League: Mannering stays centred ahead of Hodges' challenge

Simon Mannering hasn't been fazed by the controversy around his selection. Instead he is concentrating on the challenge of marking dangerous Aussie Justin Hodges. Photo / Getty Images

If Simon Mannering is bothered by the minor kerfuffle surrounding his selection at centre for tonight's Anzac test, he isn't exactly showing it.

Picking Mannering to reprise the role he filled in the World Cup and Four Nations finals ahead of specialist centres Junior Sa'u and Steve Matai may be a case of coach Stephen Kearney opting for his safest pair of hands, but it hasn't found favour everywhere.

Former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe even described the non-selection of Matai as akin to Queensland leaving out King Wally Lewis.

"Lowie likes to say things like that," Mannering said with a shrug. "[Steve's] been playing really well. I'm sure he thought he was a chance and I'm sure he was a chance."

Leaving aside the fact that Lowe is Matai's boss at Manly, there are enough reasons to see why Kearney has opted for Mannering to partner rookie Matt Duffie on the left flank.

There will always be a black mark against the fearsome but erratic Matai's name following the record 58-0 drubbing the Kiwis received when he was sent off against the Kangaroos in 2007, while Sa'u is a fine attacker but can make poor defensive reads.

Mannering might not boast the upside of either of his rivals, but nor does he possess their significant downsides. He may be more accustomed to the back row but having played 53 of his 126 NRL games at centre - including his last five - he is also no babe in the woods in that position.

"I've been [playing centre] for a while at the Warriors now. Obviously I feel more comfortable in the back row but any spot in the team you can get you are going to take. You are not going to turn it down."

Centre, as it happens, is the area the Kangaroos have bolstered most significantly.

With Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Matt Cooper and Jamie Lyon all injured, the Australians were down to their fifth and sixth-choice players in November's Four Nations. Even then Brent Tate was injured and left the field in the first half of the final.

Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens had the pick of the crop for tonight's match, selecting Hodges and Inglis - and Jamal Idris on the bench - while ignoring the likes of Cooper and Mark Gasnier.

Marking the dangerous Hodges shapes as a tough assignment for Mannering, but having shut Israel Folau out of the world cup final he won't be daunted by the task.

"He's obviously one of the better centres around," Mannering said. "That's why he'll be playing for Australia."

He put the Kiwis' successes with him at centre down to coincidence, although Mannering admitted he lifted his game whenever he put on a Kiwis jersey.

"Just being in the Kiwi environment alongside the guys here does give you a bit of confidence.

"It is a big occasion and one you want to be part of.

"I've been very proud to be part of the last few years with the Kiwis and the success we've had."