This year the Four Nations is made up of:
Australia - Undoubtedly the best Rugby League Team in the World. If Australia play to their potential and keep the foot on the pedal no team should get close. The Australia team is full of big game players who have proven to be match winners on the big stage. From prop through to fullback there is not a player who is out of his depth. Australia will benefit from playing New Zealand and England straight up and being able to rest players against Wales before the final.
New Zealand - This is a team that one the World Cup but cannot win on a consistant basis. Maybe if New Zealand started playing football and stopped worrying about the niggling cheap shots and dirty tactics they would do better. I can see them beating England but with that their last game before the final it might take a bit too much out of them.
England - On home soil again for the tournament and will still come up short. I don't know too much about the English players but with their need to rely on players not playing in England or ones in England who make it on questionable grounds, their depth must be a bit waning. England usually turn up for the first 20-30 minutes of each half and fade away very quickly after that.
Wales - Don't know much about Wales so a distant fourth is the likely-hood. Let's just hope they put in good performances and don't let scores blow up. You never know this time might spring and upset as well.
Pretty much going by past form it always end up being Australia vs the team that loses the fewest games. Yes Australia has been beaten in past finals but with Lockyer on his farewell I can see him going out the champion that he deserves. Australia has never lost 2 big tournaments in a row and all the New South Welshman must be looking for a victory on the large scale with such a drought in Origin. But look for the class of the Queenslanders' Thurston, Slater & Smith to work with Lockyer in setting up almost every try.
First up will see Australia vs New Zealand and after the last outing Australia won't even be worth backing. I will go for another flogging in this game, a flogging on two counts. 1st count will be on the scoreboard, I predict about 34-8, the other flogging will be the treatment of the Australia kickers from the kiwis. Last game showed that New Zealand know they can get away with any cheap and late hits they want on the playmakers. But I call for Australia do the same if it starts happening. Next time Benji Marshall starts running sideways, even if he passes it, hit hard and drive him into the ground. Start hitting their playmaker and see if he cops it on the chin like Lockyer does. The Kiwis might be on a high after the Rugby World Cup but they will come crashing back to reality in this game.
Kangaroos are expecting a cheap-shot'a'thon (again) from the kiwis.
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