Last night the New South Wales Blues announced their squad for Game 1 of the 2019 State of Origin series.
There are five debutants in the squad: Nick Cotric and Jack Wighton from the Canberra Raiders, Cameron Murray and Cody Walker from the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Payne Haas from the Brisbane Broncos.
Players like Luke Keary, Joey Leilua, Adam Reynolds and Mitchell Pearce will be wondering what might have been, with injuries ruling them out.
Nathan Cleary will be breathing a sigh of relief. These injuries only helped his cause for selection, given his average form this year.
Along with the injured players, there are several stars who were unlucky to miss out on selection.
James Maloney
Let’s begin with James Maloney, who was the Blues’ vice-captain last year, but has been dumped for Cody Walker.
One of the raging debates leading into this Origin series was whether Brad Fittler would pick and stick with the same team that won the series in 2018, or whether he would opt to select players based on form.
Sensibly, Fittler has gone for a mix of both.
Penrith have had a very disappointing start to the 2019 season. Plenty have levelled the blame at the feet of their halves. But the truth is that the only Penrith player currently playing better than they did last year is James Tamou.
Perhaps Fittler queried whether picking a halves combination that is struggling to win games together at club level would be able to compete in the Origin arena.
Or perhaps – and rightly so – Walker’s form has been so good that it was impossible for Fittler to leave him out.
The Blues will miss Maloney’s experience in Game 1, and depending on the result, he may be able to fight his way back into contention for Game 2.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Reagan Campbell-Gillard
RCG hasn’t been the same since he broke his jaw late last season.
Unfortunately, the injury seems to have hurt his confidence and he does not seem as comfortable with contact anymore.
He is another casualty of Penrith’s poor start to the year, but given the 25-year-old’s age, I thought he may have been selected alongside the other young players who will form the nucleus of this Blues squad for the next five to ten years.
Fittler has only selected one prop to come off the bench. I wonder if RCG’s omission will come back to haunt him?
Blake Ferguson
Given some of the players struggling with form and fitness, there was talk Blake Ferguson may have been putting his hand up for a sky blue jersey after the Eels’ strong start to 2019. There was certainly space for him.
But given Parramatta’s recent results – and Ferguson’s form in the last two games – there was no way that Fittler could have selected him. Ferguson played himself out of selection over the past fortnight.
Ryan Matterson
One player who has been selected on the pick and stick mentality is Angus Crichton, who hasn’t improved significantly since his break-out year at South Sydney.
Ryan Matterson, on the other hand, is the player I predicted to be this year’s buy of the season and he has not disappointed thus far, standing out for the Wests Tigers every week.
Matterson should have been selected ahead of Crichton this series.
(AAP Image/Steve Christo)
Victor Radley
This was the omission that shocked me the most. I thought Radley was a certainty.
The thing I like the most about Radley is that he is a versatile player and can play a number of roles for Freddie, depending on what’s needed. He can play lock, hooker and could certainly have added some spark towards the end of the half.
Tariq Sims, Jesse Ramien and Tyrone Peachey were also unlucky to miss out.
With the Blues’ squad announced, all eyes turn north of the border to Queensland, where the Maroons will announce their squad tonight.
Just like the NSW squad, the Maroons have also been impacted by injuries to key players. The position of most interest is hooker, with Jake Friend and Andrew McCullough ruled out.
I can’t wait to see who the Maroons pick as their captain. Will they opt for experience and select Matt Scott or look to the future and pick Cameron Munster?
Regardless of who Queensland pick tonight, I like this Blues squad and I’m confident there is enough talent to win the 2019 series.
afistfulofdollars
Roar Rookie
Hi Mary, I love reading your analysis and I think your rugby league knowledge far surpasses that of your brother David! One player I think you could have added to that list is Dale Finucane. He has been a consistent performer in a Melbourne team that, for the last five seasons, has been littered with stars. I'd happily have him in there in place of Crichton, but to be fair, they offer completely different skill sets. It looks as if Freddie will look to bring on the likes of Wighton, Crichton and Murray with their impressive foot speed against the tiring Queensland forwards. Perhaps a tactic that hasn't been employed in Origin for some time now.
Graham
Guest
His stats this season are thurston/lockyer/johns level. They were last year too. No guarantee he'll produce that form at the highest level, but its surprising its taken him this long to get selected
Marty
Guest
I don't think he's ever been ahead of Trbojevic, but hes definitely unfortunate given the rise of Murray this season.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Radley was smashing blokes last year and so was Api K at Manly in his first year or so. Both of them savaged some big forwards in their 1st year or so. I wonder if the coaches tell them to tone it down a bit to preserve their body or it's their choice? Toovey was another smasher and it caught up with him in the end.
Aiden
Guest
Explosive in attack. People criticise his defense, but then ... Maloney struggles in that department so it’s all upside picking Walker really.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
So true
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! There is no way Radley could be picked ahead of the likes of Murray. His form has gone backwards since having to go to 9 with Friend out. He has just been going through the dummy half motions , possibly under coach's instruction, rather than presenting his previous energy sapping involvements of last year.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Did you see Fergo 2.0 last Thursday night ? Or the week before ? His recent error rate just cannot be tolerated at SOO level.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Sounds great on paper Birdy, had Freddie been guided by community moral yardsticks ‘the best I’ve ever seen’ Haas wouldn’t have gotten near this side.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Xerri would do the job plus the NRL could really use a good role model. He looks clean cut, proud of his heritage ( Maltese I believe) . Came through a good shark junior system so he wouldn't let the squad down off field While I wouldn't block someone with priors I would certainly promote someone with good standing in the community.
Graham
Guest
As a queenslander I would love NSW to choose maloney! Walker worries me by contrast
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Someone has to be designated Ponga..so Freddie logically chooses the guy with 14 Blues caps and 6 Aussie caps with the reputation of horse whispering Inglis..Xerri and Ramien’s time will come.
Busty McCracken
Roar Rookie
Haha. Gold! As you can see Simon, their are plenty of us that would prefer Fergo wasn't there. I assume that by taking the initiative to catch up with fred he's put himself back into contention but that he's well behind the pecking order when it comes to team selection.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Jack Wighton was guilty of belting a bloke in the street less than 12 months ago. Yet here we are...
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Pub will have to be close to Dugan's house. If it is more than a couple of KM's he may get hurt trying to walk there.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Hi Marty. I figured that with Murray able to play an edge, or Wighton if needs be, you probably don't need Crichton who is an edge forward who will be used as a middle. I agree that Finucane is seeing his opportunity slip by - he was probably just ahead of Jake T and just behing Jack De Belin for the lock spot last year, were it not for a broken thumb he would have been on the bench. Now he's behind both Jake T and Cam Murray. Alan Tongue - champion player and champion bloke. Never picked because the thought was he was a bit too small to play lock at Origin level... meanwhile Dallas Johnson racks up how many for Queensland?
Drinkinmybabygoodbye
Guest
I think he also pee’d of the verandah at a friends house once.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Hard to argue with Xerri in many ways. Maybe he would be better coming in and debuting away from Brisbane. Morris is a very conservative pick and is clearly past his best and only time will tell. At least NSW centres don't have to face players like Inglis any more who set a few careers back I believe.
mpc
Guest
Blake Feguson has been convicted of groping a woman.
Marty
Guest
Finucane was likely not selected as he isn't an edge forward, and Trbojevic and Murray were selected ahead of him. Sadly, his window has probably closed too. Will go down with Alan Tongue as one of the best to never get a look in to Origin.