The NSW armchair selectors Origin team
It is that time of the year when the lounge room warriors pick their State of Origin teams, so here goes. Queensland since day…
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It is that time of the year when the lounge room warriors pick their State of Origin teams, so here goes. Queensland since day…
Ipswich should be the next team, they already have a QLD cup team. They are in a growing population corridor. Rivalry with Broncos, Dolphins & Titans.
PNG will never sustain a NRL team but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t encourage a 2nd QLD cup team to help build pathways for their people to NRL (which would give the people of PNG a home QLD cup game each week).
I agree with one of the comments. West Tigers now lack a proper home ground. Relocation to Perth where the West name would survive, plus they would play most of their away matches in Sydney where their fans could still watch them). Perth also needs a “NSW” cup team to build pathways. It takes one team away from a crowded Sydney market.
That would give the NRL 18 teams, another in the booming Brisbane region. A relocation to Perth for Wests to give a more National Foot print. As for the 19th & 20th team – the NRL have to build geniune feeder clubs in New Zealand, Melbourne & Perth. Melbourne & Perth need to generate home grown talent before expansion elsewhere. (Central Coast? Adelaide? Sunshine Coast? 2nd Melbourne team?, 2nd New Zealand team?
The North QLD cities are too small and too wide spread to sustain a team. Same goes for rural NSW.
PNG bid has potential but NRL can’t have further expansion without the three Rs - relocation, relegation or rationalisation
A good list, Lockyer way too high, he may be a future immortal but the list in front of him is huge. His defence let him down. He will be immortal only after Slater, Thurston, Daley, Fittler, Sterling, Kenny, Smith, Inglis – who excelled in all facets of the game
25 in 25: Who were best fullbacks of NRL era - Slater, Lockyer, Tedesco, Minichiello, Hayne, RTS, GI, Turbo?
Not this year. They need a champion half! They need a Reynolds, Cleary, Hughes or Keary. Perhaps they should make a play for Nicho Hynds or Luke Brooks to help an emerging Dylan Brown
Could this be Parramatta's year to break their NRL title drought?
Of course Collingwood is surprised. Root is the only automatic selection in the team. Anderson & Broad should be but they are on their last legs,
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He marched in the Anti Vax marches with Anthony Mundine and Christian Inu I think. There is a a few comments out there in the media. I hope he recovers to continue his post NRL life because after all those years of brutal training he deserves it.
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They need someone to play – perhaps fathers and sons?
I wanted to pick Steve, Josh & Brett Morris but the boys can’t play in both. In the halves we are solid but I think 2023 & 2024 seasons will see one of the 3 pairings move ahead. My money is on Sam Walker to emerge.
1. Matt Rogers – 11 tests
2. Eric Grothe snr – 8 tests
3. Steve Rogers – 24 tests
4. John Hopoate – 2 tests
5. Eric Grothe jnr – 1 test
6. Ben Walker / Jackson Hastings / Cooper Johns
7. Sam Walker / Kevin Hastings / Matt Johns 9 tests
8. Martin Lang – 8 state of origins
9. John Lang – 3 tests
10. Craig Young – 20 tests
11. Ryan Hoffman – 6 tests
12. John Sattler – 4 tests
13. John Raper – 39 tests
14. Dean Young – 1 test
15. Scott Sattler – 1 State of Origin
16. Aaron Raper – 1 test
17. Will Hopoate – 5 State of Origin / 11 tests Tonga
18. Jay Hoffman – 3 State of Origins
Some unlucky omissions John & Bryce Cartwight, Bob & Michael Hagan etc
Brothers in arms: Kangaroos in the family
That is just scratching the surface of players with NRL DNA in their genes. At the Roosters alone the following 7 players all had fathers play in the NRL. Brett &,Josh Morris, Nat & Egan Butcher, Lachie Lam, Freddie Lussick & Sam Walker (there could be more)
Which players have NRL in their DNA?
Great Team! Injuries and possible suspensions to forwards may be an issue. Your 1 to 7 are spot on and full of combinations. Tupou, Mitchell & Tedesco have played lots pf matches together. Tom Turbo combination with his Brother Jake at lock. Cook and Mitchell. Cook has a good combination with Cleary & Tedesco. Luai & Cleary are the form halves. I like Wighton on the Bench, I would have Cody Walker as the 18th man over Gutherson due again to his combinations with Cook & Mitchell
Can this NSW team win back the Origin shield?
I don’t think Mitchell is a competitor, he has talent to burn but he is no Thurston (the benchmark) who above everything else was a competitor. He isn’t the guy diving on the ball, he isn’t the guy screaming across in cover, he doesn’t put his body on the line in defence. Parramatta need to find a competitor who when it gets tough, the tough get going. This isn’t Mitchell, he is the guy with flashy passes and the little spins after kicks (while he does a little spin, Thurston is chasing his own kick and trapping the opposition deep in their half). In a nut shell, he has to put his body on the line and forget about how he looks out there.
Moses can't lead Parramatta to the promised land
Putting aside my tongue in check comments above. QLD should have a better team this year. AJ Brimson is in hot form, Munster at 6 will be better than Norman. Friend or Grant will be stronger than Hunt at Hooker (hunt to the bench), Lindsay Collins (who never gets mentioned) will bring fire off the bench. QLD have some spots to fill like centre. Chambers will not be there however he was never mentioned in the same breath as Inglis, Coyne, Renouf etc I dare say whoever replaces him will be probably on the same money he played at. I would still have Hunt, Mbye & Maguire in my squad as they will all perform better with better players around them. Players like Corey Allan have emerged (he won’t play fullback but deserves a shot on the wing).
Is this the worst Queensland Maroons team in history?
What happened to Queensland’s famous “pick and stick” policy? Surely Oates, Norman, Mbye, Maguire, Hunt and co will be there again this year? Coming from NSW I didn’t fully understand the QLD selection strategy but after many, many detailed descriptions of it – I now wait to hear the above names announced because Queensland “pick and stick – form doesn’t come into it”
Perhaps a “new” clause needs to be added. Something like this “in the event of a loss, perceived lack of form or change of policy no loyalty will be shown” this is needed as it was thoroughly explained to me, loyalty first and QLD will pick them no matter what their form because as soon as they pull on a jumper they go to a new level. (QLDers citing Gagai, Shearer, Chambers as examples etc ) Is there new jumpers this year?
QLD lost 2-1 last year, not 3 nil and already they are talking mass changes (eg no loyalty shown). I am from NSW and understand our policy – pick the best players available! (which sounds a lot like QLD’s actual policy because a few losses have always shown QLD don’t pick on loyalty)
Is this the worst Queensland Maroons team in history?
Well said! Could Canberra have scored with another six? If they did would that have been an even bigger issue. The ball that hit the trainer probably saved Canberra from a certain penalty with the kicker having had his legs taken out late. That hit was much later than Cooper Cronk’s early tackle, perhaps Cooper was hard done by!
Chooks won. They were better. The end.
All I can say is, the NRL is not his dream now, it reminds me of Hayne. Any club he plays for he will be unsettled, he was unsettled as a winger wanting to play fullback, as a NRL player wanting to play NFL. Would any club want him?
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Latrell Mitchell is a very good player and deserves to be on good money. He is on very good money for a centre, however there is generally more money on offer for the “Spine”. He needs to move into the “spine”. There are lots of rumours he wants to be a Fullback, in order for him command fullback money. At this stage of his career he doesn’t have the “motor” to play fullback and may never. Latrell needs to get more involved at centre before he could attempt this leap. Long term 5/8 is a better prospect as it is more explosive speed and less Aerobic. He needs to touch the ball more to justify more money. Luke Keary is learning from Cooper Cronk and is ready for the transition to half back leaving a spot for Latrell at 5/8. There are lots of rumours linking him to Souths but he doesn’t have the fitness to play fullback and they have established halves. If Latrell wants to take his game to the next level and create a lasting impression on the game then there is no better place than the Roosters with the No.6 on his back once Cronk retires.
Take the money and run, Latrell
I bet Mitchell Pearce is watching with interest after his two lengthy suspensions. No dog involved in this simulation however some common ingredients! Not a good look for all involved!
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