What if the World had to select a team to play an intergalactic Test match?
I've done this twice before: in May 2017 for the international representative window, and in December 2017, following the World Cup.
A lot has changed in the last two years; there are 13 uncapped players in the Planet Earth XVII this time. The one thing that hasn't changed is selections are still dominated by Australians. Even after the shock loss to Tonga on the weekend, they are the most talented team on the planet. But looking at the representation, the 2019 premiership winning Roosters might be the best team, with four players selected and another two in the reserves.
So let's see what the EARTH TEAM 3.0 looks like now...
EARTH TEAM 3.0 (November 2019)
1. Roger TUIVASA-SHECK (NZ Warriors, New Zealand)
Started in Earth Team 2.0
Last Earth team, I dared suggest that RTS was a better player than (end-of-career) Billy Slater, and now I'm gong further by saying he's better than (peak) James Tedesco. This take seems exceptionally hot, given Tedesco won the NRL Premiership, Origin player of the series, and Dally M Player of the Year this season, and is considered by many the best player on Earth...
But do you know what Teddy hasn't done?
Look like an absolute gun while playing for the substandard Warriors and Kiwis.
2. Josh ADDO-CARR (Melbourne Storm, Australia)
The Fox has developed into a complete winger - so fast and strong, and more polished than the other player I considered here, the rookie Fijian flyer Maika Sivo from the Eels.
Addo-Carr is also less injured than Tommy Makinson, the 2018 Golden Boot recepient for best international player. Makinson dislocated his shoulder playing for St. Helens in the Superleague grand final, before he could play for the Great Britain Lions and potentially become a target for every NRL club needing a winger.
3. Latrell MITCHELL (Sydney Roosters, Australia)
Mitchell is rapidly developing into a contentious figure - there is a growing narrative that he's lazy, goes missing, and all those other labels attached to young players with outrageous gifts trying to be great every week.
Back in May, 80% of his peers said he was the best centre in the game (2nd most votes: 4%). Three weeks later he was dropped from State of Origin. Six months on I'm trusting the players.
4. Joseph MANU (Sydney Roosters, New Zealand)
I had Tom Trbojevic in the team, but pectoral surgery would mean he fails the medical. I also considered his Origin centre partner and Clive Churchill medalist Jack Wighton. But I've elected to go with a specialist centre in Manu, who is almost as young and almost as gifted as his Roosters teammate Mitchell.
5. Blake FERGUSON (Parramatta Eels, Australia)
I think Blake Ferguson is the best winger in the world. The Kangaroos seemed to agree, until he seemingly wagged the tour of Fiji with the Australian Prime Ministers XIII and lost his Test spot as punishment.
6. Cameron MUNSTER (Melbourne Storm, Australia)
7. Daly CHERRY-EVANS (Manly Sea-Eagles, Australia)
Neither half covered themselves in glory when the Kangaroos were rolled by Tonga on the weekend, but they are still the two best halves in the game.
8. Luke THOMPSON (St. Helens, England)
The one UK Superleague representative in the Earth team! Although he'd be racing the clock to play for Earth due to a rib injury suffered in Great Britain's loss to Tonga a fortnight ago.
Thompson is only 24, and has been the best prop in the northern hemisphere for the last two years. Given the success of English forwards like Morley, Burgess, Graham, Ellis and Bateman in the NRL, I have no doubt he's world class.
9. Damien COOK (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Australia)
I feel that if Cook is partnered with a good organising half, a strong forward pack, and a coach that just let's him run as much as he likes, he is nearly unstoppable. At Souths, he has the first two sometimes, but not the third element. He would get all three in this Earth team.
Also, you probably haven't heard this, but Cook was a junior beach sprint champion. This is why he's so quick from dummy half.
10. Josh PAPALII (Canberra Raiders, Australia)
Interchange in Earth Team 1.0
Papallii has always been a very good player but in the second half of the season he raised his game to world class. The Raiders had lots of key players in their finals charge, but when all else failed, Big Papa (as opposed to Big Papi) carried them over the advantage line.
In the semi against Souths, he was a wrecking ball knocking holes through an otherwise strong defense with every carry. It was one of the best individual performances of the season.
11. Villame KIKAU (Penrith Panthers, Fiji)
I initially had Sam Burgess tentatively placed here, gambling that he would overcome his indifferent form in 2019 and rise to the intergalactic occasion, but I didn't know how cooked his shoulder was.
Kikau is arguably a bigger gamble - my rational here is that he's the scariest player to run onto a ball at the defensive from wide. Ask Samoa after this weekend, when Fiji mostly through Kikau destroyed them 44-18, despite boasting less NRL players.
Bateman may have made this team last time, except Wayne Bennett was pretty insistent on playing him in the centres for England. Yet he came into the NRL and dominated as a forward from game one, either on the right edge or in the middle.
I picked his Canberra and England/GB teammate Elliot Whitehead in this position last time, and he's good, but Bateman is on another level.
13. Jason TAUMALOLO (North Queensland Cowboys, Tonga)
Started in Earth Team 1.0 and 2.0
The only player to start in all three Earth selections. He might start for Earth for another decade, he's just that good. If I was building a club team from scratch, Taumalolo is the only non-spine player (half, hooker, fullback) I'd consider building a team around.
Interchange
14. Kalyn PONGA (Newcastle Knights, Australia)
Great player when he's not on the thickshakes. Normally plays fullback, but has dabbled in the halves, and would clearly carve it up as a bench hooker running at tired forwards after 30 minutes.
Queensland even used him once as a middle forward off the bench, and he looked dangerous playing as a throwback lock, while also handling the extra defense.
With his utility value and explosive footwork, I think Ponga is the ideal bench impact player, and I'm shocked the Kangaroos picked Ben Hunt for the role over him.
15. Martin TAUPAU (Manly Sea Eagles, Samoa)
A lot of this team is based on who I wouldn't want to see as an opposition supporter... and Taupau coming on after 25 minutes to trample through a tiring defensive line is definitely on the list.
Also, why was anyone shocked when Manly finished top 5 rather than bottom 5?
(Except for me... and to be fair, it was a hopeful guess, not a strong conviction.)
They have two players in the Earth team, and it would've been three if Tommy Turbo was fit, and all three would've been thereabouts 12 months earlier. Sometimes we're all fools.
16. Boyd CORDNER (Sydney Roosters, Australia)
Started in Earth Team 1.0 and 2.0
I guess I should put the captain of the best club and country teams in the world somewhere in the side?
17. Sio Siua TAUKEIAHO (Sydney Roosters, Tonga)
This could've been Andrew Fifita or Addin Fonua-Blake - I'm just looking for any one of the outstanding Tongan prop rotation to bust tackles in the middle of the game. I chose SST because I think he has been the breakout star for Tonga in both the 2017 World Cup and the recent international victories over the Lions and Kangaroos.
Also, I can't resist a forward that kicks goals.
Reserves
18. James TEDESCO (Sydney Roosters, Australia)
Robbed of the #1 jersey.
19. Cameron SMITH (Melbourne Storm, Australia)
Started in Earth Team 1.0 and 2.0
This is perhaps the other controversial omission aside from Teddy, as I've ignored Smith on merit rather than him being retired from representative footy (if Earth calls on you, then you play...).
I think he is still the best hooker at many things, possibly even most things, but with DCE and RTS already there, I think this team benefits slightly mote from Cook's strengths than Smith's many talents.
20. Payne HAAS (Brisbane Broncos, Australia)
It is insane that Payne Haas does what he does and is still only a teenager.
21. Cooper CRONK (Sydney Roosters, Australia)
Started in Earth Team 1.0 and 2.0
After orchestrating a Grand Final win with one arm in 2018, I just want him in the squad for the sound advice as much as being an emergency reserve.
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