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All the recent talk about coaches being under pressure is a bit boring. I’m more interested in the impending State of Origin series, and the selection issues that Ricky Stuart must be juggling in the lead-up to it.
There’s no doubt that a few guys are guaranteed a place in the side, their form has been that good. Most notably, Paul Gallen and Glenn Stuart, since coming back from injury.
And there’s been a lot of debate around who the starting hooker should be: Buderis, Farrah, or Ennis.
But while there’s a healthy discussion going on in the media and in the fans’ living room, it should really come down to form on the field.
And I think, in many ways, all the speculation is just putting unwanted pressure on these players.
Pressure creates doubt in the mind of the players (Chris Sandow will tell you that), and once a player, or a team, loses confidence, it can be very difficult to get it back.
That said, without wanting to put more pressure on him, I’m a massive fan of Mitchell Pearce. He must be the Blues’ number 7 this year.
Up until the City-Country match, I would have said that Peter Wallace had his nose in front. But Pearce has really put his hand up lately and demanded selection.
He’s just a terrific young player.
Like his old man, Wayne ‘Junior’ Pearce, Mitchell is a superb defender. He actually played lock in his junior days before being shifted to half, and you can see that in the way he lines up in defense..
He’s very tough and very intense on the field.
I’d be paring Mitchell Pearce up with Todd Carney. Could they really find another 6 with better form on the board?
State of Origin is no time to experiment and I feel Carney is a pretty safe bet to rise to the occasion. His play this season has been outstanding, partly because the pressure has largely come off him and he looks like he’s enjoying his footy.
He looks relaxed on the field and he’s just going out and getting the job done.
You’ve got to remember that players are only human. If you have issues off the field distracting you, it will impact on how you perform on the field.
It’s the same as any job in that sense.
The fans are often shielded from the realties of what’s going on in a player’s life, though invariably, the coaches and teammates know.
This season, Todd appears to have let go of these outside pressures and distractions, and his form has been outstanding as result.
Pair him up with Mitchell, and I reckon the Blues will give the Maroons a real run this series.
Gary ‘Wiz’ Freeman is one of the great halfbacks in New Zealand rugby league history. Now an outspoken and popular media personality, he joins The Roar as an expert rugby league columnist.
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