The NRL grand final teams, Manly and Melbourne provide 11 of the 24-man Australian World Cup squad.

Nobody has challenged the selectors on their choice of the Australian squad, one bristling with skill, ingenuity and awesome power.

Manly skipper Matt Orford and Broncos fullback Karlmichael Hunt will have their share of sympathizers but it would have been impossible to include either when you look to who is filling the halfback and fullback spots.

Manly boast six of their grand final winning team, the team that “monstered” Melbourne 40-0 in the most one-sided grand final in the game’s 100-year history.

But six falls shorts of the eight players Souths (1970), Easts (1975) and, indeed, Manly (1995) provided for a World Cup after winning their respective grand finals.

Australia are the logical World Cup favourites but coach Ricky Stuart may have a furrowed brow after seeing two or three of the Melbourne players capitulate in the grand final.

One of those players, Michael Crocker, appeared as though he had had enough for year 2008.

Australia has won nine World Cups from 12 attempts and this side looms as a try-scoring machine.

Two of the game’s greatest leaders, Darren Lockyer and hooker Cameron Smith will guarantee the right options are taken.

The selection of Manly winger David Williams adds another rung on the excitement ladder. What a crowd pleaser!

Stuart faces an unenviable task of who to omit from his starting line-up for the opening game against New Zealand at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday, 26 October.

 

Australian team to play England in Melbourne on November 2nd.

 

1. Billy Slater
        
2. Joel Monaghan

3. Greg Inglis
    
4. Israel Folau
        
5. Brent Tate
    
6. Darren Lockyer ©
    
7. Johnathan Thurston    

8. Petero Civoniceva

9. Cameron Smith

10. Steve Price    

11. Glenn Stewart    

12. Anthony Laffranchi

13. Paul Gallen
    


Interchange

14. Brent Kite    

15. Josh Perry

16. Anthony Tupou

17. Karmichael Hunt
   

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