Barrett selection last roll of the dice for NSW
Roar Guru
By Alan Nicolea, 16 Jun 2009 Alan Nicolea is a Roar Guru
Raiders half Terry Campese made his Origin debut for NSW two weeks ago on the back of the selectors’ policy to build for the future.
Now he finds himself as the scapegoat of a selection panel that has opted against the youth policy and instead entrusted 31 year-old Trent Barrett to help guide the Blues to a much needed win against a Queensland side eager to cement their place in Origin history.
On the back of a three match winning streak which culminated in a personal victory against Campese in Cronulla’s victory over Canberra last week, Barrett suddenly finds himself as the messiah for a Blues side just 80 minutes away from possibly giving the Maroons a record breaking four straight series victories.
Barrett’s selection is the biggest talking point in a revamped NSW team that makes do without the first game services of Luke Bailey, Anthony Laffranchi, James McManus and Luke Lewis.
The new players filling their places include Manly stars David Williams, Anthony Watmough, Glenn Stewart and former Sharks captain, Paul Gallen.
Although the squad overall once again looks fairly balanced, Barrett’s selection demonstrates that the Blues selectors are desperate and out of new ideas to find a halves combination that can disrupt the dominance of Maroons halves Darren Lockyer and Johnathon Thurston.
After below par performances in Origin 1 from both Wallace and Campese, NSW selectors have panicked themselves into giving Barrett a run, casting the axe on a Raiders star that was sacked because he failed to replicate the match turning feats of his great uncle in his maiden Origin appearance.
Although Campese’s sacking is harsh from one point of view, one can also understand why the Blues selectors have taken Barrett’s form at face value.
Facing an historic four consecutive series losses, the margin for error for NSW selectors has become small heading into the Blues do or die clash next Wednesday night.
One can only hope that Barrett shows all his experience and more as NSW attempt to force the 2009 Origin series to a decider at Suncorp Stadium.
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Chop said | June 16th 2009 @ 8:25am | Report comment
Wreaks of desperation for mine, a combination of injuries and axings haven’t made the NSW team better for mine.
I can’t see how NSW can win this game.
Brett McKay said | June 16th 2009 @ 8:33am | Report comment
I guess this means a couple of changes for my NSW One-Gamers team, now that Campese and McManus are eligible..
I don’t so much mind Barrett being there next to Wallace, but I am concerned that a prop, backrower and utility forward have been replaced by three backrowers, one of whom cannot tackle. NSW have gone into recent games with a “mobile pack” and got spanked becuase they couldn’t make ground up the middle.
Also, who are Monaghan and Learoyd-Lars on standby for??
Chop said | June 16th 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Monaghan is on standby for Jennings, Lyon and possibly Hayne who may have picked up an injury last night.
Learoyd Lars is on standby for Gallen.
Hoy said | June 16th 2009 @ 8:49am | Report comment
Still could go alright I think. Mobile back row made problems for QLD plodders up the middle in the last game.
LK said | June 16th 2009 @ 9:14am | Report comment
So the “yoof” policy by NSW selectors lasted one game. And the 14th (!) halves combo since 2004 gets a run. I’m looking forward to game 3, by then the halves will be Noddy and Bwaif, wingers Steve Turner and Luke Covell. Awesome! Seriously, when does it become acceptable to “death-ride” your home state? I’m not far off…..
Chop said | June 16th 2009 @ 11:21am | Report comment
LK I don’t know it ever becomes acceptable to death ride your team, but I’ve certainly been majorly uninspired by the SOO selections for both games so far this season.
Alan Nicolea said | June 16th 2009 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
LK
Luke Covell is a Kiwi international so he cannot play Origin. How about the return of Hazem El Masri though. If we are talking about players that should have retained their spots after terrific maiden performances, then El Masri should have been picked no doubt. It is facsinating to note that there are four players from the Sea Eagles who are outside the eight, and none from the Bulldogs who are equal first.
Worlds Biggest said | June 16th 2009 @ 3:31pm | Report comment
Barrett selection is crazy, he is still a handy player but what is this selection achieving. Even if we pull off a win next week we have no chance at Suncorp in that cauldron. Why not stick with a young guy at 5/8, Campese, Mullen or Soward for the experience which they will be better for next year. We aint winning the series so why pick a 31 year old who is not a ball player. If you pick Barret you may as well pick Noddy as he is in very good form. What happenned to the youth policy ??.
Chop said | June 16th 2009 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
Completely agree worlds biggest,
If they wanted to change the halves to include someone more experienced, I would have thought it would be a guy actually playing very good football right now and that’s Kimmorley (OUCH THAT HURTS). He’s playing all over Barrett and his team is winning the comp, Barrett’s team has just got itself off the bottom.
However with the pack they’ve picked for this one, the selection in the halves isn’t going to matter because they’ll be going backwards all night.
LK said | June 16th 2009 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
Spot on, Chop and Worlds Biggest. How many years has Barrett got left in him anyway? In a couple of years time we will be debating who should be 5/8th, Campo, Mullen, Gidley, Soward etc ie the exact position we are in now. His selection is a quick-fix (if it works).