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The NSW selectors keep picking the wrong core of players. Jarryd Hayne or Josh Dugan as fullback, whoever seems to have the most family in NSWRL for half (Mitchell Pearce) and some random useless fool showing a glimmer of form at five-eighth.
As for hooker Robbie Farah, or Michael Ennis. Really? Why are any of these considered?
Please, NSW, leave Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace alone, and don’t even try to take Matt Moylan or Jamal Idris from Penrith. Adam Reynolds isn’t an Origin player, and neither is Luke Brooks… yet.
I’m just some random fan, writing my humble opinion, but here’s who I’d go for, and why.
1. Anthony Minichello (c)
Sure, he’s old, but he is also consistent, reliable, and works well under the high ball. NSW seems to keep missing that, somehow.
In a perfect world, you’d have Inglis there, but that’s an argument for another day, and he bleeds Maroon anyway, so deal with it.
Also, Mini is my pick to lead the squad. Captain P. Gallen is no Jack Sparrow, and his leadership, or lack of, might be why there is no direction on-field.
2. Jarryd Hayne
Hhe has never been anything more than a winger. Can’t play fullback, is average at centre, and rubbish at five-eighth – my eight-year-old son could play more consistently in the halves than he ever could.
But he is a big game player, and you cannot afford to leave him out.
3. Michael Jennings
Does this need an explainantion? Fastest NSW runner, can defend well, can score points from anywhere on the field. Beats out Idris every day of the week.
4. Josh Morris
Again, no explaination needed, he is the second-best centre in the game, and always lights up rep games.
5. Brett Morris
His combination with his twin, and his damaging runs make him a walk up. Like Hayne, he turns up in rep games, regardless of his form in the NRL.
6. Todd Carney
The bad-boy should be back, no one in the past eight years troubled Queensland like he did.
I’d stay away from James Maloney in the halves, and Soward isn’t quite Origin ready yet – maybe next year you could use him, but I’d blood Josh Reynolds on the bench for that.
7. Jarrod Mullen
It should always have been Mullen, one game was never enough to show us what he can do. His form this season proves he’s the man to go with, until he’s replaced by Luke Brooks, two or three years down the line.
Don’t argue for Mitchell Pearce. His combo with Maloney isn’t why the Chookies won last year, three letters (actually, six) explain that – SBW or RTS.
8. James Tamou
Sure, he is touch-and-go on form, but on his day, and in every Origin minute he has played, he shows just why he should be picked.
9. Kurt Gidley
I seriously don’t rate him, but when the alternatives are Farah (nope) or Ennis (hell no), he’s all you’ve got. You’ll never pick Kev Kingston, for some unknown fear, and every other hooker is either a Queenslander or a Kiwi.
Your loss, here. Might be why you lose.
10. Paul Gallen
Even with a broken leg, missing an arm, blind, deaf and mute, he’d still be the best player in blue.
11. Ryan Hoffman
The man bleeds blue, and is always a strong Origin performer. Old he may be, but Tim Grant is a prop, and is well off his past form.
12. Brent Kite
Like Petero for Queensland, you need his experience, his form, and his dangerous running.
13. Greg Bird
He just has to be there, bar no one. Just don’t give him a reason to punch the Maroons, and you’ll be sweet all game.
14. Josh Reynolds
This is your utility, NSW, not Gidley. And he is your future half with Brooks, he just isn’t ready yet.
15. Wade Graham
Another utility in the forwards, he’s in form, and could be the sorely missing X-Factor. Could form a decent half combo, but I see him more as a Luke Lewis-style player.
16. Tariq Sims
Another injury concern, but we’ll assume he is fit. A better ball running, bench impact player you won’t find – not for NSW, anyway, because Frank Pritchard is a Kiwi, I don’t rate the Burgess boys (and they are Poms) and Queensland has the rest.
17. Andrew Fitifa/John Sutton
Pick either, it doesn’t matter, it’s just to fill a bench spot and it’s not like they’ll get much time on the field, anyway.
I’d given Sutton a run – it can’t hurt and it’s another halves option, which is something NSW sorely needs.
In fact, just pick a team of halves, and even pick Kiwis and Poms. Hell, take Benji, you’d still lose.
The real reason NSW keep losing? They’ve forgotten how to win. NSW needs actual desire, drive, and a bit of mongrel.
Cattledog, boys, cattledog!
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