'I hate it': Roos backlash as tradition dumped

2 years ago 100

Daly Cherry-Evans volition get archetypal ace astatine the Australian halfback spot astatine the Rugby League World Cup, but it's the fig that volition beryllium connected his backmost that's causing the astir controversy.

Kangaroos manager Mal Meninga has unveiled his broadside for Australia's lucifer against Fiji, with 7 debutants named.

Due to a World Cup regularisation that requires each subordinate successful the squad to deterioration the aforesaid jersey fig each tournament, Kangaroos players person been allocated their fig based connected erstwhile they made their planetary debut, with the objection of skipper James Tedesco, who volition deterioration the No.1.

Coach Mal Meninga said he's "disappointed" helium wasn't consulted astir the caller edict, portion Phil Gould believes specified a numbering strategy should beryllium restricted to grooming gear.

Daly Cherry-Evans, who made his Australian debut successful 2011, volition deterioration the No.2 jersey, portion Ben Hunt volition deterioration the No.3.

Players yet to debut for Australia were allocated the remaining numbers successful alphabetical order, meaning Penrith prima Nathan Cleary has been fixed No.14, portion Panthers teammate Isaah Yeo volition don No.24.

Why Mal Meninga's Kangaroos volition deterioration unfamiliar jersey numbers astatine the 2022 Rugby League World Cup

"So are we really playing successful these numbers?" Gould wrote connected Twitter.

"I don't caput conception of subordinate fig oregon touring fig for grooming gear, lukewarm up jersey etc. I get that part. But erstwhile you correspond your state successful rugby league, you deterioration the fig that represents your presumption connected the squad 1-17.

"That's the reward. That's what fans recognise."

Cleary told 9News he's relishing the scrap for the halfback job, but his quotes item the absurdity of the situation, fixed neither helium nor Cherry-Evans volition deterioration the No.7.

"(Meninga) said he's conscionable going to springiness america adjacent accidental and it's up to america to gain the jersey," Cleary said.

"That's the close mode to bash it, peculiarly with the pinnacle of the game, the Australian No.7 jersey.

"It's going to beryllium hard-fought. I deliberation it's steadfast competition. I'm gladsome it's there.

"I'm looking guardant to being alongside Chez (Cherry-Evans), and being capable to larn disconnected him and each these different large players."

Meninga has conceded the numbering strategy is little than ideal.

"We signed disconnected connected it astir 2 years ago, truthful I person nary existent comeback connected it… We had nary thought erstwhile it was signed disconnected on," Meninga told SEN.

"We person 13 debutants connected tour, truthful the jersey that they get to play successful for the precise archetypal Test is their circuit number, Isaah Yeo is fig 24 chiefly due to the fact that of wherever helium sits connected the alphabet, helium is the premier 13 of our competition.

"It takes distant from the excitement of your debutants successful particular, having their precise archetypal Test lucifer jersey and it's a fig that doesn't resonate with anyone, due to the fact that it's not the presumption helium plays in.

"The supporters volition beryllium trying to recognize who's successful the 24 jersey that's playing successful the middle."

All participating nations were sent a connection regarding each squad's numbers by organisers of the World Cup earlier voting connected the determination successful 2019.

As for different untraditional jersey numbers, the Kangaroos No.7 jersey volition beryllium worn by five-eighth Cameron Munster for the full tournament.

"I'm conscionable a small spot disappointed for the players from a positional constituent of view, due to the fact that the archetypal jersey they enactment connected won't beryllium the 1 they play in," Meninga added.

"A batch of teams mightiness prime a 1-17, but we're not successful a presumption to bash that due to the fact that we've got 24 large players and I'm not excessively definite who volition marque up the last 17, erstwhile we hopefully spell into the expansive last of a World Cup."

The determination has near galore successful the rugby league assemblage fuming, with Newcastle large Matthew Johns saying helium "hates it."

"I cannot judge it, each crippled you should gain your jersey 1 done 17, the mates of sixes (Test jerseys) I got, they're the peculiar ones due to the fact that they're the ones you earned," Johns told SEN.

"During the game, I deliberation looking astatine Latrell (Mitchell) successful the fig 8 jersey, for the organisers I deliberation they've got it wrong, and Australia I deliberation we've got it wrong, I honestly hatred it."

While Tedesco has taken implicit the Kangaroos captaincy from Cherry-Evans, the Queensland State of Origin seasoned volition play astatine halfback successful Australia's opening World Cup clash with Fiji connected Sunday morning.

No Panthers players selected successful the 24-man Kangaroos squad volition diagnostic successful the archetypal game, with Meninga opting to springiness NRL expansive last heroes Cleary, Yeo and Liam Martin other clip off.

Meninga afforded the aforesaid luxury to Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who represented Parramatta successful the expansive final.

Australian squad for World Cup opener

1. James Tedesco (c)

9. Josh Addo-Carr

8. Latrell Mitchell

4. Valentine Holmes

23. Murray Taulagi*

7. Cameron Munster

2. Daly Cherry-Evans

18. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui*

3. Ben Hunt

5. Jake Trbojevic

17. Angus Crichton*

22. Jeremiah Nanai*

11. Cameron Murray (vc)

Interchange

20. Harry Grant*

16. Reuben Cotter*

13. Pat Carrigan*

10. Jack Wighton

18^th antheral | Matt Burton (12)

19^th antheral | Campbell Graham (19)

*Denotes Kangaroos debutant

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