele link=topic=182237.msg248612#msg248612 date=1262744391]
April 18 would be a good day to play for Malcolm Fraser's trousers.

at least you got it


[/quote]  We did get it.  The Lancaster agreement right up the Trews.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Bennett hoping for trio in All Stars team

Wayne Bennett hopes Matt Cooper, Gareth Ellis and Kurt Gidley are voted onto the NRL All Stars team he is to coach against the All Star Indigenous side.

Fans get to pick 16 players, one from each NRL club, for Bennett's 20-man squad to play the pre-season clash at Skilled Park on February 13 against a powerful combination containing the likes of Greg Inglis, Johnathan Thurston and Justin Hodges.

Bennett has shortlisted 64 players, four from each club, for fans to choose from.

And although he has no direct say in who is selected, the veteran St George Illawarra mentor has his own ideas about who should line up alongside the four nominated automatic choices - Darren Lockyer, Benji Marshall, Adam Blair and Cameron Smith.

Asked in a live blog on the NRL website to name the one player he would pick if given the chance, Bennett plumped for Dragons centre Cooper.

"The centres will have to pick up Hodges and Inglis and he is one of the best defensive centres in the game," Bennett said.

The coaching great also nominated Englishman Ellis and NSW skipper Gidley as players he would like to see in his squad.

"I hope Kurt gets picked - he's ideal for this game adding to the balance of the team," he said.

"He can play anywhere and we'll need guys like him. He'll get plenty of playing time."

Ellis, who enjoyed a successful first season in the NRL last year, is named alongside Robbie Farah, Chris Lawrence and Tim Moltzen as the Wests Tigers' nominations.

Bennett agreed with a claim that the former Leeds Rhino was the best player on the list and said the poster who made the call was a smart judge and Ellis would be in his team.

 

[Matabele]

Gidley and Cooper LOL.  It really is a circus and here come the clowns.