Internationals 2022 NRL ALL STARS

[Afakasi247]

I’m a massive Fifita fan however there’s no way he’s at that level just yet - unquestionably he has the highest ceiling of his generation of edge forwards however he was absent for way too much of that game.

Real conundrum what to do with him as a Supercoach option this year!

I agree - he’s good for a highlight play when he’s up against outside backs, but doesn’t really roll the sleeves up and do the hard yards you’d expect. That’s been his biggest criticism.

However his ceiling is limitless if he can find a way to be more consistently involved. He has special talent, for sure.

 

[Noitall]

Great game, this is going to rival origin soon enough. The last two games have been close affairs with massive theatre involved with Haka and war dance. NSW looking too strong for Queensland in the disparity of players to choose from may make it stale, and the indigenous game could become a huge money maker for the nrl. Liked the idea of bringing to NZ and think it could be huge. Somehow introduce a Pacifica team in that incorporates the nations of say Moana Pacifica and the sky’s the limit.

 

[Wrighty]

I agree - he’s good for a highlight play when he’s up against outside backs, but doesn’t really roll the sleeves up and do the hard yards you’d expect. That’s been his biggest criticism.

However his ceiling is limitless if he can find a way to be more consistently involved. He has special talent, for sure.

Two of those backs he brushed aside last night on his barnstorming run included
a) Patrick Herbert whose tackling efforts last night were compared to Steve Matai by someone earlier in this thread
b) Chanel Harris-Tavita who is well renowned heavy hitting tackler.

 

[Fonzie]

I was watching Kodi last night (thought he was good) and thinking his weaknesses would be perfectly complemented by SJs kicking game, long pass, organisation and cool head

 

[the borg]

Great game to start the season, passion in 1 off games lifts players up a notch. Makes the normal ordinary player look good, proved in those shit conditions, weren't a lot of mistakes.
Trick is can they keep it up for 20 plus games.
Not a lot to take away.. hope Currans ok.. Jazz played within himself for a change, probably self preservation with a long season ahead, a lot smarter I thought. Kodi and Chanel Harris-Tavita not much difference than last year... jury's out on them, til we see the trial games with their regular team mates..
Oh well roll on 2022... let's gone..

 

[Dixpat]

He was only absent as Tapine winded him with the late shoulder charge and they decided to rest him to ensure no further bruising to his ribs in what was effectively an exhibition game. Had this been a regular season NRL match he would have been back from that hit quite quickly.
Andrew Fifita equals - The Boss.
When he is on the field the Boss is in the office.

Tapine??

Try Rapana

I agree with others that Fafita is ony a highlight player

I also agree woith your assessment of Hynes

 

[matiunz]

Great game, this is going to rival origin soon enough. The last two games have been close affairs with massive theatre involved with Haka and war dance. NSW looking too strong for Queensland in the disparity of players to choose from may make it stale, and the indigenous game could become a huge money maker for the nrl. Liked the idea of bringing to NZ and think it could be huge. Somehow introduce a Pacifica team in that incorporates the nations of say Moana Pacifica and the sky’s the limit.

Can’t see them taking it to NZ for a while yet much the same as the ANZAC game the NRL don’t care that much about NZ. It’s pretty much the indigenous show that the Maori just happened to be invited to. The format is better with Maori playing as it was pretty hard to for people to rationalise supporting the NRL all stars.
Being at the game you’d hardly know any other team apart from Indigenous we’re playing except for the pre match Haka

 

[matiunz]

My Game assessment
1) Fantastic game. Long live the all star game.
2) Kodi played as good as whatever you thought of him going into the match. To my eyes he was absolute garbage. Must have butchered at least two tries and awful 6th tackle options where he gave away 7 tackle sets with lame bombs that were easily caught by the indigenious in their goal zone. He played at the level you would expect from a 4th in line half that spends half a season in Reserve Grade.
3) Chanel Harris-Tavita was worse than Kodi. If that is even possible. With a three on two overlap I realised just how left hand dominant is he is, as he was completely unable to pass to his right and the ball dribbled out of his hand feebly and bounced before the recipient and the try went begging. Kicks that were even worse than Kodi's. Including some left footed side kick on the 6th tackle that was intended to create a forced drop out but instead didn't go very far and was gathered easily by Indigenious. I hope the rumour is true we are shopping him around. I also hope the wish I created and wrote on a piece of paper and cast into a wishing well comes true that Kodi is fired into the sun.
4) Nicho Hynes wasn't much better than either Kodi or Chanel Harris-Tavita. And as much as I am bagging Kodi, and Kodi deserves to be bagged, Nicho worse than Kodi. Nicho as I expected and observed last year only passes the ball when all options for him as a ball runner have well and truely died. Rather than looking to be a play maker from the second he gets the ball he always tries to score a try himself regardless of how may defenders are in front of him or how far out from the try line he is. Even the try he created was dumb as he kicked his grubber on the 4th tackle.
5) David Fifta had me out of my seat. May be the best second rower of this generation.
6) The Maori props were beasts.
7) Jazz looked incredible.
8) Patrick Herbert looked like a man who has done some deep soul searching about his piss poor play in the last match of the Titans season and had re-invented himself in the off season. Good for him. He was an asset for he Marori but I still don't want him back at this stage. I also didn't like his haircut for what that comment is worth (this is a joke).
9) JAC's lack of involvement in the game was a poor effort for a captain and cost his side the match.

Your hate of Kodi is a little irrational, he was pretty good last night. The Maori team left a few tries out there and most were due to CHTs involvement.
Yes Kodi had some poor games last year but his best games are above that of CHTs vanilla game, found it telling that later in the game Chanel Harris-Tavita was being shifted to fullback away from the attack

 

[Noitall]

Can’t see them taking it to NZ for a while yet much the same as the ANZAC game the NRL don’t care that much about NZ. It’s pretty much the indigenous show that the Maori just happened to be invited to. The format is better with Maori playing as it was pretty hard to for people to rationalise supporting the NRL all stars.
Being at the game you’d hardly know any other team apart from Indigenous we’re playing except for the pre match Haka

Story going around that Abdo has told Kidwell it will be in NZ next year whether that’s just trying to apply pressure.

 

[Diesel]

Good game to watch live, first visit to commbank- very nice stadium.
Great to see Maori get the win, the whole day is very much the indigenous show though

I haven’t hooked up Kayo until round 1 so had to listen to 9. There was no NZer and they were calling the team the “the mouldys”. Embarrassing to say the least

 

[gREVUS]

He was only absent as Tapine winded him with the late shoulder charge and they decided to rest him to ensure no further bruising to his ribs in what was effectively an exhibition game. Had this been a regular season NRL match he would have been back from that hit quite quickly.
Andrew Fifita equals - The Boss.
When he is on the field the Boss is in the office.

yea but the faster pace of the game, and no free interchanges (unlike last night) will mean that he will run out of puff fast and become a defensive turnstile later in matches.
Your comment when he is on the field i think is the key bit there.

 

[gREVUS]

Great game to start the season, passion in 1 off games lifts players up a notch. Makes the normal ordinary player look good, proved in those shit conditions, weren't a lot of mistakes.
Trick is can they keep it up for 20 plus games.
Not a lot to take away.. hope Currans ok.. Jazz played within himself for a change, probably self preservation with a long season ahead, a lot smarter I thought. Kodi and Chanel Harris-Tavita not much difference than last year... jury's out on them, til we see the trial games with their regular team mates..
Oh well roll on 2022... let's gone..

like the Jazz comment, to often he tries to do it all, last night he seemed more contained and capable for it.

 

[matiunz]

like the Jazz comment, to often he tries to do it all, last night he seemed more contained and capable for it.

While more reserved (in a good way)last night he still had a couple of ‘Jazz moments’ seems like he’s working on it though which is good as it likely cost him selection at times last year

 

[defensivebomb]

I also hope the wish I created and wrote on a piece of paper and cast into a wishing well comes true that Kodi is fired into the sun.

That is Pulitzer level, Wrighty. You are wasted on this forum

 

[wizards rage]

I also hope the wish I created and wrote on a piece of paper and cast into a wishing well comes true that Kodi is fired into the sun.

You secretly wish he becomes a star?

 

[Noitall]

Sounding like it might happen.


NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has reportedly "promised" Maori All Stars coach David Kidwell that the annual pre-season game will be played in New Zealand next year.

The NRL All Stars game - which has always featured an Australian Indigenous team, but went to the Indigenous vs Maori concept ahead of the 2019 version - has always been played in Australia so strong crowds.

 

[Sup42]

Great game, this is going to rival origin soon enough. The last two games have been close affairs with massive theatre involved with Haka and war dance. NSW looking too strong for Queensland in the disparity of players to choose from may make it stale, and the indigenous game could become a huge money maker for the nrl. Liked the idea of bringing to NZ and think it could be huge. Somehow introduce a Pacifica team in that incorporates the nations of say Moana Pacifica and the sky’s the limit.

Tonga Fiji and Samoa could bring back the original Pacific cup by joining.

That way Samoa most of all would become much stronger as the bros sign on for it over time.

 

[Wrighty]

Thank you group for not telling me off for my anti Kodi take on the game
Concede my adjectives were overly pejorative
As I started my post however the way you saw Kodi before last night will be how you saw him play last night
If you are anti Kodi like me then you saw a series of egregious sixth tackle kicks and micro decisions to not pass to a player with an overlap because he second guessed himself like jagged said.
If you thought Kodi should partner Shaun Johnson as your position before last nights game or that he would be a good 14 then the things that stood out were
1) he scored a decent try
2) his territory kicking was acceptable
3) his distribution and passing in general were the best on show out of all 4 halves by some considerable distance.

He is a polarising player and people can watch him and walk away with different takes on how well he played.

He looked considerably better than Nicho Hynes but I don’t think that makes Kodi an nrl standard half.

For those who see an upside with him. I feel your point.
If he can drink a giant cup of self belief and find his mojo he could be nrl standard and be outstanding. Having played around 140 games I think he won’t find that self confidence he lacks if he hasn’t found it in his previous multiple seasons.

Again thank you for letting my off the hook and I apologise.

 

[Waipiro]

I think what this game confirmed was that Chanel Harris-Tavita is unlikely to be starting in the halves round 1 unless there are injuries. Given Ash and Shaun Johnson are somewhat injury prone he may get time there anyway.
Will be interesting to see how Ash goes in the trials as Kodi was solid given the conditions.
It looks like it will come down to what combo coach wants to go with....Shaun Johnson and a runner or good kicking/passing options on both sides of the ruck.

 

[Waipiro]

Thought Jazz was terrific. High energy, great offloads and completed for everything. Think he may have sealed a bench spot if not starting.
Smaller forward suited to the faster style of play the rules favour but one who plays aggressively above his weight!

Bit of mongrel which is great too, as long as you're willing to cop the odd penalty that comes with that style.