State of Origin Game 1 is just one sleep away.
Ray and I went down to the local bottlo, purchased two ice cold slabs of Reschs Real Ale, two kilos of 70 per cent marked down hamburger mince – which we used to cover the entire BBQ hot plate and flip after 15 minutes called the all-day slab.
We also got three six packs of marked down cheese and bacon bread rolls, a 1kg tin of no name beetroot, a bag of small brown onions, huge clove of garlic and a 48 pack of cheese slices.
We then got down to business in predicting the post-match fallout the media will roll out coming Thursday morning as we fired up the hot plate.
Ray and I originally came up with our own squads prior to the team announcements. It’s fair to say we were some way off and our penchant to pick speedsters was not matched by NSW selectors.
My NSW Side for Game 1 read – 1.James Tedesco 2. James Roberts 3. Jack Bird 4. Michael Jennings 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Matt Moylan 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Shannon Boyd 9. Peter Wallace 10. Andrew Fifita 11. Boyd Cordner (Captain) 12. Tyson Frizell 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Wade Graham 15. Dave Klemmer 16. Paul Vaughan 17. Jarryd Hayne
Of my side named above only ten made the cut. Of Ray’s side below he too only managed 10. We were both lost for words James ‘The Jet’ Roberts was overlooked on his home track. Sure he has some off-field issues but we guarantee the Maroons would have picked him. He’s almost made more metres, line breaks and other important stats the NSW pair have combined in 2017.
Ray went with – 1. Josh Dugan 2. Dylan Walker 3. Jack Bird 4. Jarryd Hayne 5. James Roberts 6.Matt Moylan (Captain) 7. James Maloney 8. Andrew Fifita 9.Nathan Peats 10. Aaron Woods 11. Boyd Cordner (Vice-Captain) 12. Tyson Frizell 13. Jack DeBelin 14. Wade Graham 15. Jordan McLean 16. Ryan James 17. Tyrone Peachey
Ray was almost throwing uppercuts in proclaiming young ‘Peach’ would be the game changer and deliver the desperate Blues a series win. He said Moylan should be the long-term skipper and take over now. Couldn’t agree with him there as the Blues halves change more often than a Pitt Street traffic light!
My Queensland side, again less controversial than Ray’s read – 1. Darius Boyd 2. Val Holmes 3. Will Chambers 4. Cameron Munster 5. Dane Gagai 6. Johnathan Thurston 7. Cooper Cronk 8.Dylan Napa 9. Cam Smith (capt) 10. Josh McGuire 11.Josh Papalii 12. Sam Thaiday 13. Matt Gillett 14.Michael Morgan 15.Jarrod Wallace 16. Gavin Cooper 17. Coen Hess
Ray’s odd bunch read: 1. Billy Slater 2. Val Holmes 3. Will Chambers 4. Justin O’Neil 5. Dane Gagai 6. Darius Boyd 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Sam Thaiday 9. Cam Smith © 10. Jarrod Wallace 11. Josh Papalii 12. Matt Gillett 13. Josh McGuire 14. Cameron Munster 15. Dylan Napa 16. Coen Hess 17. Gavin Cooper
Again our crystal balls were well off the pace with five missing out from my squad and six from Ray’s lot. We were both left speechless that Jacob Lillyman got a call up, ditto Aidan Guerra over Coen Hess and Jarrod Wallace.
So Thursday expect to read headlines like the following.
The Hayne plane looks destined for the hanger – ex NFL star suffers horror show in Game 1
Time for Queensland to ditch Dads army and look toward the future – bench forwards fail to make any impact as NSW dominate the ruck in game 1
Pearce fails to fire as social media goes into meltdown over this selection for Game 1
No JT no hope as Milford struggles to fill the role of Queensland’s maestro
NSW backs fail to spark as pace out wide is exposed by a Cooper Cronk master class
Nate has too many miles in his legs and struggles with 27 metres form seven carries in Queensland loss
Sterlo pulls his hair out as NSW put in ill-disciplined display costing them Game 1
Call and Oates: Corey suffers dud calls from the touch judge as NSW win in golden point
Aaron Woods re-injured on opening hit up from kick off as NSW suffer the Blues at Suncorp
Fifita has a long Napa as Dylan is sent from the field in controversial game 1 clash
Mitchell finally at Pearce with himself after steering NSW to comfortable win in series opener
Gillett shows he is definitely the best a man can get as he leads Maroon pack to victory
Bunker robs Queensland /NSW of victory in Game 1 with outrageous call of offside
The usual post match scripts will already be typed in readiness for Thursday morning headlines. Personally both sides have gone a little too conservative for Game 1 as they usually do.
We expect the Game 3 sides for both to lot a fair bit different unless one of the two sides wins the first two games with ease.
The ‘buy yourself a lotto ticket selections’ are Jarryd Hayne, Brett Morris, Aaron Woods, Josh Jackson, Corey Oates, Justin O’Neill, Nate Myles, Aidan Guerra and Jacob Lillyman.
We both feel any changes for game two might come from these nine players from both squads. How Jarrod Wallace, Coen Hess, James Roberts and Paul Vaughan missed out is anybody’s guess.
Also worth a mention from the 17 that played the Kiwis that Trent Merrin, Val Holmes andamp; Shannon Boyd, who was a late withdrawal due to injury also failed to make the cut for their state sides. Jordan McLean was 18th man for that Test match but did make it as 19th man for the Blues.
We are predicting a Queensland win by six with a late try from the Blues making the scores a little closer. NSW look to have a clear edge in the forwards but with an untried hooker up against the world’s best and a few backs picked on reputation and not form, we think they’ll take the chocolates in Game 1 before the series is squared at 1-1 at ANZ Stadium in Game 2 after Loz and Snorkella pick on form and add some much needed pace to the outside backs.
We hope we’re wrong but the maroon skipper will be the real pocket ref and get his mob over the line.
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