State of Origin Teams: Josh Morris ruled out, Jack Bird into Blues side

exactly....its like playing percentage poker against the best poker player in the world.....you are going to loose consistently.....NSW have to chance their arm....we are sick of them playing grinding % footy againsy smith,cronk and thurston....are u kidding?we have players there that have loosing burnt into their dna

Haha yep the one at brookie!

By last game I hope you are referring to NRL game rather than Origin :)

Fair enough. I actually think Walker should've been picked last year.... No one can deny that his capable....I just don't think he warrants selection this year. That said, hopefully he puts in a similar performance to the one in his last game.

Well it's clear he isn't a 6. He should have more try assists. But the above stats highlight runs, run metres etc. Of course centres would have much higher stats in those. That's their job. Stats, drunks and lampposts.

I dare say that with such an inflated stat, he is trying too many things, pushing too many passes. That is the question mark and which has held him back from being selected.

Isn't that even worse EJ... Walker being a 6 should be more involved but clearly the other are doing more in attack and defence than he does. Sure his a out and out centre but even last year his stats don't compare.

While Bj Leilua was at the knights i always said that he was both the best centre and the worst centre in the game. His problem was always consistency and i havnt seen a single canberra game this year to be able to state whether he has developed that consistency. Even if he is still at that level of inconsistency what have we got to lose. Either we inevitably lose, while bj plays poorly (and probably takes the blame?) Or he pulls off a blinder and possibly drags us over the line. I dont know if it's just me or can almost everyone in both nsw and qld see the players that should be getting picked for nsw, except Laurie and Fulton. Cartwright, graham (from game 1), tedesco, peachey.

Hmmmmm comparing the stats of a 6 v 2 x centres has plenty of flaws. Not to mention leaving out errors and penalties conceded. Two areas the coaches would have concerns with BJ in the Origin arena. Walker is an out and out centre. If he played there all year, his stats would be up there with the other two. You only have to watch him running in the wider channel to see his class. What do they say about stats, drunks and lampposts?

Gus and Joey now coaching NSW, bonding sessions are back and at Bourbon Beefsteak, players picked on form then worry about combinations, young players picked if good because that's how everyone starts, Ray Hadley uses influence to force Bozo to stand down, NSW start passing the ball, Qld not beaten but flogged, James Tedesco celebrates 60-0 final try series clinching win with Human Bowling celebration which pisses off Qld so.... ah...what a beautiful dream.....

But most of those errors is for trying positive acts like offloads. Better to have errors trying stuff that win games than plodding along safely like woods, Gallen and most of the blues with no points to lose

I would say his 18 errors probably come into it, 5th most in the NRL, in origin those errors can cost you a game, Leilua that is. I don't agree with the Walker selection, I would have gone for Bird to start and Cartwright on the bench.

Those stats don't tell the whole story, Rapana deserves a huge amount of credit for Leilua's success and has only hit form since moving to Canberra, though he's a better option then Walker

If NSW lose in Brisbane Daley should show a lot of loyalty for game 3 even if they get flogged. There is a lot to be said for grinding out loss after loss it is character building. After losing many games the NSW players are now genuine Origin players who can get in the grind much better than club players. They also play with a good shape and are great at one off runs through the middle.

great stats and show just how hard to understand these selections are

Bird may start with walker on the bench. Blues to win by 4

Walker instead of Bird. Daley is beyond help.

Blues should have picked Leilua. But Walker's Origin payments are his third party agreement for joining Manly.

Holding your own in defense is not enough anymore. At rep level centres should be a threat with the ball as well as being good defenders. NSW need both

yeah can't argue with that