Comments on: Bennett is no Blue in my book

By: joeb

joeb — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:56:27 +0000

“the series was drawn in 02 which meant that QLD won as the current holders.” – Thanks Mushi. And it was only a two game series in ’02 as well.

By: joeb

joeb — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:02:35 +0000

The man & co.

Seems our “back to the future” Gus first took up the Origin reins in ’92.

1992 – 2-1 to NSW – Gus; QLD – Graeme Lowe
1993 – 2-1 to NSW – Gus; QLD – King Wally
1994 – 2-1 to NSW – Gus; QLD – King Wally
1995 – 0-3 to QLD – Fatty Vautin; NSW – Gus
1996 – 3-0 to NSW – Gus; QLD – Fatty
1997 – 2-1 to NSW – Raudonikis; QLD – Fatty
1998 – 2-1 to QLD – St Wayne; NSW – Tommy
1999 – Drawn series – NSW – Tiger Pearce; QLD – Mark Murray
2000 – 3-0 to NSW – Pearce; QLD – Murray

2002 – Drawn series – NSW – Gus; QLD – St Wayne
2003 – 2-1 to NSW – Gus; QLD – St Wayne
2004 – 2-1 to NSW – Gus; QLD – Michael Hagan
2005 – 2-1 to NSW – Sticky Stuart; QLD – Mick Hagan

From 1992 to 2004 Gus coached “eight” NSW sides for six wins, one drawn series, and one lost series. Mighty impressive resume.

From 2006 to ’09 Graham Murray and Bellyaches Bellamy failed to win a series for NSW. Between them they only managed three wins from the last eight games.

All the Origin stats:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_League_State_of_Origin#endnote_la-game

By: The T

The T — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:17:17 +0000

The last thing we need is Gus who is no doubt loving the attention at the moment, reminds me of Peter Costello where he refuses to give a straight answer. It is that outrageous that even Tommy Raudon is now saying he is willing to coach them, although i suspect that he would put his hand out for a free bowl of soup.

Keep Bellamy, but here is a novel idea – start playing players in their correct positions. Jarrad Haybe is on fire, so the solution according to NSW selectors is move Hayne to fullback and then move Gidley who plays fullback for his club into half back.

Why do NSW continue to pick players out of position? Halves as hookers, centres as wingers, locks as second rowers or front row. If you aren’t the best fullback and that is your position, then you don’t get a spot. So if that means good bye Gidley – well so be it. Lets be honest he hasn’t exactly lit up Origin, minimal effect in attack, terrible defence, ordinary kicking game – how is that bloke captain let alone in the squad???

The third game the team has to be picked as a team of the future. That means get rid of the has beens like Barrett and pick a team of young up and comers who could be in the squad next year. Give them the atmosphere of playing in an origin – in Brisbane, when the series doesn’t matter – let them learn. Because otherwise next year game one we are stuck in the same position as this year, a bunch of new faces with no experience, having to win the opening game in Brisbane.

Treat the third origin as a practice run. So i would keep Wolfman, he will learn and only get better, maybe give Campese another go – at least he made 35 tackles in game one or Mullen.

We just need to look to the future and not panic all the time and revert back to the ‘good old days’ and hope that just because it worked in the past, it will work in the future.

By: Mushi

Mushi — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:03:07 +0000

Joeb the series was drawn in 02 which meant that QLD won as the current holders.

By: The man

The man — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:45:16 +0000

The Blues should not look to St Wayne for salvation. Nor should they go back to the future and give Gus the reigns. They should do what they should have done in game 1 and 2 – picked a coach and a side and stuck with them – such a strategy works and it is that alone they should copy from the cane toads, period.

This is a slippery slope and puts at risk the whole state v state – hate v hate concept. What next – the XXXX Blues – its a prospect that is enough to make any man want several Tooheys or two.

By: joeb

joeb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:11:18 +0000

Revival must start off the field
http://tinyurl.com/lsv9aj
“The losses have had little to do with Coach Craig Bellamy. NSW have failed on the field because they have failed off the field. NSW have just lost four consecutive State of Origin series. That’s right, four. It’s a record just in case you haven’t heard. It’s a total cop-out to say this current Queensland side is full of Australian players, therefore it is OK for NSW to lose. Please. They weren’t a champion side four years ago when this winning streak began. ‘Queensland were coming off four years without a series win and searching for answers’.”

By: joeb

joeb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:59:05 +0000

The thing with Bennett is if he can assist the Kiwis in defeating Australia in the Centenary Test match without any qualms (for the wellbeing of the game internationally I guess he’d say), and if he can accept a contract with St Geo (and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t), then for the right price he WILL coach NSW you can bet your last dollar, though likewise I’d hate to ever see it happen. But Phil Gould highlighted something very important in his column yesterday which curiously said that prior to this four-straight series victories to the Toads, NSW had won the previous four Origin series, which some of us like me who were turned off league when it adopted ‘uncontested scrums’ missed more or less entirely, i.e. it was news to me that we’d won the series in ’05, ’04, ’03 and ’02. Is this correct? So I repeat is this why NSWRL Chief Carr appears so relaxed about the current state of play for NSW? And Gus in his column again says “Don’t blame the coach [Bellamy] ’cause it ain’t his fault but that of the NSWRL administrators.” Really? Since when are the administrators responsible for how a coach motivates his players and the tactics they employ to defeat an opposition?

Ripper Bloke made a valid point in the other thread:

“The times that NSW were dominant during game 2 was [when] wotmough and stewart were on the field together which enabled one or both to get into slater’s and thurston’s faces whom were starting to get flustered something Bellamy would have not been too happy with after all he coaches South Queensland (The Storm ).”

Piss Bellamy off now before Game 3 and get Turvey Mortimer into the job. If Carr ums and ahs, get rid of him too. Yes it’s about the Opera House and the Coathanger, Kirribilli House and Eveleigh Street Redfern. It’s about pride in the jumper and Mortimer has it flowing through his veins. We could win Game 3 with Steve Mortimer at the helm steering NSW.

By: Brett McKay

Brett McKay — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:47:06 +0000

Does anyone know what was said to break the entire Friday night press conference up in stiches, after Bennett said with a smirk, “I’m a Queenslander”??

Nice little rant Steve, I’m sure after everyone takes a breath and sits back down to think about what they’re asking for, they’ll reach the same conclusion you have…

This IS Origin, after all…