League: Core missing but Kiwis squad still looks good

Kieran Foran, Bryson Goodwin, Frank Pritchard and Junior Sau of the Kiwis warm up before a training session. Photo / Getty Images

It wasn't that many moons ago that the Kiwis couldn't have coped if up to 10 of their best players were not available.

Take out Roy Asotasi (captain and NZRL Player of the Year 2007), Manu Vatuvei (2008 International Winger of the year), Jeremy Smith (NZRL Player of 2008), Simon Mannering (Warriors Player of the Year 2008), Taniela Tuiaki (2009 Dally M Winger of the year and the NRL's leading tryscorer until he broke his ankle), Sam Rapira (Warriors' best forward in 2009), Jerome Ropati, Sika Manu, Zeb Taia and Setaimata Sa and you remove the core of a very good side. It is the core of the World Cup-winning side.

But Stephen Kearney's present squad looks decent. They might not be able to topple a very strong Australia in the Four Nations and they will also face a stern test from hosts England but it is talented and certainly exciting for the future.

Perhaps the biggest compliment is the fact players like Ben Roberts, who helped guide the Bulldogs from last to second this season and was in career-best form, David Fa'alogo, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Dene Halatau, Eddy Pettybourne, Alex Glenn, Russell Packer, Antonio Winterstein and Brent Webb missed out.

It's also been a case of who to leave out in the crucial positions of the halves, hooker and fullback rather than who could fill in. New Zealand will always produce powerful props and explosive second-rowers, but teams can't win without a decent spine (1, 6, 7, 9).

There is far greater depth in New Zealand rugby league than before because of the number of players in the NRL. There is also a swathe of New Zealand-eligible youngsters running around in the under-20s competition and they will become the Kiwis of tomorrow.

What is also significant is the fact players are happy to choose New Zealand over Australia and the attraction of Origin football.

When Brian McClennan was Kiwis coach, he had about 45 NRL and UK Super League players to draw on. Today, that figure is much higher.

"It's hard to put a number on it but there are a bucketload," NZRL high performance manager Tony Kemp said. "We're hoping to put together an exact database of players.

"But we named a 45-man train-on squad and could have named 70. If you add in the under-20s competition, Harold Matthews and Jersey Flegg there are at least 240 players in the professional pathway into the Kiwis from under-16s through to senior level."

The draw

* Wednesday, October 14 vs Tonga, Rotorua
* Sunday, October 25 (NZT) vs Australia, London
* Sunday, November 1 (NZT) vs France, Toulouse
* Sunday, November 8 (NZT) vs England, Huddersfield
* Sunday, November 15 (NZT) Four Nations final, Leeds

The odds

Australia - $1.28
England - $5.50
New Zealand - $6
France - $101