On Monday, we asked you to tell us the team you’d like to see walk out for the Blues in Game 1 this year against Queensland. Now, the results are in, and it’s time to reveal The Roar’s New South Wales squad as chosen by you, before the official team is unveiled on Monday.
Fullback: James Tedesco
No surprises here. The Wests Tigers’ custodian hasn’t been at his best this year, but Tedesco still picked up a whopping 80 per cent of the vote for the fullback jersey, easily beating out the likes of Jarryd Hayne, Josh Dugan and Matt Moylan. Hayne was the best of the rest with just under six per cent of the vote.
Wingers: Blake Ferguson and Jarryd Hayne
Ferguson was the obvious choice for his spot on the wing, the Kangaroos and Roosters flyer getting picked by four of every five Roarers. The second winger’s spot went to Hayne, who picked up 39 per cent of the vote. Brett Morris was next best with 30 per cent, and Tom Trbojevic also received plenty of love before being ruled out for the first two games.
Centres: Jack Bird and Josh Dugan
If there’s one spot in the backline where the New South Wales selectors are spoilt for choice, it’s in the centres, and that was reflected in our poll. Jack Bird (45%) was the most-supported contender, while Josh Dugan and Hayne finished in a dead heat for the second centre spot. Given Hayne had already locked down a spot on the wing, it’s Dugan who lines up alongside Bird in our side despite his current injury cloud.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Five-Eighth: James Maloney
The Cronulla playmaker will be one of the first names on Laurie Daley’s team sheet, if our side is anything to go by. Maloney was picked by three-quarters of Roarers, easily beating out Matt Moylan (9%) for the No.6 jersey.
Halfback: Mitchell Pearce
Despite the conjecture around whether Pearce is up to Origin standard, he was the consensus choice in our team, picking up 60 per cent of the vote. Adam Reynolds was supported by 19 per cent of Roarers, and 15 per cent preferred to see Maloney at halfback rather than five-eighth, but it’s Pearce who takes the seven jersey for us.
Hooker: Nathan Peats
The Titan is the man most Roarers want to see take the hooker’s spot for the Blues is Game 1. Peats was picked in half of the teams, with the remaining votes pretty evenly split between Robbie Farah, Cameron McInnes, Damien Cook and Peter Wallace.
Props: Andrew Fifita and Paul Vaughan
If Roarers get their way, the Blues will unleash wrecking-ball combo Fifita and Vaughan in the front row from kick-off in Game 1. Fifita was selected by 68 per cent of respondents, while Vaughan snuck into the second prop’s spot with 36 per cent of the vote. Coming up just short were David Klemmer (28%) and Aaron Woods (22%).
Second-rowers: Boyd Cordner, Tyson Frizell and Wade Graham
Boyd Cordner was the most-selected player in the entire poll with over 85 per cent of the vote here. There was little competition for the other two back-row spots, with Tyson Frizell (67%) and Wade Graham (58%) easily earning their places in the run-on side. Josh Jackson (29%) and Jake Trbojevic (22%) had the next-most votes.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Bench: David Klemmer, Jake Trbojevic, Shannon Boyd, Tyrone Peachey
The interchange positions were where things got a little tricky. David Klemmer easily booked his spot on the bench with 35 per cent of the vote, but Jack Bird, who had already been selected to start in the centres, was next best with 34 per cent. Wade Graham (25%) and Paul Vaughan (25%) would also have earned interchange spots were they not selected in the run-on side.
That leaves Jake Trbojevic (30%) and Shannon Boyd (23%) as the other two forwards on the bench. Josh Jackson had only one less vote than Boyd, but given the support for Bird, we decided that most fans want to see a utility player in the squad and passed over the Canterbury man as a result. The utility player with the most votes behind Bird was Panther Tyrone Peachey, who got ten more votes than his club captain Matt Moylan.
That means that Moylan and Jackson miss out, as does Wests Tigers captain Aaron Woods, leaving our side looking like this:
The Roar’s NSW Blues side for Origin 1
1. James Tedesco
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Jack Bird
4. Josh Dugan
5. Blake Ferguson
6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Andrew Fifita
9. Nathan Peats
10. Paul Vaughan
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Wade Graham
13. Tyson Frizell
14. Tyrone Peachey
15. David Klemmer
16. Jake Trbojevic
17. Shannon Boyd
You’re welcome, Laurie.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
There's only one Kempsey and despite being in NSW it's definitely in Qld. Greg Inglis is from Kempsey and he plays for Qld therefore Kempsey is in Qld
steveng
Roar Rookie
They have even moved Kempsey from NSW to QLD lol next they will move Sydney to QLD!
eagleJack
Roar Guru
"Queensland's everywhere"
steveng
Roar Rookie
Not the Kempsey that Roberts was born, its on the northern/eastern coast of NSW, that is what his brief says. Have a look; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Roberts_(rugby_league)
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Kempsey is in qld
steveng
Roar Rookie
For the life of me, I can't figure out why James Roberts isn't considered and/or ever picked for NSW SOO side. He was born in Kempsey and surely he must be a New South Welshmen! Unless Qld have changed his birth certificate and they are claiming him lol. The guy is a rocket and on his form this year surely he would make this NSW SOO side.
Footy 101
Guest
Mitchell Pearce. Here we go again. Maloney and Moylan win a game but nope, let's go back to Junior's son AGAIN 'cause he's had a few good games this year. Wake up, QLD want him to be picked... they don't fear him in any way.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Agree... can't say all of that and then suggest Moylan - had to be a stitch up.
Agent11
Guest
Leilua could have been the centre NSW needed except he has been complete and utter garbage the last few weeks.
Judge Holden
Guest
I'd have Hayne in the centers with Brett Morris on the wing. Otherwise that is a very very good NSW side. I can see Queensland really getting bashed up the middle this year. I think the Blues will take this series.
.
Guest
putting on my cynical hat - we'll lose the first two, make some changes and win the third.... Tedesco will let in tries everytime someone thinks about running near him and Pearce won't fire, again....
Sava
Guest
Canberras' Crocker deserves a run in Origin,as does Fred De Belin's grandson,a top pack picked by The Roar mob and should lead us to a Victory in first game if Laurie has enough nous to pick the forwards we think would go well. Sava
Josh
Guest
You're surely taking the piss if you think Jack Bird is a pedestrian, 'flair-lacking' centre, that's just plain false. Wouldn't put Dugan in myself, Roberts definitely deserves a run with his form. You're also kidding yourself if Tedesco is out of form but you'd put Moylan in.
McTavish
Roar Rookie
Any winger outside him may as well not bother leaving the sheds.
The Barry
Roar Guru
What's the point of having votes if you arbitrarily manipulate the results? But overall I'm almost beyond caring who NSW selects. These discussions have been going on so long. They can't go too far wrong whoever they pick in the front row and back row. Halfback is a case of who is the least worst and there's numerous suitable permutations in the 3/4s. I've said before but I think it's a mistake to shoehorn one of Cordner, Jackson, Frizell or Graham into the 13 because they can't make up their mind. All four can spend minutes in the middle but won't be as effective as a full time middle third player. Pick two for the starting lineup and one for the bench and be done with it. So much for not caring...?
Les Mara
Guest
Wade Graham in the squad along with Hyane. I agree De Belin should be in the squad. I don't know if Josh Jackson will make a defining impact, as too Farah. Laurie Daley spoke too soon when he said Farah will be the hooler, what about Peats?
Paul
Guest
Jack De Bellin should be the first forward picked.
Bfc
Guest
Looks like Pearce is about to get another run in blue...Contrast how demanding the Maroons are with their halves ( eg Tallis saying DCE has "always failed" at origin level...and DCE has played fewer games/series than Pearce..). Origin is a different beast to NRL. Would have thought Daley has nothing to lose by picking an attacking side with a couple of "flair" players...agree with some that suggest the Blues may be too one-dimensional. If their pack is chosen to simply play 'crash ball' footy, they will only win if they establish a clear dominance and keep the Maroons on the back foot for 80mins. Otherwise Cronk/JT/Smith will turn them around repeatedly and wear them out...and the Maroons have enough flair to score tries regularly.
Albo
Guest
So once again we think that a strategy based on a top heavy steamrolling pack of forwards and a defensive backline is the way to beat QLD ? This looks to be the exact same strategy that has failed NSW now for a decade. The Queenslanders will giggle again as they prepare to match the forward game of NSW happy in the fact they know they can score more tries than NSW yet again in our usual "no risk" battle of attrition format. Where is the NSW creativity ? How are we going to score points ? The Qld mob would need but a very limited defensive plan based on stopping a Fifita off load, and watch out if Hayne moves in off the wing ( he might create something?). The rest is the usual fare of bash it up the middle and kick on the 5th. "Hail mary " bombs rock ! We have chosen two good defensive but pedestrian centres who both rarely pass the football or make a break, making it a sorry night for the wingers. Sure we have Teddy maybe injecting himself but his form has been going backwards by the week in recent times. Then we have a set of halves in form but hardly creative with one being a running 6 and the other a good defender with an on / off kicking game and a long history of past issues at this level. If QLD get their defence in order like they do every year, I can't see this popular NSW selection causing them any trouble. Some attacking flair is a must or we will be sorely disappointed once again. Despite some lesser defensive qualities the likes of Moylan or Dylan Walker or James Roberts need to be risked to provide some creativity to this squad. As it is, this popular squad is so one dimensional that the QLD team will eat it up, yet again.
LachyP
Guest
Boyd is the myth. He certainly looks the part with a massive frame but doesn't have anywhere near the impact of his club mate Paulo who I think would be a beast on the bench.