As a Queensland fan and rugby league stats man, I rub my hands with glee every year when NSW announce their squad.
I do this because I am amazed at the talented NSW players that get excluded and the old washed-up hacks that get given chance after chance to redeem themselves.
However, in terms of NSW stuff ups, this year’s debacle takes the cake!
The NSW Blues 2010 Origin campaign has been an unmitigated disaster from the very start.
By naming their team at half-time on Monday night football, they were already at a disadvantage to the Maroons, who logically decided to wait until the Tuesday to name their team.
The Blues have been comprehensively outplayed on the field and shamed off the field.
Surely the other night’s drubbing will prompt a total rethink of the kind of team they want to name.
The Blues need to think medium-term and this means selecting youth. The Blues need to think of combinations, so they should stop picking players out of position and try to find players that work well together at a club level.
The Blues need to pick the following squad and then we will see the Blues rise again.
The 2011 Blues Team
1. Josh Dugan
2. Brett Morris
3. Michael Jennings
4. Jamie Lyon
5. Josh Morris
6. Todd Carney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Michael Weyman
9. Robbie Farah
10. Dan Hunt
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Anthony Laffranchi
13. Luke Lewis
14. Greg Bird
15. Paul Gallen
16. Tom Learoyd Lars
17. SOMEONE WE HAVENT EVEN HEARD OF!
Coach: Phil Gould
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