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PRENTICE: What I'd like to see in Origin 2

Trent Hodksinon. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Expert
17th June, 2015
18

Well, here we are, on the cusp of probably the biggest game of the year, and there is much to anticipate even though it’s in pretty much alien territory, Melbourne.

Sure, the game will attract an impressive 75-80,000 crowd, but I’m not comfortable the game’s leaders have once again scheduled a game of such magnitude in a city that doesn’t rate rugby league as we do in NSW and Queensland.

STATE OF ORIGIN LIVE SCORES – GAME 2

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» State of Origin Game 2 Preview
» State of Origin Game 2 Teams
» State of Origin Fixture
» State of Origin

I appreciate our code should be trying to spread its wings – and I also have high reverence for the famous and often magical MCG arena – but the State of Origin series is thrashed out between two Australian states, and Victoria isn’t one of them.

Anyway, we were told many moons ago Game 2 in 2015 would be south of the NSW border and so be it.

I’m excited about the game’s prospects and here are some of the things I’d like to witness.

I cannot picture it, but I’d really like to see the Blues’ halves pairing of Trent Hodkinson and Mitchell Pearce play the games of their lives and steer NSW to a stirring win that squares the series at one apiece.

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But from where I sit, the 7 is way down on form and confidence and the 6, well he’s not a 6 and never will be. I’d like them to make me eat my words but I suspect that ain’t going to happen.

I’d like to see NSW skipper Paul Gallen play a team game.

Gal has worked miracles to get a start in this game but there is every chance he will overplay his skipper’s role and get in the road when the ball should be headed elsewhere.

Make a zillion tackles, feel free to sledge the Maroons from a to z, and graft out those hard yards, champ. But please, make sure the pill gets to those who can manufacture points with it when they need it most.

I would like to see fewer cheap shots and more freakish skills and genius plays. Nup, it’s Origin. That was wishful thinking.

I’d like to see NSW players such as Josh Dugan, Michael Jennings and Trent Merrin given ample chance to showcase their wares.

I’d like to see one of league’s most exciting players – Greg Inglis – in full cry, even though they’ve picked him out on the wing.

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It will be really interesting if Johnathan Thurston plays at halfback instead of his advertised position at No 6. He is the best halfback in the world, Cooper Cronk is out injured, so why play the seriously in-form JT at 6 when he is blitzing all comers at 7 for the Cowboys? I suspect Mal is foxing and that Daly Cherry-Evans will be stationed at five-eighth more often than not.

I would like to see the phenomenally gifted Billy Slater get through this game without anyone labelling him a grub, a late-tackle merchant, or anything else that comes to mind. He is one of the best fullbacks I have seen, no need to cheapen the brilliance with anything unsavoury.

This may be getting a tad too indulgent but here are five more things I would be thrilled to see tonight:
• The on-field refs being decisive and the video refs complementing their decisions (but not blindly).
• Robbie Farah playing for his team and not himself (he doesn’t have to).
• Coach Laurie Daley giving Bulldogs wrecking ball Dave Klemmer a decent go.
• Exciting Cowboy Michael Morgan to ‘arrive’ at Origin level and be recognised as a top-line player.
• Channel Nine to cut the crap, keep the talk to serious football, and allow the game to start on time.

These are my wishes list Roarers. Surely, I’m not asking too much?

And may the better team win, fairly and squarely.

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