Ahh Queensland. The Gods of Origin. The undisputed kings of loyalty and success. The masters of passion and pride.
Despite missing a full season of NRL and looking well below his incredible best so far this term, Greg Inglis will once again line up for Queensland in this year’s State of Origin series.
Kevin Walters said so.
He didn’t need to though; we were already aware of Queensland’s sacrosanct loyalty program.
You know, the program that was temporarily abandoned last year, only for a group of Billy Slater-less imposters to be handed a good old fashioned rinsing in their own backyard.
The same program that came roaring in the most incredible way when a group of Billy Slater-full Gladiators made their counterparts in Blue look like school kids as they stormed home to claim their 498th decider.
Yeah, that one.
Because it works, Greg Inglis will be back this year, as will Darius Boyd. Together, they’ve previously formed the most lethal left edge in Origin history. Bucket loads of tries says as much. I don’t want to upset myself and check the actual statistics.
But that was then. This is now.
Now, neither player is what they once were. Both legends of the game, their bodies have very much caught up with them. Boyd in particular looks like he’s playing on one leg, such is the impotency of his current form. If the words of Saint Meninga are to be believed however, this will count for zilch come Game 1 of this year’s series.
Partying like it’s 2009, Boyd and Inglis will again don their warrior vests and go into battle together once more.
(Image: AAP)
Brad Fittler, stop licking your lips. Don’t insult greatness like that. But seriously Brad, get out your clip board right now.
Grab that blank team list and start writing down the following names.
“Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell”.
Pin their faces on a white board. Put them directly opposite to pictures of Greg Inglis and Darius Boyd. Old versus New. Masters vs apprentices. Left vs right.
I don’t care that one is a fullback and one is a left centre. They’re freaks – both athletically and as footballers.
I don’t care who plays centre and who plays wing. Just throw them both out there, wind them up and let them cause chaos. Put Tyson Frizell inside them, bring Angus Crichton from the interchange bench to refresh the nightmare just when it looks like going away.
Create the right side from hell.
Do not let up.
It is time for NSW to become disrespectful in the most professional yet ruthless way. Queensland have been seen good for so long on the back of a group of kings. Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk may be gone but Cam Smith and Slater remain.
These two still play like kings. They haven’t lost an iota of anything.
Inglis and Boyd have, possibly more than many would dare to admit, and they’ll play on the same side of the field.
Target it. Go at it. Exploit it. Let the kids out of the cage.
Arrogance and inexperience may sound like the most toxic of combinations, but it could just work here. We’ve tried just about everything else.
Then again, it may fail miserably. It may just result in two ageing war horses showing the world there’s still life in them yet, laughing all the way to Suncorp Bank as they add another 45 tries to their already ridiculous tally.
Ahh Queensland, the best team in sporting history. Let the record books always remind us of your greatness.
Kids don’t care about greatness anymore though, especially those who are always right.
Quite Lucrative
Guest
I'm not sure exactly who should be in the team but I can tell you who should definitely NOT be selected. Dugan- too weak, had plenty of chances and is not a match winner. Gets injured a lot.If he scores it tends to be when the pressure is off. ie unimportant times, like when the game is lost. Klemmer- substandard for 80 minutes, good for less than 20 minutes a game, won't win the game for you. Peachy???? are you kidding me? He scores low 20's in fantasy, is suspect in defence and only plays well in easy wins. Not a match winner. No way. Musts on current form include cook AND McInnes, Tariq sims, addo carr,frizzel, de belin, half the Saints side actually. I say go heavy on new IN FORM players. Reputation?? NSW has no reputation except for losing. Why pick a side full of last years losers? NO.
Ray Paks
Roar Rookie
Tariq Sims has to be there, you’re silly not to pick him the way he is cutting people in half, scoring tries and sending opposition halves to udergo HIAs If Nathan Cleary can’t get back in time, Maloney will move to 7 and Luke Keary or Blake Green comes in at 6 What about Viliami Kikau? Is he eligible for NSW? 1. James Tedesco 2. Tom Trbojevic 3. James Roberts, Latrell Mitchell 4. Euan Aitken 5. Blake Ferguson 6. James Maloney 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Paul Vaughan 9. Damien Cook, Api Koroisau 10. Reagan Campbell Gillard 11. Boyd Cordner (c) 12. Tyson Frizell 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Tyrone Peachey 15. Tariq Sims 16. David Klemmer 17. Jack De Belin 18. Cameron McInnes
Nat
Roar Guru
Experience is an issue with this team but I think you have the wrong bloke steering the ship. Maloney hasn't played well since origin last year. I get the relationship thing with Cleary but do you think their game so far have justified it? Moylan, may be a better option there IMO as he has better attack and defence and including Cleary partnership. If Pearce keeps winning at the Knights, does he get another go? Agree with Peachy, McInnes over Peats/Cook, Turbo in the centres and no Mitchell - yet. But now is the time to focus on developing - not winning. Smith, JT, Billy and Inglis played in losing series before winning ones.
ja ja klazo
Guest
Turbo will be there somewhere but Teddy will be fullback. He excelled last year in Origin and showed some very promising signs last week for Easts. Once things start clicking at Bondi he will be a very scary proposition and I can't see Fittler dropping him if he's in form.
Alec
Guest
When he plays left centre his passing game is very good. Val Holmes scored 5 and 6 tries in the world cup playing outside Dugan so Addo-Carr would benefit greatly
Muzz
Guest
Just hope Freddy goes on form not reputation. The teams put up by Alec and Dr Chop are pretty close to the mark. I wd love to see both Tedesco and Tommy T in the side. Addo-Carr is playing brilliantly.
Matt H
Roar Guru
It worked previously against QLD, who quickly saw the writing on the wall and dumped Thaiday and Myles and Lillyman I think. So if NSW do get the jump on Inglis and Boyd, expect Boyd to be replaced by Valentive Holmes for game 2
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
Yeah I think this year the kids will get a go. Now's the time. Get em in to terrorize QLD's old men while we still can. 1. Tedesco 2. Ferguson/Addo-Carr (Still undecided at this stage) 3. Tommy Turbo 4. Roberts 5. Mitchell/Mansour 6. Maloney 7. Cleary 8. Klemmer plus an offload or two 9. McInnes/Peats (very similar players, dead heat at this early stage) 10. Campbell-Gillard 11. Cordner (C) 12. Frizell 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Tyrone Peachey/Damien Cook 15. de Belin 16. Vaughan 17. Graham 18. McLean It's a very inexperienced side. There are potentially 10 first-gamers. The backline especially is full of inexperience, which is why Ferguson and Mansour are still in my calculations. But I think now is the time to pick a side like this. In years gone by it wouldn't have worked - it could have been disastrous. But now is the time. Do it Freddy! Let the kids at them!
Paul
Roar Guru
if Duggan's the best number 3 we have, we're in trouble.
Forty Twenty
Guest
Teddy was playing for Italy while Turbo was playing for Australia under the watch of one Mal Meninga in the World Cup. Maybe Fittler will see things differently. Barring injury Turbo is likely to be in the team somewhere.
Nat
Roar Guru
We've discussed before that I rate Turbo and without doubt he will find his way into SoO sooner rather than later andalso why I focused more on Mitchell. But to have him out side of Latrell nullifies him for all but the cross kick. He won't play FB while Tede is there. Remember, we are talking SoO so it's not Turbo vs grade players, we are talking the very best Australian reps.
Forty Twenty
Guest
Sounds like you've never seen Turbo play, his stats are wrong in that case?
Alec
Guest
The best blues 17 would be 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Ferguson (If he maintains form) 3. Dugan 4. Roberts 5. Addo-Carr 6. Maloney 7. Cleary 8. Klemmer 9. Cook 10. McLean 11. Cordner 12. Graham 13. Jake Trbojevic Bench 14. Vaughan 15. Frizell 16. Campbell-Gillard 17. Cody Walker
Nat
Roar Guru
Turbo and Mitchell? Oh, please do Freddie. They are good for 60 mins per game between them. "Mitchell is the next Inglis" has been the cry since he came into grade except he's not. Greg had won premierships, Clive Chrchill's, rep'd for Qld and Australia at an earlier age than Mitchell is now. Then at Souths, another Premiership. Mitchell's greatest achievement - fighting his way back into first grade after being dropped. The kids may not care about greatness, but they will learn what it is from behind the goalposts.
Paul
Roar Guru
You can certainly hold onto aging players for too long and you're right, the youth of today have little respect for reputations, they simply go out and play the game. NSW has to pick players who are up to SOO standard and are in form; pretty simple. Qld will probably stick to their tired and true methods of picking proven players, because that's what they've always done. If NSW get the combination right, there could be a very abrupt turn around for sure. Personally I hope they do pick Inglis and Boyd. Too old and way too slow in Boyd's case.
Alec
Guest
If Mitchell and Crichton play origin mark it down for another Queensland victory