Instead of leaving my trademark snide remarks in the comment feed, I thought I’d respond to Ryan O’Connell’s breathlessly-awaited announcement of his New South Wales team with my own Blues outfit, accompanied by some (inevitable) observations in relation to our individual choices.
No time to waste: ladies and germs, here is the best New South Wales team one could pick in order to defeat Queensland, who must go in as favourites.
Fullback: Ben Barba
One thing O’Connell said on which we completely agree is that the Blues need to take some chances if they’re to beat Queensland. In the absence of a fully fit and in-form Brett Stewart, New South Wales must give Barba a run.
Yes, there are question marks defensively, but this is a player who is Billy Slater Lite, able to run off the forwards and give his halves a dangerous option in attack.
Brett Morris is a superb finisher but doesn’t have the broken-play creativity this kid has. Josh Dugan has not been healthy and hasn’t shown as much brilliance as Barba through six rounds.
Wingers: Akuila Uate and Brett Morris
Uate is the best winger in the world. Enough said. Morris should play where he’s at his best.
Centres: Michael Jennings and Josh Morris
O’Connell has picked Jarryd Hayne, and in doing so has clearly demonstrated that he is one of many who’ve been suffering vision impairment since 2009.
Hayne has not been the same player for a long time now, and Phil Gould was right on the money in saying he needs surgery – the guy is slow, which says nothing of the questions surrounding his passion and commitment to the game.
I do not trust Hayne standing up to Hodges and Inglis over 80 minutes. Regarding Jennings, I have strong reservations – he still has too many mistakes in him, but given the lack of lethal attacking centres available he has to play.
Five-eighth: Todd Carney
O’Connell os spot on with this one, although calling Carney a “freak” is a little over the top.
Having said that, he’s the Blues’ best attacking option, a man who can lead this team, which can’t be said of Jamie Soward, a solid player who would struggle to stay in first grade without his kicking game. Terry Campese’s not yet back to the guy he was, leaving Carney as the clear choice.
Halfback: Jarrod Mullen
This could have gone many ways, but I will say that it’s tremendous to see someone other than myself tell the truth about Mitchell Pearce, which is that he will never be more than a decent first-grade halfback.
It intends no disrespect to the man – that level is an achievement in itself. But Origin? No way.
Mullen is the only alternative who has made enough of an impact in attack while maintaining good form in every game he’s played. I was liking Luke Walsh for a while, but he’s been quiet recently.
Lock and back row: Glenn Steward, Paul Gallen, Anthony Watmough
Wow. I didn’t expect to agree with Ryan this much, but he’s going the right way here again, with a good balance of ballplaying (Stewart), power grind (Watmough) and… Paul Gallen.
Stewart may have to leave the field for periods, given his injury problems this year, but he’s world-class.
Props: Michael Weyman and James Tamou
Kade Snowden has a lot of fans, but I must say I’ve been disappointed with his legspeed to start the season.
Sometimes young props need to be prepared to increase the intensity of their hitups as they develop – in Origin it’s not enough to gain metres; forwards have to push the defence back if they want to provide their playmakers with any platform.
He could take a leaf out of Anthony Watmough’s book. The other spot was wide open but Weyman just has the smell of Origin mongrel about him – reminds me a little of Martin Bella.
Hooker: Danny Buderus
At his best, Buderus was one of top New South Wales players of all time in this position (Cameron Smith and Steve Walters being the other two).
That said, he is not the same player, lacking the lethal speed and destructiveness he used to possess out of dummy half. But the fact is that the hooking options are thin right now for NSW. This guy has done it before, and will go beyond himself every time he takes the field.
Bench : Tony Williams, Beau Scott, Luke Lewis, Brett Steward
Just when O’Connell had impressed me with his assessment of Mitchell Pearce, he goes ahead and drinks the Kurt Gidley cool-aid.
Gidley has been overrated for a long time – a good player who has never been great, and has proven himself to be anything but the answer at Origin level, especially when injured.
Yes, I know Tony Williams won’t have played for a while, but New South Wales desperately needs his explosiveness. Beau Scott is a tremendous athlete who can play in the centres.
Luke Lewis is Luke Lewis, and Brett Stewart, while not having done enough to secure a starting spot, is a man who can replace Barba if he’s struggling or in a circumstance where Barba needs to go into dummy half, something I’d like to see regardless.
So there it is. Will this team defeat Queensland? I wouldn’t bet on it, when that team can trot out a core like Slater, Inglis, Thurston, Cronk, Thaiday, C. Smith, Matt Scott.
But I can say that, unlike previous years, it has a chance.
What do you say, O’Connell?
Bronz
Guest
1) Brett Stewart 2) Uate 3) Hayne 4) Lawrence would not put jennings there as he is not the best defender! 5) B.Morris 6) Carney 7) Mullen or Pearce 8 ) Gallen 9) Farah 10) Tamou 11) G. Stewart 12) Lewis 13) Watmough 14) Gidley 15) Weyman 16) Tariq Sims 17) T.Williams This is the team that can cause the upset, I based my picks on Strictly on attack and defence. Every player c in this team can cause headaches for qld!! Have faith this year guys, its time NSW gave QLD a taste of their own medicine!! GO THE NSW BLUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Dom
Guest
My team 1)B.Morris - Great in broken play perfect at fullback 2)Uate 3)Hayne - MUST PLAY ORIGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4) Josh Morris 5) Mick jennings - is there anyone else??? Maybe hayne to centre, brett to wing and stewat to fullback 6) Carney 7)Pearce More from an origin experience aspect and the combination with Carney 13)Paul Gallen 12)Luke Lewis 11)Watmough 10) Tamou 9)Bederus 8)Weyman Beau scott, Criegh,Tony williams, Glen Stewart Whatever happens GO THE BLUES!!!!!!!
Charles
Guest
Excellent comments Carlos
Charles
Guest
The problem is not Jamie Soward, NSW lacks a good 1/2 back to steer them around the paddock Jamie needs room to do his superb kicks, he has all the skills but does need to run more He has the potential to be one of the best 5/8 ever, still young and will continue to grow. Carlos your team and mine are very similar but I expected Ricky Stuart to go completly different and he already has He will have Jarrod Hayne in 5/8 and Peter Wallace at 1/2 back I can live with that as it is a good combination, if they can have enough time to gel. They will both do more running at the defence line as this may be just what we need, as our forwards have not done their job well in the past. In light of that I my team would look something like this, if fit! 1. Brett Stewart 2. Michael Jennings 3. Josh Morris 4. Brett Morris 5. Akuila Uate 6. Jarrod Hayne 7. Peter Wallace 8. Michael Weyman 9. Danny Buderus 10.Paul Gallen 11.Anthony Watmough 12.Glen Stewart 13.Luke Lewis 14.Dan Hunt 15.Greg Bird 16.Kurt Giddley 17.Ryan Hinchcliffe
Big john
Guest
Just round the corner from Willie Masons house, in Auckland
bjt
Guest
Is that anywhere near where Sterlo was born?
Carlos
Guest
I think you make a big call to insult Soward suggesting he wouldn't make an NRL team with out his kicking game. The facts speak for themselves, Soward as dominant playmaker took St George to victory in a GF and has kept that team at the top of the premiership table for the last 4 years...What other NSW half can claim that or even close to that....Peter Wallace, maybe (but not really). Mullen, Sutton, Campese, Maloney Pierce, (good players but) not even close The combined strategic and attacking kicking game of QLD have nailed NSW for the last 6 years. We need what this guy does as much as what we need what Carny does, the combination of their strengths is good strategy. Mobile packs don't win games, brave halves taking on the defence when its not on don't win games. NSW have been slammed by applying the 'mobile' pack strategy more than we've ever had any success from it. It fails, along with the pointless running back-rowers at Lockyer to make him tired strategy. Inevitably we end up running aimlessly sideways hoping the excellent, experienced well drilled QLD team will go to pieces they never do and we just get rolled. Gallen showed the way in game two last year, get in their faces, if strong forwards, go forward they create second phase plays and quick play the balls. If they do that and Carney or Soward, provide good ball with room to the likes of Hayne Stewart Morris and Uate, NSW will score trys and potentially win. We can do to QLD what they have been doing to us for years. As for Hayne along side Gallen, he's consistently the best player NSW have, Stuart knows it and if Hayne can run he'll be there. Disclaimer - I dont support St George
yewonk
Guest
1 brett stewart 2 aku 3 jennings 4 matt king 5 everingham 6 carney 7 mullen 8 tomou 9 ennis 10 gallen 11 trex 12 luke lewis 13 g stewart 14 j idris 15 watmough 16 gidley 17 hayne. 18 ben barba. king and everingham arnt just in good form they have a combination and everingham has finished as well as merritt would. pearce cant defend so its mullen to cover his opposite as well as being able to tackle thaiday who runs that inside play. idris and hayne off the bench puts the pressure on them both to make it count when they are out there. forget the morris boys they temperamental ben barba picks himself.
yewonk
Guest
most people in here on the rugby league forums love to talk about origin selections anytime of year.
bjt
Guest
Actually, I thought you were doing a spoof to start with and putting together a Queensland A side. As in that's the only team that could beat Queensland. Now that would be game! Either way you had me laughing!
Matt
Guest
Ok, mate. I read newer posts and see that you are thinking of using the mobile back rowers in surplus as a weapon against the toads. The blues showed that is potentially a series winning tactic last year. For the record: Fullback: not going to pick anylayer that isn't 100 percent fit and confident in such a crucial position. If all is well Stewart is first choice followed by hayne. Wingers: Uate and Morris. No questions. Centres: Jennings - hopefully he is fit. And I am happy to see hayne picked here if fit. He simply has to be in the teamif he's good to go and he did a fair job in the centres against Hodges when he filled in. Josh Morris is next in line for me. Not keen on Lawrence at the moment. Same for Idris. Halves: carney and Pearce. The combination I think gets them over the line. The blues have very few combinations to build on. I reckon we need to utilise this one. Wallace certainly deserves a go on his form. If we weren't six series down I would be keen to see the best halfback so far this season rewarded but I reckon the pressure on him if it was a good as green combo of he and carney might be a bit different to what the former roosters graNd final halves will feel. Back rowers: Lewis, watmough, bird and Stewart have to be there.alot of people are leaving bird out. I know I wouldn't, and I can't imagine sticky would either. Williams will come into the side at some stage in the series. Maybe in place of a bench prop. Props: Gallen, Weyman, TLL, tamou. Utility: Gidley.manyone who doubts this bloke is kidding. The way he changed the games when he came on at the ruck last year was profound.
Matt
Guest
Sorry mate, but I was referring to your bench. You have three back rowers on your bench, all of whom are second-row/centres rather than second-row/front-rowers, if you know what I mean. Therefore gallen is the only real backup for the starting props, one of whom is a rookie.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
Soward is a kicker and tackler. Period. Effective in club football but doesn't bring nearly enough attacking options to the table to be picked. How many line breaks does he have? How many times do you see him create tries for other players? The guy is overrated.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
An awful unforced error on my part, Jimbo, which is not likely to be forgotten by the Roar crowd for many a day.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
Touche, bjt. I had a brain explosion.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
I agree that Queensland are still way ahead in class, which is why NSW's combinations need to be precise to give them a chance. I'm a fan of Peter Wallace- Mullen just edged him out due to a little more venom running the football.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
Hayne is not a 'freak' right now- you're a couple of years off the pace there. Yes, Barba isn't from NSW... dumb mistake on my part. NSW can't match the quality of Slater, Cronk, Thurston, Inglis, Hodges, Thaiday. As a result, they should be concentrating on speed and agility over big tanks- they're going to need to shift the Queensland big men around the field to create some openings. Galloway is okay but doesn't really add any strikepower. It's a tossup really- I like most of the guys you've selected (with the exception of Hayne as he currently is playing).
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
Gallen has played for Australia as a prop and is just as comfortable and effective in tight- so no, he wouldn't play in the backs before the front row. Yes, in the absence of Barba (because I'm a schmuck who forgot he was a Queenslander), Stewart would be the starting fullback. As mentioned, my plan had been to make Barba the attacking dummy half when Buderus was spelled, allowing Stewart to come into the game.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
This is bizarre. 'Strangling' the game? How so? Just because there's some focus on Origin selections? Seems as worthy a topic as any.
Paul
Guest
I dont think it matters who we pick in the halves, NSW is so far behind in producing halves i just cant see us winning the series. How ever i would go with Hayne Morris Morris Lawrence Uate Carney Wallace watmou Creigh Stewart Gallen Gidley Tomau Bench, Trex,Lewis,Merrin,T.Simms