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JUNIOR KIWIS FIELDING HUGE LINE-UP

Size won't be an issue for the Junior Kiwis when they face the Junior Kangaroos in a one-off international at Ausgrid Stadium in Newcastle today.

In a line-up dominated by players from the NYC premiership-winning Vodafone Junior Warriors, the Junior Kiwis will field a team of titans.

They may yield a significant advantage in terms of players with NRL experience, the Australians claiming as many as 12 compared to just three for the Junior Kiwis in Canberra's Josh Papalii, Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland) and Ben Murdoch-Masila (Wests Tigers).

But if they trail on the score of NRL credentials, the Junior Kiwis are well ahead on size as well as the number of NYC grand finalists.

Their forwards are, in a word, massive. That much was all too obvious when the Junior Kiwis and their senior counterparts were brought together for the Kiwis' traditional Test dinner last night ahead of their Bill Kelly Cup clash against the Kangaroos in today's feature game at Ausgrid Stadium.

Jerseys were handed out on a position-by-position basis, first Kiwi fullback Kevin Locke handed his jersey and then Junior Kiwi fullback Omar Slaimankhel his. As the order was worked through the sheer physical presence of the youngsters - who were all under 20 at the start of the year - was impossible to miss.

Of the 10 forwards the Kiwis have named, only one is listed as weighing less than 100kg and then only just.

Named as the starting props, are Papalii (103kg, 182cm) and Murdoch-Masila (112kg, 186cm) while even Vodafone Junior Warriors hooker Siliva Havili weighs in at 100kg. In the second row are Taumalolo (110kg, 191cm) and Melbourne's Tohu Harris (109kg, 195cm) with Vodafone Junior Warrior Sebastine Ikahihifo the lightest player at loose forward (98kg, 184cm). Standing above all on the bench is giant Vodafone Junior Warriors second rower Sam Lousi (121kg, 198cm) along with his club-mates Sio Siua Taukeiaho (100kg, 184cm) and John Palavi (100kg, 189cm) plus Melbourne back rower Kenneath Bromwich (103kg, 183cm). The side's 18^th man Agnatius Paasi (Vodafone Junior Warriors) is 105kg and 184cm.

In contrast, the Junior Kangaroos have only two forwards who are listed at 100kg plus.

Even the Junior Kiwis' halves are a lot bigger than most players in their position, captain and standoff Carlos Tuimavave (Vodafone Junior Warriors) is 185cm and tops 90kg while halfback Michael Parker-Walshe (North Queensland) is 189cm and 93kg; Junior Kangaroos halfback Chad Townsend is 180cm and 86kg while standoff Jacob Miller is 182cm and 84kg.

On the count of NYC grand final experience, the Junior Kiwis' final 17 includes 12 players who appeared in the Toyota Cup decider two weeks ago, nine from the premiership-winning Vodafone Junior Warriors and three from North Queensland. Five of them - Tuimavave, Lousi, Ikahihifo, Omar Slaimankhel and Sosaia Feki - also played in last year's grand final. The Australians have two grand finalists from the beaten North Queensland side.

When the two teams met last year, the Junior Kangaroos won the first clash in Wellington and led 20-0 at halftime in the second encounter in Rotorua but were run down as the rampant Junior Kiwis scored six second half tries to win 36-20.

Taumalolo is a survivor from the David Kidwell-coached Junior Kiwis' campaign last year as are Tuimavave, Ikahihifo and Lousi.

Slaimankhel missed the October 2 NYC grand final but was still the competition's top try scorer with 27 tries in 25 games. Three other players in the squad feature among the leading try-scorers. Parker-Walshe was second with 24, centre Adam Henry eighth with 19 and North Queensland's Wayne Ulugia 13^th with 17.

Of the players in the 2010 Junior Kiwis, Glen Fisiiahi (Warriors), Shaun Johnson (Warriors), Siuatonga Likiliki (Newcastle), Sam Mataora (Canberra), Kane Morgan (South Sydney), Nafe Seluini (Penrith), Lama Tasi (Sydney Roosters), Martin Taupau (Canterbury-Bankstown), Bill Tupou (Warriors) and Dean Whare (Manly) and Taumalolo have all made NRL appearances this year while Drury Low played for Canberra last year. Johnson was an original selection in the Kiwi squad for today's Test against the Kangaroos and the Four Nations while Tupou has been brought into the touring squad.

TRANS-TASMAN INTERNATIONAL 

JUNIO KANGAROOS v JUNIOR KIWIS 

Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle

1.45pm, Sunday, October 16, 2011

Referee: Adam Gee (Australia)

JUNIOR KIWIS

COACH: DAVID KIDWELL