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Stuart Honeysett From: The Australian April 30, 2011 12:00AM
HE was a bolter for NSW and now Jamal Idris could reprise that role for Australia.
The towering Canterbury centre is in contention for a spot on the Kangaroos bench for the Test match against New Zealand at Skilled Park next Friday.
The make-up of the teams for the Kangaroos, and the City and Country sides to face off in Albury also on Friday, won't be fully settled until the completion of this weekend's round.
Test coach Tim Sheens had his hands full yesterday after juggling a meeting with Australian selectors to decide the national team and one with Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys over his future at the Tigers.
Idris was in action for the Bulldogs against Brisbane last night and it is understood his fate is tied to those of several other players, with Sheens yet to decide whether he wants to carry two props on the bench to avenge their Four Nations loss to the Kiwis at the end of last season.
The Bulldogs giant has got the better of incumbent Australia centre Greg Inglis in two meetings at club level this season and his explosive size and power saw him selected on the bench for the Blues for the opening State of Origin game last year.
It is the make-up of the bench which is causing the most headaches for national selectors. Johnathan Thurston, Justin Hodges, Inglis and Jarryd Hayne are tipped to make returns to the starting side after missing the previous series through injury.
Veteran prop Petero Civoniceva is expected back after standing himself down voluntarily from the final last year over form concerns, while St George Illawarra backrower Ben Creagh should win a spot in the starting side.
The bench will include Kurt Gidley and Nate Myles but there are plenty of others fighting it out for the final two spots with Idris, another bolter in St George Illawarra prop Trent Merrin, Canberra's David Shillington and Brisbane's Ben Hannant all in contention.
It is understood those spots could be decided this weekend with Shillington and Canberra teammate Tom Learoyd-Lahrs -- who both played in last year's final -- getting the chance to impress Sheens when they take on the Tigers tomorrow.
Whoever misses out for Australia is expected to be rushed straight into the Country team to face City, which is shaping as a bona fide selection trial for the Blues team.
NSW coach Ricky Stuart has been in regular contact with City's Brad Fittler and Country's Laurie Daley with a view to all three working together to get the formula right and end Queensland's five-year stranglehold on the interstate contest.
Newcastle winger Akuila Uate was right in the mix for the Kangaroos before losing out to Hayne while Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman has rocketed into calculations for higher honours following some outstanding efforts for the Bulldogs.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...garoos-selection/story-e6frg7mf-1226047239891
HE was a bolter for NSW and now Jamal Idris could reprise that role for Australia.
The towering Canterbury centre is in contention for a spot on the Kangaroos bench for the Test match against New Zealand at Skilled Park next Friday.
The make-up of the teams for the Kangaroos, and the City and Country sides to face off in Albury also on Friday, won't be fully settled until the completion of this weekend's round.
Test coach Tim Sheens had his hands full yesterday after juggling a meeting with Australian selectors to decide the national team and one with Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys over his future at the Tigers.
Idris was in action for the Bulldogs against Brisbane last night and it is understood his fate is tied to those of several other players, with Sheens yet to decide whether he wants to carry two props on the bench to avenge their Four Nations loss to the Kiwis at the end of last season.
The Bulldogs giant has got the better of incumbent Australia centre Greg Inglis in two meetings at club level this season and his explosive size and power saw him selected on the bench for the Blues for the opening State of Origin game last year.
It is the make-up of the bench which is causing the most headaches for national selectors. Johnathan Thurston, Justin Hodges, Inglis and Jarryd Hayne are tipped to make returns to the starting side after missing the previous series through injury.
Veteran prop Petero Civoniceva is expected back after standing himself down voluntarily from the final last year over form concerns, while St George Illawarra backrower Ben Creagh should win a spot in the starting side.
The bench will include Kurt Gidley and Nate Myles but there are plenty of others fighting it out for the final two spots with Idris, another bolter in St George Illawarra prop Trent Merrin, Canberra's David Shillington and Brisbane's Ben Hannant all in contention.
It is understood those spots could be decided this weekend with Shillington and Canberra teammate Tom Learoyd-Lahrs -- who both played in last year's final -- getting the chance to impress Sheens when they take on the Tigers tomorrow.
Whoever misses out for Australia is expected to be rushed straight into the Country team to face City, which is shaping as a bona fide selection trial for the Blues team.
NSW coach Ricky Stuart has been in regular contact with City's Brad Fittler and Country's Laurie Daley with a view to all three working together to get the formula right and end Queensland's five-year stranglehold on the interstate contest.
Newcastle winger Akuila Uate was right in the mix for the Kangaroos before losing out to Hayne while Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman has rocketed into calculations for higher honours following some outstanding efforts for the Bulldogs.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...garoos-selection/story-e6frg7mf-1226047239891
