Well, we’ve had City vs Country and a lot of club games to gauge the form of a potential New South Wales State Of origin lineup…so now…its time.
I think it is fair to say the the lineup we thought we would see at the season of the season is very different from the lineup we now hope to see. Some players have just demanded selection with great form and dominant games. Others have completely played their way out of the side.
Do we have a chance to win this series? Yes, I think we do. If we select a team that puts in for 80 minutes…well, just have a look at what the Queenslanders have been able to do in the past in series where they were no hopers.
With that in mind I selected players with two main qualities.
The first quality a willingness to work and play like every single moment is a moment of desperation. That has to be the starting point for State Of Origin. You want players who will just never give up.
The second quality was, I wanted players that would cause problems for Queenslands defense. We could tackle all night, but if we don’t score points, we are going to lose. This Queensland team won’t be played into a dour 4-2 loss. They are going to score points, and we have to be able to match them and throw something at them they don’t like!
So, who would be in my State of Origin team for game one?
League Freaks New South Wales State Of Origin Team
1. Josh Dugan
2. Michael Gordon
3. Jamal Idris
4. Mark Gasnier
5. Brett Morris
6. Jamie Soward
7. Jarrod Mullen
8. Kade Snowden
9. Michael Ennis
10. Aiden Toleman
11. Paul Gallen (C)
12. Nathan Hindmarsh
13. Greg Bird
14. Beau Scott
15. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
16. Michael Weyman
17. Kurt Gidley
The Backs
Please don’t mention Jarryd Hayne, its not the final 8 games of the 2009 season. That is the last time he was worth mentioning. I was a little worried about Dugan this season but on what we saw in the City vs Country game, I’m ready to go with him at fullback.
On one wing I’d have my second choice for fullback, Michael Gordon. Gordon is a very strong player, a real Origin player. He stands out in a terrible side in that for him, every play is one worthy of total commitment. On top of that he is a great goal kicker, and that is something we need. On the other side of the field, you can’t go wrong with Brett Morris.
In the centers, you have to pick Jamal Idris. In attack he is a monster. I’ll cop what he gives NSW in defense. The thing is, we have to select him now. Let him learn. Give him the game time. If he was a Queenslander they would get him in their team anywhere they could.
As for Gasnier, the other NSW candidates haven’t shown much this season. This was Michael Jennings place to lose, and he did a great job of that. Gasnier will cause problems for Queensland when he has the ball in hand. His defense really worries me, but as with Idris, I’m willing to go with that. Talk of him being captain though is bloody ridiculous!
The Halves
Soward is a walk up start. I don’t think I really need to go into why. As for Mullen, he’s not been anywhere near as good this year as some people have said (I’m looking at you Andrew Johns) but he gets the nod simply because he has been there before and he isn’t going to be an issue in defense.
The Forwards
I actually like the look of this pack. I think you get a lot of impact out of it and you have a bunch of players who play until they have nothing left to give.
I think Snowden and Toleman pick themselves. Ennis at hooker has been locked in for me for months now, he is what we need at Origin level, a complete bastard to play against.
The back row I think is great. Gallen is one of the best players in the game, and captain. Hindmarsh I’m willing to throw him one last shot and see if he is still up to this level. Bird I think will revel in being back at this level and given the role of an Origin lock. I wish I didn’t have to pick him, but I can’t really see anyone else that can fill this role on the field as well right now.
The Bench
I picked Scott because he will slow straight into the back row I’ve selected. Also, if Idris is having problems in defense out wide, you can put Scott in the centers and move Idris to the back row if it turns into a disaster.
Tom Learoyd-Lahrs form this season, like all Raiders players, has been terrible. However, he is huge and a handful to tackle. He can also play prop or back row if needed.
Weyman gets his start simply because he has been there. I think he would be better off the bench. I don’t rate him anywhere near as highly as some, but he just needs to give you enough minutes to give the starters a rest. A pretty simple job he should be up to.
As for Gidley, I wanted to pick someone else, but I went with him for a few reasons. If Soward because an issue in defense, he can slot in alongside his club team mate in Mullen in the halves. He can spell Ennis when needed and simply, he’s been there before. I’d have been happy to go with other players, but I think the experience tipped him over the edge here.
Run Down
So there you have it, that is the New South Wales State Of Origin team I would select at this very moment.
I won’t do a similar one for Queensland because its pretty simple, their lineup is all but set. I think we match up pretty well with their forwards. Obviously their halves are a different story. In the outside backs they look fantastic, but I think we have players that can trouble them there.
