Blues selection headaches easing for Ricky Stuart
Roar Guru By M1tch, 7 May 2012 M1tch is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Danny Buderus, Josh Dugan, Kurt Gidley, Mitchell Pearce, New South Wales Blues, NRL, Ricky Stuart, Rugby League, State Of Origin, Todd Carney
Kangaroos Rugby League player Todd Carney during a training session at Parramatta Stadium. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
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The annual headaches related to selecting the NSW Blues team are apparently fading. Injuries and form turnarounds are making decisions that much easier for Ricky Stuart.
Kurt Gidley is gone with another injury, meaning a bench spot is open. While this was greeted with despair by Ricky Stuart and the media, the fans – including yours truly – rejoiced in knowing Gidley would not be in the Blues side.
Danny Buderus is another. Despite him not doing anything this season, we were expecting him to be named in the number nine.
Now that Buderus is out, the battle is back to what we are used to: Michael Ennis v Robbie Farah. But on recent form, Robbie must have his nose ahead of the incumbent Ennis and is the frontrunner to be Blues number nine.
Beau Scott is another who was likely to be in the back row, but a player like Tariq Sims will be a handy replacement.
Mitchell Pearce found form in the ANZAC day match and Todd Carney impressed in the huge win for the Sharks over the Raiders. They should be the halves.
Being fit might be only thing stopping Josh Dugan getting the fullback role. Brett Morris and Akulia Uate will be on the wings as they are automatic selections these days.
Josh Morris has been scoring tries and should be there and Jarryd Hayne will be there somewhere.
Gallen will probably be in front row again with Mannah, Tamou, Weyman and young Woods fighting it out for the other couple of places. A mobile back row with Bird, Watmough, Stewart and Lewis is likely too, with big Tony Williams a chance.
Fortunately for the Blues, the team is starting to take shape. The selection headache is not as severe as it was a few weeks ago.
May 7th 2012 @ 10:54am
Big_Marn2000 said | May 7th 2012 @ 10:54am | Report comment
If the Phil Rothfield and the Telegraph are to be believed, the NSW side will look something like this:
1. Brett Stewart
2. Akuila Uate
3. Jarryd Hayne
4. Josh Morris
5. Brett Morris
6. Todd Carney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. James Tamou
9. Robbie Farah
10. Paul Gallen (C)
11. Luke Lewis
12. Greg Bird
13. Glenn Stewart
14. Jamie Buhrer
15. Anthony Watmough
16. Trent Merrin/Michael Weyman
17. Tariq Sims
18. Tony Williams
Michael Jennings looks set to miss out due to a lingering shoulder problem. Should he prove his fitness, I daresay Hayne will be pushed out to the left wing and Brett Morris will miss out, which is unfortunate because he is in arguably career best form. I also think that with Glenn Stewart’s successful return from injury, and the fact that Tariq Sims is demanding selection, Tony Williams will miss out on a bench spot due to lack of match fitness. But should any of the NSW forwards under perform or get injured in Origin 1, expect to see the big T-Rex for Origin 2.
May 7th 2012 @ 12:30pm
Charles said | May 7th 2012 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
If this is the team that Ricky Stuart goes with, my team is not far out!
Swapping James Tamou for Tony Williams because of fitness fair enough
I had Michael Weyman pencilled but a question mark on his defence
I put Lewis and Bird in the halves for the softening up period with the view to exchange with Soward and Carney
If Mitchell Pearce does not perform well he can utlise him at lock and put Carney or Lewis in his place
Robbie Farah has the skills but I see in Ryan Hinclhcliffe a combination of both Farah and Ennis
1. Brett Stewart
2. Akuila Uate
3. Jarrod Hayne
4. Josh Morris
5. Brett Morris
6. Greg Bird
7. Luke Lewis
8. Luke Bailey
9. Ryan Hinchcliffe
10. Paul Gallen
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Glenn Stewart
14. Tony Williams
15. Tariq Sims
16. Jamie Soward
17. Todd Carney
May 7th 2012 @ 2:47pm
Dom said | May 7th 2012 @ 2:47pm | Report comment
Haha Charles. Iknow we are loosing but there is no way this will ever be the team. The “experimental” City – Country game was already played and not even then was there anything like this.
As with the Gidley injury, I am glad to see the Morris brothers a likely start over Jennings, this also makes the hayne selection easier.
Big marn2000 is pretty much spot on (even with the 18th man decision) except I would swap Buhrer fro Hinchcliffe.
Dugan will get his shot next year when he can prove his fitness and get some continuous form. He said himself he was and will only be at 90% for the rest of 2012!
Good to see the team is pretty much there, I hope Sticky doesn’t get excited and put in some shock selections so if we win he can look like a genius. Keep charles and Sticky away from each other!
May 7th 2012 @ 1:27pm
Mac said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Give it a rest Charles, putting your SOO team on every thread and essentially saying the same thing every time get’s a little tiresome. You’ve successfully polluted this section of the site up pretty good now with your repetition and by the way putting two small backs on the bench is ludicrous. The team will be out of puff after an hour. SOO is not a testing ground to chop and change if things don’t go well, we need to pick the best players and stick with it. Imagine having two starting halves who know they can be replaced throughout the match. It’s not exactly showing much faith in your selection and it’s just a stupid idea mate…
May 7th 2012 @ 7:52pm
Charles said | May 7th 2012 @ 7:52pm | Report comment
The very point of my game plan!
Lewis and Bird have the forwards running straight up the middle off them, then attack the forwards themselves, and try to off load to the back line who are built like forward themselves. Do that for say 15 minutes and then bring Soward and Carney who have the speed to run around their forwards. The bottom line is that they just start a little bit later after the heavy work has been done.
Besides they can sit back and watch where they can exploit the holes which may be an added bonus
To say my plan is ludicrous needed a reply as I don’t think you understand where I am coming from! !
Sorry to pollute the threads, I don’t wish to offend and I will give it a rest so I will sign off from ROAR
May 7th 2012 @ 1:37pm
The Barry said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
Well said Mac.
Luke Lewis at halfback is the daftest idea I’ve heard in a while…
May 7th 2012 @ 6:16pm
Charles said | May 7th 2012 @ 6:16pm | Report comment
It is a good tactic for the softening up period!
If I reversed it with the halves and put them in the starting line up, nothing would be said
As I said so many times we need to take it up to QLD to have a chance
If you know Lewis credentials it is not a daft idea and the team I chosen has most of the best players
There is very little difference with mine and Big Marn’s team so what is the problem
May 7th 2012 @ 6:23pm
Fetus said | May 7th 2012 @ 6:23pm | Report comment
Don’t even pick hayne out of position either he is good enough at fullback or he isn’t in the team. His form doesn’t warrant picking him out of position in the centres. I hope Farah gets picked. If they pick Farah they should pik buhrer. But if they pick Ennis they have to pick hinchcliffe on the bench it’s a matter of combinations and Farah can play 80 min Ennis can’t so needs a more capable replacement. Farah needs someone in the Fulton halatau model of mobile second rower who can fill in at the ruck
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May 7th 2012 @ 6:36pm
Carlos said | May 7th 2012 @ 6:36pm | Report comment
Gallen should be in the starting back row with G Stewart and Whatmough.
Lewis on the bench is the best Utility option for NSW, I rate J.Buhrer but hes got a couple of seasons before he should be thrust into origin. Farah needs to play the 80.
Weyman and Snowden should start with Tamou, Trex and Sims rounding out a big versatile interchange. NSW should go large.
Has Kasiano played for the Kiwis yet, maybe he can be from NSW as well…
I cant see how Mannah gets a spot hes been solid at best in a busted arse team.
May 9th 2012 @ 11:05pm
john said | May 9th 2012 @ 11:05pm | Report comment
pick whoever wont make any difference and carlos big kas is a qlder
May 10th 2012 @ 10:37am
joe said | May 10th 2012 @ 10:37am | Report comment
1 Brett stewart
2Brett Morris
3Jamal Idris or Matt King or Joseph ‘BJ’ Leilua
4Josh Morris
5Akuila Uate
6Todd Carney
7Jarrod Mullen
8Paul Gallen
9Robbie Farrah
10James Tarmou
11Tariq Sims
12Luke Lewis
13Greg Bird
14Ryan Hinchcliffe
15Trent Merrin
16Tony Williams
17Anthony Watmough