25-man Kangaroos Four Nations Squad

I wouldn't really call shuffling two players around and changing the halves combiantion easily giving Smith a rest. That situation you describe though as a plan B is almost exactly the reason Gidley seemed to have been picked for in the first place, and he was widely criticised for not being able to fulfil that role. Now that he's proven to be capable of something else, people want to drop him for someone in a similar situation. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Ftr, I probably wouldn't have either of them on the bench, but that's just because I think the bench utility role is massively overrated.

 

There's a difference between playing long minutes and long quality minutes though IMO. Guys like Thaiday and Gallen can play 80, but when they do that I certainly notice a lot more errors, missed tackles and penalties from them, especially when it's a higher intensity game. That said, the 4th bench spot for me would either go to an out and out hooker to give Smith a rest, or to Luke Lewis, who I'd pick as a backrower first and his utility value second. IMO picking someone like Gidley or Carney for their utility value (which is only going to be used if someone is injured), rather than for the likely role of whatever position you want them to come on in is a mistake IMO.

 

I'm fine with that sort of reasoning, especially when you consider that any specialist hooker we pick on the bench is likely to be considered more unproven than Gidley in that role anyway. It's that sort of thinking which should rule Carney out of a bench spot. That said, he's one of the most exciting players in the game, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the likes of him and Hayne picked to try and spark interest, rather than to try and win the thing.

 

I'd pick Farah over Gidley is essentially what I'm saying. There's no doubt he's a better hooker than Gidley is, especially when you consider that it's a Tim Sheens coached team. He'd be your bench hooker, and Lewis your "utility".