The folk over in the mainstream have run a few stories recently regarding the Aotearoa Kiwis World Cup squad. Both yarns included quotes (definitely wouldn't call them 'insights) from one Kiwis selector Tawera Nikau and both yarns revolved around veterans, who have either been ruled out of contention, or were highlighted as not being certainties.

Before dropping a few thoughts on Nikau's comments, I found it incredibly strange that Nikau decided to be so vocal and pipe up on such matters. The first yarn was about Benji Marshall being ruled out and the second yarn was about Simon Mannering possibly losing his Kiwis spot, along with Issac Luke as the Kiwis are apparently working on some funky new playing style. For those who don't know how this may have worked; the mainstream journalist would have had a chat to Nikau and then churned out two stories, a few days apart with quotes from Nikau.

But why is Nikau so eager to make it public that Benji won't be offering his experience, mana and RLWC winning experience at this World Cup?

Why is Nikau so eager to make it known that Mannering's spot is in danger, or that Issac Luke may not fit into their new playing style?

This is weird and personally, I'd prefer that selectors just shut up and select the team. Perhaps, instead of seeking some headlines and attention for themselves.

Y'all know by now how I feel about Benji and it's super arrogant from the Kiwis selection panel (including David Kidwell) to brush Benji aside. Nikau highlighted a push from the Kiwis to move towards younger halves and that's the same narrative pushed by Kidwell, but I don't see a World Cup as the right time to bring young halves into the mix. We're trying to win this World Cup, not plan for the future and if either Kieran Foran or Shaun Johnson was unavailable for a semi/final, Benji's experience would be nothing but an asset.

Let alone having Benji in camp, driving the culture. This is a rugby league legend who in my mind is the greatest Kiwis player ever, plus he's already won a World Cup and I'd want Benji merely as part of the squad for the younger lads to lean on.

Saying you don't need Benji is effectively saying that the Kiwis culture is strong enough to create an atmosphere where youngsters such as Kodi Nikorima or Te Maire Martin could slot in for a big game. Or that the Kiwis culture is so strong, that they don't need veterans who ooze mana showing the younger lads what it means to represent Aotearoa on such a stage; in a World Cup on home soil.

From what I have seen, the Kiwis culture is currently nothing. They have been terrible under Kidwell's coaching and then veteran players who had comprehensive understanding of their responsibilities as Kiwis players, decided to dabble in some coco - nothing wrong with that but when you're on Kiwis duty, after getting smoke once again by Australia, it doesn't reflect well on the Kiwis culture.

Kidwell needs all the help he can get, not just in terms of coaching but in terms of building a culture and World Cup campaign that will see Aotearoa win. Benji would help immensely, but Kidwell, Nikau etc obviously know best.

Nikau then fluffed the yarn about Mannering and Luke as well. Mannering is still one of the best forwards from Aotearoa and with Jason Taumalolo starting at lock, I'd happily slot Mannering on the right edge. Luke is still the best hooker from Aotearoa, he's still super dynamic running the footy and showcased a slick kicking game this year for the Warriors. I'd happily start Luke over Thomas Leuluai and the Luke/Nikorima hooker combination has seen the Kiwis play their best.

The noise about Leuluai is strange as he's been playing halfback for Wigan, after playing in the halves for the Warriors before going back to Wigan. Then ponder this Kidwell/Nikau narrative about going young and that logic doesn't make much sense with Luke, Nikorima and Levi at dummy half. It would however be super beneficial to have Benji and Leuluai in a Kiwis squad, together.

Apparently Kidwell and Brian Smith have been working on a new Kiwis playing style:

The Herald understands the Kiwis forwards will be given greater licence to use the ball, with halves Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran and fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck instructed to play at the line and provide constant support through the middle of the ruck.

Having a speedy dummy-half is also integral to that plan, and Luke, who was dropped from the Warriors starting side for the round 23 match against Canberra, could also find himself out in the cold.

If that's how you want to play footy, Mannering and Luke should be on the field as much as possible. When Ata Hingano dropped two passes against Cronulla, it was a shock because both passes came from Mannering and neither pass was delivered in the bread-basket as Mannering had done, consistently all season. Under Stephen Kearney, Mannering flourished and was used as a link-man in the middle of the park, flinging spiral passes to play-makers on his left and right.

As the Kiwis want their forwards to do more ball-playing, Mannering is the perfect bloke to have on the right edge. Mannering is a strong carrier, he's perhaps Aotearoa's best defensive player and would help lock-down the right edge, but most importantly, Mannering can be used as a play-maker down the right edge with his passing and offloading. Mannering suits this style of play, even more so if he slides out to the right edge and it would be fairly bonkers to drop Mannering after he made vast improvements this season compared to his 2016 season...

2016: 11.3 runs/game, 90m/game, 7.97m/run, 0.6 offloads/game.

2017: 14.8 runs/game, 128.3m/game, 8.66m/run, 1 offload/game.

Aotearoa need to replace Kevin Proctor and with this apparent shift in their style of play, there's no one who can do that job better than Mannering. If you want a speedy dummy-half, there's no one better than Luke as well and Wigan's halfback Leuluai doesn't really strike me as a speedy dummy-half, plus the Luke/Nikorima dummy-half combo is lightning.

This is also a fairly average piece of journalism as the mainstream joker highlights that Luke was dropped from the Warriors for a game, after their season was already finished and after Luke had played an out-lier bad game. This season Luke averaged 9.26m/carry which was up on his 2016 average of 8.42m/carry and when Luke did run the footy, he rarely had support, the type of support that Foran, Johnson and Tuivasa-Sheck will apparently now provide for the Kiwis.

If Kidwell wants to play fast around the ruck, peppering the space behind the ruck with speed and footwork, Luke should be a mandatory selection and Nikorima should follow him in coming off the bench. I became frustrated as this is how I want the Warriors to play - Luke and Tuivasa-Sheck wreaking havoc around the ruck - and it's not because Luke didn't run out of dummy-half; Luke led the NRL in dummy-half runs and averaged a lot more metres/carry than Cameron Smith's (2nd in dummy-half runs) 6.21m/run.

That means that Luke is the best dummy-half runner in the NRL, so what, don't pick him when you're trying to bombard the ruck area with speed, power and footwork?

Silly, nothing but silly.

Peep this Kiwis team for a jiffy, ponder it...

FB: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Wings: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Jordan Rapana.
Centres: Jordan Kahu, Dean Whare.
Halves: Kieran Foran, Shaun Johnson.
Middles: Adam Blair, Jason Taumalolo, Martin Taupau, Issac Luke.
Edges: Tohu Harris, Simon Mannering.
Bench: Kodi Nikorima, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Alex Glenn/Kenny Bromwich.

That is not only my best Kiwis team, it's a team that suits a style of play based on speed and skill wonderfully well. Nothing crazy, just the best Kiwis players available and a style of play built around what they offer as a collective. That team, playing the right way, is good enough to win the World Cup and if there's any weird shenanigans in terms of squad and team selection that then results in more below-par, under-whelming Kiwis performances, Kidwell and co have gotta go.

Peace and love 27.

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