The New Zealand rugby league forward Simon Mannering cut a forlorn figure after the Kiwi's humiliating 42-6 defeat to Australia in yesterday's one-off test in Newcastle, and the Warriors captain concedes the loss puts a major dent in their dreams of defending their Four Nations title.
The match was only warm-up game for the two teams ahead of the Four Nations tournament in England, and the world champion Kiwi's were missing 12 topline players for the clash with five youngsters making their international debut's.
However Mannering says that's no excuse for their abysmal performance, and concedes the defending champion Kiwi's are a long way off emulating the success of last year's Four Nations triumph.
