Sometimes I wish Jarryd Hayne had never played in that 2014 State of Origin series – the only one NSW have won in the last decade.
Hayne was the overwhelming reason the Blues won that series, with his brilliant performances in games one and two.
More:
» State of Origin teams
» NSW State of Origin team for Game 1: Expert reaction
» Origin news
» The Roar’s NSW Blues team
» Origin greats – the best ever NSW Blues team
Had he not played, Queensland would have won that series, the same as the other nine, but the Blues winning distorted people’s view of the team.
Hard decisions that would have surely been made a on a few players going into last year’s series weren’t made, because NSW were the defending champions after all.
They ended up being thrashed 52-6 in the series-deciding game three, but even a result like that has been largely written off as an aberration, a one-off where the game just got away from the Blues and things snowballed. One of those nights.
If the Maroons had won that 2014 series, the NSW side would surely have looked very different last year. There may have been a major overhaul with the accent on youth, a start-again philosophy.
We could have been one series down the track with that now.
Fortunately, there is going to be some new blood – and a return to a couple of players used only briefly in the past – in the NSW team that will be named today for Origin I on Wednesday week, but I still doubt they will go far enough.
When you’ve lost nine of the last ten series and one player, who is no longer available to play, was hugely responsible for your sole series win in that time, dramatic change is the only option.
I’m not convinced NSW can pick any team capable of beating Queensland in this series, even with two games at ANZ Stadium. Each of the last three times NSW have had two games in Sydney, they have lost the series – in 2008, 2010 and 2013.
But I am convinced they need to do something quite different.
There is no point in going with some of the same players who have been there for many series losses.
I wish James Tedesco was fit, because I’d love to see him at fullback, but in his absence I’d go for Matt Moylan. I like Josh Mansour on one wing, but I’m less than thrilled with how Blake Ferguson is going at the moment. I’d pick Tom Trbojevic on the other wing.
It wouldn’t bother me which two out of Michael Jennings, Josh Dugan and Josh Morris played in the centres, so with Jennings and Dugan being the likely pair I can accept that.
James Maloney has to be the five-eighth because he is clearly the most in-form halves player in the NRL who is eligible to represent NSW.
Adam Reynolds is a fair enough selection at halfback, mainly in the hope that his kicking game can put the Maroons under pressure.
Unfortunately, we are struggling for halves players when Queensland have them growing on trees.
Paul Gallen and Robbie Farah have been in mostly losing NSW teams for a long time now, so what is the obsession with picking them? Aaron Woods and James Tamou to be the starting props and here’s one out of left field – Peter Wallace at hooker.
Call me irresponsible if you like, but Wallace is a very smart and disciplined player who wouldn’t get in the way of the halves.
Boyd Cordner, Josh Jackson and Greg Bird in the back row – a combination of a bit of athleticism, a bit of worker and a bit of skill.
The bench? Andrew Fifita had a rocking good game for Cronulla against Manly on Saturday night and when he’s in that sort of form he’s irresistible. He’s a game-breaker, so he should be there.
David Klemmer brings size and menace, while Bryce Cartwright and Jack Bird should both come in because it is simply time for each of them. There is no point in waiting.
Thor
Guest
You either made these up or Lozie is crazy (i'm being nice here)
MJB
Guest
Surely you mean 'sometimes I wish Cooper Cronk had never broken his arm'.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
So true. The joke goes like this. Greg Inglis is in the dressing room before SOO1 and says "Kevvie, I think of got this, you and the boys get down the Caxton Arms and have a few bevies and I'll play them on my own. After a couple of hours of drinking, the QLD team head back to Suncorp to see how GI went. They find him in the dressing room with his head in his hands. he says "sorry boys, the game ended in a 4 all draw. I get sent off after 2 minutes".
Train Without A Terminus
Guest
The lead in the blues saddlebags this year will be Gallen attempting to do too much in his last series. Good player but needs to be controlled = poor captain.
JohnB
Guest
I always thought Qld won in 2014 because NSW had self-confessed drug cheats in their team?
Sideline Comm.
Guest
I'm not going to try to defend some selections; NSW have been far from good enough in that department. But I honestly think it doesn't matter how well they selected when the majority of the Australian side was playing against them. They may have won a couple more games and maybe another series with more astute selections (and more importantly be in a better position now), but the last decade was always going to belong to the Queenslands.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Don't get me wrong, I loved him when he was at Newcastle, such a strong player for the centres. But I feel he can find himself slightly out of position in defence, and could be heavily exploited by the Queenslanders; particularly with a partner on the wing he isn't familiar with.
Chop
Roar Guru
Apparently he's eligible for QLD and NZ, not for NSW, but if he was eligible, he'd be the first winger I'd pick, he's been awessome this year.
Simoc
Guest
A reason why Qld has won so many series is because through this period they have had better players and mostly the same coach.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Stats (especially simple ones such as meters gained) say a lot of things Will, for instance they'd tell you that Woods is more effective than Matt Scott, which is laughable.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
He's got that Kurt Gidley factor. Jack of all trades, master of none.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Most definitely.
CBB
Guest
Gallen doesn't bowl anyone over either, it doesn't change the fact that Woods plays 60mins or more week in week out and continues to make over 100m a game.
Antoni
Guest
Qld don't have to worry about that because Gallen always pops up in the line and dies with the ball. He is useful as a missile carting it up an also in defence, but he is badly misused later in the game when the result is usually on the line. PS I support Qld.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Bozo strikes again. Dylan Walker, how, why, where??
turbodewd
Guest
"8. Woods (Big boy, runs hard and makes plenty of tackles for a front rower)" Plenty of soft tackles as 3rd man. His runs aren't hard, they are medium. He never bowls anyone over. His tackles are soft, upright grabs, he doesn't use his shoulder. but he likes to rough halfbacks after they kick for touch.
Agent11
Guest
He was an absolute beast at the Raiders. He is a seriously talented attacking player when he wants to be.
turbodewd
Guest
Mate, I don't make the crowd figures up. They are there for us all to see. I just am puzzled why Woods is worshipped, I watch him very closely now. He is not a hard runner nor hard tackler. His tackling stats are misleading, he flops in as the 3rd all the time and loves to end up as marker. Klemmer, by contrast, hits and runs with aggro.
turbodewd
Guest
on what basis?! Leilua isn't a Raiders defensive weakness. The Rapana Leilua side of the Raiders D doesn't concede tries, its the side with Croker that does. Leilua is a beast.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Hearing Dylan Walker will be 18th man. Could do a lot worse.