The 2020 season is now nearly behind us and all that’s left for us diehard League fans is the State of Origin series which kicks off in Adelaide on Wednesday 4 November.
Due to Covid protocols, each team has named 27 squad players who will enter a quarantine bubble, and final playing squads for each match will be selected from these players.
The NSW Origin squad looks like this.
Outside backs
Josh Addo-Carr
Nick Cotric
Stephen Crichton
Clint Gutherson
Zac Lomax
Ryan Papenhuyzen
James Tedesco
Daniel Tupou
Jack Wighton
Forwards
Nathan Brown
Reagan Campbell-Gillard
Dale Finucane
Payne Haas
Junior Paulo
Daniel Saifiti
Jake Trbojevic
Isaah Yeo
Back-row forwards
Boyd Cordner
Angus Crichton
Tyson Frizell
Cameron Murray
Hookers and halves
Nathan Cleary
Damien Cook
Luke Keary
Jarome Lui
Cameron McInnes
Cody Walker
That is one very talented squad and, with few exceptions, has been picked solely on form. The “pick and stick” selection model is now a thing of the past, and form is paramount.
Notably, ten of last year’s NSW Origin representatives won’t be playing this year due to either lost form or unavailability for one reason or another – Latrell Mitchell, Josh Morris, David Klemmer, Paul Vaughan, Tariq Sims, Blake Ferguson, James Maloney, Tom Trbojevic, Wade Graham and Mitchell Pearce won’t be there this year.
Coach Brad Fittler now has a wealth of talent at his disposal, and will be very disappointed with anything less than a dominant series victory.
Despite the quality of the squad overall, the non-selection of Apisai Koroisau came as a big surprise. Koroisau has been tipped by nearly every league pundit to be in the squad, and by many to be in the run on team ahead of Damien Cook.
James Tedesco. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
I can’t see how he could be left out given the impact he’s had on the Panthers this year, and going into the series with only two hookers seems to be a risk. This is one case where form has definitely been overlooked.
Fittler has plenty of options and good coverage in most positions, and one of his biggest problem looks like fitting all the talent into his run on team. He’ll want to have attacking dynamos Clint Gutherson and Ryan Papenhuyzen on the field somewhere, and he also has a big decision to make in the halves, in choosing between Keary and Walker at five-eighth.
Whichever way he goes, you’d expect that the NSW team will have far too much class across the paddock for QLD.
The run on side for Origin 1 will probably look something like this.
1. James Tedesco
2. Nick Cotric
3. Jack Wighton
4. Clint Gutherson
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Cody Walker
7. Nathan Cleary
8. Payne Haas
9. Damien Cook
10. Junior Paulo
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Cameron Murray
13. Jake Trbojevic
14. Ryan Papenhuyzen
15. Daniel Saifiti
16. Dale Finucane
17. Angus Crichton
Bring it on!
Short Memory
Guest
Really? Seriously? Do the words "Ki Yi Yippee" ring any bells with you?
Graham White
Guest
remember year after year, even the first few seasons of the dynasty, NSW would claim only a few maroons could make their squad. Even during the dynasty I don't think it was common for the roos to be majority maroons
matth
Roar Guru
You’ve forgotten what Origin looked like before the QLD dynasty. The North almost always looked worse on paper.
Phil
Roar Rookie
I can see your point TB, but looking over both squads NSW does look superior. As I said earlier, I hope it comes down to a decider in game three, but man for man it gives me confidence NSW will clean sweep the series.
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
Yeah I agree. Which the Qlders are loving. Being underestimated is what drives them on. They love it.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Geez Phil It makes me nervous whenever we start talking like this before a series NSW won in the 80th minute of game three. I think Queensland look stronger than last year and you could argue there’s a few blues not in the same nick they were in last season Queensland pack of Papalii, Friend, Welch, Kaufusi, Su’A, Arrow with a bench of Grant, Tino, Fotuaika, Carrigan/Collins/Capewell/Kerr will go toe to toe with anyone NSW put up. Experienced halves in DCE and Munster 3/4s look a bit pedestrian but Allen and Brimson have played good footy and they’ll have proven Origin performers in Gagai and Holmes to slot in This series won’t be a cakewalk
Big Daddy
Guest
Agree about Wighton, I think he's a natural centre I just think Fittler wants to include Gutherson and if he picked Chricton or Lomax he has to decide between Gutherson or Papenhouzen for the bench but seeing Qld are about light on in the centre's it probably doesn't matter.
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
I'd agree (except for the part about being better than Turbo), was just pointing out your slight inconsistency in coming to your decision. Going back to your first comment, if Turbo was fit, he would play in the centres with Wighton, as they did last year. I think Wighton is a pretty good centre, which is why I don't mind picking players out of their normal position (in some cases, not all).
Big Daddy
Guest
Dexter, I know he's a big bodied type and think he's a better centre than a 5/8. Maybe Canberra don't have anyone else. If you had to pick a 5/8 out of Wighton , Walker or Keary Walker and Keary get the nod every day, but Wighton is a guy you have to have on the team. He's a better choice at centre than Gutherson, Papenhouzen or Trojbvocic but evidently Freddy likes full backs .
Tony
Roar Guru
I wouldn't argue with that logic Harry. Walker does seem to combine particularly well with Reynolds.
Harry
Guest
I reckon Keary's style of attacking play would transfer more easily to Origin than Walker's - which is not to criticise Walker but at his best he plays a highly unpredictable, off-the-cuff style of attack which would be harder for new teammates to get in sync with in the short time-frame of an Origin series than Keary's more traditional (but also extremely effective) ball-playing.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Just above. Gilly say hi...
Nat
Roar Rookie
He's not on the current NRL.com squad.
Tony
Roar Guru
Sounds like Freddy!
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
It was worded a tad differently, but he suggested he wouldn't pick someone in the squad just as depth. Would only pick someone who he intends to play. Said it would be unfair to pick someone to be in the bubble for all that time without the intention of playing them. So I might have slightly misrepresented what was said exactly, but the theme is still there.
Tony
Roar Guru
Your spot on Phil. The strength of the squad is underlined by the guys they left out.
Phil
Roar Rookie
NSW should win 3 zilch regardless of who Freddy picks. There is talent to burn right through that squad. I had a look at the QLD squad to see if any of them would could take a spot in our 17. Munster and Papalii would for sure and a couple of maybes. Having said that I hope for the sake of the series it is two all going into the third game. If we have a dead rubber after game two it takes the gloss off game three.
Tony
Roar Guru
No, pretty sure that Martin hasn't been picked.
Tony
Roar Guru
That's a strange thing for Freddy to say. Surely he will just pick his best team each game regardless whether they've had a run or not.
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
The fact that Freddy has said he plans on playing all 27 members of his squad probably shows they will both get a run at it.