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NSW Origin halves: Loyalty, combination, or a mixture?

15th May, 2015
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Laurie Daley, don't go thinking too hard. Just use Matt's list and the Origin win will be yours. (Source: Wikipedia Commons)
Expert
15th May, 2015
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In the lead-up to Friday night’s Roosters-Bulldogs clash at ANZ Stadium, NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley was faced with three options to decide on his halves for the series opener on May 27.

Loyalty is Daley’s first priority with Bulldog halves Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds, for their combination was pivotal in ending Queensland’s record eight-year domination last year.

The two main combinations in contention are Hodkinson and Reynolds, or the Roosters pairing of Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney, two former Origin pivots. Or Daley could go for a mixture of Hodkinson and Pearce.

In the aftermath to the Roosters’ 24-10 success on Friday night, Daley has little option but to opt for Pearce and Maloney as they out-played the Bulldogs pairing, who have been out of form all season.

What was disappointing in the light of how important that game was to Origin success, only 17,093 turned up to be dwarfed in the 80,000-plus stadium

By comparison, 24,531 packed out Willows Sports Complex in Townsville for the Cowboys-Broncos clash, won by the Cowboys 31-20 to join the Broncos at the top of the NRL ladder.

Sure there were other reasons to celebrate, like the Cowboys’ 200th win in 499 games since they first kicked off in the NRL 20 years ago. A mighty important milestone.

But there’s an obvious resurgence and an urgency north of the border to regain their Origin status they hold so dearly. The Maroons will field much the same side on May 27 that played in winning the third game of last season’s series.

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Meanwhile NSW have lost skipper Paul Gallen to an ongoing hip injury, and Greg Bird to his deserved eight-week suspension for his sixth dangerous throw, leaving a big hole in experience up front.

Both sides will be named on Tuesday, with the NSW squad likely to be:

Fullback: Brett Stewart/Josh Dugan.

Wingers: Will Hopoate and Daniel Tupou.

Centres: Dugan/Josh Morris and Michael Jennings.

Halves: Pearce and Maloney.

Front row: Aaron Woods, Robbie Farah (c), James Tamou.

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Second row: Ryan Hoffman and Beau Scott,

Lock: Trent Merrin.

Bench: Luke Lewis, Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, and Boyd Cordner.

It looks light on compared to Queensland’s Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Justin Hodges, Greg Inglis, Will Chambers, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (c), Nate Myles, Sam Thaiday, Aidan Guerra, and Corey Parker.

The crowd numbers at ANZ on May 27 will decide if there’s going to be an Origin contest, or a return to Queensland dominance.

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