One up … Benji Marshall tackles second-rower Paul Gallen in the Tigers' win over the Sharks yesterday.
Photo: Craig Golding

Stuart calls on enforcers

Brad Walter | April 28, 2008

CONCERNS about Wayne Bennett's involvement with the New Zealand team last night helped earn firebrand forwards Carl Webb and Paul Gallen their first Australian jerseys for the May 9 Centenary Test at the SCG.

Webb and Gallen joined fullback Billy Slater as the Test debutants in a Kangaroos line-up that coach Ricky Stuart already has bracing for a far tougher encounter than the record 58-0 thrashing of the Kiwis in Wellington last October.

While New Zealand appear set to have Sonny Bill Williams and Benji Marshall available this time, the biggest difference is expected to be in the coaching box following the appointment of Stephen Kearney and Bennett.

The Australian camp expects Bennett, although officially only Kearney's assistant, to have a significant influence on the way the Kiwis play, given his outstanding record at club, Origin and Test level with Brisbane, Queensland and the Kangaroos.

"One thing I will be telling all of our squad once we get into camp is that that last result was a one-off. That won't happen again," Stuart said.

"The change of coach at New Zealand will certainly add different types of coaching strategies, they will certainly have different types of attitude control over the players and they will certainly have a team wanting to play for New Zealand.

"This is going to be a challenge that we have to be up for. It's a big challenge in regards to the new foundation, the new coaching staff, the credibility that they have to get back in the New Zealand squad, and it's a challenge I'm sure this squad will look forward to."

Despite the emphatic win in Wellington, the Australian selectors have made seven changes to the team that played that day with the main casualty being long-serving Test and NSW Origin second-rower Nathan Hindmarsh.

Hindmarsh's Parramatta teammate Jarryd Hayne was also axed, along with Manly fullback Brett Stewart and the Melbourne trio of halfback Cooper Cronk, second-rower Michael Crocker and lock Dallas Johnson.

Warriors prop Steve Price (hamstring) was unavailable but skipper Darren Lockyer, halfback Johnathan Thurston and centre Justin Hodges all return after missing the October Test with injuries, and interchange forward Anthony Tupou has been recalled due to his stunning form so far this season.

"In all fairness, those boys - Cooper, Brett … they're players that did a great job in there when they got the opportunity last year, which shows they can play at that level. But when you talk about incumbency, and you've only played one Test, I don't see that as an issue," Stuart said of Cronk, Stewart, Hayne and Johnson.

"Incumbency is more when you've done it for six, seven, eight or 10 Tests. Then I think the selectors will be talking more about incumbency."

But Stuart said it had been a tough decision to dump Hindmarsh after having coached him at Origin and Test level for the past six years.

"I think the poor form from his club in losing a couple of games hasn't helped Nathan because I know you could throw any jumper on Nathan Hindmarsh and he would rise to the occasion," he said.

Stuart said he also felt sorry for Crocker, while revealing that Gold Coast second-rower Anthony Laffranchi was unlucky given his good form.

"We are very lucky with the depth of talent we have in the back row," he said. "It's the same with halfbacks and now fullbacks."

Of the newcomers, he said Slater's selection was a reward not just for his good form "but consistently good form, too", while Gallen had been chosen in October only to be ruled out through injury and Webb was picked on the bench in anticipation of a torrid forward battle.

"I think Carl Webb is going to suit the challenge that lays ahead," Stuart said. "We have to take away the result in the October Test and we are going to be moved into a real battle - a real war. Not knowing Carl Webb, but knowing what other players think of him, I think he will step up to that challenge."