By PETER JESSUP
SYDNEY - Can the Kiwis survive the loss of two of their hardest men, test veterans Jarrod McCracken and Quentin Pongia, as they tackle Australia in the Anzac rugby league test battle?
And is rookie Tasesa Lavea up to it, with Kangaroo coach Chris Anderson sure to tell the Storm forwards that he usually runs behind to run at the 20-year-old if Kiwi coach Frank Endacott is forced to call him from the bench?
Those are the big questions for Frank Endacott's side, already down in strength in the centres, as the confidence balance swung away from the visitors yesterday.
There was notable agitation in the Kiwi camp late on Tuesday night as cover was sought for a raft of injured players. Brisbane Bronco Tonie Carroll, with New Zealand-born parents, was sound-ed out as replacement for the in-form Willie Talau, who had been ruled out on Monday and yesterday looked like being sidelined for a month after a scan on the ankle he twisted.
Carroll has already played State of Origin for Queensland and before the 24-year-old centre/lock could answer either way, the Queensland and Australian Rugby Leagues had ruled him out as ineligible.
That prompted Endacott to ask them to explain how Carroll differed from Adrian Lam, who was able to play for Queenland and Papua New Guinea.
So Parramatta Eel David Kidwell was called into the squad straight from club training. After Kiwi training Endacott said if he lost Ali Lauiti'iti at the judiciary hearing last night he would also call up Lavea, brought into the squad to gain experience ahead of the World Cup, for the interchange.
Anderson called that "a big risk, not just for the Kiwis in this game, but for the young bloke. He's not ready for it. He's got the ability to handle this level of football but he doesn't have the experience."
Lavea, ,a former Junior All Black, has had one season in the game with Storm feeder club Brisbane Norths and 11 matches in the NRL premiership.
"The step-up in pace and intensity is very hard for a young bloke to handle," Anderson said.
Endacott, however, was confident Lavea would give it his all. He had seen enough in training to know Lavea had the talent.
Endacott expressed faith all round, and said he had slept well overnight despite the injury dramas, describing them as "a good test of character."
"We still have a squad I believe can do the job. There are no problems with enthusiasm and there's always positives out of negatives .
"We've just had an excellent training session," he said after a run on the Eels main ground.
Penrith giant Tony Puletua was called into the squad as cover for McCracken late on Monday and is now assured of a place on the bench. Matt Rua is likely to be moved forward to start in the second row when Endacott names his starting 17 late today.
McCracken, with 22 internationals and Pongia, with 30, were ruled out of Friday night's game at the team medical yesterday and both will be sidelined for weeks, Pongia requiring surgery to repair torn arm tendons and possibly out for the season.
Wing Lesley Vainikolo has a slight medial ligament tear and was running with a brace on his right knee but is said to be getting better.
In the Australian camp, fullback Darren Lockyer was a confirmed starter despite finishing Kangaroo training limping on his strained left ankle.
"I'm taking off all right and sprinting OK and it's important I can do that. It improved a lot overnight. It's not 100 per cent but it will be by Friday," Lockyer said.
The Paul brothers, Henry and Robbie, and Richie Blackmore arrived from London last night and had no worries about jetlag.
"We're professionals and we understand what's needed," Robbie said. "We had a lot of water on the plane, not much food because airline food's not that good for you, but they look after you in business class and we had everything except the foot massage."
He was not concerned about getting combinations going, saying: "Two days' preparation is plenty. This isn't a chore, it's going to be a pleasure."
Blackmore was likewise pleased to have the opportunity after two years out battling groin injury.
He said: "I'm excited, I'm sure I'll be straight back in no problems."
Endacott said: "I have no doubt we'll be competitive on Friday night despite all this. It hurts deep to lose players like Jarrod and Quentin but you have to show the positives for the young guys that are there."
What the players said
The Kiwis lost two first-choice players to injury yesterday, but quickly called up two replacements.
Tony Puletea and David Kidwell come in for Jarrod McCracken and Quentin Pongia.
