going into this match with Campese and Wallace as the halves was always going to be bad news.
wallace is not a dominant halfback. he plays well at club level because he's got Lockyer on the other side of the ruck marshalling the troops. but as the main man, he's got nothing IMO.
i lost count of the number of times Farrah made ineffective runs out of dummy half. he tried to do it all himself. dare i say......a hero. once again, not having at least one dominant experienced player in the halves allowed it to continue. Farrah became a rogue in blue. in contrast, the impact of wing was remarkable. he made the right decisions about when to take on the defence and also distributed the ball to his halves.....they just had no clue what to do with it most of the time.
this team was unbalanced. there are too many players who are used to running the show or getting involved in the play thinking that they are the team's matchwinner. Farah, Campese, Wallace, Lewis, Gidley, Creagh, Wing, etc. many of them are young and trying to make an impact. QLD have match winners too, but they are all allowed to get invloved. Jennings and Lyon barely got into the match, but it isnt their fault. On too many occasions, some NSW forwards (Creagh/Lewis) got out wide into the play when they shouldve remained out of it.
Lewis and Wing should not be in the same team if they're both coming off the bench.
kimmorley was always my NSW halfback. Mullen at five-eight. Ennis at hooker. kimmo is in form and playing for a winning team, wouldve demanded the pill from 'the hero wannabe', has a kicking game, and wouldve organised the troops throughout the game. Ennis has a cool head to stick to the game plan....i.e., team 1st.
in regards to the 2nd game, history suggests that the selectors normally stick to the same group with one or two changes. in this case, i reckon the original players will be coming back in.........Gallen & Stewart........and McManus being replaced by a Morris. selectors will be reluctant to make wholesale changes. but keeping the exact same 6, 7, & 9 will result in another NSW heartbreak IMO.
