NSW Blues team for State of Origin Game 1: Expert reaction

The New South Wales Blues have announced their team for Game 1 of the 2016 State of Origin series, and as anticipated, there were a number of new faces in the side to face the Maroons in just over a week.

For what seems like months, the make-up of Laurie’s Daley’s side has been speculated upon, and unlike previous years, there were very few guaranteed selections.

With that amount of uncertainty, any team selected was always going to polarise the media and New South Wales’ fans, and I expect the 19 names below to do just that.

Yes, that’s right, Laurie Daley has named 19 players for his squad for Game 1, plus Bryce Cartwright who is named as a development player. There are no positions as of yet, but we’ll have a go at making sense of it all below.

More:
» State of Origin teams
» The big losers from the NSW team announcement
» Bryce Cartwright’s Origin dream over before it began
» Origin greats – the best ever NSW Blues team

Queensland Maroons team for State of Origin Game 1: Expert reaction

The team is…

Greg Bird
Origin stalwart Greg Bird gets the call-up yet again for the Origin arena, and this tough nut will need to prove it with players like Beau Scott and Ryan Hoffman left out of the team. Another player not getting any younger, Bird will likely come off the bench if he makes the final 17, with plenty of quality available to Laurie Daley in those positions.

Boyd Cordner
Though he missed the early part of the season with a pectoral injury, Cordner came back into reckoning with some strong performances for the Roosters. His athleticism, wide running and work rate make him an attractive option off the bench for coach Laurie Daley, who will need to use his interchanges judiciously, as Queensland have sometimes had the wood on NSW with their bench use.

Josh Dugan
Dugan was always going to be selected, the question was simply ‘where?’. Though there was plenty of talk about him playing fullback, he was eventually picked in the centres. The fact he played there for Australia, and NSW has options for the number 1 jersey, ensured Dugan will be picked out of his club position, which can sometimes be a recipe for disaster, but Dugan has been one of NSW’s best players in recent years, and he’ll once again be a danger man for Queensland.

Robbie Farah
I say this every year, but if Farah can play within himself, not try to do too much, let the game come to him, and get those around him involved with quality service, he can be the Blues’ most influential player. The irony is, when he tries to be too influential, he ends up hurting his team. He needs to find the right balance, and if he does, the Blues will give the maroons plenty of problems.

Blake Ferguson
Terms like ‘redemption’ and ‘prodigal son’ have been used, but I’ll stay clear of trivialising Ferguson’s past indiscretions, or even discussing them. The facts are, Ferguson was eligible for selection, and his size and strength will make him a useful weapon for the Blues. NSW have some decent firepower in the backline this year, and if the halves can utilise them, they’ll apply plenty of pressure.

Andrew Fifita
Big Andrew Fifita adds to what is a colossal team for the Blues. Alongside Woods, Tamou and Klemmer, this foursome of props has to be close to the biggest and most aggressive in Origin history.

Dominant with the ball in hand at club level, Fifita will find it tougher against Queensland forwards, but without the pressure of having to start the game, and play one or two short stints, Fifita could be a factor at the back end of each half

Tyson Frizell
The hard-running Dragons second-rower is another player that has ‘Origin material’ written all over him. Tough, aggressive and talented, he’s just the type of player to mix things up with the Maroons and ensure proceedings don’t go all Queensland’s way. He will, however, need to ensure he doesn’t give the officials any reason to blow the whistle. ‘Controlled aggression’ needs to be his mantra.

Paul Gallen
Though some pundits, including Peter Sterling, called for Gallen to be dropped from the Blues side this year, it was simply never going to happen. Gallen is the incumbent NSW skipper, he was the man of the match for Australia just over a month ago, Laurie Daley respects him, and he announced earlier in the year that this would be his last Origin series. He was as close to a certainty as a selection gets. He’ll want to leave the Origin arena a winner, so look for a big series from him.

Josh Jackson
One of the players NSW fans may not have expected to see in this team, Jackson is a tough player with plenty of utility value. Fighting with Dylan Walker for a spot in the final 17, Jackson’s ability to put in plenty of hard yards is an advantage if Fifita, Klemmer, Tamou and Woods are all called up.

Michael Jennings
Jennings remains capable of a match-turning performance with his electricity in attack, and the Blues selectors will be counting on just that. He’s often given the Queensland defence trouble over the years, and though consistency has eluded him at this level, his ability to sniff out a try will be part of NSW’s armoury.

Dave Klemmer
Though he hasn’t been in what you would call ‘scintillating’ form, Klemmer’s aggression and passion ensure the most overused cliché at come this time of year – ‘made for Origin’ – gets yet another run. His selection on the bench is ideal for the Blues, as limiting his minutes to short bursts not only makes him more effective, but it also reduces the amount of crucial penalties he can concede.

James Maloney
Irresistible club form sees Maloney return to the Blues line-up for the first time since 2013, which was his first and last Origin series. Maloney didn’t disgrace himself when he last pulled on the sky blue jersey, yet he’s older, wiser – and more importantly – a better player now. The Blues will rely on him to be calm under pressure, and deliver with the boot.

Josh Mansour
The powerful Penrith winger gets his chance at this level after having already played for the Kangaroos. His name has been mentioned in Origin selection circles for a few years now, but he earns his chance in 2016, and NSW would be wise to use the bulky winger’s strength out wide.

Josh Morris
It feels weird to be calling a 29-year-old a ‘veteran’, but that’s exactly what Morris is now at Origin level. There was plenty of talk the Bulldogs centre may not be picked this year, but in the end, his past performances full of heart earned him another Blues jersey, and he’ll be looking to return the faith showed in him.

Matt Moylan
The Panthers’ fullback was named in the emerging Blues squad in January, and now five months later, finds himself a fully-fledged Blue, courtesy of his performances for Penrith so far this year. A good young player with plenty of class and ability, he’ll be tested early and often by Queensland’s kickers (and their chasers), but he’ll only have to replicate his club form for Blues fans to be very happy with this choice.

Adam Reynolds
Though the halfback cupboard for NSW isn’t exactly overflowing with quality talent, Reynolds is a quality selection. He’s got a good kicking game and a premiership under his belt, and both will serve him well as he experiences Origin for the first time. He can consider himself unlucky to only be making his debut now, but if he can control the nerves, he has the ability to make up for lost time.

James Tamou
The big Cowboy forward continues to tease with his potential. Within the confines of a single half, Tamou can both dominate and disappear. It’s a peculiar ‘skill’, and at 27 years of age, waiting for him to be more consistent may be futile. However, if he’s on his game, he can bend the line and be a true match-winner, so you can understand why he has just as many fans as detractors.

Aaron Woods
The big Tigers prop retains his spot in the Blues team, after overcoming some early season injury issues. Despite his club’s issues, Woods has been a shining light for Wests, and his ability to eat metres up and make plenty of tackles will be all he’s asked to do Wednesday week. He and the rest of the rest of the forward pack will need to control the middle of the park and lay a foundation for NSW.

Dylan Walker
The newly-minted Manly player hasn’t been in the greatest form since his move from the Rabbitohs, but Laurie Daley obviously likes the look of what he sees. With some turnoround in his form recently, it will be interesting to see whether he can thrive on the back of a better-performing backline combination. Having been shifted around for Manly, he will play as a utility for the Blues, and look for him to inject some pace and skill off the bench.

20th man – Bryce Cartwright*
Though his defence has been questioned at times, the x-factor that Cartwright provides in attack proved too hard to ignore for selectors. It’s a solid gamble, because Cartwright’s running game and ability to offload the ball creates the chances the Blues will need to put points on the board; which remains the best way to put pressure on Queensland. He won’t be in the final 17, being named as a development player.

*Cartwright has already been ruled out with a thumb injury, and his replacement will be named in due course.

We expect the Blues to line-up something like this:

1. Matt Moylan
2. Blake Ferguson
3. Michael Jennings
4. Josh Dugan
5. Josh Mansour
6. James Maloney
7. Adam Reynolds
8. James Tamou
9. Robbie Farah
10. Aaron Words
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Greg Bird
13. Paul Gallen

14. Andrew Fifita
15. David Klemmer
16. Josh Jackson
17. Dylan Walker

What do you think the team will be Roarers?