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Time to pick your NSW team for State of Origin I, people. We’re running out of time before they spoil all the fun by naming the actual team tomorrow. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.
I’ll jump straight to the key choices in my 17-man squad.
I’m done with Mitchell Pearce at halfback, and – the way I see it – if he goes, his Sydney Roosters teammate James Maloney is also gone at five-eighth.
>> For the Queensland Maroons team named for Origin, check out our expert reaction
>> For the latest State of Origin news and opinion, head to our Origin teams page
I want the Canterbury halves – Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson.
On Friday, I wrote on The Roar that Blues coach Laurie Daley should at least consider Gold Coast’s Albert Kelly at halfback. I also said the Reynolds-Hodkinson combination had plenty of appeal.
Following further consideration – and particularly after watching the Bulldogs-Warriors game yesterday – I’ve got to go for the Bulldogs pair.
Kelly should be able to push for Origin selection sometime in the future if he keeps going the way he’s going for the Titans.
I don’t think it’s a contest at fullback. I’m a Josh Dugan fan, but if Jarryd Hayne isn’t preferred to him there it would be ridiculous.
Hayne is playing the best he has since his stellar season in 2009. For a while it wasn’t clear in which position he was best placed in a team, but there is no doubt now.
He can attack out of the back or from up in the line, and his try-saving defence is extraordinarily good.
I realise Michael Ennis is playing well for the Bulldogs, but I’ve got Robbie Farah at hooker. He offers more in attack and NSW will need all of the playmaking options they can get in the key positions.
It’s a terrible shame Greg Bird and Andrew Fifita are unavailable because of suspension and injury. Boyd Cordner is presumably out as well because of the ankle injury he suffered playing for the Roosters against North Queensland on Saturday, so I haven’t included him.
Losing three players of their quality leaves a big hole in the starting forward and bench strength.
Fortunately, the back-row is traditionally one of the strongest – if not the strongest – areas of contenders for NSW selection, but it still means having to be without three certain selections.
Luke Lewis has had two games back for Cronulla following an off-season shoulder operation. I’d obviously rather he’d had more, but if any player can handle an Origin game under circumstances like that it’s a supreme professional like him.
I’ve named Lewis and Ryan Hoffman as the starting second-rowers – the positions they held in all three games of last year’s series – but it wouldn’t bother me if one or even both of them started from the bench.
What I would like to see is Tony Williams given a lot of game-time. I’ve named him on the bench, but he could easily start. At the very least, I reckon he should be on the field by midway through the first half, with the potential to stay on until the end depending on how he’s going.
Tariq Sims has been close to Blues selection in the past and now is a good time to see what he can do at Origin level. NSW need someone new to step up with those other forwards out.
A bench comprising Trent Merrin, Anthony Watmough, Williams and Sims presents a combination of hard workers and potential game-breakers.
I’m not a fan of picking a cover player for the halves and hookers unless it’s a player of the calibre of Craig Wing, who was often sent on for NSW as a roving attacking player with the starting halves and hooker still out there.
Even when Kurt Gidley was at the peak of his powers, I thought that if he wasn’t starting it was debatable whether he should take up a bench spot, but I strongly doubt that debate will need to be had now. Gidley surely isn’t playing well enough to be included.
At the end of the day, you’ve just got to hope your halves and hooker don’t get hurt. Reynolds can be the emergency hooker option, and Lewis the emergency five-eighth.
Fifita would have started at prop in my team had he been fit, but without him I’m comfortable with Aaron Woods. He has taken his game to new heights for Wests Tigers this season.
Paul Gallen would be named at lock and just play his normal game.
Roosters winger Daniel Tupou is a natural Origin player, in my view. He’s someone you’ve just got to get into Origin, like Israel Folau was for Queensland.
Tupou and his Roosters teammate, Michael Jennings, would be on the left-hand side in my team, and the Morris brothers – centre Josh and winger Brett – on the right.
But what do you think? Everyone’s a selector at this time of year, so rip in.
My NSW team: J Hayne, B Morris, J Morris, M Jennings, D Tupou, J Reynolds, T Hodkinson, J Tamou, R Farah, A Woods, L Lewis, R Hoffman, P Gallen. Interchange: T Merrin, A Watmough, T Sims, T Williams.
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