KEY POINTS:
Our record in Anzac tests is poor and, ahead of the annual clash with Australia, we once again find a lot of questions but not many answers.
Often these have focused on halfback and it's once again the case. We have often been left searching for a replacement
for Stacey Jones, first when he was injured and now because he's retired.
The candidates this time are Ben Roberts and Lance Hohaia, or will the selectors do a crazy thing and play Benji Marshall there?
We also need to look for a new leader, given Ruben Wiki's retirement and that likely replacement David Kidwell is injured.
It's interesting to hear some of the names being thrown around and, to my surprise, Willie Mason entered the fray, proposing Sonny Bill Williams. How did big Willie become a spokesman for New Zealand? Would he be promoting Kidwell had David not suffered his injury?
For the record, I cannot look past Nathan Cayless (if selected) given his experience, followed closely by Tony Puletua.
But, coming back to Mason and his preference - Willie, being a team-mate, is more than likely supporting a friend.
Logically, though it can't work. Williams is still returning after a long injury lay-off as well as suspension and needs to concentrate on playing the game again.
The burden and pressure of captaincy, especially of your national team, would be too much for the youngster. Williams hasn't played much in the past three seasons, so game time is essential. He doesn't need to worry about anything else. Let him return to the way he was playing when he burst on to the scene in 2004 and perhaps look at captaincy in the future.
Fullback is another position where we are short on personnel and would be a major problem if Brent Webb was ever unavailable. Hohaia, Jerome Ropati or Jake Webster could be candidates but there is no natural successor. Tongue in cheek, I bet the selectors are waiting for the three-year residency clause to kick in so Wade McKinnon could fill the void.
Goal kicking is our next headache, although Marshall is the Tigers' preferred kicker. But where is our next batch of goal kickers in a country that has no problem producing them for rugby union?
I sound like a broken record because this is not the first time I've mentioned these deficiencies but until the relevant people start producing the talent to cover these positions, I will keep bringing it up.
Lastly, Brian McClennan has no problem lifting a team emotionally and getting them to play with passion but we need to be smarter to beat Australia. Emotion lifts our spirits and gives us belief but our brains determine our actions.
The bond of the few, as we are in New Zealand, unites us against the many of Australia but we need more than that to triumph in a fixture in which we have been embarrassed in recent years.
