League: Ref in spotlight as stage set for another epic

Ruben Wiki will hope rules are enforced. Picture / Brett Phibbs

MELBOURNE - Kiwis coach Brian McClennan fears the Kangaroos have won influence over referee Ashley Klein and is calling for stricter guidelines concerning meetings with test officials.

The heated Tri-Nations exchange resumes tonight in Melbourne, with Klein in the spotlight after his performance in Auckland.

The stage is set for an epic battle - albeit without Kangaroos prop Willie Mason who was ruled out because of injury last night - with Australia's questioning of Nathan Fien's eligibility one of many bush fires that have turned up the heat.

Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart has met the tournament's referee coach, Australian Robert Finch, who said video referee Chris Ward would "tip" Klein if the 10-metre rule was eroded tonight.

Central to the issue is Australia's belief the Kiwis will tire quickly if their defence is forced further back.

Influence remains a key word in the small Australian-dominated world of rugby league. New Zealand is so concerned that it loses out on issues such as player availability that it is preparing to hire a Sydney-based media specialist.

Captain Ruben Wiki will call on Klein to stop the Australian defensive line leaving early tonight.

But the Kiwis did not bother calling Finch during the week.

Again McClennan claimed that Stuart, like his defenders, had a head start.

"Ricky knows Robert Finch - he coached his son Brett," said McClennan, referring to the Roosters connection.

"We need protocols ... if there are discussions, everyone should be in there.

"All we want is the referee to go by the rule book. What's a big 10 metres and a small 10 metres anyway? Ten metres is 10 metres.

"The referee also needs to make sure defensive lines don't move until the ball clears the heel, which is also in the rule book. The Australians want a bigger gap but we don't want international league to go like the NRL.

"The old Super League went that way and the game was rubbish.

"People want a great test battle in the trenches, not a free-for-all with the teams way apart. And what are the Aussies worried about? They've got big blokes."

Australian medical staff ruled Mason out late yesterday as he continued to suffer headaches following his head clash with David Kidwell last Saturday.

Brisbane's Sam Thaiday was named to make his test debut off the bench, with Bulldogs prop Mark O'Meley shifting to the starting 13.

The stadium roof is expected to be shut tonight, the first time the Kiwis have played indoors since Cardiff four years ago.

But Klein may struggle to keep a lid on the game if the pre-match talk is an indication.

The first test, which included a brawl, has laid the foundation for a fiery return bout. The two teams crossed paths near a Melbourne restaurant this week, and barely raised their eyes.

From the Webb/Kidwell-Mason dispute to Manu Vatuvei's penchant for pushing Australians outside the sidelines, there are sub-plots aplenty.

Interest will surround new Kiwi hooker Fien - another controversial figure - who is set to be put in early in the second quarter.

Fien is returning from a long layoff due to a lower back injury which also caused leg numbness.

Fien, who can play in the halves, will offer added variety in attack and should coax the forwards ahead with more skill than Dene Halatau and Jerome Ropati could muster in Auckland. But Fien's stamina will be in question, so extra hooker interchanges are likely.

The Kiwis will cover that by swapping wing Shontayne Hape and lock Simon Mannering, rather than resting Mannering.

Hape is due to mark the brilliant Greg Inglis, but the Kiwis believe Mannering is also capable of that job. Hooker Ropati is due for more time at standoff, spelling Nigel Vagana and possibly adding spark to the attacks if NRL centre Vagana is struggling again.

The Kiwis must find depth with the ball in hand, and cut down errors to shackle the Kangaroo backs.

Australia remain favourites.

Kiwis: Shontayne Hape, Iosia Soliola, Steve Matai, Manu Vatuvei, Nigel Vagana, Stacey Jones, Ruben Wiki (c), Jerome Ropati, Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, Tony Puletua, Simon Mannering
Interchange: Nathan Fien, Nathan Cayless, Adam Blair, David Fa'alogo

Kangaroos: Karmichael Hunt, Matt King, Mark Gasnier, Justin Hodges, Greg Inglis, D. Lockyer (c), J. Thurston, Mark O'Meley, Cameron Smith, P. Civoniceva, Andrew Ryan, N. Hindmarsh, Luke O'Donnell
Interchange: Sam Thaiday, Shaun Berrigan, Anthony Tupou, Brent Kite