Forget stopping Inglis, just stop the rot
Roar Guru
By Steve Kaless, 17 Jun 2010 Steve Kaless is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Andrew Johns, Greg Inglis, NRL, NSW Blues, Queensland Maroons, Rugby League, State Of Origin
It must have been the most public game plan in the history of Origin football from the NSW Blues last night. “Gentlemen, we must fortify ourselves and use the appropriate measure of physical aggression to stop Gregory Inglis”….or words to that effect.
What a pity everyone bailed after that because perhaps Andrew Johns might have actually enlightened NSW as to how the hell that what was going to happen.
Flying up into the defensive line and waving your hands in the air like you are trying to be spotted by a helicopter probably isn’t the best way to go.
Johns has proved a number of things this week, but the latest was talk is cheap.
As I spoke with my brother prior to kick-off he made one telling observation. Inglis would be the most motivated man in the 30 year history of this state rivalry.
It then took just three minutes for the man mountain to steamroll over the line.
I cursed myself from not supporting Anthony Mundine’s call for a boycott of the match. Ah, once a New South Welshman always a New South Welshman, Choc clearly felt the best hope for the Blues was if Queensland were forced to select strike breakers for the match in Brisbane.
As it stands we’ve got Buckley’s of knocking over this mob.
All change for the Blues? Bugger that, it will largely prove academic anyway so I say leave the side as is and let them fight (perhaps an odd choice of word) their way back into the contest.
Stability might also bring cohesiveness which is a commodity the Blues aren’t burdened with at present.
The other thing for NSW fans to factor is that the selectors seem obsessed with picking blokes from Newcastle and Canberra at present, so we have perhaps the best ever Maroons side against the off-cuts of the Knights and Raiders.
If my numbers are right the next blokes in line for a call up are Joe Picker, Glen Buttriss, Dan Tolar and Scott Dureau.
At the end of the match I had to sit back and smile. As kids, my brothers and I would cry ourselves to sleep cursing Wally Lewis if the Maroons got a victory. But this team is so good that as a league fan you can’t help but enjoy watching them play.
Full credit; this is indeed the golden generation for Queensland.
There was one other bonus for NSW fans, a Lang Park packed to the rafters and not a single vuvuzela within a bull’s roar.
You have to take what you can get.
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Marcel Proust said | June 17th 2010 @ 7:28am | Report comment
Nice line about the Vuvuzela, Steve,
The only chance NSW had was for a fan to run onto the pitch and blow that trumpet thing in someone’s ear.
A deaf Billy Slater wouldn’t be much good at Rugby League.
Beethoven was deaf. What did he ever achieve ???????
Nick said | June 17th 2010 @ 8:09am | Report comment
obessessed with picking newcastle and canberra players…..
ugh 2 from canberra 1 from the nights… 2 of them on the bench.. monaghan, lahs and gidley…
right nice one mate…
Gareth said | June 17th 2010 @ 10:52am | Report comment
I’m with Nick. Monaghan wasn’t there because he’s from Canberra, he’s there because he’s coming back from injury, and played for the Kangaroos a couple of years ago. And the NSW selectors have proven time and time again that they deem that a stronger criteria than actual form. Learoyd-Lahrs deserved to be there, and deserves to stay.
As for the Knights, would anyone be upset if Aku Uate gets a run when he’s eligible? Or Cory Paterson? The Knights are terrible and Gidley isn’t a rep-quality player, let alone captain, but they do have some shining lights.
Just like how the Sharks have a strong forward pack with a handful of blokes worthy of Origin selection. Or how the Cowboys have guys like Thurston and Tonga who deserve to be there, and also O’Donnell who fits the NSW criteria of not playing much footy and being easy to bait.
It’s not about the player’s club at all. The selectors have a cunning mathematical system they apply:
- Take the number of games in the season, and subtract the number of games the player has played
- Add the number of errors the player makes on average per game
- Add the number of penalties the player condedes on average per game
- If the player has the same surname as a former great, add 5 points
- Add the number of Cleo Bachelor of the Year nominations the player has received
- For every 10,000 NSW fans who demand the player’s inclusion, subtract a point.
- For every 10,000 NSW fans who demand the player’s exclusion, add a point
Some would even argue that there’s also:
- Give the player a rating out of ten where 0 = “Not at all indigenous” and 10 = “Proudly indigenous” and subtract that rating. Double the rating if the player plays for Souths.
From that pool, pick the guy who is least comfortable talking to the media as captain, and draw positions from a hat.
Test it out sometime and you could have your own NSW side picked without regard to form!
Geoff Carr said | June 17th 2010 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
Who told you that?
G Carr said | June 17th 2010 @ 5:53pm | Report comment
Who told you that? Have you been going through my desk??
oikee said | June 17th 2010 @ 8:19am | Report comment
Captian on the bench, the rot had started before he even got to 1st base.(on the feild). Game plan out the window, only plan the biff, no strike player with Watmough out, thank your lucky stars that it was only 34 points.
I expect a better showing in Sydney, maybe blood a few more youngsters.
Leyroy Lars, best on feild for blues. And i noticed he asked to play for queensland.
True Tah said | June 17th 2010 @ 8:56am | Report comment
I thought Lahrs was from Tamworth???
I know its in the north of the state, but I didnt realise that for Qld, anything north of Newcastle is deemed Qld turf, like big Greg Inglis.
Qld came to play, some of the NSW guys like Luke O’Donnell only came to start a few biffs here and there.
mushi said | June 17th 2010 @ 9:02am | Report comment
It recently came out that LL enquired about his QLD eligibility – though after the last week I can understand why certain guys prefer north of the border
True Tah said | June 17th 2010 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Yeah mushi, I was questioning why Jennings didnt get a run in the side – Qld certainly embrace Koori and Islander boys a lot more than NSW do these days.
Akazie said | June 17th 2010 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
TT actually watched the game?
I’m shocked.
Brett McKay said | June 17th 2010 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Steve, I thought Trent Barrett was a lone hand in attack for NSW, and all too often he look left or right having run to the line and all he would see was Maroon jerseys in front and tumbleweeds behind him.
Rabbits Warren mentioned a St.George-like dynasty, and at the moment, it’s hard to argue……
Fallen said | June 17th 2010 @ 9:18am | Report comment
Really? I felt Barrett’s effort was the same as any of the anonymous 5/8 performances that NSW have produced past 5 years. As a QLD supported I’m shocked that NSW fails to pick the talented ball players. Where were the creative 5/8s like Soward, Sutton and Presto? Stuck on the sidelines while they pick Barrett, Lyons, Anasta, Gasnier, Campese and Bird – sure they’ve got a passing game but creative or dangerous? Hardly
The NSW backline should be something like: Pearce, Soward, Morris, Idiris, Jennings, Morris and Hayne with Carney or Sutton on the bench. Pick them for 4 or 5 games straight win or lose. Build some combinations and some set plays.
And here’s tip for the defence coach – the QLDs keep using the same plays, every game, every series, every year. I’ll list some:
Lockyer cross field bomb to the wingers \ centres
Chip or Bomb to the posts for Slater
Lockyer \ Thurston \ Smith run cross field on 3rd \ 4th tackle and slip and inside ball to Slater
The double pass behind the line (Lockyer to Thurston \ Slater) with 4 options to finish. Grubber for winger, cut out pass for winger, short ball for centre or dummy.
Brett McKay said | June 17th 2010 @ 9:37am | Report comment
love it when Queenslanders suggest NSW sides
Fallen said | June 17th 2010 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Worlds Biggest agrees
Who would be in your line up?
yeebarr said | June 17th 2010 @ 8:51am | Report comment
Relax boys,
Thanks to Greg Inglis, I’ve found a supporters loophole; we can all claim to be Queenslanders now and support our wonderful Maroon team!
Gazza said | June 17th 2010 @ 9:03am | Report comment
Im a Qld supporter and I was disgusted by the NSW display, the least they could do is try and play. They were poor all game and obviously no longer give a toss about the state or origin. Come on NSW show some ticker. Lets have a game I even switch to SBS to watch Hondurus and Chile play. NSW were that bad.
Paddy said | June 17th 2010 @ 10:42am | Report comment
I would have to agree the Blues were pathetic. I just dont think they care any more.
I think the Black v White super stars match means more to people than the SOS.
Its such a shame the NSW suck so badly.
Fivehole said | June 17th 2010 @ 9:03am | Report comment
Thank goodness the world cup was on, so i could get away from this debacle early in the second half
Gob Bluth said | June 17th 2010 @ 11:40am | Report comment
Not sure about early in the second half seeing the game didn’t kick off until 9.30pm, but if you want to want Les Murray bumble his way through another intro feel free.
andrew said | June 17th 2010 @ 6:14pm | Report comment
Isn’t Les Murray an awful commentator. Like Simon O’Donnell his cadence is all over the shop and annoyingly stilted. Listening to O’Donnell on the lunchtime Cricket Show gives me indigestion.
Worlds Biggest said | June 17th 2010 @ 9:58am | Report comment
I agree with Fallen on that backline make up, the teams selected in the first two games had little or no creativity so scoring points was always going to be difficult. I have made mention in pevious roar articles that the likes of Jennings, Carney, Soward and J Morris should have been picked. These guys have flair and the ability to create something from nothing. The attack last night was pedestrian and clueless. However the damage was done early on with the outside backs racing out of the line inviting Qld tries. I never understand why these guys can’t just stay on there man, one on one = tackle your opposite man. No doubt Geoff Carr and the intelligencia at the ARL will re appoint the selectors for there stellar efforts. BTW congrats Maroons, just simply too good again.
King of the Gorganites said | June 17th 2010 @ 10:10am | Report comment
the greatest QLD backline i have ever seen!
im kicking myself that i bought catergory A tickets for the third origin match. i suspect no more then 30K will turn up for it. hopefully we can restore some pride, but im seriously considering just watching it on the new 3Dtv at home
Dogs Of War said | June 18th 2010 @ 4:58am | Report comment
Well don’t let them go to waste. Send ‘em my way.
Worlds Biggest said | June 17th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Gazza, I did the same switching over to the Soccer as I couldn’t watch it anymore. Chile were impressive.
Fallen, my backline for game 3 as follows,
7. Pearce
6. Soward
5. B Morris
4. Jennings
3. J Morris
2. Hayne
1. Dugan
Carney on the bench.
Pick these guys and stick with them for the future.
Jeff said | June 17th 2010 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
If you want to play Hayne he must be at fullback, any other position there are lots better around. Last night he had a shocker, but he wasn’t on his own. Lyon has to be centre and I suggest Captain, but on the whole your backline has a lot more flair than last nights shambles. I said it before, time to run a red pen through some of the NSW superstars, they are either over the hill or were wrongly granted superstar status in the first place. Gidley, Cooper, Barrett, even Wayman was terrible and I have lotsa time for him. SOWARD must be given a few chances, he has been the best attacking half in the NRL for two seasons now. and if his defence is suspect, it is better than some of the players that were brought back for last nights game. and selectors/coach have to go very soon.
Gilbank said | June 17th 2010 @ 5:10pm | Report comment
I’m likin Dugan at Fullback ( a flyer) and Jennings. Idris?