Australian coach Mal Meninga has given the largest trace but on who will put on the Kangaroos no.1 jersey when worldwide play begins later this 12 months.
Fullback looms as being one in every of, if not probably the most tough place for Meninga and the Australian selectors to land on with plenty of gamers placing their hand up for choice.
These embrace Broncos and Maroons star Reece Walsh, Knights’ Kalyn Ponga, who has arguably been the NRL’s finest participant over the previous two months, and the Kangaroos incumbent James Tedesco.
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Tedesco had a quiet and patchy begin to the season, however was top-of-the-line on the sphere in Origin III and has parlayed that into some nice kind in latest weeks because the Roosters make a late cost for the highest eight.
Speaking on Wednesday on the announcement of the brand new Pacific Championships, Meninga endorsed Tedesco to maintain his spot on the again for Australia.
“Teddy is the incumbent, he’s the captain of the Kangaroos. He led the team to a successful World Cup last year,”
“He’s coming back into form but I think he’s been going well all year. His effort levels are great.
“He’s in my mind, we have a couple of other selectors, but in my mind he’s the number one fullback at the moment and out of loyalty he should be selected.”
While it seems to be Tedesco’s job to lose, Meninga admitted there was loads of competitors, pointing to Walsh as a utility/bench position risk.
“I think versatility is really key to picking squads for the Kangaroos in a national space so Reece can fullback obviously, but I know he can play in the halves as well so it’d be interesting if he can put his head in the scrum at 13 because that’s what you need.
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“You need a player who can play 14 or a player who sits on your reserves that can play a number of positions.
“Again, that will be spoken about at the selectors meeting but he’s certainly putting pressure on actually being in the team itself but so is Dylan Edwards, so is Kalyn Ponga, you got Ryan Papenhuyzen coming back as well so there are plenty of good fullbacks around who can play a number of positions”
Rugby league legends Billy Moore and Mark Carroll are in Meninga’s nook, believing it’s exhausting to go towards Tedesco.
“Does Teddy deserve the right to stay on as captain, well I reckon he’s earned it. You don’t deserve the Australian captaincy, you have to earn it,” Moore mentioned on NRL 360.
“His Origin series wasn’t the best in Game I and Game II, but he starred in Game III and he’s leading the Roosters out of a dark spot now where they can potentially still of chance of playing finals. I think he’s earned the right to stay as captain.
“Reece Walsh is there and he will be nipping at his heels and if there’s a chink or a falter from Teddy, he’ll (Walsh) will grab it but I do believe Teddy is the right one to have the number one on his back this year.”
“And what has he done wrong playing for Australia? He’s had ten tests, captain six times, he was captain of the World Cup side that just won,” Carroll mentioned.
“For me, just to hear loyalty is still in this game, I like that.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
