NSW Origin side 2018

What I would pick in the crazy world were I was actually a coach, let alone the NSW coach

1. Tedesco
2. Trbojevic
3. Scott
4. Roberts
5. Ferguson
6. Pearce
7. Cleary
8. Woods
9. Cook
10. De Belin
11. Cordner
12. Jackson
13. Trbojevic

14. Vaughan
15. Klemmer
16. Frizell
17. Brown

Backline: Speed to burn as well as players in position (apart from Turbo, but he has the height, hands and smarts to be an origin winger) for a better defensive structure than past years (hopefully)
Halves: IF Cleary is fit I would rather see Pearce with him than any other option we have at the moment. Pearce is the scapegoat as 7, but he is one of the best defensive halves in the game, and nobody can or should doubt his ability with ball in hand etc... with Cleary leading the team, Pearce should flourish as the 6
IF Cleary is still injured then I honestly dont care who they pick (trust in Freddie!)
Frontrow: Woods & De Belin for the first 25/30mins with Cook playing 80. Ball playing props who will tackle anything in maroon, and along with Jake will hopefully keep Cook fresh enough to attack as well all game. Then for 30/35mins either side of halftime smash them to pieces with Vaughan & Klemmer
Second Row/Locks: Cordner Captain & 80mins (unless injury) with Trbojevic & Jackson to as well tackle anything that moves. Once they come to a stanstill, then Frizel & Brown to do the same whilst also bending the line to finish the game out

Views of a laziboy coach and nothing more

Is that you Ricky ? You only used 6 interchanges

No Worries wrote:Is that you Ricky ? You only used 6 interchanges

Ha that is Mr Stuart to you! Why use them all if you have big minute players? Obviously they will use them all, but not planning for them, yet using them depending on injuries and/or the flow of the game would also work?

Anyway the post was meant to be about the team/players I would like to see run out and smash Queensland, for a long overdue change!

some comments on post made since mine

Agree with fergy's form, has been unreal but has been on the wing, i think thats his position these days and he may just hold mansour/tturbo out.

like ryno, i'm not completely sold on roberts/mitchell, some weeks they look unreal but others not so much, roberts looks the better option out of the 2 to me but i still think centre is the position with a chance to yield a genuine bolter like scott or aitken if their form warrants it at the time. can't discount jack bird either if he gets his fitness back in order.

i don't know who our halves will be but i couldn't pick keary. there have been players play origin that maybe shouldn't have be eligible for their team or grew up not really being as passionate about (due to being a kiwi/fijian etc) but thats different to actually growing up passionately supporting the other side and arguing with the nrl about wanting to play with them, he could never ever really be truely committed to NSW so as good as he is playing, i couldn't pick him. but its form may see us make a grave mistake.

i think its time for klem to start, he is a big guy, who can is happy to get smashed and run it back up 2 tackles later, i think its impact value can be over rated, i think he is actually better suited to the opening stages and being able to possibly get more on the front foot then other options may. i think guys like mclean/RCG/vaughn etc actually offer more impact as they offer more then just being downhill runner like klemmer


i forgot about cook, he has got to be up there with api and peats too and potentially the best option, i'm liking peachey in the 14 because he can defs spell our hooker for 20 and fill in elsewhere

Re jackson, i love the guy, great for my club, often under appreciated by blues fans pre doing the job he has done but worth remembering that he has the last few years spent more time in the middle then an edge for NSW, and he looks a bit bigger again (muscular wise) this year. i think we'll see him 13 for the dogs before to long. to me, his role this year for nsw is either tackle sponge at start and end of game or nothing and i think jtrbo can make those tackles, still offer more size and more with the ball. JDB can adequately fill jtrbo's bench spot. if Jtrbo got injured, i'd pencil jacko in right away (because i don't think i would start JDB) but untill then, i'm not sure its best for nsw him being there

Doesn't seem much love for Jack Bird. I think he's a certainty personally. He's always looked good when he's come on in origin, and after playing his first game last weekend should easily be match fit enough. At worst he'll be on the bench, with a good chance of starting centre. At this stage I'd definitely put him ahead of someone like Mitchell (who I like, but I don't think will be as good in attack as clubland, and still has some problems in defence at centre).

I can see bird being the utility instead of graham.
Forgot about mclean, he will be there IMO. Mclean and RCG on the bench for aus was great, it should be great for NSW.

Interesting to see no one has picked fifita.

The halves, yeah fuck. I mean - keary was excellent last year, has been great in his 2 games this year. Plays his heart out on the field, no reason to think they wont do that for nsw.
I too think pearce would be a decent 6 outside of a decent 7, but Cleary's injury might fuck that.
Dont want him as the starting 7 for sure.

Centres are really a toss up - dugan, roberts, mitchell, bird, walker, hayne, scott - all chances and I dont really care who out of them all gets picked. Personally, I like Mitchell and want to see him up against GI at centre in origin.

leaguegod wrote:
like ryno, i'm not completely sold on roberts/mitchell, some weeks they look unreal but others not so much, roberts looks the better option out of the 2 to me but i still think centre is the position with a chance to yield a genuine bolter like scott or aitken if their form warrants it at the time. can't discount jack bird either if he gets his fitness back in order.

Mitchell is too hot/cold.

My knock on Pearce was always that he's great at club level because hes good at applying consistent pressure on the other team's weak spot. Which is a useless skill at origin level because there is no "weak" spot in the other team's backline to smash. You have to make something happen, as opposed to wait for the other team to fuck up.

I feel like Roberts will be the same. At club level, pick the lazy/slow defender and burn him with pace on the outside. Doesnt work if theres not a useless prick on the other side. Honestly, who is the opposite number he's going to beat? Chambers? He's not a slouch. You cant burn him with _just_ pace.

If roberts was picked at right centre, the left centre for QLD would be GI wouldnt it?
He could burn GI for pace these days quite easily, IMO, at least over the first 20/30.
He doesnt have to dominate a game. He just has to take his chances when he gets them. Which he does at club level. He would certainly at least worry the defence if he gets the ball in space.

Mitchell would be just fine IMO at wing prob more so than centre, and freddy loves him. Close to the line with a little bit of space he is just about unstoppable.

Pearce's biggest failure at origin level has been his kicking game IMO. Yes he is kicking to one of the best ever at the back but fuck me dead he couldnt find grass ever. He has never been able to make good decisions under pressure at origin, and has never has a good short kicking game full stop.

Could he flourish as the 6 with Cleary doing most of the kicking? IMO, yes. He could also flourish as the 9 or 14 too.

Surely Green has to now start being considered given I think everyone agrees long term Clearly is the likely 7. He has been so good co trolling the Warriors and freeing up Johnson and I think he could do a similar job for NSW. Whoever our seven is has to be in control and allow the 6 and 1 freedom to play what they see and I wouldn't be against Green being the stop gap this series.

Tedesco
Mansour
Mitchell/Roberts
Bird
TTurbo
Maloney/Keary
Green
Woods
API K/Wallace/Pearce/Peats
McLean (had forgot about him)
Cordner
Jackson (cause apparently he will be there)
JTurbo

Klemmer
Frizell
RCG
Crichton

Big but mobile bench, forget the utility. Bird gives you halves/9 cover at a pinch, TT backline cover, Jackson can spell at 9.

With the way tedesco has been playing this year, TTrbo might be a change of taking the FB spot.
Ted has been really average settling in at the roosers, TTrbo - especially last night - has been exceptional. When he links with his brother in the middle they are just about unstoppable.

And yep with our lack of quality halves, Green would certainly be in with a shot.

Jack wighton would be in with a shot in the outside backs too, not at FB tho. He is obviously the only raider having a crack and is a big fast young body, great defender.
He certainly wouldnt look out of place on the wing or in the centres.

Green gets repeat sets better than most I have seen. Sometimes that's all you need in Origin to be the difference.

I'd have him in my side.

1. TTurbo.
6. Green.
7. Maloney.
9. Peats/Api/McInnes

McInnes has to be the front runner for the 9 jersey, surely. Hes been outsitanding this year.
You would take Ted on a wing if Trbo is going to be the fullback. Shame about his dodgy ankles.

Honeysett wrote:Green gets repeat sets better than most I have seen. Sometimes that's all you need in Origin to be the difference.

I'd have him in my side.

1. TTurbo.
6. Green.
7. Maloney.
9. Peats/Api/McInnes

This is why Pearce is shit at origin level

Take one of NSW best players last year and move him onto a wing?

QLD did that last year. Moved boyd to centre/wing when he has been one of QLD best at fb for the last few years

lol

Ted will and should be the 1.

Pieman wrote:QLD did that last year. Moved boyd to centre/wing when he has been one of QLD best at fb for the last few years

lol

The difference is he was replaced by the best fullback of all time.

and the difference here is they would be replacing an out of form FB with the form FB of the comp (if they stay the way they are now)

tedesco will be the number 1, but TTrbo is most certainly breathing down his neck for the jersey IMO

TTurbo has the passing game that Tedesco doesn't have and that will be vital in terms of putting on tries. I'd have no issue with playing both of them in the side and having TTurbo at FB close to the try line - let me them both roam and create havoc.

yeah would happily have them switch between wing and fullback throughout the game.