League: Tallis - Kiwis selections wrong

Coach Stephen Kearney runs the Kiwis training session on the Gold Coast yesterday. Photo / AAP

Scrutiny of Stephen Kearney's coaching expertise extended to the international arena yesterday when the World Cup winner was forced to defend the selection of Bulldogs utility Greg Eastwood in the Kiwis Anzac test squad.

Former Kangaroos and Queensland enforcer Gorden Tallis was scathing of Eastwood's inclusion in the 19-man squad for Friday night's transtasman clash at Skilled Park.

Eastwood has logged only 50 minutes of game time for the Bulldogs in 2011 after corrective surgery on his fractured wrists delayed a return to the NRL following an English Super League stint with Leeds.

Tallis was mystified Eastwood was summoned when Roy Asotasi's test recall was ruined by his own serious wrist injury while playing for South Sydney on Friday night.

"They've picked the wrong squad to beat Australia," Tallis said in a Brisbane newspaper column.

He could not understand how Pritchard - a teammate of Eastwood's at the Bulldogs - and the Sydney Roosters' Jared Waerea-Hargreaves were not rated among the Kiwis' top 19 players.

Eastwood, who played in the triumphant Four Nations campaign last November despite his fragile hands, made a 20-minute comeback against Souths on April 23 and had half an hour against the Broncos last weekend.

That short timeframe was sufficient to convince Kearney plus fellow selectors Howie Tamati (convener), Tony Iro, Tawerau Nikau and Tony Kemp to call up Eastwood for his 18th test.

"I didn't know Gordy was picking the Kiwis side," Kearney said before training yesterday.

"The thing with Greg is he's been there for five or six years. He knows what's required."

A cornerstone of Kearney's four-year reign at the Kiwis has been consistency in selection, wherever possible.

So he is comfortable selecting Eastwood on reputation alone while the 12 personnel interchanges allowed in tests also counted in his favour.

"We can use him in spurts and also for us we've got two edge back rowers who play close to 80 minutes in Bronson [Harrison] and Adam [Blair]."

Eastwood revealed his wrists - fractured while playing for Leeds - will never be totally healed but he wouldn't hesitate to put his hand up when required as the Kiwis seek Anzac test victory on Australian soil.

"They're never going to be 100 per cent but the adrenaline will get me through," he said.

And although lacking game time Eastwood said the Bulldogs fitness staff had him in optimum aerobic condition.

Eastwood's role was yet to be formalised - Kearney was expected to release his 17-man squad today - but he expected to be employed in the front row.

Meanwhile, Kangaroos back rower Paul Gallen is in doubt with a leg injury and prop Matt Scott withdrew from training with an ankle injury.

Australia have already had to bring in one reinforcement - uncapped front rower Kade Snowden arrived in camp on Monday after David Shillington was ruled out with a pectoral muscle injury.

The test will be refereed by England's Richard Silverwood.

- NZPA