It was a case of back to the future for NSW with Blues selectors reviving the representative careers of four veterans in a bid to avoid a fifth straight Origin series loss to Queensland.
Trent Barrett, Paul Gallen, Luke O’Donnell and Parramatta workhorse Nathan Hindmarsh were all included in a 21-man squad to face Queensland at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday week, Hindmarsh in line for his first sky blue jumper since 2007.
While Barrett and Gallen appear certainties to play, O’Donnell and Hindmarsh are likely sweating on the availability of Luke Lewis and Michael Weyman to guarantee a spot in the final 17.
Lewis is fighting a lifting charge at the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night while Weyman aggravated a groin injury in St George Illawarra’s win over the Warriors on Sunday.
“They’re veteran players that we thought deserved to be in the 21,” coach Craig Bellamy said.
“Paul was a very unlucky one to miss out in that first Origin and I’d imagine with the couple of changes we’ve made he’ll be certainly be in there.
“He’ll give us a fair bit, he gives us experience, he’s been playing really well.”
Gallen appears a like for like replacement for Anthony Watmough – who was not considered due to a groin injury – the Cronulla enforcer sure to be given the job of adding some toughness to the Blues pack.
Hindmarsh’s representative career appeared over when he was ignored by the Blues in both 2008 and 2009 before Test selectors sent him away on last year’s Four Nations tour where he forced his way into the Australian side for the final.
The 30-year-old intimated that would be his representative swansong before changing his mind in the hope of playing in one more Origin campaign.
O’Donnell and Cronulla pair Barrett and Gallen all played in last year’s series, while Barrett almost took part in game one this year when he was placed on standby for Timana Tahu when he was batting an ankle injury.
The Sharks skipper is likely to line up alongside Sydney Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce, though Kurt Gidley also remains an option in the halves with Jarryd Hayne or Josh Dugan the two leading options at fullback.
New South Wales Blues team: Trent Barrett, Matt Cooper, Ben Creagh, Josh Dugan, Michael Ennis, Paul Gallen, Kurt Gidley, Jarryd Hayne, Nathan Hindmarsh, Jamal Idris, Jason King, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Luke Lewis, Brett Morris, Luke O’Donnell, Mitchell Pearce, Beau Scott, Timana Tahu, Trent Waterhouse, Michael Weyman, Brett White.
Ronnie the Eel
Guest
To all those people who were saying people were being too harsh on Gidley with crticism, go eat your words now! He showed last night that he can do damage to NSW even coming off the bench! My corgi could do a better job than him and would also have more ball security!1 Although the scoreline was torturous for us NSW supporters, it was really only the under 10-like NSW outside backs defence that led to that high- scoring rout. When will they ever learn! It looked like carbon copies of tries from SOO 1 with the winger racing up and in and then Thurston just eating them up by sending passes out through their backs. Looks like our backs have been going to the Eric Grothe Jnr school of defence! Even an under 10 winger and outside centre knows that the cardinal sin in defence is to come up and in and leave your opposite winger and centre unmarked!!!!! Most of the other players did fairly well and none of them would be glaringly omissions from the team - Pearce may be the future - we need a new five-eighth for next year after Barrett retires - don't put Lyon back in there though, please! Game 3 might have 500 at the ground watching - 490 of which will be Qld'ers....
Dan Wighton
Roar Guru
Looks like they have dropped Idris, which is a bit of a shock - but I guess they have gone with a defensive first policy with Cooper, Scott and Tahu. Gidley captaining from the bench is strange, but at least this team seems to have a better full back, half back and five eighth than the previous game, and glad they got rid of Perry.....just wish they chose Farah at hooker.
Nicholas R.W. Henning
Guest
I wish NSW weren't so desperate to win! The selectors are trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat. Not to sound repetitive but there are numerous selections I don't agree with. I have come to accept though that NSW is slim in certain areas like half back, and I am perplexed by the continued selection of Kurt Gidley. Although dumping a team captain is not the done thing, but I just don't feel he should have been picked this year or in 2009. I have a simple hope that the NSW players play the game of their lives and can send this series to a decider. This might be a very optimistic hope but who knows what will happen on the night. Nicholas R.W. Henning - Australian Author
Ken
Guest
Morris is 23 I think - he's likely to be in the team for a long time yet I'd like to see Jennings and Cooper in the centres myself. Cooper gets a bad rap but he's a big strong player, great in defence and still has plenty of pace - his combination with Morris is dangerous too. Jennings is a little small but he's got that x factor about him. Idris will likely be a rep player for a long time but I'm not convinced it will be in the centres - he attacks well and can hit hard in defence but he gets very vulnerable if he's not shoulder to shoulder with a teammate. As I said I'd plump for Jennings - fastest back in the comp though? Did you see him get run down by Josh Morris the other week (and according to the Morris's, he's the slow one...)
Kiara
Guest
The last thing we need is debutants! Sorry Dugan. Maybe u can be 18th man.
M1tch
Roar Guru
Love to see Dugan get a run if Hayne is suspended
Jameswm
Guest
I'd have two of Jennings, Idriss and Morris in the centres. Cooper has never done it. Jennings and Idriss are the future. One is the fastest back in the comp, the other the strongest. How old is Morris?
Gareth
Guest
Just when you thought the NSW Selectors couldn't do anything more baffling than their Origin 1 selections, here we go again. First of all, Gidley doesn't fit anywhere, as there's a fit player ahead of him in every position. Not that this is a bad thing, but it seems to go against everything they've been saying. Secondly, they've named 2.5 fullbacks, 4 centres and only one winger? Who covers the right wing if Hayne is suspended? Surely not Tahu. He's caught out often enough in the centres, let alone the wing. Maybe Gidley will expand his origin resume to include a wing position. How does O'Donnell get a look in? He's barely played any football in recent weeks, and has been his usual erratic self when he has. Fingers crossed that Luke Lewis is free to play. No Tim Mannah? I know Paul Gallen has basically been playing as a third front rower for the Sharks, but if Weyman is ruled out, that only leaves King and White as "genuine" front rowers and both are very middle-of-the-road. Mannah hasn't made a mistake all year, is in red hot form, and at 22, has a massive career ahead of him. Even Aiden Tolman has done enough in coming back from injury to put himself ahead of White and King. But no, we'll just have to be happy with a couple of our 7 or 8 back rowers working it up the middle. Last of all, why do they persist with Cooper? Even if he makes it through 80 minutes, he's just not a rep quality player, and with only one season left in him, why not give a young bloke a shot?
Springs
Roar Guru
If they choose Creagh and Waterhouse again over Hindmarsh and O'Donnell it will be an absolute disgrace. Players left out should be Dugan (if Hayne is right to play), Creagh, Waterhouse (if Lewis is right to play), and one of Idris/Scott. Anyway, Hayne, Morris, Cooper, Scott/Idris, Tahu, Barrett, Pearce, Weyman, Ennis, White, Hindmarsh, Gallen, O'Donnell. Gidley, Leoroyd-Lahrs, King, Lewis. Dugan to replace Hayne, Waterhouse to replace Lewis, Creagh to replace Weyman if all are out.
oikee
Guest
Wonder when Daley and the selectors are let go, well they have now bowed to the public(Hindmarsh, Gallen), so you might as weel just let the public pick the team.