PRICHARD: NSW won't care if they beat a weakened Queensland

Why do some people think it wouldn’t mean as much if NSW clinched the State of Origin series by beating a Queensland side that was minus a few injured stars?

Did Queensland care that Jarryd Hayne and Paul Gallen both missed Game 3 last year, when the Maroons clinched the series with a two-point win in Sydney?

No, of course they didn’t. They celebrated with as much enthusiasm as at any other stage of their eight-year period of domination.

It didn’t mean any less to them, and why should it? Injuries are a fact of life. If you get them at the worst possible time, bad luck. You’ve just got to battle on and do your best. It’s still 13 against 13. They still play the game.

But there seems to be this feeling around that victory to the Blues would mean more if Billy Slater, Greg Inglis and Daly Cherry-Evans all got over their injuries and played for Queensland, leaving only Cooper Cronk as an injured star.

I couldn’t give a stuff whether they all played or not. What difference does that make?

It isn’t as if NSW haven’t got their own injury problems. The Morris brothers are out of business and Boyd Cordner and Andrew Fifita, two players who would have been certain selections if fit and in form, can’t be considered because they still haven’t played since before Game 1.

Apart from the fact a win in any Origin game is golden, it’s dangerous to start suggesting that you would prefer NSW beat a full-strength Queensland side to back up the Game 1 win and take the series 2-0. It’s almost as if to say the Blues are going to win, so you would rather they did it against the best possible opposition.

I’d hate to think any of the NSW players were thinking that way, but I’m sure they wouldn’t be. Too many of them know from harsh experience how hard it is to win an Origin game, let alone a series, against any Queensland line-up.

If NSW do win, it won’t matter what the Queensland team looked like in the program. All that will matter is what they look like at fulltime. The Maroons know how to enjoy a series win. If they happen to lose Game 2, we’ll find out whether they remember how to be gracious in a series defeat.

I wouldn’t wish bad luck on anyone, but it is worth noting that Queensland have had plenty of good luck when it comes to their star players being fit during their eight-year reign. Johnathan Thurston, for instance, hasn’t missed an Origin game since making his debut at that level in 2005. Cameron Smith has missed one game since debuting in 2004.

The Maroons are probably overdue a bit of bad luck, but whatever team they field they will be hard to beat.
Anyone remember 1995?

All the Blues have got to worry about is getting their own team selection right and making sure they’re committed as much as ever on the night. I’ve got no problem with NSW coach Laurie Daley going for Josh Dugan in the centres to replace Josh Morris. He can make something happen from there.

Whatever two players out of Dugan, Will Hopoate and Josh Mansour filled the vacant centre and wing positions would be fine with me. They look the best candidates. It would be a mistake to go with Beau Scott in the centres just because he is good defensively. It would be an admission that you’re just going to try to slog it out for a win, when you really should be more proactive.

Apart from that, Greg Bird will obviously return to the squad, forcing either Trent Merrin or Tony Williams out. Based on what we saw from Merrin and Williams in Game 1, Merrin is more deserving of retention. Williams wasn’t really threatening.

If you were reasonably confident Williams would make an impact, you would go with him, but you can’t be. Merrin has that offload that can help set something up. NSW may as well keep it up their sleeve. At the very least, Merrin will work his guts out.