Kevin LOCKE [
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Wed October 12, 2011
For five players, the Kiwis' one-off Test against Australia on Sunday can't come soon enough.
Kevin Locke, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Gerard Beale, Russell Packer and Alex Glenn all learnt yesterday that they would be making their Test debuts at Ausgrid Stadium in Newcastle this weekend.
Of the quintet, Broncos second rower Glenn (23) had been close to selection twice before without making it onto the field. He was part of the Kiwis' squad for the 2009 and 2010 Anzac Tests but missed selection for those matches and for the Four Nations tournaments later in each of those seasons.
"I never gave up hoping and just kept working," he said.
"It was great being around the Kiwis in 2009 and 2010 but I always dreamed of going that one step further and pulling on the jersey to play for my country. To be making my debut against the Aussies this weekend is unbelievable.
"This means so much to me, to my family and my friends. I can't wait to get into it."
Glenn, a product of Auckland's Northcote club, played for the Cook Islands last year and was in the Junior Kiwis side that beat the Junior Kangaroos in 2007.
He went past 50 NRL games this season, becoming a fixture for Brisbane as a second row partner for the experienced Sam Thaiday.
Warriors fullback Locke (22), another Northcote player in his younger years, toured England and France with the Kiwis the last time the Four Nations was played in the Northern Hemisphere in 2009. He'd just come off his rookie NRL season but didn't play a Test during the campaign.
"It was a cool experience being part of the Kiwis even though I didn't get to play in 2009," he said.
"I learnt a lot then and I've kept working at trying to improve my game. This year has been amazing getting to play in the grand final and now it's topped off by being given my Test debut. I'm stoked for everyone who has supported me over the years."
While Locke, who represented New Zealand Maori against England last year, also brought up his 50th NRL appearance this season, his club-mate Packer is nearing 80 NRL games despite just turning 22 on Sunday.
Like Locke he played for New Zealand Maori last year and this year missed just one of the Warriors' 28 matches, taking his career tally to 77. The Foxton product was beaming today.
"I came to the Warriors a few years ago dreaming of becoming a professional footballer and hopefully one day representing my country," he said.
"Just being selected in the touring squad was a buzz but to find out only a day after coming into camp that I'd be making my debut so soon is massive. I just want to get out there. It's the biggest moment of my career so far."
Brisbane utility Beale (21) also had a taste of the Kiwi camp when he was 19th man for this year's Anzac Test in Robina. While he was eligible for either Australia or New Zealand there was never any doubt about his allegiance.
"I only ever wanted to represent New Zealand," he said.
"I was so proud to be in the squad for the Anzac Test this year. It was an amazing experience becoming part of the brothers and the culture the Kiwis have.
"But now to be playing for the Kiwis against the Kangaroos ... it's incredible. It's why you play the game."
Faifai Loa (21), called into the Kiwis only last Friday, has found everything happening so quickly. After playing his junior football for Marist in Auckland, he linked with Newcastle before signing with St George Illawarra. He briefly tasted NRL football with the Dragons last year before linking with the Cowboys this season, where he established himself scoring 10 tries in 22 games.
"It's all been unreal for me," he said.
"I was called into the Kiwis only late last week and found out a few days later I'll be playing my first Test against Australia.
"I couldn't be happier and just want to repay my family and friends for all the support they've given me."
Faifai Loa is set to become Kiwi No 766, Beale 767, Packer 768 and Glenn 769.
Tue October 11, 2011
by Matthew O'Neill
Five players will make their Test debuts when the Kiwis face the Kangaroos in Sunday's one-off international at Ausgrid Stadium in Newcastle.
Coach Stephen Kearney today confirmed a maiden Test appearance for NZ Warriors fullback Kevin Locke, a non-playing squad member for the 2009 Four Nations, as well as his club-mate Russell Packer, named as a starting prop.
North Queensland's Kalifa Faifai Loa is on the wing while the Brisbane duo Gerard Beale and Alex Glenn will also make their debuts after previously being involved in Kiwi squads for the Anzac Test. Beale will line up in the centres and Glenn in the second row.
All five players were involved in the NRL finals, Locke and Packer experiencing a grand final for the first time with the NZ Warriors.
"It's exciting for our future that we're in a position to give these five young players their Test debuts," said Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney.
"They've all put in the work to earn the opportunity.
"With their inclusion we certainly have a young side but we still have a core group of experienced players around them."
Faifai Loa, brought in as a replacement last Friday, is set to become Kiwi No 766, Beale 767, Packer 768 and Glenn 769.
Beale, also capable of playing at fullback and on the wing, will team up with NZ Warriors centre Lewis Brown, who'll be playing his second Test following his debut against the Kangaroos in this year's Anzac Test. Glenn will form a starting back row with NZ Warriors captain Simon Mannering and Cronulla's Jeremy Smith, Mannering playing his 26th Test and Smith his 19th.
Included in the 17-man line-up are 12 players who appeared in this year's NRL finals, the only exceptions being starting prop Sam McKendry (Penrith), Smith and interchange players Issac Luke (South Sydney), Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta) and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters).
While numerous players were ruled out of contention for this campaign, the combination for this Bill Kelly Cup encounter still includes 10 players who were in the Kiwi side that lost 10-20 to Australia in Robina on May 6. Two other players who appeared in that Test - Adam Blair, still suspended, and Ben Matulino - are also in the touring squad for the Four Nations to follow in England. The Newcastle Test will be followed by another New Zealand-Australia encounter in the first round of the Four Nations in Warrington on October 28.
The Kiwis assembled in Sydney on Sunday, having their first field session at OKI Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah yesterday. A strength session this morning was to be followed by another field session at OKI Jubilee Stadium this afternoon before the team travels to Newcastle tomorrow.
Sunday's Test is preceded by a one-off international between the Junior Kiwis and the Junior Kangaroos. The Kiwis are due to have an opposed training session with the David Kidwell-coached Junior Kiwis in Newcastle on Thursday.
TRANS-TASMAN TEST
AUSTRALIA v NEW ZEALAND
Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle
4.00pm, Sunday, October 16, 2011
1 Kevin Locke (NZ Warriors)
2 Kalifa Faifai Loa (North Queensland)
3 Lewis Brown (NZ Warriors)
4 Gerard Beale (Brisbane)
5 Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra)
6 Benji Marshall [c] (Wests Tigers)
7 Kieran Foran (Manly)
8 Russell Packer (NZ Warriors)
9 Nathan Fien (St George Illawarra)
10 Sam Mckendry (Penrith)
11 Alex Glenn (Brisbane
12 Simon Mannering (NZ Warriors)
13 Jeremy Smith (Cronulla)
14 Issac Luke (South Sydney)
15 Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta)
16 Sika Manu (Melbourne)
17 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters)
Coach: Stephen Kearney
BILL KELLY CUP - AUSTRALIA v NEW ZEALAND - 16th October 2011Live ScoresMatch ForumBetting Markets2011 FOUR NATIONS - ENGLAND, WALES, AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALANDTournament ForumCompetition PageBetting Markets
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 2011 NRL Telstra Premiership
New Zealand Warriors
22 games; 6 tries, 24 points.
[View] Round 2 [19 Mar 11] L 12-20 v Wests Tigers (A). [WG]
[View] Round 3 [27 Mar 11] L 12-25 v Dragons (H). [WG]
[View] Round 4 [03 Apr 11] W 26-18 v Cronulla (A). [BE]
[View] Round 7 [25 Apr 11] W 18-14 v Storm (A). [WG]
[View] Round 8 [01 May 11] W 26-18 v Panthers (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 9 [08 May 11] W 34-14 v Titans (A). [FB]
[View] Round 10 [15 May 11] W 25-16 v Knights (A). [FB]
[View] Round 11 [22 May 11] W 12-6 v Rabbitohs (H). [FB]
[View] Round 13 [04 Jun 11] L 6-13 v Roosters (A). [FB]
[View] Round 14 [12 Jun 11] L 22-26 v Wests Tigers (H). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 15 [18 Jun 11] L 10-30 v Cowboys (A). [FB]
[View] Round 18 [08 Jul 11] W 22-6 v Titans (H). [FB]
[View] Round 19 [15 Jul 11] W 36-12 v Canterbury (H). [FB]
[View] Round 20 [24 Jul 11] W 48-16 v Rabbitohs (A). [FB]
[View] Round 21 [31 Jul 11] W 29-10 v Canberra (H). [FB]
[View] Round 22 [06 Aug 11] L 20-21 v Broncos (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 23 [13 Aug 11] W 20-12 v Knights (H). [FB]
[View] Round 24 [20 Aug 11] W 26-12 v Panthers (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [28 Aug 11] L 22-26 v Dragons (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 26 [03 Sep 11] W 18-6 v North Qld (H). [FB]
[View] Finals Week 1 [10 Sep 11] L 10-40 v Brisbane. [FB]
[View] Finals Week 2 [16 Sep 11] W 22-20 v Wests Tigers. [FB]
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2011 International Test Matches
New Zealand
1 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Bill Kelly Cup [16 Oct 11] L 6-42 v Australia (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
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2011 Four Nations Test Series
New Zealand
3 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Round 1 [28 Oct 11] L 12-26 v Australia. [FB]
[View] Round 2 [05 Nov 11] W 36-0 v Wales. [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 3 [12 Nov 11] L 6-28 v England (A). [FB]
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2010 NRL Telstra Premiership
New Zealand Warriors
16 games; 7 tries, 2/5 goals, 32 points.
[View] Round 1 [14 Mar 10] L 18-24 v Titans (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 2 [20 Mar 10] W 30-16 v Sharks (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/4g
[View] Round 3 [28 Mar 10] W 48-16 v Broncos (A). [WG]
[View] Round 4 [04 Apr 10] L 6-14 v Sea Eagles (H). [WG]
[View] Round 5 [10 Apr 10] W 30-24 v Bulldogs (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 6 [18 Apr 10] L 12-40 v Panthers (H). [WG]
[View] Round 10 [15 May 10] W 24-12 v Cowboys (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 11 [23 May 10] W 26-24 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG]
[View] Round 12 [28 May 10] L 6-50 v Tigers (A). [WG]
[View] Round 13 [06 Jun 10] L 20-22 v Dragons (H). [WG]
[View] Round 14 [13 Jun 10] W 32-24 v Knights (A). [WG]
[View] Round 16 [27 Jun 10] W 20-18 v Roosters (A). [WG] 12 Pts; 3t
[View] Round 19 [17 Jul 10] W 13-6 v Storm (H). [WG]
[View] Round 20 [25 Jul 10] L 28-38 v Rabbitohs (A). [WG]
[View] Round 26 [04 Sep 10] W 26-12 v Eels (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Finals Week 1 [10 Sep 10] L 16-28 v Titans. [WG]
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2009 NYC Toyota Cup
New Zealand Warriors
6 games; 3 tries, 11/16 goals, 34 points.
[View] Round 1 [14 Mar 09] L 26-28 v Eels (H). [FB] 6 Pts; 3/5g
[View] Round 2 [22 Mar 09] L 4-52 v Sea Eagles (A). [FB]
[View] Round 3 [28 Mar 09] W 24-16 v Broncos (H). [FB] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/5g
[View] Round 4 [05 Apr 09] W 42-32 v Rabbitohs (H). [FB] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/6g
[View] Round 10 [17 May 09] W 41-16 v Cowboys (H). [FB]
[View] Round 11 [24 May 09] L 28-42 v Raiders (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
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2009 NRL Telstra Premiership
New Zealand Warriors
12 games; 4 tries, 22/32 goals, 60 points.
[View] Round 12 [31 May 09] W 14-0 v Tigers (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 2t, 1/3g
[View] Round 13 [07 Jun 09] L 10-18 v Sharks (A). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 14 [12 Jun 09] W 13-0 v Knights (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t, 2/2g
[View] Round 16 [27 Jun 09] L 12-28 v Titans (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 17 [03 Jul 09] L 14-28 v Broncos (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 18 [12 Jul 09] L 14-18 v Bulldogs (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 1t, 1/3g
[View] Round 20 [26 Jul 09] L 4-29 v Dragons (H). [WG]
[View] Round 21 [01 Aug 09] D 32-32 v Panthers (A). [WG] 12 Pts; 6/6g
[View] Round 22 [09 Aug 09] L 10-30 v Titans (H). [FB] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 23 [15 Aug 09] L 4-40 v Eels (A). [WG]
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 09] W 34-20 v Raiders (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/6g
[View] Round 26 [05 Sep 09] L 0-30 v Storm (H). [WG]
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2008 Toyota National Youth Competition
New Zealand Warriors
24 games; 15 tries, 88/122 goals, 236 points.
[View] Round 1 [17 Mar 08] L 22-32 v Storm (A). [FB] 2 Pts; 1/5g
[View] Round 2 [23 Mar 08] L 22-26 v Eels (H). [FB]
[View] Round 5 [13 Apr 08] D 26-26 v Bulldogs (H). [WG]
[View] Round 6 [19 Apr 08] D 24-24 v Cowboys (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 7 [27 Apr 08] W 36-28 v Gold Coast (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 10 [18 May 08] L 24-46 v Panthers (A). [FB] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/4g
[View] Round 11 [25 May 08] W 40-10 v Roosters (H). [FB] 16 Pts; 1t, 6/8g
[View] Round 12 [31 May 08] W 42-22 v Knights (A). [FB] 22 Pts; 2t, 7/7g
[View] Round 13 [06 Jun 08] W 31-4 v Rabbitohs (H). [FB] 6 Pts; 3/6g
[View] Round 14 [14 Jun 08] W 38-16 v Sharks (A). [FB] 10 Pts; 5/7g
[View] Round 15 [22 Jun 08] W 38-10 v Sea Eagles (H). [FB] 14 Pts; 1t, 5/7g
[View] Round 16 [29 Jun 08] L 34-45 v Tigers (A). [FB] 14 Pts; 1t, 5/6g
[View] Round 18 [12 Jul 08] W 32-12 v Cowboys (H). [FB] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/6g
[View] Round 19 [19 Jul 08] W 43-38 v Bulldogs (A). [FB] 18 Pts; 1t, 7/7g
[View] Round 20 [27 Jul 08] W 36-12 v Storm (H). [FB] 12 Pts; 6/6g
[View] Round 21 [02 Aug 08] W 26-20 v Rabbitohs (A). [FB] 6 Pts; 3/5g
[View] Round 22 [09 Aug 08] L 12-32 v Broncos (H). [FB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 23 [16 Aug 08] W 35-6 v Sharks (H). [FB] 14 Pts; 2t, 3/7g
[View] Round 24 [24 Aug 08] W 32-8 v Dragons (A). [FB] 8 Pts; 4/7g
[View] Round 25 [31 Aug 08] L 28-30 v Panthers (H). [FB] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 26 [06 Sep 08] D 24-24 v Eels (A). [FB] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Finals Week 1 [14 Sep 08] W 47-20 v Dragons (H). [FB] 14 Pts; 7/8g
[View] Finals Week 2 [19 Sep 08] W 38-4 v Panthers. [FB] 14 Pts; 1t, 5/7g
[View] Finals Week 3 [27 Sep 08] L 26-28 v Broncos. [FB] 10 Pts; 1t, 3/5g
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Locke, Kevin
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