Is the all-Bronco selection panel bringing the Bronco bias?

I don't think their is bias but the selection panel of Qld despite this series win needs to change. Either add in someone to make it four or replace Miles or Lockyer. That Game 1 selection was a disgrace. Players severely out of form and Walters was out voted on the inclusion of Slater. No definitive conclusion amongst the 3 of them that Hess should have been a certainty and Holmes who is most probably one of the World's best wingers left out on uncertain terms. No Wallace who they preferred the desperately out of form other props Myles and Lillyman to. Come to game 3 and still some selection shockers, Glasby should not have been included I'm a fan of the battler but not at Origin level yet. Ben Hunt, Josh Papalii and Gavin Cooper are others that on form should have been replaced. Papalii is heading into the most overated category and Cooper while solid is far from spectacular nowdays. Last night's match proved that with Cooper unable to hit holes despite great balls from his inside men. However 2017 is done and dusted, lets see if Qld can learn from the series and be even better in 2018.

I don't know if it's a specific bias, but it's certainly very Bronco/Storm centric.

Possibly not since a) it was several weeks beforehand and Oates continued playing for Broncos and b) it's not a mystery illness, it's a staph infection and this has been confirmed and reported on for nearly two weeks now. Not sure what you were trying to suggest, really, but whatever it was you didn't really do yourself any favours.

It's a concern, but queensland greats of selecting age might be more likely to come from the one historic club. It opens the door for bias or just being more familiar with their players (making them known entities and more predictable). The use of ben hunt is controversial, but maybe they have something specific in mind. I'd note that they put a bronco in sam thaiday into the wilderness.

Don, your article is flawed, you only listed 3 selectors when clearly there is another selector from the Storm.

Mate... If you're going to fly the 'Broncos Bias' flag I hope it's only at half mast... Because apart from Hunt's selection, there has been a definite Melbourne flavour to the selections for the past two games.

I was actually expecting Lawrence to get a mention myself. Especially after G1

The Referee Whisperer is also apparently a Selector Whisperer.

And when one of those players is leaving the Broncos. You would have thought any pro-Broncos bias would have been against selecting such a player.

As pointed out, no Broncos bias. As also pointed out, Oates, probably best Maroon in Game 1, dropped. I don't have any problem with the fullback selection for either Game 1 or 2. Boyd deserved first crack. Wasn't brilliant, but still a great player, and given a couple of other Queenslanders were woeful, it was a no-brainer to bring in Slater as custodian and shift Boyd wide. Thaiday getting dropped was warranted. However, I am disappointed that after such a brilliant Origin career, not to mention being one of the most entertaining blokes, he's an afterthought, just like that. Where's his send off? So no, there is no Broncos bias. In fact, as a Broncos fan, it feels strange having just 3 of the lads in the line-up. Seriously, when has that ever happened, even in years when we failed to make the 8? People are scratching their heads over Hunt's selection. Regardless of being a Broncos fan,I really do think he fits the Queensland game plan better. However, no matter what you think about that selection, you simply can't call 'bias' over ONE controversial selection!

I think there is a bit of Broncos bias with two of them but I don't think affects Walters as much. I think Walters takes more input from Smith in deciding the team which is why Glasby was picked and is still in there. I also don't think Thaiday warranted a return for Game 3...if he was in the running, then his game against the Storm would have pretty much crossed his name off the list. I agree with MBs comment above on the bias of three clubs in the QLD team because I think Bukuya and Lawrence have been outstanding...especially Lawrence who is probably the fastest front rower in the comp...would be good for chasing the Blues backs and closing holes in defence but he doesn't even get a mention. That along with DCE not being picked I think sums up the bias. The weird one is Oates dropped for Holmes because I thought he didn't deserve to be dropped...possibly they already knew about his mystery illness?

With all due respect Mr.Squishy I think we might be looking at diffrrent puzzels To say DCE looks good because the Manly team make him look good is fair enough but I think DCE plays a big part in making Manly look good also. I don't "get it"when you say DCE is in great form but it would'nt work in the Qld.side,it works for J.T....(now before you jump all over me..) I am not saying DCE is in JT's class but I feel they both play a similar style of football. Both have a great short kicking game as well as a long kick and chase game. Both have a good short passing game as well as a great cut-out pass (check out try assists) Both take on the line and are solid defenders. Probabley this is one of the reasons why when JT and DCE last played together in a State of Origin game ,becaused they both play the same style of football,it was hard for them to form a good combination. With Cronk at half-back you have a more compatable combination which suits both their style of play. Munster is a solid all round performer but lacks the kicking skills of JT and DCE. As for Hunt his game is still in his locker and untill he takes it out and starts playing consistently I still can't jusyify his place in the side.

If it was Broncos bias then Oates would never have been dropped. I note he's now been missing club footy with some mystery illness, so wasn't in contention for game 3. I still can't understand the Hunt selection though. If Slater really does end up injured and we see Hunt moving into the #6 for all of, or the majority of the game, I will lose it! I get picking combinations etc, I really do. But origin is supposed to be about rewarding and recognising the best players. I don't think we're doing that.

Dragons, can you back up your Lockyer rant? Your statement that Lockyer, long after he retires and long before he was a selector tells a Qld bit part player how/where he should play his days in order to rep for Qld. What time did you start drinking?

If Brad Fittler can see why Hunt was selected ahead of Cherry-Evans, I'm not sure why so many roarers can't.

I know you were asking RM, but, I will try to justify Hunt's selection over DCE. QLD has, and I think always will, look to follow a particular plan. No one player is picked on his form alone. The whole team is picked to fit into a puzzle that has already been decided. They have clear plans in place and then they look at who can fill those roles. DCE is in great form! Agreed. But, you have to realise that club form does not mean that you will work in a Rep team. DCE looks good at the moment because Manly look good: both Trbo's are going great, Walker and Uate are playing well, Blake Green is doing all the basics in the middle (to let DCE roam, and relax), and Korisau is giving great service at dummy half. But, if you try to put what DCE does week in week out for Manly into this current QLD team, it just doesn't work. They need an energetic, running style 5/8 (which is why Hunt was dropped by Bennett - to get him to run more). Not a floating, roaming halfback. Hunt and Munster are much closer in style to JT. Hence their selection. Munster is there because of his combination too, but, if they need "another/back-up JT" they will have one on the bench. However, don't think for a second that I am saying that Hunt is even close in abilitiy to JT. He just provides a very similar style. And that fits the QLD puzzle. When Cronk retires, I have no doubt that DCE's name will be well in the mix. Even though the puzzle may change when that happens. But, it is, "find a puzzle first, then find the pieces"...

Smells like bias, floats like bias....Des Morris and Alan Smith and 2 others made up the old selection panel, (Morris for 21 years as Qld and National selector). Now its just ex-Broncos panel with input from Smith and therein lies the perception of bias /problem of bias.

I agree Boyd should have been in the side ,but as he had played most of his Origin games on the wing it was no big deal to move him to allow Slater back in, which helped them win game two.I would also like to hear your opinion on the Hunt over DCE seliction, I'm having trouble justifing that one.In regards to Thaiday being dropped I think sadly his used by date was up and it was time to bring in fresh legs.As for Holmes replacing Oates I think if Holmes is good enough to represent Australia and his form has been consistent he deserves his selection.

The inclusion of Tim Glasby signifies that the Melbourne Mafia offer up selection propositions which are hard to refuse. His repeat selection on the grounds that he will learn from the errors of his debut are a pure and subtle directive from the Godfather, Camerono Smitholini .

For the record, I agreed with dropping Thaiday for Game II (although I would have brought him back, fired up for redemption in the decider. Big Sam only seems to play well when someone has lit a fire under him now that he's in the back end of his career). I also think Boyd deserved his place at fullback in Game I for the same reason I thought he deserved it for the Test match earlier this year - he was the incumbent and had played well in the previous game as the incumbent. In case it wasn't clear - I don't think there is any evidence of there being a Broncos bias in selections this series. The author put forward the examples of Boyd and Hunt's selections, and I paired them with the examples of Oates and Thaiday getting dropped to show you couldn't really say the former proved any bias.