Johnathan Thurston is expecting to be targeted by New Zealand
Last Updated: 04/11/16 7:20pm
Johnathan Thurston expects to be a target on his return to the Australia team for their second round Ladbrokes Four Nations clash with New Zealand in Coventry on Saturday night.
The Golden Boot holder was among a handful of key players rested by coach Mal Meninga for last Friday's opening 54-12 win over Scotland to freshen them up for the meeting with the Kiwis.
"I didn't need the rest but he decided not to play a few of the boys and I was one of them," said Thurston, who was the subject of a series of questionable hits from the Kiwis during his side's 26-6 victory in Perth in October.
Meninga was particularly incensed by a late tackle by Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in that match and, although the Sydney Roosters prop is ruled out of Saturday's game through injury, Thurston is still anticipating a tough ride.
"I'm expecting it to be nice and tough," he said "We played them before we came over here and they got hold of me a couple of times and no doubt it won't be any different.
"I might have to try and give them one back but I don't think I'm big enough."
New Zealand assistant coach Willie Poching, the former Leeds, Warrington and Hull KR number two, admits his side will need to close down the threat of Thurston to give themselves a chance of avoiding a third defeat by the Kangaroos in 2016.
"We've got to be good defensively," Poching said. "He showed some of his quality in Perth, so we've got to be on our guard for everything that he throws at us."
Meninga also brings back Greg Inglis, Matt Scott, Matt Gillett, Darius Boyd and Boyd Cordner but has opted to rest scrum-half Cooper Cronk and will choose between James Maloney or Thurston's Cowboys team-mate Michael Morgan for the half-back role.
Poching said Maloney, who scored 18 points on his debut against Scotland, was the obvious choice but would not be surprised to see Meninga opt for the versatile Morgan.
"He's a quality player and he's Johnathan Thurston's partner week in, week out so there's some sense in that too," he said.
"We've tried to practice and prepare for anything they throw at us."
Poching says New Zealand will take confidence from their opening 17-16 win over England and believes there is more to come from them.
"We've grown since the Test in Perth," he said. "We know a bit more about ourselves. We've had a really good training week, now it's about continually growing and being better than we were last week."
Thurston is also expecting the Kiwis to be much improved from the team that lost in Perth but warns that Australia have their sights set on regaining both the Four Nations title and their world number one ranking.
"The Kiwis are always strong in these types of tournament and the more games they play together the better they get," Thurston said
"People may forget that they're the holders but I haven't forgot. They're also the number one ranked team in world rugby league and that's a title that we'd like to get back."
Australia: D Boyd (Brisbane); B Ferguson (Sydney Roosters), G Inglis (South Sydney), J O'Neill (North Queensland), V Holmes (Cronulla); J Thurston (North Queensland), M Morgan (North Queensland); M Scott (North Queensland), C
Smith (Melbourne, capt), A Woods (Wests Tigers), B Cordner (Sydney Roosters), M Gillett (Brisbane), T Merrin (Penrith).
Subs: D Klemmer (Canterbury Bulldogs), S Boyd (Canberra), S Thaiday (Brisbane), M Moyland (Penrith), J Maloney (Cronulla), J Friend (Sydney Roosters).
New Zealand: J Kahu (Brisbane); G Beale (Cronulla), S Kata (NZ Warriors), S Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters), J Rapana (Canberra); T Leuluai (NZ Warriors), S Johnson (NZ Warriors); J Bromwich (Melbourne, capt), I Luke (NZ Warriors), A Blair (Brisbane), K Proctor (Melbourne), T Harris (Melbourne), J Taumalolo (North Queensland).
Subs: L Brown (Manly), M Taupau (Manly), M Ma'u (Parramatta), G Eastwood (Canterbury Bulldogs).
