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During the New Years period, with seven lazy days away on holiday and no TWF to check, my mind got to thinking "what kind of a Union team could you make if you could only have League players?"
Australia always argues that we lose a lot of players to the other codes, so what if they were all available?
So, armed with my trust Rugby League Week '06 Preview Edition and the limited viewing time of League you get in country WA, I came up with the following squads.
A 1st XV and a "Development" XV.
Some players would work, many may not but would have if they had grown up playing Union.
All in good fun but feel free to bag out the selections or even give your own selection.
League 1st XV:
1 Adrian Morley, Sydney Roosters
2 Danny Buderus, Newcastle Knights
3 Shane Webcke, Brisbane Broncos
4 Willie Mason, Canterbury Bulldogs
5 Steve Menzies, Manly Sea Eagles
6 Brent Tate, Brisbane Broncos
7 Nathan Hindmarsh, Parramatta Eels
8 Ben Kennedy, Manly Sea Eagles
9 Brett Kimmorley, Cronulla Sharks
10 Andrew Johns (Capt), Newcastle Knights
11 Hazem El Masri (Kicker), Canterbury Bulldogs
12 Darren Lockyer, Brisbane Broncos
13 Mark Gasnier, St George Dragons
14 Matt Sing, North Queensland Cowboys
15 Anthony Minichiello, Sydney Roosters
16 Petero Civoniceva, Brisbane Broncos
17 Luke Priddis, Penrith Panthers
18 Craig Fitzgibbon, Sydney Roosters
19 Jason Croker, Canberra Raiders
20 Tim Smith, Parramatta Eels
21 Braith Anasta, Sydney Roosters
22 Brett Hodgson, Wests Tigers
Coach Wayne Bennett
Development XV:
1 Ben Ross, Cronulla Sharks
2 Ben Cross, Melbourne Storm
3 Ben Hannant, Brisbane Broncos
4 Sam Harris, Wests Tigers
5 Jacob Selmes, Cronulla Sharks
6 John Sutton, South Sydney Rabbitohs
7 Matthew Scott, North Queensland Cowboys
8 Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Canberra Raiders
9 Scott Prince (Capt), Wests Tigers
10 Johnathan Thurston, North Queensland Cowboys
11 Karmichael Hunt, Brisbane Broncos
12 Brett Delaney, Penrith Panthers
13 Matt King, Melbourne Storm
14 Ty Williams, North Queensland Cowboys
15 Matt Bowen, North Queensland Cowboys
16 Luke Douglas, Cronulla Sharks
17 Sam Thaiday, Brisbane Broncos
18 Keith Galloway, Cronulla Sharks
19 Ashley Harrison, Sydney Roosters
20 James Aubusson, Melbourne Storm
21 Daniel Holdsworth (WA boy!), Canterbury
22 Michael Lett, Sydney Roosters
Coach Tim Sheens