Noddy wants Blues gig for the long haul

Bulldogs veteran Brett Kimmorley doesn’t believe he’s the short-term fix to NSW’s halfback woes – he wants the Blues No.7 jumper for years to come.

With incumbent playmaker Peter Wallace on the outer after a pair of indifferent displays in the opening two games of the Origin series, Kimmorley is firming for what would be a fifth coming as an Origin player.

Despite being 32, Kimmorley said there was no reason why he couldn’t be the long-term answer for the Blues ahead of younger challengers Jarrod Mullen and Mitchell Pearce.

“I’m going to play football next year, so I’d like to think if I’m still playing football and playing well I’m a chance to play rep football again,” Kimmorley said.

“They’ve (Queensland) got two blokes that are in their mid 30s.

“I think I’ve showed this year that it doesn’t matter how old you are if you are enjoying your footy and having fun, it’s just a figure.

“The older you get the smarter you get about leading the side around.”

NSW selectors showed they weren’t afraid to turn back the clock when they resurrected the representative career of 31-year-old Cronulla skipper Trent Barrett for game two.

Queensland props Steve Price (35) and Petero Civoniceva (33) are both older than Kimmorley, while skipper Darren Lockyer is only a few months younger than the man they call `Noddy’.

Kimmorley’s eight appearances in the sky blue of NSW have been spread over four separate installments, with his longest spell being a four-game stint from game one of the 2000 series to kick-start his Origin career.

Since then he has had two one-game stints and the last two games of the 2007 series after which it seemed his NSW days were over.

Asked whether he hoped Wallace would be given the show of faith he never seemed to get, Kimmorley said: “Long-term it’s about winning football games isn’t it?

“That’s the pressure that everyone cops over a long period of time from both states … they’ve (Queensland) been blessed over the last few years because they’ve got a great football side.

“A lot of their players have been playing consistently well, and when you’re winning series, you don’t have to change teams.

“We need to find some combinations that can combat how good they are.”

With the Bulldogs playing Manly on Monday night, Kimmorley won’t get another chance to impress selectors with the Blues side to be named at halftime of the Brookvale Oval clash.

His selection chances may well hinge on what the Blues do with skipper Kurt Gidley, with talk he may be shifted into the halves to accommodate in-form Jarryd Hayne at fullback.

Hayne has played the opening two games of the series on the wing, but such has been his impact that coach Craig Bellamy desperately wants to move him closer to the action to get him more involved.

Wallace hasn’t been the only one under pressure since Origin II with Bellamy also under fire following successive series defeats.

But NSW selector Laurie Daley came out in support of Bellamy, claiming he was the best coach available.

“He is an exceptional coach … it’s disappointing that he’s copping all the criticism because he certainly doesn’t deserve it,” Daley told AAP.

“He’s a good coach with a proven track record and I’m surprised that people have been so critical of him.”