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Does anybody know when preliminary squads for the world cup will be announced? I seem to remember it was about this time 5 years ago when all the nations competing came out with huge 40-odd man preliminary squads. Also, who do we think will be picked from Storm?

I'm thinking:

Australia:
Cooper Cronk
Billy Slater
Cameron Smith
And maybe Ryan Hoffman with Will Chambers a very outside chance now that Hodges has gone down.

England:
Gareth Widdop - will be picked though I'm not sure if he'll be able to play in the end.

New Zealand:
Jesse Bromwich
Kevin Proctor
And maybe Tohu Harris with Slade Griffin an outside chance if something happens to one of the first choice hookers.

Tonga:
Mahe Fonua
Siosaia Vave

Samoa:
Junior Sa'u
And maybe Lagi Setu

Fiji:
Sisa Waqa

Lol not sure...when I went and brought my Craig Bellamy book and got it signed by him he asked if I was heading to NZ for our game cause I knows I travel to some aways games...I had to explain to him why I wasn't going as Im going to the World Cup

He asked me which games I was going to and wanted to know if I was going to see just aust or the other teams too which I kinda am

I told him I was hoping to see some of our boys play and asked him who he thought would get into the teams...he said he hadn't even thought about it

I said I was hoping to see Mahe and Vave play for Tonga and Lagi play for Samoa and Waqa play for Fiji and when I said that he was like I hadn't even thought about those guy but yeh they proberly would get picked...he seemed surprised but in the last few weeks since that convo he has talked about his World Cup players in the media

This the OZ and NZ team will be named in sept

I was thinking Young Tonumaipea might sneak into the Samoan squad. But there is probably enough veteran ex-Aussie and Kiwi players who will play for Samoa to keep Young out.

I will also be following with interest some of the ex-Storm players who may also be playing:

Aus
GI

NZ
Sika Manu
Jeremy Smith
Adam Blair

Tonga
Richie Fa'aoso
Atelea Vea (Unlikely)

Samoa
Jeff Lima
Sam Tagataese

Fiji
Semi Tadulala (Northern Pride)

France
Dane Chisholm

USA
Clint Newton

Cook Islands
Fred Makamaire (Not sure where he is playing now)

What about Keith Mason for Wales and Brett White for Ireland?

Mattpoet wrote:What about Keith Mason for Wales and Brett White for Ireland?

I had almost disregarded Mason because he hasn't played for Wales since 2002. I hadn't even thought of Whitey and Ireland.

Jay Aston for PNG too, don't know how I forgot that one.

James Maloney might make the Aus squad too.

From memory they are about 25 man squads. Here's my expected Australian squad:

1.Billy Slater
2.Brett Morris
3.Greg Inglis
4.Josh Morris
5.Darius Boyd
6.Johnathan Thurston
7.Cooper Cronk
8.James Tamou
9.Cameron Smith (c)
10.Matt Scott
11.Luke Lewis
12.Sam Thaiday
13.Paul Gallen (vc)
14.Nate Myles
15.David Shillington
16.Greg Bird
17.Kurt Gidley
18.Ryan Hoffman
19.Andrew Fifita
20.Josh Papalii
21.Daly Cherry-Evans
22.Will Chambers (I believe him to be a realistic chance now that Hodges is out. Sheens has said he wants to pick some younger guys and so I don't think they'll pick Tate and Ferguson is a liability. I don't see too many others coming through who can both attack and defend at rep standard.)
23.Robbie Farah
24.Jarrod Croker
25.Aaron Woods

Croker will have no chance of making it IMO. Shillington might not either.

My New Zealand Squad:

1.Josh Hoffman
2.Sam Perrett
3.Shaun Kenny-Dowell
4.Dean Whare
5.Jason Nightingale
6.Keiran Foran
7.Shaun Johnson
8.Jesse Bromwich
9.Isaac Luke
10.Ben Matulino
11.Kevin Proctor
12.Jeremy Smith
13.Simon Mannering (c)
14.Frank Pritchard
15.Jared Warea-Hargreaves
16.Alex Glenn
17.Elijah Taylor
18.Adam Blair
19.Tohu Harris
20.Kevin Locke
21.Konrad Hurrell
22.Sonny-Bill Williams? (Probably contingent on him staying in league - would obviously be a starter if picked)
23.Benji Marshall? (Even though he's leaving, may still be picked due to a lack of realistic options)
24.Justin Horo
25.Krisnan Inu

I say Croker because he's young and Sheens has publicly said he wants to pick some younger guys

No Corey Parker in your squad either

again, i'm going off the statement by sheens at the start of the year that he would blood young players alongside those who played the mid-year test and so figured that he would be discounted on age. they may well do a complete about face on it, but, that was the comment at the time.

Oh I remember him saying that, but he isn't going to pick them just for the hell of it though. Parker has been IMO the best lock in the NRL this season. He at least deserves a spot in the squad.

i think chambers is better but jennings will be in the squad, fafita has to be in the top 17, should almost take tamous starting spot