Winning Starts Monday: Koroisau in line for PM's XIII call up

Koroisau in line for PM's XIII call up
Tyrone May puts hand up for Samoa
Blake, Kahu injury blows
Benji back in frame for Kiwis
Wolfpack signings set to be confirmed
Fiji down Canada in Vancouver Test

With Australian captain Cameron Smith, Sydney Roosters hooker Jake Friend, Brisbane utility Ben Hunt and North Queensland’s Jake Granville all still involved in the NRL finals, Koroisau has emerged as the next most likely candidate to wear the No.9 jersey for the Prime Minister’s XIII.

Of the other hookers from the nine rival NRL clubs whose season is finished, Josh Hodgson (Canberra) plays for England) and Issac Luke (Warriors), Danny Levi (Newcastle) and Matt Mcllwrick (Wests Tigers) are New Zealanders, while Gold Coast’s Nathan Peats is unavailable due to injury.

Besides Koroisau, Cameron McInnes (St George Illawarra), Robbie Farah and Damian Cook (South Sydney), Michael Lichaa (Canterbury) and Jayden Brailey (Cronulla) are the remaining hooking options available to Prime Minister’s XIII coach Mal Meninga.

However, Koroisau will still be able to play for the Bati in the World Cup as the PM’s XIII is an invitational team rather than an Australian representative team and he is likely to line up against the Kumuls again on 14 October for Fiji in the Tri-Series which will also feature Australia.

Italy pair James Tedesco (Wests Tigers) and Paul Vaughan (Dragons) are others set to play for the PM’s XIII, who may represent another country at the World Cup if not chosen for the Kangaroos.

Tedesco’s former Tigers team-mate Aaron Woods will captain the PM’s XIII and he is expected to partner his future Canterbury team-mate David Klemmer in the frontrow, while the team will also feature Sea Eagles pair Jake and Tom Trbojevich.

Either Tedesco or Tom Trbojevich will play fullback, with the other to partner St George Illawarra’s Josh Dugan in the centres.

Cronulla will have up to five players in the team – James Maloney, Valentine Holmes, Jack Bird, Wade Graham and Andrew Fifita.

Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans is expected to be named at halfback, while Bulldogs forward Josh Jackson, Newcastle back Dane Gagai and Canberra’s Josh Papalii are likely to be in the squad.

Tyrone May puts hand up for Samoa

The emergence of rookie Penrith five-eighth Tyrone May has provided a boost for Samoa ahead of the World Cup, with the 21-year-old set to wear Anthony Milford’s No.6 jersey if the Brisbane superstar succumbs to a shoulder injury.

Milford wants to delay surgery on his injured shoulder until after the World Cup but Broncos and England coach Wayne Bennett recently said that wasn’t an option and has effectively ruled him out of the tournament for Samoa.

However, May is looming as an ideal replacement after starring for the Panthers in his eight NRL appearances since debuting in the round 19 defeat of the Warriors.

During that time, the Minchinbury Jets junior has scored five tries and done enough to suggest he could be the player to partner Castleford halfback Ben Roberts at the scrum base if Milford is unavailable.

Blake, Kahu injury blows

Fiji have suffered a World Cup injury blow after Penrith centre Waqa Blake was ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury.

The loss of Blake before Saturday night’s finals defeat of Manly paved the way for Dean Whare to resume his more accustomed centre position after playing fullback the previous week and the way he nullified the impact of Brian Kelly would have impressed New Zealand coach David Kidwell.

After scoring a try and setting up two others in the Sea Eagles 28-12 round 26 win over Penrith, Kelly did not make a line break in his 15 runs with the ball, which yielded 121 metres compared to 182 metres the week before when he played opposite Blake.

The return to form of Whare has been offset by the likely loss of Brisbane’s Jordan Kahu, who told reporters on Monday that he was likely to require post-season groin surgery after being forced to surrender the goal kicking duties to the injury.

Benji back in frame for Kiwis

Concerns about the fitness and form of Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran could pave the way for Benji Marshall to return to the Kiwis side for the World Cup.

Marshall, 32, played a starring role for Brisbane in last Friday night’s finals match against Sydney Roosters and laid on two tries from kicks after starting at five-eighth to accommodate Kodi Nikorima’s move to fullback in the absence of Darius Boyd.

According to reports from across the Tasman, Kidwell is keeping a close eye on Marshall as a back up to Marshall and Foran as he plans to use Thomas Leuluai in the dummy half role. Nikorima and North Queensland five-eighth Te Mare Martin are also under consideration.

Wolfpack signings set to be confirmed

Stand by for some signing announcements from Toronto Wolfpack after the Canadian trailblazers confirmed their promotion from England’s League One to the Championship, with Ashton Sims, Dave Taylor and Josh McCrone tipped to join Widnes centre Tom Armstrong as new recruits.

The Wolfpack completed Phase One of their plan to gain entry into Super League after beating Barrow 26-2 in Toronto last weekend but will need a stronger squad in the second-tier competition and have lined up Sims, Taylor and McCrone for 2018.

Sims, the former Fiji captain, currently plays for Warrington, whose coach Tony Smith has also parted ways with the club, while Taylor spent this season at Canberra and McCrone was St George Illawarra’s first choice halfback for most of the season.

Hull KR also gained promotion from the Championship to Super League after beating Widnes in former Australian coach Tim Sheens’ 700th premiership fixture.

Fiji down Canada in Vancouver Test

Fiji began their World Cup preparations with a 22-6 win over Canada Wolverines last weekend in Vancouver.

The Fiji side, which was made up of players from the domestic competition, will play a side of NRL stars in the Battle of the Bati in Suva on 7 October, ahead of the Tri-Series with Australia and PNG on 14 October.

By Brad Walter | @BradWalterSport
Chief Correspondent, RLWC2017