By PETER JESSUP
The Bulldogs-Panthers playoff game in Sydney tonight is something of a showcase of the players from a New Zealand background who now influence the Australian competition.
There have never been so many New Zealand-linked players involved in an Australian premiership finals game that did not include the Warriors.
As many as seven of the Kiwis' line-up for the October 16 test against Australia will play in tonight's clash.
A further two Kiwis certainties square off tomorrow with Paul Rauhihi in the frontrow for the Cowboys and Jason Cayless propping for the Roosters.
So there will be a minimum four New Zealanders in the grandfinal.
Tonight the Bulldogs will field test certainty Sonny Bill Williams who has been the find of the year in the NRL, wing Matt Utai and bench forward Roy Asotasi.
Centre Jamaal Lolesi would have been there too had he not turned an ankle in round 23.
The Panthers will send out the Kiwis second row, Tony Puletua and Joe Galuvao, the pairing from the win last October and the Anzac loss in April. At centre will be Paul Whatuira, replacing the injured Luke Lewis.
And watching from the sideline with a knee injury will be Frank Pritchard who, like Whatuira, was attached to the Kiwis squad at the end of 2003 and is in contention again.
It was former Warriors assistant coach John Ackland, who had stints for Mt Albert in the Bartercard Cup and in France before returning to the Auckland NRL club as player welfare and development officer, who sent Williams, Asotasi and brickwall prop Hutch Maiava to the Bulldogs.
Ackland was on retainer to talent-scout for the Dogs prior to returning to the Warriors. He remembers first being impressed with Williams when he saw him playing for Owairaka Primary School.
"He's always been a stand-out," Ackland said. "The thing about him is he loves playing football. He'd play two games a day if he could."
Ackland recommended Williams to the Bulldogs and they signed him immediately, shipping him from Mt Albert Grammar School as a 15-year-old to their academy for development players.
Ackland is impressed with the way the club has brought him on. While ex-players from Laurie Daley to Arthur Beetson have praised Williams' skill, Ackland said there was always reason to be guarded. How good will he be? "He has the right frame, he's fast and skilful so he's got everything going for him. He's had a very good first year. I think he has it in him to be one of the all-time greats. It's a matter of keeping his head screwed on."
He occasionally sends text messages to Williams or the Bulldogs coaching staff to advise "he can do this or he can do that".
Asotasi came from Marcellin College and was also a junior for the Marist club while Ackland was coaching for St Paul's College. "Roy cut us to bits. He's very fast, especially for a forward." Again he suggested the Dogs trial Asotasi and the player shifted over in 2001.
"He has good hands, he hits in defence, he's a sound all-rounder and he can match the Aussies for pace - the selectors have to be looking at him," Ackland said.
He sent Maiava over last year, the prop lost 30kg to become a premier league regular and NRL fill-in. Ackland also sent the Dogs Edwin Asotasi, younger brother of Roy, who he saw playing for the St Peter's First XV.
Of course, he'd rather Williams and the others were at the Warriors now. But no regrets. "It's all part of professional sport. They went to a good club that's looked after them. You like them as people and you want them to succeed whatever club they go to."
It is clear the Aussie NRL clubs have taken on board a lesson taught them by former Warriors coach Daniel Anderson as to what you can achieve with Polynesian player power: Every club in the competition now has Polynesians on the roster, a major departure for some who have previously shied away from New Zealanders in general and those of Pacific Island descent in particular. In 2001 there were 26 players from New Zealand background who were regulars, this season there were 38.
In the long term the increase in representation in the NRL will result in better results for the Kiwis.
Preliminary Finals
* Bulldogs v Panthers, Aussie Stadium, today 9.45pm
* Roosters v Cowboys, Stadium Australia, tomorrow 5.45pm
League: Kiwi flavour to NRL showdown
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