All hail Toovs, the Blues coach in waiting

@Bonza. Brooks has played 6 games of NRL total. He's not excelling yet. He's only just matching the required NRL standard, but with clear natural ability, flashes of skill and a very promising future. He'll only improve as he grows stronger and tougher and builds regular game experience and adjusts to really huge game pressure. Anyone holding him in the fantasy comps, will be dissapointed with some low scores - including last week in the win over Manly. To suggest he should be placed in Origin this year underestimates the requirements of perhaps the toughest spot in the team. This requires great physical and mental toughness, team organisation & communication skills and composure under pressure. This can't be satisfied through born skill and juniors experience. Only experience and success in big-time games suffices. Joey Johns debuted in the ARL in '93 and first experienced SOO in '95. But that was a special case, because rep player numbers were halved due to the super league split (including the loss of two halves - Stuart & Daley). Plus he was such a bright prodigy, and was physically very strong. Even then, Qld won in '95 (Vautin's team of 'nobodies') and Joey spent most of his early rep years as replacement hooker. So normally 3 or 4 year's experience is the minimum. Think about that. Mitchell Pearce himself was unfairly thrust into the position 2 or 3 years before he had a chance to adequately develop. That mistake should not be repeated! Especially now that Pearce has developed and is performing and coping so well in the biggest games - with a premership, minor-premiership, world club challenge, best halfback stats last year (try assists + linebreak assists = 50, well ahead of others), plus don't forget his past years' stats and finals experience (including 2010 runner-up). He was on-fire at the end of last season, through the finals. While the GF wasn't his greatest game, he played very strong, with very good kicking and just 1 error, and put Guerra over with a magic ball few others could produce. He's an organiser and ball distributor who plays at tempo - he often holds the ball for just a blink & that's why uneducated fans can't follow what he gives to the chooks. A recent example is winning the game against the Broncs in the final minute. So just scratch Brooks for another 2 or 3 years. While Sezer is a less 'out-there' suggestion (as is Kelly), both could do with another 1 or 2 years' experience. Basically, if a half hasn't produced success on the biggest stage - the finals - they shouldn't really be considered. It has always been so thoughout history for Fulton, Thompson, Raudonikis, Sterling, Kenny, Gibbs, Mortimer, Lamb, Stuart, Daley, Fittler, Johns, Barrett, etc. Why should that change now?

I'll pay that one Chop, although I would call the colour he goes , puce.

Is it because Fulton used to play for Manly, and they do not take the blame for anything.

brilliant

When Toovey becomes available, he will be a great choice. What he lacks in coaching ability, he makes up for in aggression and instilling a mongrel mode in a team which is what NSW need in a coach. Daley possesses neither.

Oh yeah, we're in furious agreement there. I was only really talking about where it started.

Why has Bob Fulton never shared any of the blame for the last 8 years?

I blame our administration for not being on the ball with this back in the day. We are nothing if not complacent, it is an institution in the NSWRL. We created the game, we run the game, we dominate the game's media coverage and we have 80% of the NRL to choose from at Origin time. But we can't even win half the games. And we've lost 8 series consecutively. In 2002, Qld wins by default in a tied series (although we were incredibly lucky given the Lockyer try) and we have the rules changed to golden point. Last year we use the media to make a big song and dance about getting a penalty count - which, not surprisingly we get. And we still lose. We stole all of Qld's players for deacdes on end and told Qld to suck it up when we would destroy them year after year in the interstate series. But we complain about GI? Honestly. The NSWRL was simply wrong-footed and outplayed on this one,and it's because Qld have always had to do more with less. They've had to be smarter and more cunning because we've had all the power. Some home truths need to be heard, Blues fans. This is one of them. Another is this: our so-called "captain" needs to call it a day.

Wouldn't even mind it. He'd get the job done.

hmmm....why hasn`t Luke Brooks and Adrian Sezer been suggested? Surely time to blood up and comers plus they complement each other nicely. One solid, kicking strong and the other plays what he sees. Andrew Johns and Alfie wouldn`t have been 21 when they played their first Origin and look how that turned out. Just saying....

The Peter Stirling thing i get...its like Sam Thaiday...Stirling was born in Toowoomba but raised in Wagga Wagga...he is a NSW guy.....Thaiday was born in sydney but raised in townsville he is a QLD. but how iInglis any different to Ken Nagas....born and bred in Bundaberg....played in all of the junior teams...gets signed and plays for Canberra along with Ricky Stuart, Brett Mullins, Laurie Daley, David Furner, Brad Clyde. the former NSW Coach Tim Sheens. and who does Nagas play for....NSW the only difference is...Greg Inglis is a higher class footballer then Kenny Nagas...thats why NSW dont like it....

Whats the bet if it gets to 10 years in a row....with Daley coaching this year and next....they send out for...... GUS GOULD! lol

What about a "Retro Round" It could be curtain raiser to Origin. Toovey can be coach, but gets to play too. Like captain/coaches of old. The channel nine commentators can get a run, in fact the entire rugby league media should be made to play. They can then show us just how good they really are. I'd like to see that pirck from the telegraph get smashed. So it'd be our rubbish journos against your rubbish journos. Sweeeet. ;-)

QLD have undoubtedly more skill... BUT... the rules have changed. In 2014 it's not so much about skill anymore, more about speed, strength + endurance. See the ladder. The faster, fitter team will win. If Meninga sticks with his oldtimers Tate, Hodges etc. I can see the Blues winning in two sets.

Ok ill bite. Why should Greg inglis or any other player for that matter be forced to play for a state. NSW had the chance to go after Inglis but let him make his own decision because at the time they couldn't see how special he was going to become or were just too lazy to do anything before he was selected. If you were in the same boat you would want to make the decision yourself and not be forced to play for your second choice.

DCE?

toovey came in the red carpet which was provided by des.....he will prove himself this year wether he is an origin coach....at the moment. ...im still with laurie

Kurt Giddley has had a lot of injuries and may not be eligble to play As I have said before providing they are fit, healthy and in form

Toovs will need a big money stash, because when NSW lose it will be 100% the referees fault and probably $30-50000 fine for him. Boring stuff.

"When NSW loses this year’s State of Origin series,..." If, not writing them off just yet.