This year’s State of Origin promises to deliver the contest that both states have been craving since Queensland’s dominance began in 2006.
This year, the Blues have selected a team they believe is capable of out scoring the Maroons, while the Maroons have stuck true to those who have done it all before.
True to form, the media south of the Tweed has questioned, queried and quibbled over the selection of several of their stars. Again, true to form, north of the Tweed it’s business as usual with all and sundry getting behind the players that have been chosen.
In New South Wales the selection of Jarryd Hayne and Michael Jennings has polarised the media, fans, coaches and ex-players alike. They’re out of form, they’re unfit and you can’t pick someone from reserve grade. We keep hearing it over and over again, splashed across all forms of media.
The only people who seemingly believe in these players are some, and I stress some, of their club fans, along with Ricky Stuart.
Michael Jennings is a curious case. Not since Ray Brown in 1983 has a player been selected for State of Origin from reserve grade. Even more curious than this is that he is in reserve grade to begin with.
Penrith have publicly stated that he is playing New South Wales Cup due to poor form, however having watched about six games featuring Penrith this year I am of the belief there is more here than meets the eye.
In fact, since the start of the year Jennings has played eight games where he has scored six tries and has been credited with two try assists. All things considered, this is pretty reasonable form.
Beyond this though, he has notched 40 tackle breaks from just 133 receives, incidentally the exact same number of tackle breaks as the man he will be marking up against on Wednesday night, Justin Hodges.
Is Michael Jennings out of form? No, he’s just out favour.
Lining up outside the much maligned Mr Jennings is one Jarryd Hayne. The Hayne train, the Hayne plane, call him what you like. He is, when on, undoubtedly one of the most exciting outside backs in the NRL. This year, however, he has apparently been off the pace, uninterested, out of form, not putting in…need I go on?
Like the man who will be marking up inside him, Jarryd is also out of favour. He has played six games this year, seven if you count the 15 minutes against the Warriors, which I won’t be. During these six games he has notched five tries and nine try assists as well as 33 tackle breaks. All this in a team which has cemented itself to the foot of the ladder with a one and nine record.
When free from his play making pressures expect the Hayne plane to be flying again.
For the first time in recent memory there is a question mark over the form of two of Queensland’s most reliable and consistent performers. However, as to be expected nothing is being made of it in the papers, no words are be heard on the radio and nothing said on TV.
For forever and a day Queensland has been declared a team of passion and mateship, and is about picking those who have performed well and ignoring the Johnny-come-latelies. This year, one could argue that two of Queensland’s strongest performers over the past few years are off the pace.
I refer to Darius Boyd and Petero Civoniceva. Both have changed clubs in the off season which may be contributing to their sudden dip in form compared to previous years. Boyd’s move to Newcastle with close mentor Wayne Bennett was supposed to set him up for his third premiership at three different clubs. Instead, it has seen him play behind a weaker forward pack with less inspiring halves which has dramatically affected his game.
For Petero, this year is his home coming, returning to close friends Parker, Thaiday, Hodges and co. For reasons unbeknown to those outside the Broncos, his form this year has faded away.
You might be thinking this may bode well for NSW, with a key outside back and the spiritual leader of the forward pack both out of form.
Queensland’s Origin history, however, is littered with stories of cometh the hour, cometh the man and New South Wales must be wary.
Cast your memory back to Origin three of 2011, South Sydney are languishing at four and seven with their star man Greg Inglis battling injury, weight and form concerns. On July 7, Inglis finds himself lining up for a Queensland side farewelling a champion and coming off the back of a sub-par performance in game two.
Despite all that, it was Inglis who scored Queensland’s first try and set the tone for the match. For the rest of the night he played like a man possessed, running for over 100m, making nine tackle breaks, a line break and scoring another try to ice the game and the series for his team and their departing champion. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Greg Inglis has always played well in Origin, no matter how he was playing beforehand.
But what if I told you that a 35-year-old who had spent two years out of the NRL came back with the series at 1-all, and in a man of the match performance set up two tries and scored one of his own? You might think it’s preposterous and unfathomable, however in 2001, Alan Langer did just that.
Langer retired early in 1999 and re-started his career with Warrington Wolves in the year 2000. He was then plucked from the UK by Wayne Bennett to play half-back for Queensland, who were coming off a loss in game two of the series. With the series squared and everything to play for, Alfie, who had done it all before, delivered it all again. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
So come Wednesday night, we will see the victor and know the answer to the question: is it best to pick the tried and true who despite not setting the world on fire currently have never let you down?
Or are you best picking players who’s form, fitness and commitment have all come into question, despite the fact they have been shining lights in their club teams dismal seasons?
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