There’s no surer sign of a looming State of Origin series than the Sydney media busily thrusting and parrying across the virtual selection table.
It’s as if the New South Wales Blues are the only representative team in world sport to be selected via the footballing equivalent of a Nielsen poll.
Boom rookies and wily veterans in rare purple patches are put forward, profiled in the metro dailies and their online mirrors, debated on panel shows, dismissed by social media keyboard warriors, then promptly forgotten as attention turns to the next future saviour of Blues Origin pride following the weekend’s fixtures.
Strangely, the focus often falls on contenders in the wing positions, like the performances of Nos. 2 and 5 have been the difference between New South Wales and Queensland since before Blues fans could gloat about a series victory on Twitter.
Last year it was the luckless Nathan Merritt who was talked into the Blues Origin 2 squad by a bunch of breathless scribes, who congratulated everyone involved for finally seeing some sense before howling him straight back out of the 17.
Merritt’s heinous crime? Following his coach’s ineffectual defensive strategy to the letter.
This year’s song sheet is remarkably similar, though with different singers and some new folk heroes.
Pat Richards is the latest No. 5 to find favour with Fairfax experts, who no doubt anticipate his spiralling kick-offs will be getting a regular work-out. The next big thing a fortnight ago was Titans winger-cum-fullback David Mead, who for most of his career has toiled in relative anonymity near Robina Town Centre, give or take his 2011 addition to the NRL highlights reel and eight Tests of proud service to Papua New Guinea.
Given the press corps is fast running out of fall-guy flankers to build up and tear back down, it’s somewhat surprising that incumbent halfback Mitchell Pearce had to go and get himself arrested before his place in the side was seriously questioned.
With Greg Bird and Andrew Fifita now unavailable due to suspension and injury respectively, expect a host of journeymen and bolters to be tried in the court of public opinion between now and the team’s naming next Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Mal Meninga is doing whatever it is that Mal Meninga does in the 10 months of the year he’s not hanging out beside the Queensland training paddock at Clive Palmer’s Coolum resort – presumably weeping with despair while watching what remains of his once-mighty Canberra Raiders plod about the paddock.
The Maroons selection panel, comprising actual rugby league players who do their deliberating in private, are no doubt out on XXXX Island, feet up, catching the last rays of autumn before winter plunges Queensland into several weeks of temperatures below 25 degrees.
It wouldn’t be all beach cricket and earnest discussion of manscaping techniques as the waves gently lap the shore, though. There are some serious questions to mull over, such as which of the best two fullbacks in the game to hand the No. 1 jersey, whether to sub Daly Cherry-Evans on as a second halfback or second lock, did Matt Ballin bait Cameron Smith into using his head for MMA training in a bid to secure a second Origin jersey, and just who is Anthony Milford eligible to play for anyway?
Fortunately for the Queensland selectors, the Sydney press have a few ideas of their own about who should be running onto Lang Park on behalf of all cane toads come May 28. No less than ‘league’s most feared critic’ himself put his thinking cap on after Round 1 of the NRL, and kindly pencilled a name in next to the revered maroon No. 5 jersey.
Phil Rothfield’s hot tip? Lachlan Maranta, the fringe Broncos winger who since Justin Hodges’ return has for the most part been refining his raw talent in the Queensland Cup, which is precisely where he belongs at this stage of his career.
With that sort of football brain setting the Blues’ selection agenda, it’s a wonder #nineinarow isn’t trending globally already.
Kris Swales
Expert
Well I did say "refining his raw talent", which he definitely showed in the first couple of games this season. Still seems to lack the confidence and consistency to be a regular first grader at this stage though - would love to see him bulk up and steamroll blokes like his old man did in his prime.
James
Guest
Bit harsh on Lachie just to make a point mate...
Jake
Guest
Freddy Do you really think B.Morris will be left out? He is the best winger in the world.
Meesta Cool
Guest
In the words of Facebook fanatics 'LIKE' and 'LMAO'. Kris, I just nominated ya for the Duke of Edinbrush Award in 'Blues Bashing'
Kris Swales
Expert
Ten to twelve weeks below 25? Inconceivable! Wasn't like that when I left Qld in 2010. I blame the Carbon Tax.
Zedman
Guest
Greg Inglis a Queenslander enshrined at birth??
Crober
Guest
There is no way NSW can emulate the QLD Maroon culture and attitude. Just look at a Queenslander and its in the way they carry themselves...its enshrined before birth. It hard but that is how I see it
John
Guest
There was an household culture developed in Maroons team. No matter who got picked, there is already compasion, attitude and the believe that is fundamentally esterblished, inherited year by year that works for them. They find combination too quik and work on and display just that too acurately for only three games in a year. That is their trade name for eighth years of domination. Blues need no better players nor coaches or even a better climate. Just develope your own culture for players to dwell. Mal or maroon players need not to be too clitical of who gets the nod but there is a culture in marrons house to be part of,,,,,
Slain
Guest
you got me there....ahahah!
Bluebag
Guest
Christ it's slim picking for Blues fans, bar kneeling down to the blarney stone and wishing on a dream that QLD select Lote Tuqiri on the wing, would be worth at least 18 points to NSW given his form on the weekend against the Jets...other than that we send the Wanders fans up to the Brisbane again to conduct a flash mob ground invasion a la Wati Holmwood, disgracing the game once again adding another fine chapter to the SoO saga.
Slain
Guest
Mal is in PNG right now running coaching clinics and development programs for the PNG NRL Bid. He signed on last year and he has a full time job there as the Director of RL Development for the next 5 years. Plus he was signed also as the Head Coach of the PNG Kumuls. They guy is not realy concerend about the selection for SOO1. As per his words, the players pick themselves, really.
scott
Guest
Pfft. This author knows nothing. The autumn sun is gone gone gone and a state shivers under the frosty ministrations of old man Winter. The forsecast is for four of the next seven days to be a degree or two below the 25 celsius cutoff, and it's only mid May! Several weeks of temperatures below 25?! More like ten or possibly even twelve this year!!
Cowboys
Guest
Mason is out suspended and needs game time, Gallen and Farrah are back but haven't really had much more of that.. They are your liabilities for SO1. I doubt two debuts will take the winger places and the halves only need a bad game to fully change the team up. This side is a mess. Game 1 last yeear you may be right about the forward getting on top of us, but I believe the halves played pretty good considering they an unused Sub in Reynolds all game. If this is your team, I would suggest questioning the utility role DCE will play in game one, however with minimum match fitness in the front row. DCE should come in and carve up in 2nd halve.
peeeko
Roar Guru
Incorrect,, it's the halves where we struggle. Our forwards have held their own
Crober
Guest
This is QLD article....I am sure you can do better than this...litle confused man!
Jackson Henry
Guest
Phil Rothfield. The intellectual giant of Australian Rugby League. From the Faily Telegraph. Sometimes I think Qld's best asset is Phil Rothfield's microphone. It is just so embarrassing.
Freddy from Bondi
Guest
1.Hayne 2.Tupou 3.Jennings 4.J.Morris 5.Tafua 6.Maloney 7.Pearce 8.Tamou 9.Farah 10.Mannah 11.Gallen 12.Cordner (Bird if available) 13.Merrin 14.Watmough (Cordner if Bird plays) 15.Mason 16.Grant 17.T.Williams Apart from game 1 in Sydney last year, our forwards have been dominated. Thats the readon we have been losing - not our halves. There's no point playing a token utility on the bench to only get 10 mins game time (i.e Reynolds, Buhrer etc.). Play 4 big forwards off the bench and give our halves some go-forward. PLenty of ball-playing ability in the back row also...
Slain
Guest
Mal is in PNG right now running coaching clinics and development programs for the PNG NRL Bid. He signed on last year and he has a full time job there as the Director of RL Development for the next 5 years. Plus he was signed also as the Head Coach of the PNG Kumuls. They guy is not realy concerend about the selection for SOO1. As per his words, the players pick themselves, really.