www.nrl.com/kiwis-name-squad-for ... fault.aspx

The team has an obvious weakness in the halves, with no first choice stars Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran, no second choice Thomas Leuluai, and a likely reliance on rookie 21 year olds Kodi Nikorima, and Tuimoala Lolohea.

The team is also missing injured winger Manu Vatuvei. Moreover there are only four specialist props: Adam Blair, Jesse Bromwich, Samuel Moa and Benjamin Matulino. Those four are outstanding, but it raises the question of who will fill in if one of those is injured. Had Sydney Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves not been injured late in the season, the Kiwi front row would have been unstoppable.

The team will be talented and experienced in every other position except the halves. It is a huge responsibility for the rookie halves, both of whom are actually utility players rather than position specialists, to direct the Kiwi team around the park. Lolohea is in fact a utility player of great talent -- he plays full back, wing, centre, five eighth and scrum half -- but he is more of a running back than a play maker. Nikorima, who plays full back, five eighth and scrum half, as well as hooker, is just out of the under 20s and has little NRL experience.

We have got to this point in part because the nasty New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney is hostile to Benji Marshall.

www.nrl.com/kiwis-name-squad-for ... fault.aspx

The team has an obvious weakness in the halves, with no first choice stars Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran, no second choice Thomas Leuluai, and a likely reliance on rookie 21 year olds Kodi Nikorima, and Tuimoala Lolohea.

The team is also missing injured winger Manu Vatuvei. Moreover there are only four specialist props: Adam Blair, Jesse Bromwich, Samuel Moa and Benjamin Matulino. Those four are outstanding, but it raises the question of who will fill in if one of those is injured. Had Sydney Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves not been injured late in the season, the Kiwi front row would have been unstoppable.

The team will be talented and experienced in every other position except the halves. It is a huge responsibility for the rookie halves, both of whom are actually utility players rather than position specialists, to direct the Kiwi team around the park. Lolohea is in fact a utility player of great talent -- he plays full back, wing, centre, five eighth and scrum half -- but he is more of a running back than a play maker. Nikorima, who plays full back, five eighth and scrum half, as well as hooker, is just out of the under 20s and has little NRL experience.

We have got to this point in part because the nasty New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney is hostile to Benji Marshall.