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With the finals a week away, I thought it would be appropriate to have one last State of Origin debate – ’cause why the hell not?
Seeing Mitchell Pearce run down a rampant Greg Inglis with a 10-metre head start on Thursday night told me one thing.
Pearce should be Origin halfback in 2015.
This long-running pub debate has been the subplot for the NSW versus Queensland’s three-match fixture every year, and I will ignite it for one more time in 2014. Before there are any eye-rolls or head-shakes, let me give you a few reasons as to why I believe Pearce should get the number seven nod over Trent Hodkinson next year.
1. He’s finally performing in big games
Watching him in the last three to four games has confirmed something. Mitchell Pearce is finally playing up to the standards expected of him – consistently, and in big games. This is due to a premiership win, a World Club Champions win and a year out of the Origin spotlight.
If he continues this form, I have no problems dubbing the Roosters as the first team to go back-to-back since the Broncos in the early 1990s, and Pearce being the reason why.
2. NSW were lucky this year
No one’s mind rushed into a state of euphoria than mine seeing Hodkinson slice through a scrappy attempt from Ben Te’o to score the try which won the Blues their first series win since 2005.
This, however, was probably thanks to a lucky decision by the refs to deny Sam Thaiday a try which could have (and has before) gone either way. In Game 1 – if Cooper Cronk remained injury free – I think there would have been a different result. Again, pretty lucky.
3. Games 1 and 2 were not halves games
NSW winning the first two games was not due to their halves partnership. When Cronk went down in Game 1, it became the Jarryd Hayne show, Hodkinson was noticeably missing (his debut though, so I can understand). Game 2 was anything but a normal rugby league game. The forwards wrestled in a stalemate with an incredible amount of niggle on display, making for just awful viewing.
I actually think it’s possible to proclaim that thanks to the silly ‘one punch and you’re off’ rule, NSW won the 2014 State of Origin series. It meant the series was decided without Johnathan Thurston or Daly Cherry-Evans getting much of a go. Game 3 however, was a halves game – and a second half demolition by Thurston and Cronk should serve Laurie Daley and his team a massive warning as to what might be coming next year.
4. NSW need to be positive
I can see it now, can’t you? If Daley keeps the Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds partnership, I can’t really see any other result than Queensland taking the beloved shield back north to their headquarters.
Much like Michael Clarke promoting himself up the Australian order (even when they are winning), NSW has to be positive in their approach to selection. Putting Pearce ahead of Hodkinson shows NSW are willing to gamble for creativity, form and technique. Expecting a repeat of Games 1 and 2 next year would be folly.
I have a lot of time for Pearce and I think a lot of criticism over the years has been harsh considering he’s always ranked against the likes of Thurston or Cronk. I admit there have been games where he has been noticeably quiet, but I think a return to the team (and being the only player to have not won a series in his team) could give NSW the best chance of retaining the Origin shield for 2015.
What do you think Roarers? Is going back to the future the answer for the Blues next year? Or is this more classic NSW chopping and changing?
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