With the departure over the weekend of both Newcastle and Cronulla from the NRL competition for 2020, two more players have now been added to the NSW squad.
This brings it now to a total of six, following the recent withdrawal through injury of Tom Trbojevic.
Zac Lomax and Daniel Saifiti now join Payne Haas, Tyson Frizell, Jake Trbojevic and Cameron McInnes in the squad of six. The remaining 21 players will be selected from the six teams still contesting the finals.
The selection of Lomax for the injured Trbojevic was no surprise and many people, myself included, believe he should have been included in the first tranche of players selected last week.
Lomax, a specialist right centre good in both attack and defence, with excellent aerial skills and one of the league’s leading goal kickers, is now favourite to join Jack Wighton in the centres, but anything can happen over the next few weeks.
Saifiti is a man mountain, and with Payne Haas, would give NSW a very imposing front row. He has a good running game, is effective in defence, and has just about the right level of aggression in his game to keep the opposition forwards on the back foot. His inclusion in the squad was hardly surprising.
While we probably all expected to see both Lomax and Saifiti in the squad, we weren’t necessarily prepared for the following high profile omissions.
David Klemmer
Klemmer has played in nearly every Origin game during the past five years and has been one of the first forwards picked for NSW during this time, as well as running out for 19 appearances for Australia since 2014. Klemmer began life as a tearaway with a high, suspect running action and brutal defence, and wasn’t afraid to mix it with the opposition when the opportunity arose.
In recent years his game has toned down somewhat and he has now developed a very useful offload.
When you consider that his game stats are better than selected teammate Saifiti’s in virtually every category, it’s hard to reconcile his omission, particularly since this is selection for a 27-man squad and not the final 17.
The main criticism of Klemmer that I have is that he appears to have lost his aggression, and like fellow NSW forwards Paul Vaughan and Aaron Woods, appears to be happy enough to rack up some good stats without ever upsetting the opposition.
Brad Fittler likes to keep everybody guessing with his selections, but in omitting both Klemmer and Vaughan from his middle forward roster, he looks to be looking for a bit more aggression and dominance in the engine room.
David Klemmer passes the ball (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Wade Graham
In many ways Wade Graham is made for Origin. He’s a tough, no holds barred type of player who epitomises the intensity required to succeed in the depths of the origin battle.
His utility value, leadership and good kicking game is a point of difference that few other edge forwards can offer to the team, and his omission is hard to justify. No opposition forwards want to play against Wade.
While his form this year may not have been as strong as prior years, and this has been affected somewhat by injuries, he appears to be unlucky to be left out of the squad at the expense of say Tyson Frizell, who’s game has become very predictable and one dimensional this season.
Graham’s omission may come back to bite NSW.
Mitchell Pearce
Has there ever been a player as maligned as Mitchell Pearce for his Origin performances? Thrown into the Origin playmaker deep end in 2008 as a 19-year-old, Pearce has been the scapegoat for multiple series losses to QLD, most time unfairly. To be honest, he never really recovered from this early baptism of fire against the origin masters in Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk.
Injuries prior to Game 3 in the 2019 series gave him one more chance at Origin success and he grabbed it with both hands playing a large part in the series-clinching victory by NSW. His omission from the squad this year signals that time is now up on his Origin career.
Stay tuned for further selection surprises next week after two more teams are eliminated from the premiership race. The ever-mounting injury toll may have a further part to play on who eventually runs out for NSW this year. It may well be a case of last man standing.
William W
Roar Rookie
Campbell Graham is an out and out Centre, he has played there all throughout his Junior career including U20s and in the Reggies... Only in First Grade was he ever selected on the Wing!
William W
Roar Rookie
My comment here is well after the fact but Cam G wasn't considered for Origin selection as being Injured with a Groin issue against the Rorts and eventually playing against Parra the following week, he agitated it and missed the Panthers game so he will have surgery after the Prelim... Fittler did ring Cam G to see how he was travelling prior to selecting players from the 2 losing Prelim teams, the Raiders and the Rabbitohs to join the Origin train-on squad... Cam G will be considered in 2021.
Cameron Warner
Roar Rookie
I reckon three games in three consecutive weeks sounds like a pretty fantastic November. I love watching how players react to the challenge of going back to clubland after origin, but i think this format will work too.
Tony
Roar Guru
It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I'm a big fan of Graham. It could be that if he doesn't get a run at centre, he appears out on the right wing.
William W
Roar Rookie
Croker is destined to never ever be a rep player. Always a bridesmaid, never the bride!
William W
Roar Rookie
He also kicked the ball dead consistently and conceded 7-tackle sets as he did last week against the Rabbitohs!
William W
Roar Rookie
The Fittler Factor is everything as he is the coach. Fittler is actually a Campbell Graham fan, he first brought him into the U20s emerging squad plus last season the actual emerging blues squad as we know it for NRL players. Not sure if I got that correct but Freddy has plenty of time for Cam G. I acknowledge that Gutherson is indeed a fine player. Is he a rep player though? A bit like Croker at the raiders, solid and one of his clubs better players but always seems destined to miss out.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
That’s possible Paul. It had come up and was sort of a thing during the super league war for both ARL and SL for different reasons. To me both comps versions had plenty drama and the goods.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Mango. I’m not sure. I could imagine fitness being down, maybe mental exhaustion cause at end of year. But both sides dig deep for this game, guys playing busted, guys picked who are meant to be past it or not up to it. But the players and teams deliver more often then not. Meant all and physical exhaustion could lead to a high scoring game. I’m not sure viewer intensity will be down, apart from the ones that this is the only game of the year they watch and the irregular viewers.
Tony
Roar Guru
Can't argue Johnno, SOO is the best. I only hope that the unusual circumstances this year don't damage the spectacle.
Tony
Roar Guru
That might seem like a logical conclusion Will, but don't rule out the Fittler factor here.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
I'll still watch it, but I agree with comments here that the intensity is likely to be less than in a normal season.
Kurt S
Roar Pro
Gutherson slotting into centre would not suprise me at all. He brings an energy to a team and he has a lot of self confidence which can be useful at the back end of a hard and fast game like Origin. Although, there is also Jack Whiten to fit into this team so we will need to wait and see where he slots in.
Kurt S
Roar Pro
Wade Graham's omission is a suprise due to him being able to cover so many positions on the field. He also has a handy run and kick in him to alleviate pressure off the main ball players and keep the opposition guessing with his 4th and 5th tackle options. As a Qlder, I'm okay with him not being there.
johnno 2
Roar Rookie
John, at the moment we are in limbo, waiting for the results of the normal premiership season , but in my 73 years watching pinnacles of rugby league including Qld and Nsw team finals,British and French touring teams in Australia , Australian touring teams of the U.K. and France , the St George dynasty, North Qld v Brisbane , Bulimba Cup era, none hold the excitement and passion SOO draws. To my mind there has never been a bad SOO game in that history and although the game has changed technically SOO is the best football ever played and any league fan will be waiting in anticipation for that to happen every time ,every game
Nat
Roar Rookie
Who knows, Turbo may have played there as a young fella. While he may have worn the #3, his role was effectively that of a roving FB. His big plays were chasing down bombs otherwise he was shown up a few times defensively.
William W
Roar Rookie
Campbell Graham will be selected at Centre before Gutherson.
Tony
Roar Guru
I'm saying it's possible Fittler could pick him there. Turbo didn't play centre, as far as I know, until selected there for Origin by Fittler.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
My interest in Origin has waned for a while. QLDs dominance and the rise of Tonga as a powerhouse probably the main cause. International footy grows the game, Origin doesn't. It's too disruptive to the season and has been allowed to grow at the cost of international games. Give me a good Test between Australia and NZ over Origin
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
How is criticism of Pearce unfair? The only thing he did in Origin was kick to the QLD back three on the full. He had numerous chances and was constantly shown to be out of his depth.