Having dominated Queensland in Game 1 of State of Origin, New South Wales’ hopes of repeating the process in Game 2 have been dealt a huge blow.
James Tamou, who was caught driving four times over the legal limit, has been suspended for two games by the National rugby league and will therefore miss the second game of the series.
The ramifications of the suspension are not yet clear, but what is certain is that NSW coach Laurie Daley will now have to change is 17-man line-up in ways that he hadn’t intended after the Game 1 win.
What are the most likely consequences of Tamou’s suspension?
Option 1: Bring in Tim Grant
Perhaps the simplest option is a straight swap for Tim Grant. Grant was in the team last year and was perhaps unlucky not to make the starting team again this year, which would therefore make him a seamless fit into the Blues’ Origin team.
The biggest positive of this move would be that NSW wouldn’t have to change their bench at all and would be able to utilise a similar game plan as they did in Game 1.
Option 2: Bring in another forward
Outside of Grant, the two most likely replacements for NSW to bring into the team seem to be Wests Tigers prop Aaron Woods and Manly Sea Eagles second-rower Glenn Stewart.
Woods could work in that he’s a dominant forward and is a better positional fit for what NSW lose in Tamou. On the other hand Stewart is a proven Origin performer and would no doubt relish the opportunity to play for the Blues once more.
The biggest question mark around Stewart is that he would likely have to move onto the bench. He’s simply not cut out to play in the front row at Origin level, and it would be a poor move for NSW if that’s the decision they ended up making.
Simply put, Woods works as a straight swap, but Stewart doesn’t. If Stewart is to come into the team, then there’s likely to be some sort of reshuffle on the bench.
Which leads us to a third option (which I think is perhaps the most likely).
Option 3: Start Trent Merrin
Trent Merrin was superb off the bench for NSW in Game 1 (as were all of their forwards) and would be a strong starting option in the front row for the Blues.
He’s a prop forward by trade who has been in dynamic form this year, and would certainly cover the absence of Tamou alongside Paul Gallen up front.
The biggest plus with this move is that it gives NSW more options on the bench. They could name Woods, Stewart, Grant or any other player that they desired and simply play them as a replacement forward when the likes of Gallen and Merrin need a break.
Moreover, they’d have plenty of tried and tested options to choose from when Game 3 rolls around, with a slew of forward and bench combinations available for Daley and the selectors to choose from.
Personally, I think the third move is probably the best one – start Merrin, and bring Woods on to the bench.
I’d love to know what you think and how you’d approach the changes from NSW’s point of view.
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