NSW Origin side 2018

if they do consider fifita, surely TPJ has to be considered for a bench spot ? he'd be unreal off the bench

i don't actually think either should be picked but if they're ok with fifita, TPJ would have to be a huge consideration

also, klemmer was absolutely massive yesterday again for us. we keep losing and that seems to make people think vaughn and RCG are playing better then him but since about round 3 ( i was pretty critical early on) he has been outstanding. i'm bias, but i really do think he should be our first prop picked.

Yeah, Klemmer should be there for sure.

aitken V roberts for right centre is a tough call, i've been on aitken for a while but i dunno, Roberts really put his hand up friday, against a quality team, in a quality game. He made huge plays that changed the game. Aitken looks more reliable but we've probably picked that way for to long

i also think i'd rather have cotric over tommy, i think he'll help us more out of our own end

my team to date

1. teddy
2. JAC
3. Trell
4. Roberts
5. Cotric
6. Maloney
7. Cleary
8. Klem (but maybe off the bench i guess? )
9. cook (him V mciness is the toughest call, i could see both being there but i really like the utility value of peachey)
10. RCG
11. Cordner
12. Frizz
13. Jake Trbo

14. Vaughn
15. JDB
16. Peachey
17. ?? crighton was better again, maybe he is worth a shot here, i dunno. sims probably the most in form but i don't trust him. Hope they don't pick wade graham if he returns next week, don't trust him either

I'm sure Freddy will FK this team up with selections, he has the brain the size of a pea

MrCashman wrote:I'm sure Freddy will FK this team up with selections, he has the brain the size of a pea

Freddy is an absolute dill with a microphone, a larrikin and a joker, but he has a better football brain than any gummy around here and more than anything else, he has a proven track record as a winner in sport, business and life.

I know there will be a number of selection I'll probably disagree with, but I think he is much more likely to return the Blues to success than Stuart or Daley ever where.

MrCashman wrote:I'm sure Freddy will FK this team up with selections, he has the brain the size of a pea

He did a good job with Lebanon in the WC - although Im not sure how much of that was good player selection as opposed to game coaching.

ryno_ wrote:

He did a good job with Lebanon in the WC - although Im not sure how much of that was good player selection as opposed to game coaching.

fair call, you could say the same with city results.


its not to say he ever picked the wrong team, more that both likely just point to being able to get the best out of players in those games. still the potential for him to jamie buhrer us

leaguegod wrote:aitken V roberts for right centre is a tough call, i've been on aitken for a while but i dunno, Roberts really put his hand up friday, against a quality team, in a quality game. He made huge plays that changed the game. Aitken looks more reliable but we've probably picked that way for to long

i also think i'd rather have cotric over tommy, i think he'll help us more out of our own end

my team to date

1. teddy
2. JAC
3. Trell
4. Roberts
5. Cotric
6. Maloney
7. Cleary
8. Klem (but maybe off the bench i guess? )
9. cook (him V mciness is the toughest call, i could see both being there but i really like the utility value of peachey)
10. RCG
11. Cordner
12. Frizz
13. Jake Trbo

14. Vaughn
15. JDB
16. Peachey
17. ?? crighton was better again, maybe he is worth a shot here, i dunno. sims probably the most in form but i don't trust him. Hope they don't pick wade graham if he returns next week, don't trust him either

if Cotric is picked - it would be at the expense of Mitchell IMO - and TTrbo will play centre.
I think JAC and mitchell together is much more dangerous attacking wise but obvious a bit of a worry defensively.

The only and most serious mistake Freddy can make, is picking Fifita.

I'll back Freddy to get the best out of whoever he selects, but I can't come at him picking a guy who isn't prepared to play all 3 games. It will really rip the fabric of Origin for mine.

My NSW origin side would be

1. Tedesco
2. Cotric
3. TTurbo
4. Latrell
5. Fergo
6. Green/Keary
7. Cleary
8. Woods
9. McInnes
10. Klemmer
11. Frizell
12. Cordner
13. JTurbo

14. Cook
15. Vaughan
16. DeBelin 
17. CMurray

Don't think Woods have ever put a step wrong in origin and I don't see the massive upside in RCG over him, bench lacks a true utility so weighed up Peachy/WGraham but I'd love to see Murray being given a go

Ice wrote:

It will really rip the fabric of Origin for mine.

Hopefully this can be a well thought out origin discussion. Put your colours away people.

What is the fabric or origin ? What does it mean ? Does it still exist ?

Moore screaming "Queenslander", Benny covered in blood kissing his mum, Wally, Mortimer the list goes on being carried from the field in their final game ?

Has anyone asked Fifita why he isn't available for game 2 ? He has history of flip flopping but that said the NRL saw fit to sanction him for what can be argued as support and loyalty.
Is SOO the pinnacle of a players career ? To play it may be, but would you give it away for a premiership ? You stand shoulder to shoulder with 25 other blokes for 12 months sharing a vision which culminates in 1 game. Why is turning your back on those blokes to stand with 16 others who may or may not have been born in the same state and blow in for 8 weeks seen as the pinnacle, the high road ? You've potentially just dogged the other 25 blokes. Now they aren't going to hold it against you or stop you from playing, mates wouldn't do that. Everyone knows to be the best you have to beat the best and arguably that is origin. Clearly he isn't chasing the dollar if he's making himself unavailable and I've never heard him complain there are too many games only to make himself available for every single one.

If standing by your mates, putting loyalty before $$$ is ripping the fabric or origin something is amiss. May be in the pursuit of winning and blurring the selection lines by the states has ruined the fabric of origin.

The Fabric of Origin is making yourself available for the series (births and deaths aside) Anything less and don't waste your time.

No Worries wrote:

Hopefully this can be a well thought out origin discussion. Put your colours away people.

What is the fabric or origin ? What does it mean ? Does it still exist ?

Moore screaming "Queenslander", Benny covered in blood kissing his mum, Wally, Mortimer the list goes on being carried from the field in their final game ?

Has anyone asked Fifita why he isn't available for game 2 ? He has history of flip flopping but that said the NRL saw fit to sanction him for what can be argued as support and loyalty.
Is SOO the pinnacle of a players career ? To play it may be, but would you give it away for a premiership ? You stand shoulder to shoulder with 25 other blokes for 12 months sharing a vision which culminates in 1 game. Why is turning your back on those blokes to stand with 16 others who may or may not have been born in the same state and blow in for 8 weeks seen as the pinnacle, the high road ? You've potentially just dogged the other 25 blokes. Now they aren't going to hold it against you or stop you from playing, mates wouldn't do that. Everyone knows to be the best you have to beat the best and arguably that is origin. Clearly he isn't chasing the dollar if he's making himself unavailable and I've never heard him complain there are too many games only to make himself available for every single one.

If standing by your mates, putting loyalty before $$$ is ripping the fabric or origin something is amiss. May be in the pursuit of winning and blurring the selection lines by the states has ruined the fabric of origin.

I know you said to put your colours away but I'm not sure the fabric of Origin means the same thing to QLDers and NSWelshman - and that isn't a dig at the Blues.....for once.

As a QLDer the fabric of Origin IMO is the chance to play for the State you came from after the shellackings's that were dished out by NSW, when it was based on where you lived.

Such an easy story to be motivated by and I imagine NSWelshman have a similar but different reason for their motivation i.e. back when I was younger the fact we jagged the first 3 series seemed to be a fair source of motivation.

So with that in mind, it's easy to see why someone treating their eligibility like this can be seen to cheapen the concept of SOO.

All that aside (and further to your post above), I actually don't like to consider SOO as the pinnacle of the sport.
A premiership has always been the pinnacle (largely for some of the reasons you mentioned i.e. the duration of effort and the team bonding etc.) but even when it comes to representative football, when I was growing up the international matches were the pinnacle and I'd personally like to see it return to that.

For that reason, Fifita pledging allegiance to Tonga was actually really commendable IMO and I hope this NSW talk is all media hype and it doesn't eventuate.

No Worries wrote:

Hopefully this can be a well thought out origin discussion. Put your colours away people.

What is the fabric or origin ? What does it mean ? Does it still exist ?

Moore screaming "Queenslander", Benny covered in blood kissing his mum, Wally, Mortimer the list goes on being carried from the field in their final game ?

Has anyone asked Fifita why he isn't available for game 2 ? He has history of flip flopping but that said the NRL saw fit to sanction him for what can be argued as support and loyalty.
Is SOO the pinnacle of a players career ? To play it may be, but would you give it away for a premiership ? You stand shoulder to shoulder with 25 other blokes for 12 months sharing a vision which culminates in 1 game. Why is turning your back on those blokes to stand with 16 others who may or may not have been born in the same state and blow in for 8 weeks seen as the pinnacle, the high road ? You've potentially just dogged the other 25 blokes. Now they aren't going to hold it against you or stop you from playing, mates wouldn't do that. Everyone knows to be the best you have to beat the best and arguably that is origin. Clearly he isn't chasing the dollar if he's making himself unavailable and I've never heard him complain there are too many games only to make himself available for every single one.

If standing by your mates, putting loyalty before $$$ is ripping the fabric or origin something is amiss. May be in the pursuit of winning and blurring the selection lines by the states has ruined the fabric of origin.

And Jesus wept... i like this.

I agree Fifita choosing Tonga was commendable, I fully support it, but it means he didn't choose NSW, which is also fair enough. Country before state, I have no issue with that.

Also, I agree a Premiership is the pinnacle of the sport and most players if not all would give up state and national representation to win a Premiership, as I would.

The reason Origin rates the way it does and the public watch it in greater numbers than internationals is simply because it is generally a better, closer contest, even with NSW having lost so many series. People might want for Internationals to be the pinnacle in terms of rep honours, and in fact I think they are, but you can't make the contest more watchable and more popular because it isn't a better contest to watch, no matter what you do, cause the competition simply isn't and won't be there, it will get closer with players like Fifita choosing Tonga, but it won't be as close as the best 34 Aussies battling it out in Origin.

Very nervous that Woods and Graham might be getting considered, as well as Jackson. I think those three are crucial outs for us to develop going forward. Of the three, I think I'd actually go back to prefering Jackson, on the proviso we don't really expect much of him in attack and just say " Hold up the middle, tackle your arse off and don't let anything through, run a few decent lines and get back from the kick to help with some grunt work, do that and you're back for game 2" but otherwise, I'd happily leave him out.

With Jimmy the Jet in doubt not many changes:
Tedesco
TTurbo (think this is unlikely, I think he will be FB or not in team, same with Teddy, think Fittler might chance his arm on Cotric or stick with Fergo)
Mitchell (if Roberts comes good, think Fittler will only go with one of those two, with Aiken lining up on Inglis)
Aiken
JAC (still think he is a certainty)
Maloney (think the talk about him missing out is just to fire him up and put him on notice)
Cleary (still fearful this could be Moses)
RCG (wary of Woods here
Cook (Think it will be McInnes)
Klemmer (think they will go with him on bench as the "impact guy but think he deserves to start)
Frizell (as above, thinking Jackson might get nod with Frizell the impact back rower
Cordner (will be skip)
JTurbo (would be my skip)

Peachey (will nudge Cook in Fittlers side but I'd go with Cook if McInnes starts)
JDB
Vaughan
Sims ( have come around to this, certainly ahead of Graham, who I think it will be)
JAC

I watched the footy on Ch9 last night and missed the Matty Johns show but did anyone else see the segment Freddy did with the journo's?

My subjective reading from that little segment, bearing in mind that Fred could be using his Ch9 profile and it could all just be a bunch of red herrings (although I don't think Fred is that smart)..., are as follows:

- Cordner locked in (and prob's captain)
- JTurbo locked in (prob's at lock)
- TTurbo I reckon will be FB and I think Teddy might miss out (probably failed the dickhead test which makes sense after his World Cup behaviour).
- Roberts and Latrell locked in as centre's
- In terms of halves, I'm not sure he has settled on a pair but he basically mentioned every contender and did also mention combo's. My guess is he might be waiting to see how Maloney and Cleary go this weekend but Keary is also still a shot (and maybe helped by Latrell selection).

Oz Sport Mad wrote:I watched the footy on Ch9 last night and missed the Matty Johns show but did anyone else see the segment Freddy did with the journo's?

My subjective reading from that little segment, bearing in mind that Fred could be using his Ch9 profile and it could all just be a bunch of red herrings (although I don't think Fred is that smart)..., are as follows:

- Cordner locked in (and prob's captain)
- JTurbo locked in (prob's at lock)
- TTurbo I reckon will be FB and I think Teddy might miss out (probably failed the dickhead test which makes sense after his World Cup behaviour).
- Roberts and Latrell locked in as centre's
- In terms of halves, I'm not sure he has settled on a pair but he basically mentioned every contender and did also mention combo's. My guess is he might be waiting to see how Maloney and Cleary go this weekend but Keary is also still a shot (and maybe helped by Latrell selection).

I did. Thought it was V.good and definitely insightful on the thought process while not coming out and saying yes or no.

- Cordner locked in (and captain)
- JTurbo locked in
- TTurbo will be FB (he did mention halves selection could effect this position).
- Roberts or Latrell locked in as centre. (He's comments around them being similar players, both who can score 2 and let in 2 made me think there is a Fergo or someone locked and only 1 will get a gig)
- In terms of halves, I think it's Maloney's to lose. The way he gushed about never giving up which is a real origin trait and when it came to defence specifically mentioned him coming up fast out of the line. If he doesn't do that this week he gets the jersey.

Roberts' injury might have cemented Mitchell's spot in the side.
I dont really like the "score 2 let in 2" comment. Aitken is exactly the same, he gets smoked in defence a lot.

TTrbo has been pretty inconsistent this season, I dont see why we wouldnt pick him on the wing and then switch him around with Ted during the game. Ted has been NSW best player the last series or 2 and shouldnt be left out. If TTrbo is at FB, Ted should get a gig at centre or on the wing.