There have been several decisions made by Laurie Daley and his selectors during this Origin series that can be called into question.
I slice them into three categories: 1. Forgivable due to the reputation of the player involved. 2. Questionable at the time, poor in hindsight and 3. Wrong at the time and continuing to be wrong.
Let’s start with Category 1. Paul Gallen was the current NSW captain at the beginning of this series. It would be hard and harsh not to pick him. But he’s been living on reputation for some time now and Boyd Cordner is a significant step up in power, speed and evasion. Good news for the Blues.
Category 2 features several players, but let’s start with James Maloney. I can understand his selection, but Todd Carney was my choice for Game 1. Yes, he was quiet for NSW in 2012 but his upside is far greater than the Roosters number six.
Carney has the ability to dominate with his playmaking and has an outstanding attacking kick, two elements absent for NSW in Game 2. If NSW stumble in attack in the decider, Maloney’s selection will certainly have been poor in hindsight.
Another in the questionable category would be James McManus. A good first grader, but NSW missed an opportunity to include an attacking weapon in Jorge Taufua, not to mention someone who can act as an extra forward when slogging out of danger. Taufua should have been picked over Nathan Merritt in Game 2. Hopefully this won’t make or break the Blues’ night.
Category 3’s headliner is the selection of Aaron Woods to start over Andrew Fifita. Fifita has been substantially more effective than Woods this season, and as NSW got buried in its own half in the opening fifteen minutes of Game 2, the folly of Woods’ selection became manifest.
Laurie Daley has again gotten it wrong by not starting Fifita. There is a growing consensus in rugby league that impact players should be kept on the bench until the opposition tires.
The problem inherent in this theory is obvious, borne out in Game 2: if the opposition doesn’t have to deal with impact players like Andrew Fifita, they won’t tire in the first place. Penrith should start James Segeyaro at hooker every game, and that should also be the case with Fifita.
My tip? Something tells me the energy is with NSW this year, especially with Paul Gallen being replaced with a superior player.
Roger from Rocky
Guest
A bit tardy I know but I have genuine concerns that MG's right and the new blood along with a healthy dose of enthusiasm can roll the Maroons tonight. Qld will have to bring their top game and a whole bunch of energy to make it 8 straight.
Roger from Rocky
Guest
I'm one and I would prefer that Gallen was there. He's a known quantity and while his work rate is indeed second to none I have real reservations about his leadership on the field. There are times I swear that he's a distraction rather than a focus for his team and to be honest I doubt a real leader would have hit Myles with that forearm, no matter what he reckoned Myles had done. Far better to bury him with a few legal tackles in a row and run over him with ball in hand than do that.
The Koomz
Guest
Cordner replaced Reynolds not Gal, good choice too. Expect him to run off Pearce's shot balls from the inside.
Tiger
Guest
Gallen will be missed greatly, and im not a fan of his. Woods shouldn't be playing Origin yet.. Queensland by plenty.
Knight Vision
Guest
To say leadership is an empty term implies that you have little to no understanding of how anything in the world operates. The military , business , team sports , family , society in general.....just about everything. Team sport and in particular football is a mental game as much as physical , its about confidence as much as skill. Wally Lewis was not always the best player on the field with his skill but was a general in terms of directing the team around the paddock.
steve b
Roar Guru
+1 planko
planko
Guest
Steve B he will be missed but I think with a good start the blues are a strong hope.
steve b
Roar Guru
So mate that just shows you have never put a boot on in your life , let me explain what leading from the front means ,in means you never have to look for him he is always at the front of the pack doing his job , and mate if you don't have a captain that all the men respect you will never ever get the best out of them this is what a leader of men is , you are kidding if you think he won't be missed , fair dinkum mate get real .
Mac
Guest
Dumb piece, doesn't make sense. Sorry...
eagleJack
Guest
We are all aware of Pearce's shortcomings and its been done to death for years. It has hardly been ignored. The issue is that until this year we haven't had another option. And in any case Reynolds is still light years behind Cronk/Thurston so it will be a while before we can match QLD in the halves.
fishes
Guest
Yes, but look at all the players representative careers that the NSW selectors and Daley has killed, and the confidence lost, by chopping and changing the team all the time. If Cordner will be picked up and then spat out on the stock pile again like the many before him.
fishes
Guest
And let me guess Mitchell Pearce is somehow a winner at state level? He has got the Sharks over the line many times. they haven't won the comp yet, so what
fishes
Guest
"I would have sacked Gallen to keep Reynolds"... LMAO surely the finest piece of comedy I've read on this site ?
damoinaus
Roar Pro
I really think Gallen should play more like a genuine back-rower than a quasi-prop in Origin. The experts say Gallen is a tight runner, not an edge runner...but I think the reality is when he's named as a prop for Origin, he ends up costing a genuine prop a spot on the field. It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. In the twilight of his career, I think Gallen would be a better quality player if he ran angles and ran hard at smaller men rather than doing his best impersination of a prop every Origin.
eagleJack
Guest
Sorry MG we are talking about Game III here and Woods was brought into replace Gallen. Tamou is also starting. Or did you miss that memo?? If Gallen was playing then Reynolds would have kept his position on the bench. Cleaning up the ruck involves the tackling in close which predominately they will have Cordner doing. It is these little things that Gallen does as well as making an incredible 171m on average ( as pointed out by Renegade above) which makes him one of the games great forwards.
Raugeee
Guest
MG - spot on. Gallen is a blight to the game and I pray he's nor selected for Australia. A full strength NZ are going to be hard to stop ( they don't have a great record in England though ). I know QLD does stick and pick well but what about the great Origin coach Phil Gould? What could he produce? OK - 2004, series 1 all after a 4 point loss in Brisbane, what does Gus do? 8 positional changes! Including 2 debutants in Gasnier and Cooper and Trent Barrett back after 2 years absence. Barrett was also the 3rd halfback for the Blues in that series. Fortune favours the brave and at home, NSW can afford to be brave.
Renegade
Guest
Few points that came to my mind after reading what's been listed as Category 1 are: 1. Have you watched rugby league this year? 2. Have you ever watched rugby league? 3. Is this an attempt of sensationalism to provoke a reaction? 4. Have you been drinking? Honestly, i'm baffled.....that's one of the most ridiculous paragraphs i've ever read on the roar.
Renegade
Guest
"We need power runners who can take NSW forward. Gallen is no longer the best player for that." WTF?? Gallen has averaged 171m per game over the last 3 origin series.......next best forward from both sides was 110m. Again, WTF?
Renegade
Guest
+1 I don't think MG has watched much football in his time or he is going for the sensationalism approach with this article.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
I'm not talking about 'heart size' Eye, I'm talking about talent. Look at most successful Origin players- they usually debuted at a young age. He's ready and that's all that counts.