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Why did NSW pick - and then ignore - Daniel Tupou

Roar Pro
19th June, 2014
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State of Origin is a must-watch on the sporting calendar. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Roar Pro
19th June, 2014
25
1700 Reads

Can someone tell me why Laurie Daley and Bob Fulton picked Daniel Tupou?

Watching my state’s footballing cream try to bring home the bacon for the first time in eight series reminded me of the times I used to watch Pat Rafter post-US Open or Adam Scott pre-Masters victory.

They made the seemly difficult yet attainable look bloody impossible.

I am sure I wasn’t the only armchair punter screaming “kick it to Tupou”, but his on-field thumbing was so clear I started to believe that Loz had his nickels on every other player to score a try.

The blinkers approach from NSW towards Tupou and Michael Jennings had me scratching my head regarding the winger’s selection and it’d be fair to say Queensland and even Toups himself would have been wondering what he’d done to deserve such an on-field snubbing.

I can excuse his lack of involvement in Game 1 – Hayne and the Morris boys were creating havoc for Queensland’s left-edge defence, and it showed there was some clear planning from the NSW brains trust to use that side as a go-to when on a Queensland raid.

But with both Morris lads nursing themselves from at the very least the second half onwards, Tupou and Jennings were left catching the sniffles on their side of the paddock, and should have been used more effectively and more often.

The lefts side’s omission from NSW’s attempted attacks on Queensland line, particularly in Game 2, has left me speculating if the boys’ names were left completely off the NSW offensive schematics by Loz and co.

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You’d have thought that the green pairing of Josh Dugan and Will Hopoate might have become the spectators this time around, as the NSW left would become the go-to weapon of choice. Not so. For the most part of Game 2 NSW looked lost in trying to execute any sort of backline movements on either side of the park, and in an inexplicable and poor move, failed to try and offer a kick for Tupou to challenge when close to the Queensland line bar one occasion.

That’s right, once.

One kick for the man many a NSW fan would regard to be their version of Israel Folau – referring of course to their likened ability to secure the rights under the high pill. The clearly clunky and often lost NSW attack didn’t even look like considering their leaping winger as a try-scoring option, despite having many opportunities in the Queensland 20.

That NSW would not consider such a potent attacking ploy is bordering on the ridiculous, but to have the airborne acrobatics from the likes of Tupou left to gather moss on the NSW left edge, is just that – ridiculous.

It gets worse though. And this is where this moves from the ridiculous to the truly absurd. While NSW were searching for points, Queensland had a makeshift winger in Chris McQueen filling the void of an injured Brent Tate from the 55th minute onwards. A makeshift winger up against a giant leaper was left untested by the NSW’s playmakers, who needed points.

It should have been curtains for Mal’s boys long before the 70th minute.

Could you imagine Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston seeing such a glaring weakness and not taking advantage of a far superior high-flyer in their team? Doubt it.

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Consider for a moment the way Queensland set themselves when in the Blues’ opposition 20. Every Blue-hearted nut from Eden to the Tweed knows that at some point during the set, a backline sweep involving Thurston, Greg Inglis and Darius Boyd is on its way. Why? Because they understand that the size and skill of Inglis is far greater than those opposite him, he either draws defenders to set up his winger or scores himself. It’s Queensland footy 101.

If Tupou was playing for Queensland, he would have had two or three tries already this series.

Judging by the gameplan NSW have had, they may as well have picked Pat Richards, or any other winger with a treadmill underneath them, as it wouldn’t have mattered. But at least Patty would have given the NSW team an added kicking option, even if those options were only spiralling kick offs and 50m penalty attempts.

Given the way NSW have used Tupou so far this series, Richards was actually a better option – at least there would have had a point to him being in the side.

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