League: Halves combo is one for the future

Kieran Foran was praised by his coach. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney wasn't able to break the Anzac test jinx on Friday night but has put in place at least two strategic plans for the future - a long-term halfback and five-eighth combination to defend the World Cup in 2013; and a long-term leader.

With Nathan Fien ruled out of the test, courtesy of a broken ankle in the first round of the NRL, Kearney has brought up-and-coming Manly Sea Eagles playmaker Kieran Foran into partnership with developing captain Benji Marshall.

The move makes sense. Any youthful exuberance Fien might have now will be waning in three-and-a-half years when he'll be 34.

In contrast, Foran, at 19, has been touted as potentially the world's best player by league great Andrew Johns, who tutored him in the off season.

That is backed up by Foran's veteran Sea Eagles team-mate Josh Perry, who opposed him on Friday night. The prop has called Foran "a freak" who is going to be a superstar of the game.

While Marshall is established as the team's five-eighth, the narrow loss to Australia is just his sixth as skipper in 15 tests. Compare that to his opposite Darren Lockyer, who has led Australia 28 times in 51 tests.

Marshall says, at 25, he is gradually settling in the role: "I learned a lot from my first time [as official captain] in the Four Nations last year. It is definitely more what you do, than what you say. The young guys look at me now and if I'm doing the right thing, they follow, whereas in the past I used to be one of those young guys joking around a bit. I can still be myself and do that but I have to know when to switch on."

The debut of Marshall and Foran together in the halves came with plenty of hype. Marshall is well-established as a force in such contests but Foran has excelled in first-grade this year, replacing veteran Matt Orford.

Not only did Orford have big boots to fill, Foran has excelled through his own tactical kicking game, rugged defence and robust tackle breaks.

However, the pair didn't meet their own exceptional standards on Friday. The wet conditions meant Foran was reluctant to take the defensive line on, while he put too much weight on a number of kicks, easing the pressure on Kangaroos fullback Billy Slater.

One area Foran remained punishing was in his 21 tackles. He missed four as well but his courage was undeniable against Australia's huge forwards.

"You can't fault Kieran's bravery," Kearney says. "He's a tough little cookie. Opportunities probably didn't come his way but sometimes on the second tackle coming out of your territory, you see him ripping into opposition forwards. He'll be really dangerous for us on attack in the future."

Marshall understandably looked like he wanted to take command at times, while shielding Foran. He received the ball 55 times to Foran's 38 with Foran often left to kick for field position while Marshall unleashed bombs on the Australian line.

That strategy started to tire as an attacking weapon, although there weren't many alternatives in the conditions.

Kearney was satisfied with what he saw from the pair: "Kieran will have got more out of the experience than most, especially working with Benji. I even got them to room together this week. The more time Kieran spends learning off Benji, the better it is for us."

Marshall says he didn't mind giving up the usual captain's privilege of his own room to work as a mentor.

"It was a change but it was good. We'd get back from training and discuss matters like how we were going to play across the field. I thought he did everything asked of him, he made no mistakes. They smashed it up in defence and he had to make a lot of tackles - which took plenty out of him. I think we might have found a halves combination for the long term."

Marshall denies he tried to take more responsibility in the circumstances: "If anything I tried to pull myself back and pick my timing better. That meant using my outside runners more. In the past I've tried too hard and made errors."

Foran felt he was restricted from playing his dynamic game of recent weeks in the NRL.

"I couldn't take on the line as much; you can blame the conditions a bit for that. "

What is not limited is the combination's potential, which could pay dividends as early as this year's Four Nations.