With the NSW Origin guillotine dangling over their heads, Penrith marquee men Trent Merrin and James Tamou have unselfishly vowed to put club ahead of state.
The pair of Penrith big men are facing the real possibility of being left out of Laurie Daley’s Blues side when it is read out, in a little over four weeks, as a result of their side’s limp start to the NRL season.
With just two wins to show from the first seven rounds, Tamou and Merrin could see their representative hopes dashed as a result of their club’s poor form.
Merrin was left out of the NSW side last year but put himself back in the frame with a standout performance for Australia during the end-of-season Four Nations.
Tamou too could be jettisoned with it expected that Aaron Woods, David Klemmer and Andrew Fifita are locked in as picks and Shannon Boyd made his Test debut last year.
“I want to be there for sure,” Tamou said.
“It’s always a good time of year. We’re building at the moment.
“It’s just one of those things, you’d love to be there but you can’t take your focus away from what’s happening here and as one of the experienced players, the team here needs me.”
And as the Panthers’ big-name recruit, Tamou has taken their mediocre start to heart.
He also accepted that Daley and his selectors had an abundance of choices in the front row.
“There are some really good forwards who played really well at the back end of last year, who deservedly got picked for the Kangaroos squad,” Tamou said.
“Everyone wants to play Origin and they’re building well.”
And while Merrin looked like he had cemented his future in the Australian jumper for years to come following the Four Nations, the likes of Tyson Frizell, Josh Jackson, Boyd Cordner and Wade Graham are threatening to keep him out of the state side.
“You’re always disappointed,” Merrin said of his 2016 snubbing.
“They’re a team you want to be a part of and I hold these things close to my heart.
“But the bigger goal is this club. I’ve come here for a reason and I’m not about to shy away from that and being selfish and start thinking about rep footy.”
Footy 101
Guest
When QLD selects their side they keep it simple.. "who plays week in, week out like they want to play for QLD". Doesn't matter if they are in a poor performing side, if they play consistent footy they step up at Origin (like Gagai and years ago Thurston etc). It's not rocket science and NSW need to do the same and stop going for "incumbents". 1. Tedesco 2. Wighton 3. Croker 4. Bird 5. B Morris 6. Austin 7. Maloney 8. Vaughn 9. Wallace 10. Woods 11. Cordner 12. Jackson 13. Frizell 14. Fafita 15. Merrin 16. Graham 17. Peachy
Bonza
Guest
I dread the thought Moylan is being considered on current form. Picking a side Qld would rub their hands in glee at would include him. Fergs/Duges, Woodsy and the ex Tigers hooker. All stand a great chance of being picked.
Joe McGrath
Roar Rookie
I hope Matt Moylan not being mentioned in this article is an indication he's not being considered at this stage. I'm pretty concerned about an incumbency argument being trotted out for his inclusion somewhere. For me at least Tedesco and Dugan are ahead of him at fullback, Bird and Peachey as utilities, and Walker, Reynolds, Maloney (i know he was 7 last year though) at five-eighth. I thought Tamou was pretty good against the sharks, but along with the four mentioned there's also Paul Vaughan being talked up for a spot. Klemmer could also end up being the lock.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Can we just make a note that it isn't their clubs form that is affecting their chances but rather their own form. I forget during Panthers games that Tamou moved there let alone think about him as a rep hopeful. Merrin imo has taken two and a half steps back since leaving the dragons. I don't want to point fingers at Griffin but he does have history in having rep standard forwards underperform.