League: Fulton says Tri-Nations win 'a fluke'

Australia selector and league great Bob Fulton has questioned whether New Zealand's history-making Tri-Nations win last season was a fluke.

Fulton also criticised the wild "ego" of Kiwis coach Brian McClennan on the eve of the most eagerly-anticipated transtasman test in 98 years.

Fulton's barb at McClennan continued a hostile week, with players and coaches from both countries exchanging broadsides.

"There's plenty of ego in all of us, sometime it crawls out, but in Brian's case, it has jumped out," Fulton said. "But I question whether the Tri-Nations win was a fluke.

"The pressure is well and truly on Brian. He has to show that theTri-Nations win wasn't a fluke and that the NZRL will be justified in giving him a new three-year contract."

Fulton was also angered at McClennan's claim the Australians were "narrow minded" for spending much of their preparations in Sydney, not Brisbane.

"The transformation of Brian McClennan in the last six months has been remarkable," Fulton said. "Gone is that laid-back, happy-go-lucky coach who didn't have any pressure on him.

"He kept saying, 'I'm not up to NRL standard', and 'I only coach in Auckland' after winning the Tri-Nations, which I do reckon was a coaching achievement.

"Since then he has engaged in a verbal baiting of Ricky Stuart and his players. The latest has been that the Australians should have been in Brisbane this week, not Sydney, promoting the game.

"Well, let me remind Brian that Australia is up in Queensland only a day behind the Kiwis. The Australians will also be staying in Brisbane - not on the Gold Coast, like the New Zealanders.

"And Ricky Stuart and his team are still talking to the media - not like his mob."

Australia arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday and trained that afternoon. "As a group we will try and win back the mantle of being the world's No 1 rugby league nation," Stuart said. "We are a very proud league nation, the supporters know that, and we want those fans to be proud of us.

"We will be doing everything possible to beat New Zealand.

"There seems to be a lot of players hurting from last year's Tri-Nations final loss."

Stuart, however, said his team would not be viewing a replay of that game. "We won't be going over old ground," he said. "This is a new football team looking to the future."

New Zealand could blow out to $4.75 outsiders to win the test, in one of the great punting snubs in league history.

The Kiwis are claiming it is a lack of respect.

TAB Sportsbet has the Kiwis at $4.10 to win the match, with Australia $1.20 favourites.

Gold Coast bookie Lloyd Merlehan has the Kiwis at $4.60, with Centrebet quoting the visitors at $4.50.

They are remarkably generous odds given New Zealand's last match was a crushing 24-0 win over Australia in Leeds in November.

New Zealand great Gary Freeman, who played 46 tests, is stunned at the lack of support his home country has attracted among the betting agencies.

"The punters aren't showing much respect for New Zealand,"

Freeman said. "We are the current Tri-Nations champions, and deservedly so.

"I think this side is better than the team which won the final last year. The players are in better form than that match."

- NZPA