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SMH - 26 June 2006
Good Work Gower!!!!
Mark Gasnier will play five-eighth for NSW in next week's State of Origin decider at Telstra Dome, but the Blues selectors have provided themselves with some insurance by picking his Dragons teammate Ben Hornby on the interchange bench.
The selections were among five changes and three positional switches from the side thrashed 30-6 by Queensland in Origin II, with the biggest surprise being the addition of in-form Cronulla backrower Paul Gallen.
The only debutant in the 17-man squad, Gallen was today named on the bench along with Steve Menzies, Mark O'Meley and Hornby, who replaces Sydney Roosters hooker Craig Wing.
The Roosters halves pairing of Brett Finch and Braith Anasta were also axed, along with Bulldogs backrower Andrew Ryan and Manly prop Brent Kite.
Penrith's Craig Gower beat Cronulla's Brett Kimmorley for Finch's halfback job.
With Gasnier shifting to five-eighth, his St George Illawarra teammate Matt Cooper will partner Melbourne's Matt King in the centres, with Parramatta international Timana Tahu moving to the wing.
North Queensland's Luke O'Donnell returns at lock in place of Ryan after missing Origin II, while Dragons prop Luke Bailey has been promoted to the starting line-up to replace Kite.
"We got hammered last game - something had to change," NSW chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy said.
"Some of the players that missed out ... the Roosters players, their body language suggests their confidence was down."
Despite Gasnier having only played four games at five-eighth for the Dragons, McCarthy said the selectors had no concerns about his inexperience and indicated that he was the only option seriously considered to replace Anasta.
"The more time Gasnier gets the ball, the more dangerous he's going to be,'' McCarthy said.
"You saw in the first two games we played, he didn't get much ball and when he did he had two blokes around his ankles.
"He needs more ball ... he can handle the five-eighth role.
''[Dragons coach] Nathan Brown suggested he will be at five-eighth next year so this might be the starting stone for him at State of Origin for years to come.''
Blues coach Graham Murray said Gasnier's selection meant that Gower and fullback Brett Hodgson would share the kicking duties, along with Hornby when he came onto the field.
"I've seen him play at dummy half, half, five-eighth and fullback,'" Murray said of Hornby's inclusion.
"That's pretty versatile and he is an accomplished footballer, which handles each one of those pretty well.
"I couldn't give you his minutes or his position but he's one of those four, he's pretty good."
NSW: Brett Hodgson, Eric Grothe, Matt King, Matt Cooper, Timana Tahu, Mark Gasnier, Craig Gower, Willie Mason, Danny Buderus (c), Luke Bailey, Steve Simpson, Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke O'Donnell. Interchange: Paul Gallen, Ben Hornby, Mark O'Meley, Steve Menzies.
Good Work Gower!!!!
Mark Gasnier will play five-eighth for NSW in next week's State of Origin decider at Telstra Dome, but the Blues selectors have provided themselves with some insurance by picking his Dragons teammate Ben Hornby on the interchange bench.
The selections were among five changes and three positional switches from the side thrashed 30-6 by Queensland in Origin II, with the biggest surprise being the addition of in-form Cronulla backrower Paul Gallen.
The only debutant in the 17-man squad, Gallen was today named on the bench along with Steve Menzies, Mark O'Meley and Hornby, who replaces Sydney Roosters hooker Craig Wing.
The Roosters halves pairing of Brett Finch and Braith Anasta were also axed, along with Bulldogs backrower Andrew Ryan and Manly prop Brent Kite.
Penrith's Craig Gower beat Cronulla's Brett Kimmorley for Finch's halfback job.
With Gasnier shifting to five-eighth, his St George Illawarra teammate Matt Cooper will partner Melbourne's Matt King in the centres, with Parramatta international Timana Tahu moving to the wing.
North Queensland's Luke O'Donnell returns at lock in place of Ryan after missing Origin II, while Dragons prop Luke Bailey has been promoted to the starting line-up to replace Kite.
"We got hammered last game - something had to change," NSW chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy said.
"Some of the players that missed out ... the Roosters players, their body language suggests their confidence was down."
Despite Gasnier having only played four games at five-eighth for the Dragons, McCarthy said the selectors had no concerns about his inexperience and indicated that he was the only option seriously considered to replace Anasta.
"The more time Gasnier gets the ball, the more dangerous he's going to be,'' McCarthy said.
"You saw in the first two games we played, he didn't get much ball and when he did he had two blokes around his ankles.
"He needs more ball ... he can handle the five-eighth role.
''[Dragons coach] Nathan Brown suggested he will be at five-eighth next year so this might be the starting stone for him at State of Origin for years to come.''
Blues coach Graham Murray said Gasnier's selection meant that Gower and fullback Brett Hodgson would share the kicking duties, along with Hornby when he came onto the field.
"I've seen him play at dummy half, half, five-eighth and fullback,'" Murray said of Hornby's inclusion.
"That's pretty versatile and he is an accomplished footballer, which handles each one of those pretty well.
"I couldn't give you his minutes or his position but he's one of those four, he's pretty good."
NSW: Brett Hodgson, Eric Grothe, Matt King, Matt Cooper, Timana Tahu, Mark Gasnier, Craig Gower, Willie Mason, Danny Buderus (c), Luke Bailey, Steve Simpson, Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke O'Donnell. Interchange: Paul Gallen, Ben Hornby, Mark O'Meley, Steve Menzies.
