Cherry-Evans snubbed! Maroons reveal team for Origin 3

also if there is any injury concern for Smith then Hunt is the better versatile backup.

Imo Dce 2017 has the best kicking game, the way he held Canberra off at Brooky with his kicking won that game, all the momentum Canberra had and should've won, countless times this yr he has turned momentum with a kick or and kick and chase, he is always first there after a kick and I really don't have to talk up other aspects of his game, Dce fan, disappointed for him, Manly fan, backing him to improve his yr on back of omission.

In all probability Ben will pay 10-20min tops. He's a very strong one on one defender and is also a strong, hard runner of the ball. When big forwards are fatigued they struggle to defend smaller quicker players that run hard and have good footwork around the ruck. Maybe this is what Walters is looking for from Hunt. DCE's kicking and passing game which is far superior to Hunt is not what Walters is looking for obviously. They have Cronk, Smith, Morgan and Munster to do that stuff so you can see some logic to his thinking.

That does not make sense. QLD will pay. NSW gain. They would not want DCE playing. They will be relieved. DCE should have been on bench and come on after 20 min. You watch Cronks kicking game will be under pressure and he will be hurried all the time because they know he will be getting the ball. Silly and dumb. It makes so much more sense to give DCE his opportunity now not next year. Surely Hunt is below on pecking order. And versatility? what??? they are making it up as they go along.

I get the impression that Hunts selection may indicate that Smith isn't 100%

I think SCott means 2013 when DCE actually played off the bench and was very solid

regardless of whether DCE is royalty lives in a castle and snubs other players and selectors if he is the best player and the form player he warrants selection its laughable walters dumb justifications for dale not warranting selection everyones knows the truth thanks for handing the 2017 series to nsw whoevers responsible for this debacle selectors senior players or both

Lock nowadays is like another Front Rower - Hunt will get little minutes or none at all as Smith/Cronk/Morgan will all play 80 minutes unless injured. Might be an advantage NSW can take advantage off - QLD only using 16 player perhaps in that case if Hunt not used.

Strange to select Hunt or DCE for that matter as one would assume unless injured Smith/Cronk/Morgan will all play 80 Minutes meaning Hunt will play little minutes if any. NSW have Bird on the bench who can FB/Centre, 5/8 and back row- QLD must not have such a player to select on the bench I suppose?

Very happy to not see DCE in the side. A-grade muppet and disunity is death.

I have no idea what you classify as a decent job. He did nought in Game 1 (even though he played nearly the whole game). When he started in Game 2 he tried to selfishly score a solo try in the dying minutes of the first half when QLD got a quick play of the ball 20 out. And he made a poor read in defense to let in NSW's only try. In Game 3 he set up one try in the first half, and that was his last input. Hardly a pretty decent job... DCE is a good swap for Cronk playing alongside someone like Morgan, Hunt or Munster. But he doesn't work with the current line up.

Is selection based on popularity of ability? Poor decision either way.

Queensland haven't marked his card apparently... hmmmm

Everyone knows that Walters includes some of the senior players in the selection process, and most of us are okay with that - consultation in the work place is generally a good thing. But whichever player(s) it is that are road blocking the DCE selection need to step up and take the heat off Walters who is being forced to lie to the media to protect is players. Not even Ben Hunt's mum believes he should be in the side ahead of DCE, so all of Walters denials just fool nobody and rather make him look like a puppet and a front for the Maroons and not the coach.

From a Qld selector, "you need to put in a MOTM performance on Saturday!". Tick! Apparently, you can play for Qld when dropped to Qld Cup. Tick! Double standards. Tick! Bias. Tick!........

Funny. The versatility Hunt brings is that he could play hooker, which is very unlikely to be needed. He's not much use anywhere else. If they really wanted some versatility then Corey Norman should have been considered given he can play fullback and centre as well as 5/8. He or DCE could also slip into lock if needed and do a better job there than Hunt.

Walters appears to be building at bridge to DCE for the future. He was a match winner for QLD from the bench in another life.

Trent Barrett to DCE: "Hey mate, it's a shame that Queensland left you off the team again. I heard the Queensland selectors said it was because you weren't setting up enough tries or winning enough matches by twenty points or more. Just something to think about buddy." *Manly wins all the games for the rest of the season by over 20 points*

That's hilarious. Does Walters not remember Cherry Evans played the bench role twice in 2014 and did a pretty decent job?

Good selection and future Dragon!