Can Kiwis finally get one over big brother?

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THE World Cup final will be like a game of backyard cricket between two brothers - and there lies the challenge for New Zealand.

You know how it works. The little brother can fox, dance, sledge and conjure but somehow the big brother just always seems to be the one with the smile and the raised arms at the end of the day.

He knows how to win because he normally does.

Mitchell Johnson will be out to back up his great work from Sydney in Melbourne. Source: News Corp Australia

He stays calm under pressure because, in the direst moments, he is reassured the pecking order will eventually hold sway.

If any Kiwi team can challenge the flow it is this one.

They have power, poise, clever swing bowlers and a masterful spinner.

They field like demons and they bat right down the order. They are good enough to turn history on its ear.

But it won't be easy.

Australia have generally had New Zealand's number since Bill Brown led the Baggy Greens out the first Test against the Kiwis just after the World War II.

Can Brendon McCullum bring the World Cup title back to New Zealand? Source: AP

The Kiwis had a brief period of domination in the mid-1980s when they had Richard Hadlee but the overall numbers are not pretty.

Australia lead the Test series count 12-3 and the one-day series ledger 8-2.

Australia are long-time World Cup powerhouses. Just the sight of them intimidates opponents.

There were times when the Kiwis have almost admired Australia too much for their own good.

The much-loved Kiwi opener John Wright used to love having a beer with the Australians and made no secret of his affection for them.

To the point where sometimes when he would say "honestly, I just love you blokes'' they would reply, in total seriousness, "stop it Wrighty ... we are playing each other tomorrow.''

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For lengthy periods in its cricket history Australia looked down its nose at New Zealand.

After that first Test between the two nations after the war, which was not even given Test status at the time, Australia went another 26 years before granting the Kiwis another Test series.

During that time the Kiwis played 11 series against England but Australia simply felt they were not worth the effort and stubbornly refused to play them.

This Cup final means a lot to both nations but it means more to New Zealand.

They do not have the depth of talent that Australia possesses so they need all sorts of planets to align to become the world class force they are at the moment.

It is likely the two teams who take the field on Sunday will never play as one again.

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There will be retirements and changes almost instantly.

It seemingly has to be harder for New Zealand on Sunday because they have never won the Cup where Australia has done so four times.

The Australian players grew up watching their country raise World Cups.

Also the Kiwis, for the first time this tournament, will be playing outside their homeland.

The jury is out on whether that will be good or bad for them.

It might just prove a bonus for them that they can escape the hysteria of their homeland and enter a city where instant superstar Grant Elliott would be less known than some recently drafted AFL rookies.

The World Cup has the punchline it has craves and one the game deserves.

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Meninga wants to extend Maroons stay

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MAL Meninga's desire to remain involved with the Queensland team and to stay in the game beyond a new three-year contract as head coach is the remaining box to be ticked in his talks with the QRL.

Meninga is keen to take on the Origin coaching role until the end of 2018, with the QRL considering no other options for the head coach role.

Queensland's 10-year Origin coach had been equivocal in the past year about his planned longevity in the role, but is now eager to enter into another long-term commitment.

"I'm looking at opportunities past the three-year extended (contract period),'' Meninga said.

"That's where it's at presently. I would love the opportunity to stay involved in some capacity.''

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Meninga told The Courier-Mail on Wednesday that talks with the QRL had been positive.

QRL chairman Peter Betros said he hoped Meninga would sign a new contract before the Origin series starts in late May and said talks also extended to identifying further opportunities for the former Test captain at the QRL.

While agreement on a role for Meninga at Origin level once he stops coaching has not yet been reached, his knowledge and feel for Origin would be invaluable to incoming coaches.

Meninga also has associations with Papua New Guinea rugby league and his former club, Canberra.

NSW has had four coaches — the late Graham Murray, Craig Bellamy, Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley — during Meninga's tenure with the Maroons.

Meninga and selectors will sort through form over the next month before the May 27 series opener against NSW in Sydney.

Fitness permitting, there will be precious few changes to the team which won the third game of last year's series 32-8.

Queensland will be based at Sanctuary Cove before two of the three matches but the team will convene in Victoria to prepare for Game II in Melbourne.

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Get concussion issue sorted, for Peats’ sake

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EVERYONE has an opinion on the concussion debate.

Phil Gould gave his this week, suggesting calls to introduce independent doctors was "insulting to the medicos themselves".

"These doctors take player welfare very seriously and would never knowingly subject any player to the risk of further injury, if in fact they believed that risk even remotely existed."

Andrew Johns was one who said bringing in independent doctors was a necessity, and plenty of other commentators agree.

I seem to remember Robbie Farah saying last year if his club doctor told him to stay off he would tell the doctor to "get stuffed".

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Then you look back at the Nathan Peats' head knock last weekend, it was actually the Warriors' club doctor raising concerns.

He was later banned from talking to the media, but had already made his point: rival doctors are now questioning the integrity of club doctors.

And even if Peats passed the required tests, as top Melbourne sports doctor Peter Larkins told me this week when I sent him vision of the Peats incident, the decision to allow Peats to return was "inappropriate".

That is not to say Parramatta broke the NRL's rules. The pending investigation will determine that.

But Larkins' point was that the NRL needed to get tougher. He said in AFL allowing Peats to return would be an immediate $50,000 fine.

And take into account, Larkins is independent from this argument.

Nathan Peats's concussion has sparked intense debate about player welfare. Source: News Corp Australia

REF ROULETTE

THE NRL's decision to stop coaches complaining about referees this season is working a treat.

It has been the game's hottest topic over the opening three rounds — and while the coaches can't comment, that hasn't stopped everyone else blowing up.

Last weekend two games were directly decided by crucial calls, while two other games also had costly errors that were lucky not to decide games. You can only cross your fingers and hope it won't be your team this week.

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Refs boss Tony Archer has the toughest job in the game, and we all get that. But he will win no support unless he stops talking in riddles and starts telling fans what they already know.

For instance, it is no use Archer saying the decision was "right" not to award Blake Austin a try in Canberra's two-point loss to St George Illawarra because of a double movement.

Anyone with half a clue who saw it says it was a try, including Peter Sterling, Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler.

But Archer said we are all wrong, and that the match officials were right. Fair dinkum.

Give the fans, and the retired greats, more credit. Austin's arm was up when his momentum stopped and he was entitled to put the ball down. It was a try.

It is no use telling us it wasn't.

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Roosters prove the cap’s not working

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I WAS talking with some mates around the barbecue the other night and the state of the economy came up.

A brickie I know, who has always been thrifty with his money, had a wonderful idea.

He said: "Let's get the bloke who looks after the Roosters' salary cap in charge of Australia.

"I don't know who he is, or what he is on, but let's get him. At any cost."

Go to any club's fan forum site and read what they are talking about.

They want to know how their club can spend the same money as the Roosters and other glamour clubs, and yet finish with a roster that isn't in the same ballpark.

Are there really blokes out there so much smarter than their opposition?

This is not saying the Roosters are cheating, or other leading clubs for that matter. This is just pointing out facts.

The so-called salary cap that is designed to level out playing talent just isn't working.

How is it that some club have so many State of Origin or international stars, while others are lucky to have a few?

PAUL KENT:NRL is missing the point and driving fans away

BUZZ: Why are the crowds down?

The Roosters's embarrassment of riches is an embarrassment to the NRL. Source: Getty Images

Take this Sunday's clash between the Roosters and the Raiders. I was looking through their teams as I sat down to do my tips on Thursday.

If any player in the Roosters backline, and half their pack for that matter, went to the Raiders they would qualify as marquee signings.

Tuivasa-Sheck, Tupou, Jennings, Ferguson, Kenny-Dowall, Maloney, Pearce. Every one of them has played top-line rep footy. Throw in Cordner and Guerra, Waerea-Hargreaves and Moa.

It's a good thing for the Raiders that Jake Friend is still out injured.

Meanwhile, the Raiders only current Origin or internationals are Josh Papalii and English recruit Josh Hodgson. Go figure.

You can only wonder what is keeping all this talent at Bondi.

I know the beaches and bars are great around Sydney's east, and Trent Robinson is a terrific coach. But is Canberra's money really that bad?

And it's not just the Raiders struggling to attract stars. After three completed rounds this year what is most obvious is the Roosters and Rabbitohs are way ahead of the rest — and you have two, maybe three other teams, that can be considered outside premiership threats.

The rest make up the numbers, and the gap is getting wider. This is why something drastic needs to change.

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A bloke who runs the roster at another club we haven't mentioned here was talking me through what he'd be prepared to pay for every player in the Roosters' top squad if they came on the market.

Now remember, the salary cap is $6.3 million.

By this well-informed source's calculations, it would cost him more than $7.2 million to buy the Roosters' top 17.

He said that was being conservative, and not taking into account the real villain, third party agreements (TPAs).

He said it wasn't necessarily teams cheating the cap, but how uncapped TPAs were making a mockery of talent distribution.

He is not the first bloke to make that point this year.

It's true, some players will stay for less to play under a certain coach, or with a successful team to enhance their rep chances. Lifestyle and family are other considerations.

But in respect to uncapped TPAs, while some clubs pull together close to $2 million a year to top up contracts, it's a steep sliding scale and the battlers struggle to get $100,000.

It's a massive disparity.

Should the NRL salary cap be changed?

I asked another club boss for his thoughts. He said NRL rules stipulate when you sign a player you can't guarantee TPAs. Then he laughed, everyone knows that's a joke.

How else do clubs get players to agree if money isn't guaranteed?

But who can prove it? What's worse, who wants to prove it?

There is a possible solution if the NRL is brave enough to investigate.

I was told years back about a proposal put to the NRL suggesting the game introduce a player points system. The way it was to work was the NRL would evaluate each player and give them a points value.

Of course there would have to be concessions. For long service, local juniors, ageing players, developing stars, weighting the relative importance of all positions.

And the individual points ranking would have to be reviewed regularly, to take form into account.

Most importantly, though, the system was designed so that when each team ran out each week they could only have a squad that added up to so many points. To make games like this Sunday a more even contest.

It seemed like a good idea, but nothing came of it. Perhaps some powerful people might not have agreed it was a 'fairer' system for them. And it might not be perfect.

But ask yourself, is the salary cap working today?

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Meninga: Titans start brighter than Broncos

The Titans have shown it's not all doom and gloom on the Gold Coast. Source: Adam Head / News Corp Australia

NOW that we have reached Round 4 of the premiership, it is probably an apt time to take a step back and assess exactly what we have seen from the three Queensland clubs.

So with all three teams spread across matches tomorrow, Sunday and Monday this week, I thought I would rate what we have seen from them so far.

Let's begin with the team that impressed me the most.

Aidan Sezer and Dave Taylor have shown there is promise for the Titans. Source: Getty Images

TITANS

AN 0-3 record to start the season, highlighted by a 40-0 flogging by Penrith would not make them an obvious candidate as the best performed of the three Queensland clubs, but this season was never going to be about results for the Gold Coast.

After the off-season they had, what their coach Neil Henry would have been looking for above all were things like dedication and commitment.

Let's take the loss to Penrith out of the equation for the moment.

Yes, it was a horrible loss. But had a bit of luck gone their way they could have led that game 12-0, and who knows what may have happened from there.

That leaves us with a one-point loss to the Tigers, and a two-point loss to Newcastle.

In both games, the Titans kept trying until the very end. Ultimately, and few errors at critical times and the inexperience in the key areas of dummy half and in the halves that cost them. The more experienced players could and should have steered them home.

But the flip side is, experience is what the young players are gaining every week.

The Titans are slowly getting it together. With Bird, Taylor and Falloon back, they have the experience and direction they have been craving.

It will come together for them soon. All they need to do is keep working like they have been. That's all you can ask of your players, keep playing, don't give in.

RATING: 7.5

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BRONCOS

THEY showed a fair bit of rust in their first two outings, but looked very much like a team playing like a team last weekend against the Cowboys.

There was always going to be a big adjustment period for the Broncos as the players got used to playing under Wayne Bennett's style.

And the game against the Cowboys showed they have cottoned on pretty quickly to what Wayne wants.

I like the look of the Broncos because they are playing like a hungry group of players.

Wayne has quite smartly shaken a few things up among the players by putting some of them on notice that their places in the team — or even places at the club — are on the line.

I think they have responded well, just as Wayne would have hoped.

The Broncos are still a work in progress, particularly in the halves. But they showed signs of clicking against North Queensland that suggest they are becoming more comfortable with the role they are being asked to play.

Considering the challenges of a new coach introducing new systems, the Broncos have performed reasonably well. Probably where they should be at this stage of the season.

RATING: 7

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COWBOYS

NORTH Queensland have a problem, and I am not sure exactly what will fix it.

We all know the calibre of the players at the Cowboys, so the problems they are having must be in their heads.

The old cliche from coaches about defence being a reflection of a team's attitude is only a cliche because it is so true.

So their coach Paul Green must have been livid with the number of players simply throwing out an ineffectual arm in defence in the first three rounds.

The loss to the Roosters could have been written off as an off night against a premiership contender.

The loss to Newcastle could have been excused as taking the foot off the throat off the early season surprise packets.

But the Broncos were there for the taking for the Cowboys. To show everyone they meant business, that the critics were wrong, that they were a serious football team.

But after a promising start, they just fell off the radar.

We know they will get better. They start slowly every year and end up dazzling us with their football.

But they will have to improve a hell of a lot, and do it very quickly. The pressure is on.

RATING: 5

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Shouldn’t all sledging stay on the field?

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AT the risk of being strung upside down and burned at the stake, we're going to mount a fair and reasonable argument about why David Pocock broke one of the unwritten rules of professional sport last Sunday by complaining to the referee about Jacques Potgieter.

Relax, in no way, shape or form are we condoning homophobia.

It's the 21st century.

But when you consider we've been told Potgieter delivered a variety of other cutting sledges about various family members of several Brumbies players, it begs the question: shouldn't what happens on the field stay on the field?

David Pocock complained about slurs made by Jacques Potgieter. Source: Supplied

It's professional sport, not the balcony seats at the opera. Suck it up and go and get square with a legitimate hard shot as retribution.

Or, if you feel so strongly about whatever the on-field vilification was, grab Potgieter in the dressing rooms afterwards and tell him that sort of thinking is completely off tap.

If Potgieter was standing in the middle of Oxford St during mardi gras yelling similar obscenities, then throw the book at him. But there are far better ways to raise awareness than going down the whistleblower route of complaining to the referee.

Elite sport is rich with examples of fierce on-field verbal ­confrontations. Google Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan, Michael Clarke and Jimmy Anderson or Ian Botham and Rod Marsh and the language served up will be enough to part your hair over breakfast.

Did any of them lodge an official complaint?

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One of rugby union's most famous sledges was when a teenage Tim Horan was making his Wallaby debut and a well-known All Black made some extremely disparaging remarks about a female member of Horan's family.

Did you see Horan approaching the referee?

Or what about Michael Ennis and Nathan Hindmarsh in the NRL in 2011. The Eels legend was furious at himself for taking Ennis's bait. When quizzed about it after the match, he summed it up brilliantly. "He's just a grub," was all Hindmarsh was prepared to offer. Perhaps Pocock would have been better served letting his actions speak louder than words. Just saying.

KIWI ANTHEM TO RING OUT

ANZAC Day is already one of the most celebrated days on the Australian and New Zealand calendar, now the NRL is planning a special tribute to further enhance the 100-year centenary celebrations.

In a wonderful recognition of the sacrifice and contribution of the Kiwi armed forces, the New Zealand national anthem will be introduced at every Anzac Day match this year.

Pre-match ANZAC Day ceremony at the Roosters and Dragons game. Source: News Corp Australia

Already widely recognised as one of the most sacrosanct days of the year, April 25 will now feature renditions of The Last Post, Advance Australia Fair and God Defend New Zealand at all eight fixtures over the Anzac Day weekend.

The development comes after a public push from Kiwi stars Jason Nightingale and Shaun Kenny-Dowall last year.

The NRL subsequently approached the RSL and armed forces to request the New Zealand anthem be included as part of the celebrations.

New Zealand international Nightingale applauded the move, which the NRL intends to implement permanently.

"It's very exciting," Nightingale said. "We all honour the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps on Anzac Day and it will make the day even more special.

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"When you consider the majority of the NRL is made up of players from Australia and New Zealand, it also makes sense from that perspective.

"The Anzac Day matches are a small way of us saying thank you for the sacrifice all the men and women from Australia and New Zealand made all those years ago.

"It's a special part of our history and hopefully by singing both anthems it will only help to highlight what the day means to Australia and New Zealand."

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THE epic semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa in the cricket World Cup peaked at an audience of 678,000 viewers on Fox Sports.

That's a massive number in pay TV land, especially considering Australia were not involved in the match.

One issue that wasn't quite so well received was the ICC official pitch inspector, Essex-born Andy Atkinson, putting pressure on well-respected SCG curator Tom Parker ahead of Friday's semi-final at the SCG. With all due respect, what would a bloke from Essex know about preparing the hallowed turf at Moore Park.

Imran Tahir of South Africa looks on as Grant Elliott hugs Dale Steyn after winning the Cricket World Cup Semi final. Source: Getty Images

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AFTER three years of verbal exchanges, it appears Anthony Mundine will finally glove up against Austin Trout in the US on May 9. In classic boxing style, Trout announced the fight earlier this week, only for Mundine to declare the deal was not yet finalised because neither had signed the paperwork.

Once the contracts are exchanged, expect The Man to hype things up. The pair was to fight three years ago but the bout fell through and both blamed each other. Surprise, surprise.

Anthony Mundine celebrates after winning against Sergey Rabchenko. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: News Corp Australia

BEST OF SPORTS COME OUT TO BACK THE AUSSIES

IT was a who's who at the cricket World Cup semi-final on Thursday, with ex-Prime Minister John Howard and his wife Janette, Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes, Wallaby Bernard Foley, SCG Trustee Katie Page and Gerry Harvey, ARLC chairman John Grant, NRL head of football Todd Greenberg and Sydney Rooster Jared Waerea-Hargreaves all spied soaking up the massive sporting spectacle.

In the spirit of embracing the international event, Sydney Swan Kurt Tippett, Sydney Rooster Jake Friend, Wallaby and Waratah Nick Phipps and Sydney FC's Alex Gersback were all decked out in gold in support of Michael Clarke and the Australian team.

Jake Friend, Kurt Tippett, Nick Phipps, and Alex Gersbach throw their support behind the Aussies. pic. Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia

● ● ●

THE Golden Slipper carnival continues at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday with another all-star cast lined-up on and off the track.

ATC ambassador Peter Sterling and Australian cricket selector Mark Waugh will host Lunching With Legends, while on the track Japanese superstar To The World will start a short-priced favourite.

VETERAN BOMBER IS MORNING SORTIE

BROADCASTING icon Alan Jones showed the art of the talkback radio ambush can still be as cutting as ever, tackling AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan from the blindside last Friday morning.

McLachlan's AFL minders had agreed for the CEO to appear on Jones's program on 2GB to talk about the upcoming season.

But the king of breakfast radio had other ideas, taking the CEO to task about how the AFL had attempted to "bury" Essendon Bombers coach James Hird over the performance-enhancing supplements saga.

It was captivating radio, with Jones extremely well-researched and McLachlan caught floundering on more than one occasion.

Bombers head coach James Hird talks to assistant coach Matthew Egan. Source: Getty Images

MEN OF LEAGUE BACKING FAIRY'S FIGHT

THE Men of League continue to do wonderful work for ex-players in need, with Easts Leagues Club to host a tribute lunch for dual international Russell Fairfax today.

Fairfax has undergone two major brain operations in the past six months and the spiralling medical expenses are a constant challenge. Enter the Men of League, who hastily arranged a lunch for 350 guests, with champions like Ron Coote and Bob McCarthy only too happy to lend Fairfax a hand.

Russell Fairfax has undergone two major brain operations in the past six months. Source: Supplied

In a sign of how popular Fairfax is, the event sold out in nine days and donations have continued to flood in.

Another champion the Men of League helped send to the US for a radical stroke treatment last year is John "Bomber" Peard, who will feature in a Sunday Night report on Channel Seven this weekend.

Seven host Chris Bath visited the US with Peard to show how a revolutionary treatment at the Institute of Neurological Recovery in California will hopefully improve Peard's quality of life.

WINNING

FAIR play to the Kiwis and South African-born Grant Elliott, whose magnificent 84no, complete with a second-last ball six, to catapult New Zealand to victory single-handedly resuscitated the cricket World Cup. The loss means South Africa are still to reach a World Cup final and will no doubt consign them to a torturous four years branded as chokers, until the next tournament. The fact Elliott was born in Johannesburg will only add to the pain.

New Zealand batsman Grant Elliot. Source: AFP

DUNCE CAP

SYDNEY FC have reported a ticketing rort to the police, with the club discovering an individual who has been buying children's tickets and then reselling them at adult prices via online agency Viagogo. Club CEO Tony Pignata confirmed FC had contacted police to investigate, with fans warned to triple check tickets before buying online. "We're not happy about it, it's absolutely not right but thankfully it's only a small minority," he said.

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SPOTTED

MICHAEL Clarke and Shane Warne were spied deep in discussion at the Azure cafe at Allianz Stadium last Tuesday.

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UP on the northern peninsula last Saturday night, star Sea Eagles Brett Stewart and Willie Mason enjoying a beer at the Manly Wharf Bar.

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AND in Adelaide, Bombers star signing Kevin Sheedy was spied talking up Greater Western Sydney and how they were the sleeping giant of the AFL.

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