Jimmy Smith's Roar Profile

A classic situation of less is more. Rather than discard players, Maguire had to find a way to get the same players to play better. And play differently.

Brilliant coaching performance.

Maguire proves his coaching pedigree by smashing both World Cup finalists to the merry tune of 80-0

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Nov

Great article Scott. After years of losing you understand fans getting carried away with the win but for the media to do it is less forgiving.
Winning cures a lot of ills, and to be fair, it doesn’t matter how you do it. The NSW team slogan this tear was “Whatever It Takes” and if that meant not playing as well as Queensland in Game II but beating them via goal kicking then so be it. Penalty tries, disallowed tries to Qld, near misses and miracle saves all form part of any Origin game – certainly the case in Sydney.
I love Freddy Fittler and think he has done an excellent job this year with a young squad but I feel for former coach Laurie Daley. The magnanimous way Daley deflects all credit to Fittler is the mark of the man.
Calling the game with Laurie on NRL Nation I couldn’t help but feel for him. If he went home and cried on his pillow that night I wouldn’t have been surprised. No Smith, Cronk and Thurston as well as Slater for Game I is the kind of fairy-tale that Laurie could only dream of in his time as coach. Of the 15 games Daley coached at Origin level, Cameron Smith appeared for Queenlsand 15 times, Cooper Cronk 13 times and Thurston 13 times. The game that Cronk missed in 2014 saw NSW win the series and the one game that Thurston played in 2017 saw him win the series for Queensland with a kick from the sideline with a shoulder so damaged he didn’t play again that year.

As I said, winning cures all ills.

Origin delivers fake news to the fans

2018

I think the overall key to NSW next year – which will help with so many selection dilemmas – is where and how Matt Moylan plays for the Sharks to start 2018.

Personally he would be my left side half, directly replacing Maloney. Dugan could play centre (left or right) and Holmes to stay at fullback. Holmes does need to show he can deliver try assists otherwise he falls into the same category as Dugan with limited creativity from the back.

If Moylan plays well he can be NSW 6, Tedesco 1, Tommy T a centre with Dugan at the other centre position. As for halfback – a shootout between Pearce and Cleary!!

No room for the top three in Freddy's New South Wales team

England and Bennett see a scoreline of 14 – 12 or 12 – 8 for the win. I think they can score that many points. The issue is defending to that.

I presume Sam Burgess will play 80 minutes (or more if required) this week. I thought defensively England were superb against Tonga until the last 7 minutes. Based on what we have seen, and if you take out hookers, who from England would make the Australian forward pack? Burgess for McGuire. Maybe Hill for Woods. Walmsley ahead of Reagan Campbell- Gillard. Maybe….

There is a lot of responsibility on Burgess and to a lesser extent Graham (who will work himself into a lather for this game) to create history for their country. Should be outstanidng.

For the record – Australia 20 England 8 – including 2 penalty goals to England.

Can mastercoach Bennett pull off an upset in the World Cup final?

Totally agree re Bromwich and Proctor re playing in the RLWC Scott. In saying that, I think they were hit with a feather duster by their clubs when you compare it to Mitchell Pearce’s $125,000 fine and 8 game suspension for…..for….um…getting drunk.

They play NZ win.

Widdop to fullback has given Paul McGregor so much more to think about with the make up of his team in 2018. Means Hunt can run the team and a running 5/8th like Field can play in the halves.

Why we will have an Australia vs England World Cup Final

This is not the best spine in history.

Is it still an ambush if you see it coming?

“They each get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, so that isn’t an unreasonable expectation.”

No they don’t.

Snort that stuff after you retire. Right now, you work for me

Good points Andrew but….

Jake T will play in the middle – which is something Graham can’t/doesn’t do. So Graham is almost exclusively a left edge player (perceived rightly or wrongly) and I think Cordner beats him for that spot.

Jackson unlucky also, and a Laurie favourite but the athleticism of of Frizell is irresistible.

Outside the box? You are not in the same postcode Scroswob!!

Don’t apologise Jean – all opinions welcome.

Tel;l me though, which specialty winger would you prefer to have in your side than Tommy Turbo?? You and I know he can play that position….

Don I think you couldn’t have a starting hooker that is not playing hooker for their club. Reynolds off the bench in the Pearce role I would accept….except Pearce’s form is superior.

Agree with everything you said about the moves Ryan. Frawley a lot cheaper than Cronk or Foran also.

Imagine that with Tedesco at fullback.

The only thing I don’t agree with you is Lichaa to Melbourne. They would never have him. Check out a guy called Brandon Smith. Kiwi. Ex Cowboys 20’s player. Once he plays NRL he will be the NZ hooker for a decade.

Do it, Des: Mbye to 9 and Frawley to 7

If only $1m is on the salary cap then I think that is acceptable. The lower the better for the club obviously.

The point I am making Max is that perhaps more than any other player in the history of the game Cooper Cronk is in a fabulous position to secure Third Party deals. The only one who would come close is Darren Lockyer – I would love to know what his total annual income was in 2011, how much was on the cap and how much came from third party deals.

Stop dreaming: Cronk will never play for another NRL club

Not quite Jason – Gavin there in 1977 and Garry there in 1981. Both had one season stints…

Tim, Gavin Miller played for Wests and then Easts before landing at Cronulla. Then Easts again. Then Hull KR. Then back to Cronulla, where he finished up as the finished product.

For what it is worth, I think Cronk will play again. And when he does he will sign a deal for one year with a one year option in his favour. I think it would be well over the $1.5m and could touch $2m per season, but only have $1m included in the salary cap.

Bit left field Rob….Morgan in the centres? Not for me.

Taylor a maybe for Cronk – seriously? Last nine games at Suncorp, Qld have won 8. The one they didn’t…Cronk off after 10 minutes with a broken arm.

And Papalli in the front row is a wild one as well…each to their own as they say!

Big call Scott to drop Gagai for Holmes – scored 4 tries for Queensland last year. What is that thing they say about loyalty??

Well thought out The Barry…

Good points here Phineas

MAX – so much fodder! Where to start….

1. Laurie is not paying me, nor is anyone else from the NSWRL. (if you could get me a gig there I would happily pay you commission)
2. I would take Billy over Darius. I don’t think I am alone in that thought.
3. Munster is not on wing – left centre. O’Neill v Chambers a good duel but remember Qld #loyalty
4. I am happy to stick with Thurston at 6 and Cronk at 7. Call me crazy….
5. Napa a certainty for starting front row spot.
6. Anthony is back together again ( and not Humpty Dumpty…but then again…)
7. Nate will play because I think Robbie will play…
8. Hess….may just be the Qld forwards messiah
9. It was Lillyman v Taylor for teh last spot….if you were NSW who would you rather face?
10. If I do run for political office will you donate to my campaign Max? And will it be large enough that I have to declare it?

Billy on the bench Nat – WOW!

#whatawaste

Boyd Cordner

Yes but Gavin Cooper just covers left edge Jimmmmy – Taylor can play middle and edge. Papalli as lock means you can move him to edge if required.

The balancing act!!!

It was hard for me to leave Morgan out Vincent – and we all know how loyal Queenslanders say they are – but Milford has been in good form and would cause all sorts of problems from the bench I think.

Decent rant milan !!

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