Five Players to Make Test Debuts in Newcastle

Five Players to Make Test Debuts in Newcastle

Auckland, New Zealand, October 11 – Five players will make their Test debuts when the Kiwis face the Kangaroos in Sunday’s one-off international at Ausgrid Stadium in Newcastle.

Coach Stephen Kearney today confirmed a maiden Test appearance for Vodafone Warriors fullback Kevin Locke, a non-playing squad member for the 2009 Four Nations, as well as his club-mate Russell Packer, named as a starting prop.

North Queensland’s Kalifa Faifai Loa is on the wing while the Brisbane duo Gerard Beale and Alex Glenn will also make their debuts after previously being involved in Kiwi squads for the Anzac Test. Beale will line up in the centres and Glenn in the second row.

All five players were involved in the NRL finals, Locke and Packer experiencing a grand final for the first time with the Vodafone Warriors.

“It’s exciting for our future that we’re in a position to give these five young players their Test debuts,” said Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney.
“They’ve all put in the work to earn the opportunity.
“With their inclusion we certainly have a young side but we still have a core group of experienced players around them.”

Faifai Loa, brought in as a replacement last Friday, is set to become Kiwi No 766, Beale 767, Packer 768 and Glenn 769.

Beale, also capable of playing at fullback and on the wing, will team up with Vodafone Warriors centre Lewis Brown, who’ll be playing his second Test following his debut against the Kangaroos in this year’s Anzac Test. Glenn will form a starting back row with Vodafone Warriors captain Simon Mannering and Cronulla’s Jeremy Smith, Mannering playing his 26th Test and Smith his 19th.

Included in the 17-man line-up are 12 players who appeared in this year’s NRL finals, the only exceptions being starting prop Sam McKendry (Penrith), Smith and interchange players Issac Luke (South Sydney), Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta) and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters).

While numerous players were ruled out of contention for this campaign, the combination for this Bill Kelly Cup encounter still includes 10 players who were in the Kiwi side that lost 10-20 to Australia in Robina on May 6. Two other players who appeared in that Test – Adam Blair, still suspended, and Ben Matulino – are also in the touring squad for the Four Nations to follow in England. The Newcastle Test will be followed by another New Zealand-Australia encounter in the first round of the Four Nations in Warrington on October 28.

The Kiwis assembled in Sydney on Sunday, having their first field session at OKI Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah yesterday. A strength session this morning was to be followed by another field session at OKI Jubilee Stadium this afternoon before the team travels to Newcastle tomorrow.

Sunday’s Test is preceded by a one-off international between the Junior Kiwis and the Junior Kangaroos. The Kiwis are due to have an opposed training session with the David Kidwell-coached Junior Kiwis in Newcastle on Thursday.

TRANS-TASMAN TEST

KANGAROOS v KIWIS

Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle
4.00pm, Sunday, October 16, 2011


KIWIS

1 KEVIN LOCKE
(Vodafone Warriors)
2 KALIFA FAIFAI LOA
(North Queensland)
3 LEWIS BROWN
(Vodafone Warriors)
4 GERARD BEALE
(Brisbane Broncos)
5 JASON NIGHTINGALE
(St George Illawarra)
6 BENJI MARSHALL (c)
(Wests Tigers)
7 KIERAN FORAN
(Manly)
8 RUSSELL PACKER
(Vodafone Warriors)
9 NATHAN FIEN
(St George Illawarra)
10 SAM McKENDRY
(Penrith)
11 ALEX GLENN
(Brisbane Broncos)
12 SIMON MANNERING
(Vodafone Warriors)
13 JEREMY SMITH
(Cronulla)
Interchange:
14 ISSAC LUKE
(South Sydney)
15 FUIFUI MOIMOI
(Parramatta)
16 SIKA MANU
(Melbourne)
17 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES
(Sydney Roosters)

COACH: STEPHEN KEARNEY

KIWI SQUAD

Player Club Kiwi No Tests Points

Gerard Beale Broncos - 0 0
Adam Blair Storm 732 22 8
Lewis Brown Warriors 762 1 0
Kalifa Faifai Loa Cowboys - 0 0
Nathan Fien Dragons 733 19 16
Kieran Foran Sea Eagles 757 3 0
Alex Glenn Broncos - 0 0
Krisnan Inu Warriors 735 4 24
Thomas Leuluai Wigan 704 27 12
Kevin Locke Warriors 758 0 0
Issac Luke Rabbitohs 749 17 38
Sam McKendry Panthers 763 3 0
Simon Mannering Warriors 731 25 16
Sika Manu Storm 750 10 8
Benji Marshall (c) Tigers 717 21 88
Ben Matulino Warriors 756 8 4
Fuifui Moimoi Eels 741 9 0
Jason Nightingale Dragons 747 11 32
Russell Packer Warriors - 0 0
Kevin Proctor Storm - 0 0
Jeremy Smith Sharks 742 18 26
Elijah Taylor Warriors - 0 0
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Roosters 755 6 8

ends

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