NSW Origin side 2018

McGuire’s fitness will be huge imo, probaly the one QLD middle you can be almost certain of having a strong game

Scott is probs bound to wind back the clock but geez he has looked off the pace in the games I have watched of the cows

Oz Sport Mad wrote:

The only Blue supporter with any sense.

Dead right and thus a massive series for the OLD forward pack.
The likes of Scott, McGuire (if fit), Napa, Wallace, Hess, Cooper etc. are all fairly horribly out of their best form and are really going to have to step up quite a few notches.

There is no guarantee any of those in form Blues will be picked.

I'm still not convinced the likes of Woods and Jackson won't be there, throw in speculation that Moses and Keary might be our halves and you've got to be kidding if you think the Blues are favs.

And as if club form for experienced players has ever meant anything when they throw on a Qld Origin jersey, it means absolutely nothing.

leaguegod wrote:McGuire’s fitness will be huge imo, probaly the one QLD middle you can be almost certain of having a strong game

Scott is probs bound to wind back the clock but geez he has looked off the pace in the games I have watched of the cows

Come off it! Scott will be fine in that arena, and as if the likes of Cooper and Papa won't aim up and more than hold there own, add in the young firebrands of Napa and Wallace, plus the no mistake grinding, do exactly what's asked Glasby, and what is the concern? The Qld pack in recent times might not have always totally dominated, but they've certainly never been totally dominated either, and with a superior spine again, it's a 50/50 contest at worst for them.

Throw in the possibly back 5, which again is clearly more experienced and superior and where is NSW more equiped to win Origin 1

Slater
Holmes
Gagai
Inglis
Boyd/Oates

Is basically the Australian backline. Slater is the best Fb ever, Holmes is Aus winger starting to find red hot form again. Gagai is HUGE in Origin, never played a bad game, Inglis is Inglis and Boyd continues to be kissed on the dick outside Greg.

Mitchell Moses seems to me like the sort of guy who plays great when he is basically the sole focal point in attack surrounded by a bunch of guys who can finish well enough but don't normally create a lot themselves (like he was in the World Cup for Lebanon). But put him in a team where there are other good players so he isn't going to touch the ball 4 times a set, and it seems to go to shit. I don't think that will work in Origin personally. A bit like DCE only without the premiership really.

He isn't as good as DCE, he shouldn't be in the Origin picture, not on the back of last year, And World Cup, where he was good, and this year, where he hasn't been anywhere near his best. He is a long way of Origin duties if you ask me, but I'm not the coach, so who knows what Freddy will do.

Freddy needs to come right out and say "Fifita is not in the picture, he has made a choice, and I respect it, in fact I applaud it, it's courageous, but my Blues will be players who have the Blues as their priority"

If Moses and Keary are our halves I'll have a ticket to game two to give away.

leaguegod wrote:

we will be favorites and we need to stop hiding from that


i think our middles (RCG, klem, vaughn, Jtrbo & JDB) are all playing strong footy and i've got a heap of confidence of these guys getting on top of the QLD forward. Smith may be part of the spine that is always better then us but don't underestimate the effect he had in the middle of the park, QLD have lost that, they will now also struggle for a goal kicker.

i probably rate the QLD halves higher but i think the gap is significantly smaller and if we do get on top in the middle, i think we can get the results we need

QLD probably also have a better backline based on having GI & slater. but i think our players are good enough to finish off the chances the pack will hopefully give them

Yep this. Perfect example was last year when we stuck with guys like Thaiday and Myles, and Fifita was allowed to look like the greatest prop ever to play the game and Jurbo and Klemmer made QLD forwards their bitches, and their weaker backline was still good enough to thrash us when their forwards had already made 50-60 metres in 4 tackles, and we were kicking from our 30m line when we had the ball.

Apart from the game against Penrith, Scott has looked slow this year. Napa, Papalii, Hess and Wallace are showing nothing like 2017 form. Gillett is injured, and McGuire is doubtful. Glasby is injured and to be honest has a low ceiling. There is no doubt that having Smith and Cronk directing the forwards gets more out of the younger guys than anyone else in the comp can. Cooper will go alright and we hope some of the above guys lift for the occasion or are passed fit. About the only plus we have this year is that if he is fit, Jai Arrow looks like the sort of guy who would go well. I wouldn't mind McGuire playing as prop if we need to get him in the team.

If the big NSW forwards dominate us, which if you were just going on club form would seem likely, even halves like Moses and Keary (lol it cracks me up hearing these names thrown up) will be enough to get NSW home.

Dip wrote:Mitchell Moses seems to me like the sort of guy who plays great when he is basically the sole focal point in attack surrounded by a bunch of guys who can finish well enough but don't normally create a lot themselves (like he was in the World Cup for Lebanon). But put him in a team where there are other good players so he isn't going to touch the ball 4 times a set, and it seems to go to shit. I don't think that will work in Origin personally. A bit like DCE only without the premiership really.

And the neck

Krump wrote:If Moses and Brooks are our halves I'll buy a ticket to game two.

Fixed

Dip wrote:

Yep this. Perfect example was last year when we stuck with guys like Thaiday and Myles, and Fifita was allowed to look like the greatest prop ever to play the game and Jurbo and Klemmer made QLD forwards their bitches, and their weaker backline was still good enough to thrash us when their forwards had already made 50-60 metres in 4 tackles, and we were kicking from our 30m line when we had the ball.

Apart from the game against Penrith, Scott has looked slow this year. Napa, Papalii, Hess and Wallace are showing nothing like 2017 form. Gillett is injured, and McGuire is doubtful. Glasby is injured and to be honest has a low ceiling. There is no doubt that having Smith and Cronk directing the forwards gets more out of the younger guys than anyone else in the comp can. Cooper will go alright and we hope some of the above guys lift for the occasion or are passed fit. About the only plus we have this year is that if he is fit, Jai Arrow looks like the sort of guy who would go well. I wouldn't mind McGuire playing as prop if we need to get him in the team.

If the big NSW forwards dominate us, which if you were just going on club form would seem likely, even halves like Moses and Keary (lol it cracks me up hearing these names thrown up) will be enough to get NSW home.

The NSW forwards have never dominated the QLD forwards, there is no reason to think they will do it now.
The biggest difference is not having a goal kicker - QLD traditionally go up in 6s, and 1 or 2 points are the difference in a lot of games. Having munster or holmes kick goals might be the difference.

I think moses might be the kind of player that raises to the level that he is playing at - if he is surrounded by good players it he might play at that level.

Time might tell.

can't pick moses, we just cannot do that

leaguegod wrote:can't pick moses, we just cannot do that

Totally agree - IMO - the most over rated player in the game this year.

Of course we can't, but over rated? Who is rating him?

The halves must be Maloney and Cleary.

Ice wrote:Of course we can't, but over rated? Who is rating him?

Fittler... Eels fans?
I duno.

Yes, absolutely.

Fullback must be Ted.
Wingers must be JAC and TTrbo.
Centres must be Roberts and Mitchell.
Halves must be Maloney and Cleary.
Props/middle players must be RCG, Klemmer, Vaughn, JDB, JTrbo (c)
Edge Second rowers must be Cordner and Friz.
Hookers must be Mcinness and Cook.

The last edge player spot can go to any of Crichton, Fitzgibbon, Ryan James, peachy - and if the poly test wasnt on for game 2 - TPJ would be a candidate.

That's.... not a bad side!

Fuck me it sounds like, Maloney is out and possibly Fifita is still a chance!! Piss that cunt off? We have plenty of props worthy of a shot over a fat fuck who would prefer play for Tonga.

I seriously won't be surprised if Moses gets selected, which honestly, I find flabbergasting,

Agree with Pieman, my team at this stage would be:

Tedesco
T Turbo
Mitchell
Roberts
JAC
Maloney
Cleary
RCG
Cook
Vaughan
Cordner
Frizell
JTurbo

Peachey
Klemmer
JDB
Crichton

But I seriously think Fittler is going to go

TTurbo
Cotric
Scott
Aiken
JAC
Moses
Cleary
RCG
Cook
Fifita
Cordner
Frizell
JTurbo

Peachey
Klemmer
Sims
Jackson

I feel like Fittler ad Gould are having a laugh when talking about some players.

The main change I’m considering to the team I posted a few weeks back is Keary/Green and Cleary as halves no Maloney. I’ve also dropped Bird

Tedesco
TTurbo
Aitken
Dugan
Mitchell
Green/Keary
Cleary
RCG
McInnes
Klemmer
Cordner
Crighton
JTurbo

Cook
Vaughan
JDB
Frizell

I like that side. I'd go Green over Keary and piss the cancer off for, well, anyone, but probably the speed of Roberts.