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Kurt Gidley’s untimely foot injury opens the door for untold possibilities in Laurie Daley’s NSW team but for my money, there’s a no-brainer choice as the new bench man.
Bulldogs’ five-eighth Josh Reynolds looks to be ideally suited for the job.
He’s tough, versatile and hungry for the big stuff. I’d have no hesitation picking him for the opening Origin game and I reckon it would be a master stroke.
Sure, there are many strong candidates for the prized bench spot.
Penrith’s Tim Grant, Cronulla’s Todd Carney, Souths’ John Sutton, Newcastle’s Willie Mason and maybe even Tariq Sims from the Cowboys.
But, to my mind, Reynolds has the form required and he’s going to be an Origin player one day in the near future – why not now?
OK, before you smash me for a perceived Bulldog bias, I want you to ask yourself exactly what you would want from your bench, now that Gidley has been ruled out.
Some will plump for an extra big man and there are quite a few candidates well and truly in the running.
Others will want to see a back coming off the bench. I am definitely of that opinion.
Sutton and Carney have outstanding claims, but again I come back to the Bulldog Reynolds. He plays every game as though it’s an Origin decider. His puts his body on the line time and again whether it’s in defence or attack.
He’s the toughest young footballer on the rise and I’d even say there’s a touch of a young Laurie Daley in the way he approaches his footy.
This guy is fearless, he knows how to makes things happen and he’s rough and tough – tough as many of the forwards picked in both state teams.
Anyway, having said all of that, I am delighted with the team Daley has chosen for Origin 1. It has a terrific blend of experience and youth – I am excited at what the Blues can achieve in what is shaping as the most exciting series we have ever seen.
James Maloney, at five-eighth, was an inspired decision. The coach says it was a “gut” feeling but this guy is a very special talent who plays really, really well in big matches.
I like the way he is ultra-cool under pressure. I like him trying to manufacture something when nothing seems to be on.
I like his combination with Mitchell Pearce – the Blues will need this sort of chemistry to combat the Cronk-Thurston partnership which has been killing all challengers for three or four years.
We (sorry, I have blue blood coursing through my veins) have a serious shot at ending Queensland’s reign and if this team doesn’t shape up, I’ll be very surprised.
The Maroons’ team contained few, if any, surprises. I am pleased to say I went within a whisker of predicting their entire line-up in last week’s column on The Roar.
Queensland looks to have brilliance all over the park but I do think we have an edge in the mobility of our forwards. We might be able to create a few chances if we play them up the middle.
It’s a long wait from now until the kick-off but if you are like me, you’ll love the mind games, the cat-and-mouse tactics, the dramatic media build-up and all of the theatrics, as we set ourselves for another gripping Origin series.
I just wish my calendar said we are on the eve of June 5.
Oh well, we’ve got seven sleeps to go before the mighty Blues start retrieving The Holy Grail. This is going to be big.
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