NSW Blues coach Ricky Stuart tried his best to get it wrong yet again, but fate has stepped in to lend him a much needed helping hand.
Stuart has been sacked from his last two head coaching jobs at the Roosters and the Sharks, as well as being shown the door when National coach.
However, he continues to mesmerise the mainstream media and the decision makers at the ARLC into believing that he is the best coaching option.
The winner each year of game one in the Origin has a walk up start to take the series as they only have to win one of the remaining two games left. The bookmakers agree by generally firming the Origin I winner into prohibitive odds of around 1.22:1.
The Queensland Maroons have won the last six Origins by playing attacking rugby league and to have any chance of defeating them, the opposition must have a list of players who are capable of scoring 25 points or more.
The Maroons have averaged scoring 24 points in their 13 wins over the last six Origins. The average since 2001 is 26 points.
This is not rocket science but Ricky Stuart, in his wisdom, decided to play the slow and defensive Dean Young in the key position of hooker in last year’s initial game. He also could not find a position for three of the world best attacking forwards in Luke Lewis, Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough.
Stuart replaced Young after when he made only 15 metres from two runs at the 43 minute mark with Mick Ennis, who came on and cost the Blues heavily with his errors and missed tackles.
It is true that the Maroons are blessed to have Cam Smith as their hooker, but privately he must have been chuckling that he did not have to take on the two guys that have caused him the most trouble over the years in Kurt Gidley and Robbie Farah.
Gidley is sadly injured and out of contention this year but Farah is fit and firing at club level. Farah has immense talent not only with the ball and as a tactical left foot kicker, but he is one of the most intelligent players in the NRL and knows when to run and when to pass.
He is what has been lacking, but Stuart, for some reason only known to him, considered the likes of Young and Ennis a better origin fit.
We now know that had former Blues captain Danny Buderus had not been injured last week he would have been given the nine jersey again after a three year stint in England.
The fact that Buderus is 34 years old and slower than Dean Young did not seem to make any difference.
The fact that Buderus has shown at the Knights since his return to the NRL that the speed of the game now has gone past him and that he is seemingly incapable of busting a tackle or making a line break or even setting up a support is totally irrelevant to Ricky Stuart.
Danny Buderus has been a wonderful servant to the game and it would have been a shame had his wonderful reputation been tarnished in a high level, high stakes rep game that had passed him by.
We had to witness this last year when Anthony Minichiello embarrassed himself and when the grand final fullback Brett Stewart watched on from his lounge thinking what he may have been able to do to help his Blues.
Brent Stewart scores more tries per match than any other fullback by reading the game well and chiming in at the right time. He is one of those guys, along with the creative Robbie Farah, who know how to engineer 25 points or more for a team.
It seems that not even Ricky Stuart can get it wrong this year as it appears that fate is wearing a sky blue jersey.
Renegade
Guest
Anyone mentioning Brett Morris as fullback for NSW must be a Queenslander....
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Gee Fanks Planko
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
TGGOA No, his son did. Senior played on the left
PLANKO
Guest
Scott I concur with Tom I enjoy your artticle every time mate keep them coming ....
The Greatest Game Of All
Guest
Didnt Guru mainly play on the right?
Matt Blomberg
Guest
Scott, Those statistics are irrelevant come Wednesday night. And from your list there, Mini doesn't need to be in front of Slater, Inglis, Barba, Hoffman, Bowen Boyd or Locke; is far more consistent and relaible than Hayne, wont get injured like Dugan (Gardner and Gordon are also injured), and while Morris showed a few brilliant touches at the back it is nothing that Mini hasnt been doing for 10 years. You left Stewart off your list, the only one that matters, as he and the Count are neck and neck for the spot. I agree Stewart has that touch more speed eft in him and defends like a demon, but Mini's combo with Pearce and Carney would be the clincher.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
ceebow It will be Josh and Hayne in the centres.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
rl I dont think I have seen many better left wings than Brett Morris. I have to go to Eric Grothe Snr. What do u mean by "what happens inside them"?
ceebow
Guest
yeah but we both know that ricky plays ppl out position so i dont thhink playing someone on the left or right will stop him, and i really think ricky is gonna put hayne in the centres if he picks his defence up, so i only see it either being morris or idris
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Tom Thanks mate, appreciate your comments. I dont get emotional and that is crucial when doing ratings. I agree about Dugan and have been in love with him for 4 years. He is the closest thing I have seen to Langlands. He is the Blues long term fullback, but his crook shoulder makes him a risk for game 1 and Brett Stewart is a genuine try scorer, something they need. It is a shame that Dugan is coached by a guy who has limited ability as when he learns to read the play defensively he could be anything. When he has the ball I can assure you that the opposition coach is nervous, unlike when Mini has it. Jennings has an injury and got sprung drinking I think so has been banished to the NSW Cup. Go figure! NSW are lucky that Josh Morris is flying.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
ceebow They are not in competition. Josh Morris plays left centre and Jamal would play where he did at the Bulldogs, on the right. He would be dynamic and would worry Mal.
Mac
Guest
You must have misread I said he did have a shocker in game three last year...
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Planko As I said, they need to score 25 points and defensive guys will not do that.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Mac you must be related to him. How in the *&^% was he awesome in game 3? He never looked like making a break when ever they kicked the ball to him. His form last year was very poor all year statistically and in my opinion. In 2012 it is better but a long way from top class. From everyone who has played fullback in 2012 he is: 9th for Line Breaks 10th for Try Assists 8th for Tackle Breaks These are areas where the NSW number 1 needs to be good if they hope to counter Slater. Mac I admire Mini and I do watch him closely every week, but I cannot rate him now in front of Slater, Inglis, Dugan, Stewart, Barba, Hoffman, Coote, Morris, Hayne, Bowen, Boyd, Locke and even Michael Gordon and Nath Gardner.
ceebow
Guest
Its almost seems like a popularity contest with ricky stuart.
Tom
Guest
Scott I love your stuff mate. My favourite person on the roar by a long distance. If I was the Blues sole selector I would have Josh Dugan as fullback. I know he is under an injury cloud but he has been in terrific form for Canberra recently and is constantly making the most meters at fullback in the game's he is involved in. Thoughts and also can you tell me what's happened with Jennnings. I would love to see him picked this year.
ceebow
Guest
I never watched all the brissy titans game but from what i saw in the first half Jamal Idris done a good job of shuting down hodges in defence and i think he is the type not to take hodges shit, to hodges credit though he has slowed down in his intimidation and grubby behaviour, but i think morris offers more in attack.
Mac
Guest
Sorry Scott I like the article but you obviously have not been watching Mini this year. He is in tremendous form, is getting his hands on the ball more than ever and all of a sudden has a wonderful passing game that seems to have come out of nowhere. I would prefer Brett Stewart at fullback but honestly Mini is actually pretty close to his best at the moment. Granted he did have a shocker in game three last year but it was a couple of uncharacteristic knockons and unforced errors more than anything else. He was awesome in game 2 and don't say it was just the try in the dying stages, he was everywhere and even beat Slater when they both went up for a high ball in his own half. That for me was the highlight of game 2 (apart from the luke Lewis tackle on Cooper Cronk from behind 10 metres from the line). Anyway one thing MIni has lost is his blinding pace and that makes it harder for him to break the line. I'm a big Hayne fan but his defensive lapses against the Tigers were inexusable and Dugan won't be ready till game 2 atleast so I'd have Mini as backup if anything happens to Stewart...
PLANKO
Guest
If you asked me. "Is worth half of what he gets paid" I would say "no". I think Ricky and the selectors need to take some risks in selection and he is the type of "risk player" They should be considering. On his night he could run over anyone. Tony Williams is the same when he is on he is cracking. He does have his moments with silly penalties/off loads & poor ball security. It is a fine line between genius and smuck when it comes to off loads.
rl
Guest
thats a fair observation Scott, both on Jennings & the Morris brothers - worth giving them a run. It's what happens inside them that is going to make the difference anyway, one way or another.