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Five-eighth is one of the most contentious positions in the NSW State of Origin team, and the City-Country match just added to the riddle. No player is bashing down the door for selection, but you’ve got to pick someone, right? My pick is Josh Reynolds.
City’s Reynolds and Country’s Jarrod Mullen each had their positive moments. Neither did his chances any harm, but neither took the game by the scruff of the neck, either. I prefer Reynolds because he runs the ball more and at the same time keeps the defence guessing with his potential for an offload.
I don’t doubt Mullen’s credentials. In particular, he’s got a very good kicking game. But there is more likelihood that Reynolds can put pressure on the Queensland defenders by forcing them to make a decision on whether to tackle him or stay on the support player.
Picking Reynolds at five-eighth would mean the Blues having to find another goal-kicker, since James Maloney took the shots in last year’s State of Origin series. But getting the key positions right is the priority. It might be OK to pick one winger over another based on his goal-kicking ability, but if goal-kicking is a major reason for picking a five-eighth, you’ve got a problem.
The fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooker should be there based on their ability to make something happen, well above everything else.
Maloney has obviously got good attributes, but whether he’s good enough at Origin level is the question. He’s getting over an injury, although you wouldn’t hold that against him as long as he’s playing club football again before they name the side.
NSW coach Laurie Daley wasn’t giving anything away after the City-Country game.
“Mullen and Reynolds both had some nice touches,” he said. “Both players are certainly in the frame. We will continue to monitor them over the next couple of weeks. We will also see how James Maloney and (South Sydney five-eighth) John Sutton are playing.”
It was a typical answer from a representative coach who no doubt has a preference in mind but is not so convinced that he wants to publicly commit himself. It would be better if Daley were so convinced by one of the contenders that he was confident enough to declare it now, but there is no standout.
If he sticks with Maloney, I hope it’s not because he wants to pick Reynolds on the bench. Including a bench player to cover the halves and hooker positions has been a waste of a spot for the Blues in recent years. Jamie Buhrer in 2012 and Reynolds last year were proof of that.
Unless you’ve got a player to cover those positions who can also be thrown on in addition to the hooker and halves as a roving attacking player, which is how Phil Gould often used Craig Wing when he was coaching the Blues, it’s a waste of space.
The Maroons can afford to pick Daly Cherry-Evans on the bench. They’ve won eight series in a row. NSW haven’t got that luxury.
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