Aus vs NZ Pack

[Mattpoet]

Since Monday is ANZAC day, we are about to play the Warriors and the Aus vs NZ test is coming up, for a bit of fun, I've picked my best Storm Australian and New Zealand forward packs. While I don't think the best teams would even go close to each other based on the overwhelming strength difference in the backlines, the forward packs match up very strongly and the Kiwis may even have an edge so I thought it would be a fun little debate: who would win between these two packs?

Australia: New Zealand:
8. Robbie Kearns 8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cameron Smith 9. Richard Swain
10. Glenn Lazarus 10. Adam Blair
11. Michael Crocker 11. Jeremy Smith
12. Ryan Hoffman 12. Stephen Keaney
13. Dallas Johnson 13. Tawera Nikau
14. Brett White 14. Tohu Harris
15. Jason Ryles 15. Kevin Proctor
16. Antonio Kaufusi 16. David Kidwell
17. Russell Bawden 17. Jeff Lima

Apologies on the Kiwi side to Sika Manu and Matt Rua in particular.

[yourhero]

With the notable exception being in the hooking position, I think the NZ pack by a fair margin.

[Mattpoet]

That says more about cam smith than richard swain though because swain was an excellent player, smith is just an all time great though.

[LESStar58]

Both packs reflect the class of player who has pulled on a purple jersey since 1998.

[scriptyx]

Swain was an average attacking player...he was a great tackler but thats all he could do. I watch every game he played for us and then Brisbane and his style of hooker was dying by the time Smith came around.

[NevilleB]

That kiwi bench is tremendous

[LESStar58]

No Matt Rua? Brad Fittler said he was the bloke he hated being tackled by.

[NevilleB]

Mattpoet can you do the full teams

[Bullucked]

A great exercise, all champions of their time but you just can't compare players from different era's. Agreed with the Cameron Smith v Richie Swain sentiment but some of the rest.... These two are good examples of incomparable era's, Lazzo v Blair (although they're both lazy!), Kearnsy v J Brom.

[Mattpoet]

Ok NevilleB, here goes.

Australia:
1. Billy Slater
2. Matt King
3. Will Chambers
4. Greg Inglies
5. Israel Folau
6. Scott Hill
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Robbie Kearns
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. Glenn Lazarus
11. Michael Crocker
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Dallas Johnson
14. Brett White
15. Jason Ryles
16. Antonio Kaufusi
17. Russell Bawden if you want a big forward or Brett Kimmorley if you want more of a utility.

New Zealand:
1. Matt Duffie
2. Chase Stanley
3. Junior Sa'u
4. David Kidwell ( a distinct lack of quality New Zealand outside backs means that he goes back to where his career started)
5. Jake Webster
6. Tohu Harris (has to move to make the team work and he's played a test there and done well)
7. Tasesa Lavea
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Richard Swain
10. Adam Blair
11. Jeremy Smith
12. Stephen Kearney
13. Tawera Nikau
14. Matt Rua (comes onto the bench when I move Tohu Harris)
15. Kevin Proctor
16. Sika Manu (comes onto the bench when I move David Kidwell)
17. Jeff Lima

Priority was given to those who have represented the countries in question except in the case of Russell Bawden because putting Rodney Howe would have meant four props and Russell whilst he was a prop was also a second rower and he played origin so he got the nod. I would probably play Kimmorley as the utility though and try to exploit the Kiwis' lack of little fast men.

How does that stack up for you NevilleB?

[blazza18]

The Aussie team would eat those kiwis up. The starting 13 is world class.

[Mattpoet]

There have been at least 27 Kiwis to play fg for the Storm:

Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Jesse Bromwich
Kenny Bromwich
Hep Cahill
Alex Chan
Matt Duffie
Liam Foran
Slade Griffin
Tohu Harris
Stephen Kearney
David Kidwell
Wairangi Koopu
Tasesa Lavea
Jeff Lima
John Lomax
Sika Manu
Tawera Nikau
Henry Perenara
Kevin Proctor
Matt Rua
Junior Sa'u
Jeremy Smith
Chase Stanley
Richard Swain
Glen Turner
Marty Turner
Jake Webster

Have I missed any?

[Mattpoet]

Realised I forgot about Paul Whatuira and Ben Roberts. Gives better balance to the Kiwi team but they're still in trouble out wide, especially aerially with King and Folau against Webster and Stanley.

New Zealand:
1. Matt Duffie
2. Chase Stanley
3. Junior Sa'u
4. Paul Whatuira
5. Jake Webster
6. Ben Roberts
7. Tasesa Lavea
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Richard Swain
10. Adam Blair
11. Jeremy Smith
12. Stephen Kearney
13. Tawera Nikau
14. Tohu Harris
15. Kevin Proctor
16. David Kidwell
17. Jeff Lima

[yourhero]

When you add the backline in, Australia wins by a fair margin. Too much class. The quality gap between the Aus backline to the NZ backline, far exceeds the gap between the NZ - Aus pack.

[bula]

Perenara can play referee