On Sunday I had my first experience of Brisbane’s iconic Suncorp Stadium.
I had been told there was no better stage for rugby league’s greatest contest and after seeing the Blues run out 26-0 winners and claiming the State of Origin series, I concur.
However, I felt I was robbed of something.
New South Welshmen attending the previous 51 meetings at Lang Park would have – must have – felt something more than I did.
Yes, I was stoked to see NSW trounce the Maroons, but there wasn’t any tension, any stress, or any contest.
The result was a foregone conclusion before kick off since this Queensland side simply couldn’t hold a candle to any of their forbearers.
Leaving the ground I messaged my Queensland-supporting mate that I thought a bunch of Blues backups could down his sorry side.
So as I walked back through Caxton Street, which was packed with Cane Toads resigned to the glum reality of their once-proud institution, I put together my NSW B-side.
And here it is.
Note – This side excludes players who have featured in the first two games of the 2021 series and those out with long-term injuries eg. Cameron McInnes and Kotoni Staggs.
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen: The Storm ace was in the Origin mix this season before repeated concussions disrupted his season.
2. Adam Johnston: Nathan Merritt 2.0. It is incredible someone with 123 tries in 158 games hasn’t played for his state.
3. Zac Lomax: There were murmurs the 21-year-old would feature in this year’s series before suffering a broken thumb.
4. Campbell Graham: The 197cm Rabbitoh has been a part of the Blues extended squad this year.
5. Matt Dufty: The Dragons fullback is in the form of his career with ten tries and ten assists this season.
6. Cody Walker: Time will tell if Walker, at 31, gets another chance for the Blues, but his freakish talent would make him the captain, coach and bus driver if he was from north of the Tweed.
Cody Walker (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
7. Adam Reynolds: Struggled in his only two Origin matches back in 2016, however, he’s now one of the NRL’s premier halves. He would goal kick for the scrubs.
8. Jordan McLean: The eight-time Kangaroo is yet to get a Blues jersey, but he has been one of the few consistent performers for the Cowboys in recent seasons.
9. Apisai Koroisau: The 18th man for games one and two. A canny operator out of dummy half.
10. Paul Vaughan: The Canberrean was the starting front-rower for the successful 2019 series. His form then dropped away in clubland, but it’s been on the up in 2021.
11. Tevita Pengai Junior: The Broncos firebrand can play anywhere in the forwards, but I think he’s best on an edge.
12. Nathan Brown: Has been one of Parramatta’s best in recent years, but one wonders if he will forever be a sacrificial lamb from last year’s shock series defeat.
13. Dale Finucane: One of the most honest players in the game. The Storm back-rower came close to adding to his four Blues appearances in Game 2.
Bench
14. Clint Gutherson: Was unable to shine in last year’s series, but he remains one of the competition’s greatest attacking outlets.
15. Alex Twal: A defensive workhorse and offers forward pack flexibility.
16. Toby Rudolf: Has adapted well to the NRL since his debut. A hard runner through the middle.
17. Mark Nicholls: It does what it says on the tin. A reliable front-rower.
My mate replied, “Nah [NSW wouldn’t win with that team], it would be close though.”
I wouldn’t be so sure, but I wonder what Freddy would make of it.
The Mexican
Roar Rookie
DCE has never been an origin player, pretty much like Mitchell Pearce, no matter how well they play at club level when they play origin they play terrible!
mushi
Roar Guru
Need that sarcasm font!
Wait a minute!
Guest
Absolutely agree about Dufty. He gives just about as many tries away, as he scores. St.George aren’t looking to dump him for no reason.
Wait a minute!
Guest
You could bet that the Roosters would rule him out through injury to his shoulder right now. DCE has looked pretty good leading Manly to a lot of victories lately.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Couple of really strange ones here. Dufty? You know you literally have Nofoaluma there right? In no less form and is an actual winger. Dufty has never played wing in his NRL career and it's not like he's wondrous enough to play out of position. McLean has been the ploddiest forward out of anyone from the Cowboys the past few years, coming from a Cowboys supporter. He's not egregiously bad or anything, but like, Reagan Campbell-Gillard is right there. Easy choice. The bench is really strange. Rudolf is good, don't get me wrong, but he's not even close to being in the question. Mark Nicholls is the funniest one though. Really? Really? He's not even the next best in his own club. There's a reason various pundits have been talking about Koloamatangi.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
the "A" team did so well because of their forward pack dominance allowing the halves to run amok. You are saying the 8-13 here would have had the same dominance?
Sideline Commentator
Roar Guru
Absolutely disagree. Would love to see you put up a Qld B-team in the late 00s early 10s that would beat the NSW team. Qld without doubt had a much much better team in its dominance, but it was dependent on 4 or 5 generational talents with the rest being excellent workers. NSW were never as far behind Qld as this team is this year, and most of the time had a few Australian forwards and at least some backs in Brett Morris and Hayne. NSW always has more depth because of it's population. That's what makes Qld's era of dominance so remarkable.
The Mexican
Roar Rookie
A half injured Walker it's still better than a fully fit Cherry Evans
Wait a minute!
Guest
The centres are, as you said backline. Queensland had Gagai & Capewell as their first choice pairing! True , Capewell did a good job last season. He’s still no centre! It’s only out of desperation that a club side fills in a centre position, with a second rower.
Andrew Wright
Roar Rookie
NSW always has greater depth. But I've never seen the best team on paper win the game without playing the game. Qld could always rely on passion, and that's worth a lot. Yeah, except this year it seems. Qld has to be smarter too. Last year Qld won. Many blues called for Filter to be sacked. But Freddy is smart. He said he was out coached by Bennett. He responded, came up with a plan. This year he so far out coached Green that they're not in the same country. We, Qld, have no answers, no plan, it seems.
Wait a minute!
Guest
I have to question Walker as a selection right now? His shoulders are about as good as Cleary’s. Plus he’s a rug rat. So small. Queensland would be forced to bring their defence in closer to assist with his line defence. Just as the Roosters have to.
Sing The Blues
Guest
Most of them Born in NSW! If you’re talking about SOO. ????
Laugh at that team!
Guest
Just for starters. You’re choosing Mr. Mistake? Probably don’t need to name him . As everyone who watches the game knows exactly who I mean! I saw Saab being laughed at as a suggestion of a future player on here. He’s way better than Mr.Mistake.
Hopeless Knights
Roar Rookie
No player in the B Side would be in the same tier of Latrell, Turbo, Teddy and Cleary. But currently with the way DCE is playing and the coaching of Green I see your point that losing is a possibility.
Hopeless Knights
Roar Rookie
100% agree Mexican
Dylan Arvela
Roar Guru
Still better than Qld. :thumbup:
KenW
Roar Rookie
NSW have good depth, especially in the forwards. There's every chance you could swap the current Blues forward pack out and shuffle this one in and the performance would be effectively unchanged. The halves/backline isn't the same story though - each one would be considered a half-step down from the man they replaced (in 2021 at least). Switching out 1-7 for this line-up would be a significant weakening of the side - no where near as imperious as the current line-up.
The Mexican
Roar Rookie
I said it before on this forum & predicted NSW would win this series 3 -0 after Green was announced as the Queensland team coach, that the biggest advantage NSW would have this series was going to be Paul Green and Cherry Evans. Green’s body language in both games said a lot, he looked lost, dazed and confused. Cherry Evans shouldn’t be in the team, let alone be their captain he just makes up the numbers. I would replace Cherry Evans with Sam Walker and put Reece Walsh at fullback, Capewell should go back to the front/back row, as good as he is Queensland needs a specialist centre like Chambers or Brenko Lee if Queensland has any hope of stopping a game 3 massacre. Get rid of Cherry Evans and Paul Green next year, otherwise NSW will win for the next few years if Queensland keeps those 2
Tony
Roar Guru
:laughing:
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
His form will dictate what happens next. Ratings, crowds and coverage of the game will rise if he returns to the NRL.