Defending Champion NSW Origin Side 2019

Nah. The fact that he has lost so many will never go away, but if he was to get selected and play well and win he most certainly gets a bit more respect at rep level.

dasherhalo wrote:Got to wonder though, even if he jags a win from his umpteenth start, does it really make it a cathartic moment? Surely unless he's playing into his mid 40's and strings together 5 in a row, it can't possibly wash away the stain? He's the still QLD whipping boy - right next to Gallen.

Bow out, tipping the waiter. Have some grace.

Gotta love how Pearce gets the blame. It's rubbish and everyone knows it, if Smith and Slater had been a from NSW it'd be Thurston in that situation.

Krump wrote:
Gotta love how Pearce gets the blame. It's rubbish and everyone knows it, if Smith and Slater had been a from NSW it'd be Thurston in that situation.

Pearce is good at attacking the weaknesses in an opposition that already exist. He identifies them and exploits them well. This works well at a club game because there are retards like 4/7ths of the Dragons backline last round. It doesn't work at rep level because theres nobody for him to pick on. Sure, he had to kick to Slater most of that career or create something against a backline with GI/Hodges in it, but he would have had the same result if he was playing the other way - Brett Stewart, Hayne, Morris x2 (off the top of my head the capped blues backline of the era) would have wrecked him because they dont make mistakes without being forced to.

Thats why the likes of Joey, JT, Fittler, Locky are the tier above him. They created opportunities that didnt already exist, against the best players. Pearce is just a flat track bully. Kimmorley was the same. If Pearce was a Maroon, he'd be held in the same esteem as Paul Green.

So I'm leaning to something like this:

1. Tedesco
2. Cotric/Ferguson
3. Mitchell
4.?? Not at all sold on Ramien
5. Addo Carr
6. Keary
7. Cleary (I'd stick with the guy, the Panthers forwards are going terrible, regularly getting owned, but Cleary is takin on the line,  he isn't making terrible decisions and kicking poorly and making heaps of errors and missing stacks of tackles,he is just playing in a team that is going shit)
8. Klemmer
9. Cook
10. ? Still not sure. Vaughan is unconvincing for mine. But will understand if he is there.
11. Cordner
12. Frizell
13. Murray (think it works getting the kid straight into the action with Turbo filling a key role off the bench)

14. Radley (can play in backrow as required or spell Cook briefly so we get the best out of him late in the game) OR Walker, with a free pass to create havoc at key moments)
15. JTurbo (will and should p,at significant minutes as our main bench guy)
16. Hass (10 to 15 mins late in first half for Klemmer or other starting forward, then another stint middle of second half, 25 minutes tops of high impact stuff is all required)
17. Finucane (solid as a rock and go play bigger minutes IF required)

5 MOM performances in a row from Pearce
Keary in doubt after another bad concussion

Pieman wrote:5 MOM performances in a row from Pearce
Keary in doubt after another bad concussion

I personally would care either way if Pearcewas there,but Many will blow up deluxe. He is a year or so older than Cronk was when he finally started in the halves in Origin, so is at a point where he. Is ripe for it,just still gets tarnished from Being thrown in so early. There's few Club halves with his record, but it's a big risk for Freddy to take. Walker firming for 6 up there is also talk of Wighton on the bench. If both guys are there,I'd start Wighton and have Cody on the bench.

And what's this whisper about Matterson?

Walker is in apparently according to Clarky on IG

If matterson is in, im ok with it if its at the expense of crichton

1. Tedesco
2. JAC
3. Mitchell
4. Morris
5. Cotric
6. Walker
7. Cleary
8. Klemmer
9. Cook
10. Vaughn
11. Cordner
12. Friz
13. Jtrbo

14. Wighton
15. Murray
16. Haas
17. Crichton

I think Crichton is very lucky to be in the side.

I dont hate having Jmoz back in, but I would have preferred if we went with some young blood. Surely its just a place keeper until TTrbo is back.
We have picked a bolter in Haas, why not pick one for the centres too? Ramien, Xerri wouldnt look out of place at all.

Cotric is a good selection. Good young bench. I feel for Finucane though who has been in the top few 13s for years now but just cant seem to get a gig.

Yeah I wouldn't have minded Matterson in over Crichton, but a few debutants already I guess.

Didn't expect Morris, but names I saw thrown around: Ramien, Croker and Guth would all be on debut too. Croker and Cotric together might've worked though..

I’m surprised McLean misses out. I think he’s had a great year

to crack into an old chestnut, i think this team is the perfect example of what is meant when comparing loyalty with QLD, NSW won the series last season, yet it's looking like they'll still end up making more unforced changes than QLD will.

I'd say most of them are forced.. JDB (suspended), JRob (not even playing 1st grade), Tom Trb (injured), Peachy (Titans bench).

RCG, Prior and Sims were all just placeholders for the Haasmaster.

Maloney's looked disinterested all year, so picking him would be pretty stupid.

WT Winfield wrote:I'd say most of them are forced.. JDB (suspended), JRob (not even playing 1st grade), Tom Trb (injured), Peachy (Titans bench).

RCG, Prior and Sims were all just placeholders for the Haasmaster.

Maloney's looked disinterested all year, so picking him would be pretty stupid.

I consider forced changes to be by way of injury, suspension or retirement, players have been picked from reserve grade before, hell, they've been picked from another country before, and QLD got their reputation of loyalty from picking players regardless of their form in club-land.

Roberts, Maloney, Peachey and any one of RCG/Prior & Sims are all healthy and available for selection, even Cleary would've lost his spot if Reynolds was fully fit.

Go across to QLD and from the rumored side, our unforced changes are looking like Wallace and Hess out. i had considered counting Mbye, because he get picked over Milf who's been there before, but then i realized that whoever gets it has it because of injury, so i take that back.

i like the team, there is a few spots where i might have gone differently but i'm ultimately happy with it


stoked for jmoz, QLDs left will be strong, having debutants at centre and wing would have been risky, Jmoz will make the right decisions, like last year, our left will aswell as teddy & cook in the middle will be where our attack generates points.

Cody walker's story is awesome, at 25 he hadn't even played first grade, now he is an origin player and well deserving of the role. i think the rubbish of NSW not picking indigenous players can well and truely be put to bed now too

honestly, i'm happy for QLD to pick hess, napa etc if they want to keep playing "we're more loyal then you card". NSW fans probably need to stop caring about that angle, loyalty is needed in some cases but we arnt picking guys like robers, RCG etc with how bad they have been jsut because they were there last year

my biggest ?? is wighton, just not sure on his role if there is no injury but i am confident of cook going 80 so i don't think we needed a genuine hooker on the bench and wighton is a big body for a back so maybe he can play a small role in the pack.

Go the Blues!

While the vast majority of people seem to be using their favourite sock when talking of Cleary, I thought he was lack luster last year, didn't offer much and without Maloney this year I wouldn't have him.

surmo13 wrote:to crack into an old chestnut, i think this team is the perfect example of what is meant when comparing loyalty with QLD, NSW won the series last season, yet it's looking like they'll still end up making more unforced changes than QLD will.

ah the qld loyalty myth rears its head once again....
Will re-post this when Cooper, Hess and who ever else dont make the side this year

you would think Murray becomes the hooker if needed, or to give cook a rest.
Wighton is a big body, can play any backline position and the plan should be to use him as a roaming 13 through the game. I like it, he is playing really well this year.

got to love the QLD are loyal stuff.... they argue last year that "you dont understand loyatly, loyalty doesnt mean just picking someone because they were there last year" etc haha.. its such horse shit. As soon as they lose a game they make as many changes as they want then the fans have the hide to argue about how loyal they are lol.

JMoz selection makes sense if you consider a fully fit TTurbo comes straight back into the team, and probably in that position. If you "reward" an up an comer with a debut, then it's a bit of a kick in the guts if they do nothing wrong and Turbo comes back. JMoz is probably happy to get one more game (maybe more), and being a veteran Fittler can be honest with him about keeping the seat warm and also use it as motivation - "you've been given the chance to have one more go and it will likely be your last game/series. Don't leave anything out there".

Pretty mobile pack and bench. Hopefully the refs put the whistle away and we get to lie all over them in the ruck with bigger forwards. Would also nullify Cook from dummy half a fair bit too.