Mobile forwards using footwork around the ruck to bend back Queensland’s defensive line was almost the recipe for NSW’s success in State of Origin game one.
Ricky Stuart has stuck by the formula of running the Queensland forwards ragged to halt their go forward, which would prevent shifts to their star studded backline.
But heading into game two, the biggest game of the series, Stuart has brought in Tim Grant, an extra prop at the expense of a back-rower.
Grant will push Paul Gallen, NSW’s best metre-eater, out of the front row and into lock where he will play as a third front–rower.
The promotion of Tim Grant to starting minute football adds more size to the NSW pack to try and dominate the opening exchanges in the play the ball.
Is this move too much of a gamble?
Naturally, it will take time for Grant to adjust to the faster pace that is State of Origin football. His play the ball and line speed in defence will have to increase if he is to make an impact in the second game.
Grant’s adjustment will have to be made in the first 10-15 minutes, the same amount of time in which NSW dominated the forward battle and gave them the ascendency for most of the game (bar the time of Jennings’s sin binning).
Tim Grant’s promotion has relegated Panthers teammate Luke Lewis to the interchange bench.
Luke Lewis is arguably rugby league’s best mobile forward, with his fancy footwork earning him a starting spot in the second row for Australia in the ANZAC test earlier this year.
The demotion of Luke Lewis from the starting side will limit NSW’s fast footwork around the middle of the ruck, which was their strength in game one.
Ricky Stuart has also brought Anthony Watmough onto the bench, who was controversially overlooked for the first Origin game in Melbourne.
Stuart has opted for two of NSW’s best mobile forwards to start on the bench, so the big men in the middle can earn the right for the smaller forwards to open up the ruck when the Queenslanders get tired in the later stages of the first half.
The start of Origin games is crucial. Before Stuart’s tenure, NSW had been notorious for trying to bash Queensland up the middle but would fail miserably.
The Blues proved in Origin one mobile forwards with quick footwork around the ruck can break up the Queensland defence in the early stages.
By Ricky Stuart starting with an extra front rower ahead of a mobile back-rower shows NSW is falling back into the old trap.
The inclusion of Grant to start will change the NSW’s style of play in game two.
Would you really want to change the formula now? I know it wasn’t a winning formula, but the formula itself was not the reason for NSW’s loss in game one.
Charles
Guest
mfree both your comments are spot on and my sentiments exactly!
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Tony, This is part of it, send me an email at winner@bigpond.net.au or you can get everything from championprofits.com .....This is the most emotional game of the year, but those feelings must be left aside. For us, it is all about the facts and the value, and the market made a massive over re-action when Thaiday pulled out allowing punters to back Queensland at odds against. Some bookies moved the price ten points – wow! Thaiday is replaced by Corey Parker, who has a similar rating at the Broncos and I believe he should have won the captaincy when Lockyer retired. Thaiday had a poor game in Melbourne and Parker (see below) has outplayed him all season. Below is the stats comparing Thaiday, Parker and Taylor, they are over whelming.
Dubble Bubble
Guest
'Our biggest problem has been 1/2′s converting opportunities into points.'Agreed. It might help if they don't just put up the bomb every time they are within sight of Queenslands 30m line.I know Slater is rocks and diamonds under the high ball but how about running some plays and getting tries through the hands?
tonysalerno
Roar Guru
Thanks scott, can i get a copy of that email :P
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Tony, Well picked up and you are 100% correct. I am sending an email out tomorrow and a lot of what you have said is in it. The NSW fowards went great in game 1, Grant for Lewis ahh, I think Mal would be happy with that.
mfree
Guest
Pearce in our beloved nsw squad is the mistake Sticky has made, he plays for himself and is out to make his self look good at the expense of the rest of our team. He is a dud and has many years to prove himself and has done sweet fk all. If it wasnt for daddy he would be another casualty who once played origin for the Blues. I nearly broke my TV watching game 1, i noticed the fa66ot kept disappearing in attack and left Buhrer out there to fend for himself, like the time we were on the QLD try line and Buhrer had no options but topass it to T-rex hahahahaahahaha WTF? WHY THE FK IS HE STILL IN OUR TEAM????????????????????
mfree
Guest
There entire NSW pack is mobile bar Grant who btw isnt so slow himself, but we def need Grants size and we have weakened our backrow (which has always been NSW strength) by strengthening our front row putting Gallen up front, and if Gallen can make big metres at lock every week why cant he do the same at origin? Tamou has the best of both worlds with his quick footwork and has powerful go forward, and i think its a good move by Sticky to move Lewis and Watmough to the bench, there ability to speed up the game by fast play the ball and unpredictable footwork would be a real worry for the less mobile QLD pack in the later stages of the game. I believe Sticky is trying to replicate that dominance in the frst 20mins in game 1 and move it later in the game once the QLD forwards have been softened. Im also delighted to see Taylor as a starting back rower cause its a scary prospect knowing there is a fresh taylor on the bench waiting to come on when our boys are tired but with Thaiday out he will be the one to be replaced when our boys are tired.
db swannie
Guest
JJ you hit the nail on the head.. No matter how dominant your forwards are you need halves that can convrt that into points. NSW lack woefully in this area.
Jesse James
Guest
Seeing as we have won the forward battle in recent times by running the QLD pack around I tend to agree with you, although given Burough's lack of game time any player that Ricky is willing to use for 30 odd min's should compliment the team. Tim Grants back to back MOM preformances shows he is in good form hopefully he is the right man for the job. Merrin and Creagh also need to prove they are SOO material. Our biggest problem has been 1/2's converting opportunities into points.
Roarsome
Guest
Somehow I don't think penalties will be a problem for NSW in Game II. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
steve b
Roar Guru
I dont think Grants inclusion isn;t going to change the game plan to much , havng Watmough and Lewis as back ups is good insurance if Grant finds it to much ,, although i havent watched every game Grant has played he was up to par in those i did..My concern is Watmough and his uncanie ability to attract penalities,, the refs just dont seem to like him ( i dont know why ) . I think if NSW play like they did in the first 20 of the last game , and do that the intire game they;ll win . Its a huge ask but i think their up to the task ...