With the year’s first State of Origin teams announced in just over two weeks, I thought I’d have a crack at playing selector.
Naturally, the Queensland team was fairly easy to pick; when you win seven series straight, you don’t need to change very much. Your big guns are identified and you just know they will fire when the time arises.
Without further ado, here is Maroons combination I think they’ll come up with:
Queensland: Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Brent Tate, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Corey Parker, Nate Myles, Sam Thaiday, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (c), Ben Hannant. Bench: Matt Gillett, Corey Norman, David Shillington, Martin Kennedy.
When you look at this team, you will notice just about every member is a ‘go-to’ player at his particular club.
All are big occasion performers with proven skills, extremely reliable under pressure. In other words, each has the perfect Origin temperament and will do the job Mal Meninga expects.
The NSW Blues, however, are nowhere near as settled and recent injuries to fullback Brett Stewart and winger Brett Morris have thrown a spanner in new coach Laurie Daley’s plans.
After giving the balance of the team plenty of thought, The Wizard has come up with the following Blues team.
It is the one I would like to see selected, not necessarily the one that will be announced on Sunday, May 26.
NSW: Jarryd Hayne, Nathan Merritt, Josh Morris, Michael Jennings, Blake Ferguson, Todd Carney, Mitchell Pearce, Glenn Stewart, Anthony Watmough, Greg Bird, James Tamou, Robbie Farah, Paul Gallen (c). Bench: Kurt Gidley, Luke Lewis, Aiden Tolman, Tony Williams.
Now, before you jump down my throat about choosing ‘T Rex’ Williams in my line-up, I did so to give the side some serious impact from the bench.
He hasn’t set the world on fire this season but there were some definite sparks from the big guy in Canterbury’s big win over the Tigers last week.
Coach Daley is sweating on Williams to time his run for Origin selection. Fit and firing, there is no more damaging forward in NSW and, even though picking him would be considered a gamble, the Maroons would be uncomfortable to see him enter the fray against a tiring defence.
The Blues are going to need impact from the bench. Every man there must get on and bend the defence backwards.
Tolman has been doing this all season for the Bulldogs and I am an unabashed fan. To me, he seems the perfect substitute if any of the Blues’ big men need a breather.
It is time NSW finally plumps for the ultra consistent Merritt as one of their wingers. This guy has scored 146 tries in 208 NRL appearances and is as good as any winger I can name in defence.
With Hayne switching from the flank to cover Brett Stewart’s vacant fullback spot, I went for Canberra’s X-factor, Blake Ferguson, as the other winger.
He is creative, can score tries from anywhere and has a utility value that cannot be ignored. Ferguson looks every inch a big match performer and remember – he slayed a full strength Melbourne in Melbourne last weekend.
Anyway, these are my thoughts on the teams for Origin I.
Over to you now, Roarers!
Brett the manly fan
Guest
Don't worry I have an odd sense of humour as well
Bearfax
Guest
I'e got weird sledge hammer humour Brett. Takes a while to get used to it.
Brett the manly fan
Guest
Oh ok I see where ur coming from :)
Bearfax
Guest
I'm being facetious Brett. I'm playing with the criticism being made against our Queensland neighbours but with very much tongue in cheek (in other words I'm not being serious). Give it to them as much as you like. I was just suggesting that they may get hurt feelings because they're sensitive up there.
Brett the manly fan
Guest
How am I a bully please explain
Bearfax
Guest
You're just a bully Brett, thats what you are (from a fellow sea eagle).
Brett the manly fan
Guest
Sorry I like big players who can batter qldsland
thomascrown
Guest
Allan u have ur centres and Wingers on opposite sides, and why u wouldnt u put Bird and Gallen in their respected NRL positions?
Maroon Blood
Roar Rookie
Soward? Idris? T-Rex? Mateo? Man, you must really LOVE Queensland!
Devout Saint
Guest
Snowman. For starters Josh Reynolds is much more suited to halfback than hooker. Not too bright Snowman. lol Now Josh Reynolds is Canterbury's dominate playmaker. I prefer my chief playmaker to play halfback. I rate Josh Reynolds the best half-5/8 in NSW and as I previously said that he would be the first half chosen for NSW and I would have chosen Pearce at halfback and Josh Reynolds at 5/8, but I didn't have a goal kicker in my team, so I picked Maloney with Josh Reynolds. Carney was the other option. Josh Reynolds will be very suited to origin too. I rate Josh Reynolds way higher than Adam Reynolds and I certainly was not talking about Adam Reynolds. lol Just remember that Thurston was a 5/8 when he was at Canterbury and then went on to be one of the best halfbacks of all time. I would have liked Saints to have bought Josh Reynolds to play halfback for us with Kyle Stanley 5/8 next year. I think Josh Reynolds is more suited to halfback than 5/8 anyway.
Brett the manly fan
Guest
The nsw side needs Stewart in game 2 and 3 for sure but we have to make do in the time being so I would go with hayne at fullback and merrit and uate on the wings with Morris and Jennings in the centers. My halves would be carney and soward but Pearce is already chose so I will have carney and Pearce. The backrow would be gallen at lock (NOT FRONT ROW) bird and Stewart if fit and if not then watemough will move from the bench. The front row will be tamou and mason as the props Farah as hooker. My bench would have the big boys Mateo, grant and trex with Luke Lewis. Gids is 18 man. Other contenders are ferguson, loko, taufau and idris
Bazzio
Roar Guru
Jason Ryles for one last hurrah game to blitz 'em
Greg
Guest
Trent Merrin has to be in the side. He is one of the games best back rowers and can hit it up like a front row as well. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Homebrand
Guest
Ryan Hoffman any day of the week over Trex
Gus Paella
Guest
NO NO NO NO. Just Stop. Stop right now. No T-Rex please. Impact of the bench doesn't mean loose carries and receiving the ball flat footed. Mobility and agility in the back row has been the go for NSW. They are closer than ever. And Gidley? No way, he isn't in good enough form to remove Tyrone Roberts at Newcastle! -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
snowmann
Guest
I am a Dogs fan and member and Josh Reynolds is without doubt my favourite player, but he must be on crack if he really wants to Josh at halfback. When has Josh ever played HB with the dogs..NEVER that's when, he is not a HB and to be honest, I dont want him to be a HB he is a devastatingly great ball runner, much more suited to hooker or 5/8th. Now who is not to bright bulldogs 4ever?????
Jake
Guest
I don't think Mals has an opinion, he just wanted to have a whinge.
BULLDOGS 4EVER
Guest
snowman you not too bright are you. devout was talking about josh reynolds not adam reynolds who do the goal kicking for souths. josh can also play half
BULLDOGS 4EVER
Guest
in the know.you don't know much, benny barba can play half or 5/8.go back to he time in the u/20
Jake
Guest
In the know; If you read my post, you would have noticed that I didn't have Norman, Barba or DCE in my team. I simply said that they would be better options than Norman. If you think that a relatively inexperienced 5/8 turn FB is a better choice than a Dally M winner, or a GF winning HB then you should change your name to "Not In The Know". In regards to Taylor, I never said he would make it, I was just struggling to think of other alternatives. After thinking about it now I would say that Lillyman would be a better option.