The New South Wales Blues State of Origin team for the first game in the 2015 series was announced on Tuesday afternoon and there were some massive glaring omissions from the side.
There were also some head scratching selections that have left more questions than answers for New South Wales fans.
NSW State of Origin team: Game 1
1. Josh Dugan, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Josh Morris, 4. Michael Jennings, 5. William Hopoate, 6. Mitchell Pearce, 7. Trent Hodkinson, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Robbie Farah (c), 10. James Tamou, 11. Beau Scott, 12. Ryan Hoffman, 13. Josh Jackson
Interchange
14. Trent Merrin, 15. Boyd Cordner, 16. David Klemmer, 17. Andrew Fifita
This team has a number of areas that don’t really add up and none more so than the halves. Selected are two players who prefer to wear the number seven. Now in modern rugby league I understand that any half should be able to play either halfback or five-eighth, but what the Blues have done doesn’t add up.
Trent Hodkinson has been in ordinary form for the Bulldogs to put it nicely and has been selected in the number seven. Mitchell Pearce has been put in the six and is under massive pressure being given yet another crack at the Origin arena.
Pearce I will agree should be in the team and has been playing decent footy, however he should be in his preferred number seven and joined by either the in–form Blake Austin or Jamie Soward.
Austin has been in exceptional form at the Raiders and plays in the six. His game could really thrive in the Origin arena especially considering the Blues might have to find a different way to score points.
Meanwhile, Soward – yes he plays at halfback – is exceptional. He has played Origin before the Panthers have looked like a different team since he returned from injury. His kicking game in fact is probably the only reason the Panthers won against the Sea Eagles on Monday Night. How anyone can argue against him being there is just about beyond me.
As a side note, Adam Reynolds would have been the selection alongside Soward before his injury.
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
Next up is the wing. The out-of-form Will Hopoate has been selected alongside Daniel Tupou. The selection of Tupou I can live with, however how on earth can anyone justify the selection of Will Hopoate.
He has not playing good football while other wingers like Alex Johnston and Pat Richards have been playing good footy for the Rabbitohs and Tigers respectively and are both worthy of a crack at the Origin arena.
Johnston has just recently played for Australia in the mid-year Test match and performed alright in a losing side. How he misses selection for the New South Wales Blues is a little bit strange.
Adding to the value of Johnston is his ability to play fullback if it was needed.
The other winger I mention, Pat Richards, has again this season been in stellar form apart from a little bit of an off game against the Newcastle Knights on Sunday. Pat Richards also brings a massive amount of experience although not in the origin arena and is probably the best goal kicker and field goal kicker going around in the NRL.
Moving onto the forwards now and the question has to be asked how both Trent Merrin and Andrew Fifita have found themselves only on the bench. Trent Merrin has to be close to the most inform lock in the game, yet he is coming off the bench.
At club level his impact starting has been far greater than that off the bench and with Gallen out he would have seemed the most probable option.
Fifita meanwhile has been close to the most in form front rower. With Tamou only finding form in the last few weeks it seems to be a strange call to have Fifita coming from the bench.
Another area of confusion in the forwards is how and why both of Tyson Frizell and Luke Lewis missed selection.
Let’s start with Lewis. He is one of the Blues most experienced players in the squad and with the likes of Paul Gallen and Greg Bird out who are a pair of experienced forwards it is hard to understand why he has been left out. Even a bench spot should have been given to Lewis who hasn’t done a lot wrong and would have brought the Blues a bucketload of experience.
What he also brings to the table is a lot of versatility, which with an injury the Blues will now struggle to cater for.
Let’s move onto Tyson Frizell. At the start of the season he didn’t even look to be in the Origin picture. With a barnstorming start to the season in a dominant Dragons outfit, he shot into calculations.
He was in fact playing so well that most respected journalists in the media were calling for his selection and it was hard to argue against it. Being left out for the likes of Cordner and Klemmer seems to be an interesting call from the Blues.
All in all this New South Wales Blues team named for the first state of origin clash has left me a little bit confused and asking a lot of questions of both Laurie Daley and the Selectors.
What do you reckon Roarers?
Justthetip
Guest
NSW tactics are very clear. Big kicks and big blokes. Their not looking to play much footy but are wanting to pressure and bash the maroons until Jennings, Dugan or Pearce find space. Hopefully we see better games than the first 2 last year produced. If this happens NSW will really struggle to win a game.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
yeah, it was Gordon Greenidge
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Lewis can accommodate that style of play perfectly. His sleight of hand and footwork following the big blokes would create opportunities and will be sorely missed.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Josh Jackson was not a first grade standard 6*, and Beau Scott isn't a first grade standard centre. Luke Lewis has played both positions to at least a first grade standard. *In fact, he was not even a reserve grade standard 6, he was something like the 6th or 7th player tried in the halves last year when Hodkinson and Reynolds were playing origin, and it did not work well.
Sean
Guest
Hodkinson plays left and Pearce plays right, Hodkinson will be the main organiser which relieves Pearce of some of that pressure. Hopoate has played origin before which neither Richards or Johnstone have, you point out that Johnstone can play fullback, Hopoate can play centre and fullback. Luke Lewis is the most surprising omition, however with no Gallen it is necessary to have two props on the bench, leaving a choice between Lewis and Cordner, who has been prefered presumably due to age, Josh Jackson has played 6 and Beau Scott can play centre. We saw last year with Qld losing Cronk that an injury to a 'spine' player can be devastating regardless of who is on the bench, so im not sure Lewis' utility value is quite so important.
Wolly
Roar Guru
Well it would seem Hayne's dad's memory lapsed in the last ten minutes.
JayBob
Guest
Pearce should actually play better in the 6. He's still going to play his natural game on his side of the field but he won't have as much pressure on him. This is definitely a good thing for old violet crumble.
kick the winning score
Guest
The best thing they did was drop josh reynolds 3 cheers to the selectors hip hip. Hooray hip hip hooray hip hip hooray
theHunter
Guest
You should watch the replay again, know a fair bit of the rules (and understand it), google Jarryd Hayne and all your problems will be solved...
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
That's it. 100%.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Hodkinson typically plays on the left, Pearce on the right. Hodkinson will direct traffic and Pearce is freed up. Austin isn't a strong tackler and Soward isn't in good enough physical condition to kick goals yet, so I don't see how he could be selected for Origin -- Guerra will be under instruction to shut down whichever of the halves is operating on the right for NSW, he was devastatingly effective on Thurston during the finals last year. Fifita is benched for use as an impact forward, Frizell is unlucky to miss out but Daley has chosen to be loyal to Beau Scott who helped shut down Thurston last year (and again at club level this year) and there's no reason to select an entire back row on the bench. I am flabbergasted as to Lewis being left out for Cordner. A better winger than Hopoate would've been good, but Hopoate has some skill Daley wants.
Charles NSW
Guest
You hit that on the nail Pomoz! This is the plan from what I can see. No wonder we will never go forward in NSW SO if this is the case. Where is our spine? Dugan, Pearce, Hodkinson, Farah who normally none of them play in the same team together.
Pedro the Maroon
Guest
Well I agree that Hayne was the only reason NSW won last year. The "spoiling" strategy can only go so far. And without their nigglers-in-chief, a lot of the dirty stuff has to be done by Scott. He may go too far with too many late/high shots and flying elbows and knees and end up sin binned. Good to NSW playing out of form backs and three people out of position. Bizarre but good.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
At this stage I'm thinking that this side is lousy. It's been done now so I guess we'll have to live with it.
Scott Pryde
Expert
@Qlder, Is it possible you go for Queensland? I don't believe Jarryd Hayne's dad was the referee actually.
jamesb
Guest
"You only won last year because Jared Haynes dad was referee" Desmond Haynes?
Dav
Guest
Yes, what secrets do Daley and the Refs have installed for the Queensland side this year.
Qlder
Guest
You gotta love the NSW selectors and Coach Lozza. Remember the year they named Kurt Gidley captain and then he only just made selection to the bench.Lol. You only won last year because Jared Haynes dad was referee and allowed the double movement try in Brisbane, so unless youve got the refs again Mitchell will get blamed again.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
The explanation for Lewis being dropped is simple. Daley wants to continue withe the bash and barge style he perfected last year. He wants a bench full of forwards who will just belt the ball up. He venue said that is why he didn't pick Lewis. The game plan will be to belt it up in the forwards and kick the ball into space downfield, rinse and repeat. When we get in the QLD 20, hit the ball up and then do a bomb, rinse and repeat. He will hope that Fifita or Merrin can break the line and get QLD going backwards so we have a chance at something in the QLD 20. Cut out passes, sweep around plays, blockers and inside balls are unlikely to be used, hence the reason to pick a fullback who doesn't pass and a halfback who doesn't create much, but can kick OK. It's going to be ugly.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Get ready for a snooze fest. Hopefully we don't get any 'secret meetings' between Daley and the Referees before Origin this year.