Inu, Vatuvei, Hunt, Thurston

A few thoughts from tonight's test. As usual the start was physical, and that's saying something for a game that's predicated on pec on pec contact. Thing is, it's now 100% guaranteed that every ANZ (screw the AC) test starts this way, and has big hits peppered through it as players tire but maintain the rage. So why do players keep talking about it? It's not news. We know it's coming. Instead of saying "Yeah, the Kiwis have a big pack, I'm sure it will be a physical start", they might as well say "It's a game where the aim is to place a ball on grass behind a line while 13 men will it not so." We've landed on the moon! Old news.

Arrival of Inu. Geez, how good was he? From the first DFWM hit-up, to the 100 metre bomb he defused (all rigger, no trigger). I will be absolutely shocked if this guy is not a star within 18 months.

Vatuvei. It's hard to get excited about a massive, fast, aggressive New Zealand winger, because they've had so many. In many ways, he's a snapshot of the Kiwis. The kind of player you don't want to play against, but wouldn't pick on your team.

Hunt. I haven't seen him much this year, but based on this game, he's really taken his game to a whole nutha level. Some fullbacks are happy to get smashed, others have that level of confidence...you know, you've seen it in Hodges, a while ago Minichiello, a decade back Mullins. Back when a fullback could honestly be a team's best player.

Thurston. Where's your messiah now, hmmyah! C'mon, can we just admit it now? Thurston is King, or at least King in Waiting. This dude is just too cool for school. He looks like he's toying with the opposition sometimes. I think last year's pain has the Cowboys primed. Thurston looks like he can just take the League by the horns and make it his own, if he wanted to. He's the kind of player you wish would be selfish, just once in a while. It's a bit like the Dogs bombing out in 05, and almost making the GF in 06. They know they're better than that so they come back and tear it up. I challenge you: name a player with a higher upside than Thurston. And I don't mean media-nominated upside, I mean real upside (sorry Sonny Bill, I still love ya).

Broncos connection pays off. i counted at least two tries constructed pretty much purely off Bronco play. Berrigan to Lockyer to Hodges to Tate. Tate on the break, kicks for Lockyer to score. Anthony Tupou. Is it just me, or is he the ultimate fifth wheel in the Aussie test team? He comes on in the 61st minute, does three runs and four tackles, and the camera catches him on the victory lap. I descried this lost look on his face, while all the other players waved and smiled.

I think it's time to divide the NRL into conferences. Imagine the teams. You'd have players from Nth Qld, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Manly, Parra, Penrif, Roosters in a NORTH team vs the best from Melbourne, New Zealand, Canberra, Cronulla, StG-Illa, Dogz, Wests-Tiges (based on geography of Campbelltown) and Souths in - naturally - the SOUTH team. C'mon, it easily has the potential to be better than SOO and test footy. Imagine a team with Sonny Bill, Inglis and Gaz. At first blush it looks like the South team would be stronger, but you can't discount the North. They'd play like Queenslanders, like Billy Moore. Let fans nominate the starting 13, coaches can nominate the bench. The day before there could be a goal-kicking contest or a tackle power comp or something like that thrown in. Just for players to show off a little or compete for bragging rights.

Look, once a year you get three games between NSW and QLD. Given. You get a Aus v NZ test. Given. But I truly believe there's room for a Northern v Western Conference game. It's artificial, yes, but it's a sure-fire way to create interest and put together the real best players. The ony danger is that it turns into an All Star game where players don't try and the real rivalry is purely imagined.

I know people will criticise me for ripping off the NBA and other sports o'er there, but remember: it's the Aussie way to take other people's great ideas and make them your own. Just think of the potential. (For those not following my train of thought, I was wondering what Vatuvei would be like in the context of a team with some decent Australian talent)

Good fortune. One of those moments when you're blinded by the smile Allah's bestowing on you. Following the League, Channel 9 had the breathtaking wisdom to screen Sports Disasters. TV at its best. Some clever Spanish men are subduing bulls. The crowd applauds....Now it's people skiing on 90 degree rocky slopes. Also clever... Man crushed by dune buggy. Aided by crowd.... woah, a South American soccer player just beat up a fan. Gave him a few good kicks to the solar plexus. Stupid fan, he deserved it.

Christ. It's the financial report. Wtf is going on with finance and the news these days? I'm half expecting the lead item in the news to be the fact that pork bellies are up 3/16ths. In fact it just was. Craig McMurtry from the Commonwealth has just declared his undying love for Penny Stocks and Junk Bonds. Heaven help us all.