With the announcement of the Blues team last night, there was a notable absence in the lineup.
Morris, the man who was Inglis’ opposite in game two, maintained his place and Hayne was an automatic inclusion (who has later withdrawn due to injury).
However, celebrated try-scorer and all-round nice guy, Nathan Merritt, did not make the cut.
Daley has named an extended bench, with McManus replacing Hayne and Dugan holding his spot at fullback.
Despite the injury cloud, which is ominously hovering over the NSW team like a cockroach about to be squashed, selectors have ignored the form of the flying winger Merritt and gone for tried and tested Origin players.
Some may say that Merritt had his chance and blew it. But what message does this send, not only to the current crop of NRL players, but to the kids who aspire to play at this elite level?
Debuting in Queensland, at Suncorp, is never going to be easy, and with a game plan that involved Merritt jamming Inglis (which left Boyd unmarked and with a free passage to the tryline), it is difficult to imagine how Merritt is supposed to do everything at once.
When asked post-match if he thought Merritt would maintain his spot, Inglis seemed dumbfounded that his Rabbitohs teammate might be dropped for the Origin decider.
This shows a difference in the attitude on either side of the border: the Blues have chopped and changed their lineup for the last seven years, in the hope of stumbling across a combination that works and breaks the hoodoo.
Meanwhile, Meninga’s men are seasoned performers, with combinations not only at club level, but a familiarity that springs from years of Origin games together.
Personally, I think that while Merritt’s debut may have been rather ordinary and underwhelming, the enormity of the occasion and the fact that NSW has always struggled to perform in QLD means he should be allowed another chance.
Even if he held a spot on the bench, or was just named in the 20 man squad, this would be better than shunning him all together and pretending he was never involved in this series.
Overall, I think NSW could do with some team building and just a general confidence boost. We all remember the drama surrounding John Sutton’s selection: he was called into training, only for Josh Reynolds to be picked ahead of him and the media (and consequently, Sutton’s family and friends) misinformed about who actually made the team.
QLD are a very professional success machine- and if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
Nico
Guest
Really Ra?......Really? How long does McManus have to live and and play in Australia to be considered eligible? Think he has proved his commitment. Inglis was born in NSW yet plays for Queensland..
Emily
Guest
Thank you for this article. Glad someone isn't as judgemental or unfair to him. Now haters Riddle me this... Pearce gets 10000 chances and Merritt gets just the one? Hmm. Doesn't sound fair to me. Daley TOLD Merritt to rush in on GI. That was the game plan that Daley thought up. Merritt was doing what he was TOLD. So because of Daleys shitty game plan Merro gets punished? Theres not many players who would play their first game in origin in QUEENSLAND and play to your absolute best ability. People booing and hissing at you left right and centre. The QLD players fired up after their luck luster performance in game I. GI out for revenge and looking forward to coming up against his team mate. Please. And where was the rest of the players huh? Where was Pearce and Maloneys good kicking game? The one NSW try was set up by Robbie Farrah. The defense was awful all across the park. How do you think QLD made all that ground? Merritt wasn't the only one out there trying to stop them. Nath deserved to be in the team again or at least on the extended bench instead of McManus. But I guess Daley can go do game III and Merritt will just help keep Rabbitohs at the top of the table.
B.A Sports
Guest
No. on several occaisons an overlap had not been created until Merrit rushed in. And all this crap that he was under instruction is rubbish. Sure he might have been told to cut off Inglis's time, but he would never have been told to rush in every single time! What winger has ever, in ths history of rugby league, been told to rush the opposing centre every time, no matter where on the field, no matter what the score, no matter how many players are on his outside. Enough already. He's a good club footballer. finds the line when he has a bit of space. But that is all he offers.
mushi
Guest
Look I’m sure he was under instructions to jam GI but there are two problems with that. The first was he did an absolutely horrible job of it. If you are going to rush up you need to basically make it so you are arriving as the ball gets there and force the player to only react as they catch the ball. Merrit kept rushing GI when he already had taken a step and had time to assess the play. This is basically playing one man short in defence at this level and either that wasn’t part of the coache's plan or aliens have cloned Laurie Daley because that is the type of plan that would come from someone who has never played league comes up with. The second aspect is that even where it is the plan you need to execute the plan in the context of the game. If you coach says I want you to kick the ball dead. Do you pick it up from dummy half, 5 metres out and just boot the thing into the stands? On one of the tries his cover defence is rushing across – there are two players that can handle Inglis but neither will get to boyd. By merit coming in and misreading his own team’s defensive pattern he puts three players on GI and leaves the winger free.
P.J.
Guest
I'm sick to death of hearing the phrase "built for Origin". Dugan is built for it, but he still played crap, dropped a bomb and did very little in attack. Morris is built for it, what did he do? Throw a pass over the sideline, drop a pass and not cover a jamming winger TWICE for 12 points. If the winger goes in, the centre slides out 100% of the time. FAIL. Built for it? Was Alan Langer "built for it"? What about Chikka Ferguson? Merritt is a great player, who week in week out DOES NOT JAM IN ON PLAYERS. Ever. It's not his tactic, he holds and slides and backs himself to put them over the sideline, which he does most of the time except the occasional Uati or Vatuvai running him over. It was a pathetic tactic of Daleys, for a player not experienced at that strategy. His timing was way off and Morris was nowhere to be seen covering the wing when Merritt was jamming in. Yet, Merritt is dropped and Morris.....oh yeah, that's right, he's in cause he's "built for Origin".
DMH
Guest
Time to get rid of Daley and his coaching team, and put in a coach with a brain.
James
Guest
Merritt HAD to come in off the wing each time as QLD created an overlap on each occassion. If anyone has been coached in rugby league, you will know that if there is an overlap, you run in to shut the play down as best you can. Its not Merritt's faulst there was an overlap. Its the rest of the team who played crap in the rest of the field which made Merritt look bad when HE had to try and cover for everyones mistakes. You have to be blind not to see this....
Phil Coorey
Roar Pro
thats not working - merrit has had two good games since the origin debacle
lyn
Guest
QLD'er Garth has hit the nail on the head- where was Merritt's back up. As a blue thru n thru I'm astounded at the treatment of one of our greatest wingers. It was obvious Merritt was under instruction, he was let down by the fullback AND his coach. Pitty for Merritt that Hayne wasn't the fullback for game 2.
Mike from tari
Guest
Daley said in the press conference after game 2 that he was responsible for Nathan & he backed up this by dropping him, it seems to me that Daley & his selectors are trying to destabilise Souths.
Knight Vision
Guest
"But what message does this send, not only to the current crop of NRL players, but to the kids who aspire to play at this elite level? " It simply tells them to aim up or get out of the way. Near enough is not good enough.
Knight Vision
Guest
Inglis is
Kid
Guest
This not built for origin line that gets talked about is rubbish. Was Alfie built for origin? Was matt sing? Was Geoff toovey? If Merritt was picked long term I'm sure he'd have more good games then bad
Ra
Guest
Front row going forward, team going forward - his front row was going backwards the whole game. The whole team was going backwards Never saw anyone in blue come out on top actually. Merritt coming off his wing to double team Inglis would have been game plan
The eye
Guest
Qld punted 2 players after losing Origin 1,so don't start the Qld are loyal to its players myth.
Ra
Guest
Sad that tho Brett, Merritt is genuine born and bred NSW, McManus isn't.
Joel Buckland
Roar Rookie
It was clear from game two that Merritt isn't cut out for SOO. Jamming in tactic or not, other comments are correct in saying that Merritt just isn't built for that arena. Of course Inglis is going to stand up for his clubmate at press conferences, and it also helps him to win game three if Merritt is there. At this stage in NSW's desperate attempt to finally win a series, the message that is sent is irrelevant. The best possible team is needed, the only game that matters for now is Wednesday week. Merritt had a tough game to enter as his first, but the reality is NSW needs more than a good finisher when going up against this Qld side.
Matt Moule
Guest
Well said you hit the nail on the head!!! Sutton has been around for 10 years and only now starting to play good!!!
Horatio
Guest
Merritt was out of his depth and most people knew that whilst he was a good club player, he was never going to make it at SOO especially at Suncorp and with his build. Queensland targeted him from the start and the NSW selectors should hang their heads in shame if they lose Game 3 as they blew the chance in game 2 to be competitive so now Queensland ride in with all the momentum..
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Hi Natalie, I also feel for Nathan. I was watching the match with my nephews and after the third rush in defence I commented to them that he must have been instructed to play that way - in his entire career I've never seen him defend in that manner. It was a ludicrous game plan and sadly he has suffered the consequences. In saying that, he didn't seem comfortable from the get go. I was expecting him to be pumped up and fighting to be involved, but alas it was not to be. Much as I love the bloke and admire the modest way in which he carries himself, he did look out of his depth. Lang Park will do that to you. I would also add that Merritt was not the only Blues player with a less than stellar match - the Morris brothers have been quiet all series and Mitchell Pearce is....Mitchell Pearce.