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I have major reservations about the NSW Blues team and everywhere I turn, Blues fans seem to be of a similar view.
Team selections can never please everyone, but there are so many question marks over NSW in the lead-up to Game 1 of State of Origin 2015 that Queenslanders must be chortling.
The Maroons aren’t foolish enough to go public but seriously, they must be thrilled the defending champions have picked a noticeably out-of-form half-back (Trent Hodkinson) to partner a five-eighth (Mitchell Pearce) being played out of position in an arena in which he has struggled to make an impression.
Too much has probably been said and written about the NSW halves dilemma but it won’t go away unless Hodkinson and Pearce play the games of their lives on May 27.
And surely the Blues selectors could have come up with a more dangerous wing option than Will Hopoate.
More State of Origin:
» State of Origin News
» State of Origin team news
» Queensland Maroons team for Origin 1: Expert reaction
» The Roar’s NSW Blues team for Origin 1
» The Roar’s Queensland Maroons team for Origin 1
He has hardly made an impression at the Eels this year. Hoppa has been solid at best.
South Sydney’s Alex Johnston played for Australia a few weeks ago and did well despite limited opportunities. If not Johnston, why not blood a youngster such as Matt Moylan or Jack Wighton out on the flank? I feel both are Origin stars of the future.
I applaud the Blues’ selectors for choosing up-and-comers David Klemmer and Josh Jackson but in the process, they have ignored the almost irresistible form of Dragons’ line-breaker Tyson Frizell and his dangerous back-row partner Joel Thompson.
Another aspect ignored by the NSW selectors is that not a single player was picked from reigning premiers, South Sydney.
Coach Daley has a bench of monsters to call on and that could be an ace up his sleeve, but if Queensland’s all-star backline fires up early, there might be way too many points to chase.
I see the forwards battle as an even contest – typically physical, so typically Origin – but when we get to the creativity and speed of the Maroons’ six and seven, Queensland looks more than capable of running up a hefty score.
Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston have points-men aplenty out wide and with Billy Slater chiming in from the rear, I don’t fancy the Blues’ chances one bit.
In favour of NSW is the home ground advantage and the fact that they have a good record of winning the opening game in Origin series but that’s about it.
I cannot see points generated by the halves combination selected by the Blues but I can predict yet another halves pairing being sought for Game 2 at the MCG on June 17.
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