Greatest ever Origin team: Best team overall

Lockyer (Slater unlucky but people forget how great a full back Lockyer was) O'Conner (genius) Meninga (held all the records) Daley (the Captain of the most successful Blues era) Inglis (freak) Lewis (the King was the most infuential player in Origin history) Thurston (see below) Lindner (the best QLD forward of their golden era of the late 80's) Sironen (unstoppable in a great blues era) Clyde (redefined forward play) Lazarus (the rock on which Phil Gould had his success. The winningest player ever - premierships everywhere as well as Blues dominance) Smith (the architect) Petero (most dominant forward during Qld's most dominant period) Reserves: Gene Miles (centre or second row - unstoppable in a successful QLD side) Webcke (could have been Roach or Harrigan, toss of a coin) Ian Roberts (underrated hero of successful NSW teams) Danny Buderus / Steve Walters (can't split them. Buderus was a great for NSW, and pre Smith Walters was recognised as pretty much the best hooker of all time) If its a greatest ever origin you've really got to look at the great Qld sides of the late 80's and great Phil Gould/Laurey Daley sides of the 90's and the current QLD side. That is why Daley must be in the side Why a player like Ian Roberts should be considered Why Thurston is the greatest ever origin halfback. 30 games in a row and how many have QLD won? Why Ricky Stuart is very unlucky to miss out, because the Stuart, Daley Clyde Lazarus combo was nearly as good in Origin as Slate, Inglis, Smith, Why Petero is in as the forward who most dominated during Qld's most dominant period.

This article isnt worth commenting on. Lucky I wrote this

I'd argue that he doesn't have a lot of other things that Clyde did also. I'd donate my hard-earned to a statue of him Lockyer/Meninga/Lewis style...but never Gallen. At least Clyde didn't misrepresent our core values and what we stand for. He was a great bloke and a greater player. Not like that other individual. I'd also say the Clyde wasn't an ongoing potential liability like Gallen is. Much more mentally and emotionally tough.

yea I agree & its always difficult to compare eras. This was more about justifying my selections in regards to Lockyer v Slater, Thurston/Langer/Johns/Stuart/Sterling for 7 etc. There has been so many quality players but if you minimise it down to their body of work in Origin only you would get a different team to what most would think as some players are just made for Origin. Greg Bird is a good example as he doesn't standout as 1 of the best backrowers of all time but his performances in Origin are right up there with the best.

Different roles admittedly, Gallen is the ultimate workhorse, he doesn't have the skills that Clyde had. His consistency of effort and the load he shoulders is ridiculously high though and I can't leave him out. Your disagreement really supports my primary argument though, the team selected above is predicated on agreeing with Scott's original teams - and I think a fair few of his selections were controversial (to say the least).

Man of the match awards shouldn;t be the sole selection for SOO greatness, Chris Close got 2 or 3, but Mal,Miles,Inglis were better. Micheal O'connor though must be seriously pushing for a wing spot, me like many other Gen-Yers, didn't see Micheal O'Connor at his best. Our only memory is his 1991 sideline conversion. Shane Webke's SOO record many say is pretty average, like Wendall Sailor it's always been a debatable subject.

I think the Barry has the right idea in basing it on Origin performances only. That is why I can never understand how Fittlers name is always in the discussions because he did nothing at this level when compared to others. My team based on Origin form only: 1. Lockyer - 3 Man of the Match awards, 3 QLD player of the series awards & 1 overall player of the series award 2. Hayne - 2 Man of the match awards, 2 NSW player of the series awards (soon to be 3) 3. Inglis - 1 Man of the match award, 1 overall player of the series award, all time top try scorer 4. Meninga - 1 MAn of the match award, 2nd top point scorer in Origin history 5. O'Connor - top try scorer & top point scorer in NSW history 6. Lewis - 8 man of the match awards! 7. Thurston - 4 man of the match awards, top point scorer in Origin history 8. Webcke - 1 player of the series award, 1 QLD player of the series award 9. Smith - 3 Man of the match awards, 3 player of the series awards 10.Civoniceva, 2 QLD player of the series awards 11. Larson - 2 man of the match awards, 1 QLD player of the series award 12. BIrd - 3 man of the match awards, 1 NSW player of the series award 13. Lindner - 2 man of the match awards, 1 QLD player of the series 14. Slater - 3 man of the match awards, 1 player of the series 15. Daley - 1 man of the match award, 4 series wins as captain 16. Price - 1 man of the match award, 1 QLD player of the series award 17. Gallen - 1 man of the match award, 1 NSW player of the series award.

You need a utility though maximillian in your 17, someone who can fill a halves spot half-back or hooker Julian O'Neil, PJ Marsh,Kurt Gidley,Craig Wing,Luke Lewis maybe he has played halfback for Penrith before,Phil Bailey,Cooper Cronk maybe,Laurie Daley can play 2 spots centre 5/8, Geoff Toovey. Maybe you could play Andrew Johns have joey come off the bench then. I'd play Johns ahead of Wing as a utility now come to think of it, as Joey could play half-back,5/8,and hooker, he played all 3 spots for Australia. Wing though his speed he was faster than Joey, so after the opening 20, Wing could run riot, but so did joey when playing hooker after the opening 15-20 minutes he took over that game in game 2 2000 coming off the bench at hooker, for a very good Geoff Toovey. Craig Wing can play half-back,5/8, hooker, fullback,centre, all at a high standard, even lock if he has too. Coz your 17 has to have someone who can play half-back or hooker if the starting 1 gets injured. Craig Wing was damn good around 2002-5 he was in the top 5 players in the game, or definatley top 10.

no way Craig Wing should make a side of the best ever!

Wrongtown this final team Scott, you wouldn't make it as a selector. 1)Lockeyar 2)Jarryd Hayne 3)Big Mal 4)Inglis 5)Adam Mcdougall, yep mad dog was an awsome wing for NSW a handful did better than Dell at Orign level 6)Wally Lewis 7)JT 13)Bob Linder 12)Brad Clyde 11)Sirro 10)Steve Roach 9)Cam Smith 8) Lazurus Bench: Petro Tallis Steve Menzies Craig Wing Now that's a team

My criteria is purely their performance at Origin level. If I was picking the best team I've seen Johns would definitely be halfback. He was a genius in all aspects of the game and one of my favourite players of all time. But apart from the odd game here and there I don't think we consistently saw his best at Origin. Game 2 2005 was on of the greatest individual displays but it's hard to think of too many other games where he really dominated. Stuart's kicking games was incredible. Imagine him in the era of 40/20s. His ability to get the ball from one side of the field to the other with his 30 metre long passes to either side and his never say die attitude gets him the nod in my team.

Queensland has obviously produced more superstars but I think some of their players get a bit of an advantage with the limited competition for spots. Probably more true in the 80s and 90s than these days. Halfback is a good example. Queensland pretty much just had Murray and then Langer took over from him in the 80s. NSW had Raudonikis, Mortimer and Sterling all competing for spots and guys like Hasler and Alexander getting the odd game here and there. Muppet Murray was a good solid player but he would barely have had a start if he was a NSWelshman,

Really - no Johns? I think he benefits a bit from a lot of promiennt people pushing his wheelbarrow in the media, but I'm surprised you rate Stuart over him? Love that backrow though.

It's difficult to comment on this as it's a direct comparison of the authors two teams - and there was a few selections I didn't agree with eg. Cooper and Girdler in the centres. I'm gobsmacked that Menzies is in the greatest team. I know he ended up playing a lot of origins but he was in and out of the team over a decade and it would be interesting to see what % of his games were off the bench. Lazarus would be the first front rower I picked. He was big, moble, lightning fast play the balls and played for 80 mins. Brad Clyde would have to be in the team. He was a revelation as a backrower and would have been a star in any era. I think Ricky Stuart had as much influence in Origin as any halfback...although it's one of the toughest positions to fill with Johns, Stuart, Langer, Thurston, Sterling and Mortimer in the running. Laurie Daley was as good and as influential in Origin as anyone I've seen. I'd have him in the centres. Michael O'Connor was brilliant in attack, a great goal kicker and his defence against big men like Miles, Meninga and Close under rated. I know that seems Blues biased but the Blues appear to have missed out on the 50/50 calls. I'll go: Slater, O'Connor, Daley, Meninga, Inglis, Lewis, Stuart, Lindner, Clyde, Tallis, Webcke, Smith, Lazarus.

I'm a Blue and I have them tied - meaning in turn that Langer should be in Immortal discussions...meaning in turn he's obviously underrated in the extreme. Apart from Lewis and Lockyer, I feared no Qld player more. I will concede that Johns was playing against some real bit-part Qld teams at times, whereas Langer was playing against NSW's best almost all the time. That's not Johns' fault though and the point here is just to concede that Langer should probably get more wraps than he does...ask Gus Gould what he thinks of Langer. (And Walters for that matter).

Mine: Slater Inglis Daley Meninga Ettinghausen Lockyer Johns Webcke Smith Harragon Clyde Menzies Lewis Civoniceva Lindner Fittler Langer Had to find places for Lewis, Johns, Lockyer, Fittler, Daley and Langer somehow, with the rest of the team being built around that.

As a NSW supporter I can't agree. Langer was a better player overall in Origin than Johns IMO.As good as AJ's performances were in Origin series 2005 Langer's performance in 1988 were just as good. Plus Johns was part of a Blues team that got beaten 3-0 by a Vautin coached team in 1995 which was horrible. Thank Christ the Super League aligned players were allowed to play the following year where NSW won 3-0 and where Johns was selected at hooker with Geoff Toovey selected at half.

Gallen over Clyde? Geez, I disagree with that in the strongest terms possible.

My best Origin team would be: Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Laurie Daley, Mal Meninga, Dale Shearer, Wally Lewis (C), Peter Sterling (VC), Bradley Clyde, Paul Sironen, Gary Larson, Petero Civironiceva, Cameron Smith (Kicker), Glenn Lazarus. Reserves: Brett Kenny, Darren Lockyer, Brad Fittler, & Paul Gallen. I personally struggled more with the naming of the reserves than the main line-up. Overall 9 Queenslanders & 8 Blues.

Not sure what 'obvious reasons' you would have Alf on the bench over Fittler. Langer had some great Origin moments but Fittler had plenty of his own, was more talented and could have covered halves, centres and second-row/lock. As a bench player, the 'obvious reasons' seem to all point to Fittler. Most of the rest of the match-ups are hard to argue (although personally Petero would have been my first front rower picked from that lot) but they are mostly a function of the teams you selected. For example, Girdler and Cooper, top players that they were, really have no business being considered the greatest NSW centres of all time - Inglis and Meninga would have been tough to unseat regardless but Daley, Cronin, Gasnier, Rogers could have at least put up an argument. In the same vein, Lindner was more skillful than Pearce but Clyde had them both beat on that front, and Gallen should have been selected before any of them...