Your NSW Team for Game 2

[isaiah]

Wow your generous when assessing the opposition. Fifita will only improve, just watch. Gallen NEVER backs down. Tim Grant like an earlier poster said was able able to play last week but didn't want to risk it. Merrin may be undersized but he uses his footwork and skill to great effect. I was only analyzing NSW very harshly in my post, was preparing for the worst which is why I wanted woods there instead of Merrin. Woods has stood up behind a crumbling Tigers outfit, do you not think he could stand up along side the 3 most dominant props in the world and also a backrow which is all Australian? The Ben Hannat return better make there forward pack twice as good because the way I look at it, NSW were there own worst enemy in that game.

good luck with all that optimism. good to see true supporters talking up their team. just one question about the sentence about 3 dominant props and an all australian back row- do you include gallen as prop or back row?

 

[maple_69]

Id say he's including Fifita, Tamou/Grant/Merrin and Gallen in his '3 dominant props' and Lewis, Bird and Hoffman (throw Watmough in as a bonus) as the all australian backrow.

 

[typicalfan]

Lewis and Gallen proved their worth at the highest level twice already this year.

 

[Spot On]

as long as qld has a 3 or 4 prop rotation of scott, shillo, and one or two of hannant, lillyman, kennedy, maguire, and brenton lawrence: i think we win the yardage battle. gallen, i believe will go missing now he has lit the fuse; woods is young and unproven, fifita is young and might not put 2 solid performances together, grant is injured, and merrin, as said in another post, is lighter and not as able to bend the line.

We struggled to match the QLD props for years. Got our arses handed back to us series after series because we had blokes like Weyman, Kite, White, Snowden, King et al lining up. However, the worm has turned. I look at the QLD pack and fail to see, outside of Nate Myles, anyone that is going to dominate us as they used to. I know they will be better at home but it does seem as though we have the superior pack now, especially with Gallen at prop playing smart minutes (not an entire f**king game) and an absolute man mountain with skill in Fifita. Grant or Woods should do a good enough job as the other starting prop.

I am sceptical of Tolman and Snowden at this level. I can't believe Mason is being seriously considered unless he has two ten minute stints. We had that with Weyman years ago. Need better than that.

As for Merrin, I agree with someone above. He aint a good origin prop. The role he played in game 1 is his go.

Lillyman and Kennedy are massive downgrades on the beasts QLD have had in the past. Shillo is in poor form. It will be interesting to watch what happens. I will be shocked if Gallen shirks his task of carrying the ball forward because he jabbed Myles in the head a couple of times. Can't see that happening.

 

[Tweed Titan]

sometimes a one off happens, its proven for most of the last decade that nsw cannot do it twice in a series.

Sometimes I think you are a decent poster, then you come up with this. You really think the likes of Pillow and Lily can match our front row?

Matt Scott and Hannant better run for 400 combined because the rest of Qld's front row isn't fit to polish Gal's shoes.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

good luck with all that optimism. good to see true supporters talking up their team. just one question about the sentence about 3 dominant props and an all australian back row- do you include gallen as prop or back row?

could say just about the same for you from your post i replied too.

My 3 dominant props were Fafita, Gallen, Grant. Fifita has been the best front rower in the comp, followed by Woods. Grant I think is better than woods overall though, his form in his last few weeks before his injury confirmed that for me. Gallen is Gallen, no explanation needed. It was only when he moved into the front row that NSW became as dominant up front. Tamou has been down on form and he didn't play all to well in the last game, weather it's because he's a marked man I don't know. Lewis, Watmough and Bird make up the all australian back row, Hoffman was in the aus team last year I think but not in the last game.

 

[johns_reds]

could say just about the same for you from your post i replied too.

My 3 dominant props were Fafita, Gallen, Grant. Fifita has been the best front rower in the comp, followed by Woods. Grant I think is better than woods overall though, his form in his last few weeks before his injury confirmed that for me. Gallen is Gallen, no explanation needed. It was only when he moved into the front row that NSW became as dominant up front. Tamou has been down on form and he didn't play all to well in the last game, weather it's because he's a marked man I don't know. Lewis, Watmough and Bird make up the all australian back row, Hoffman was in the aus team last year I think but not in the last game.

If you name your all Australian back row as players who once played for Australia then that is just dumb, Australian back row as of 2013 Anzac test was bird, Thaiday, gallen

Lewis and watmough were bench players, not Australian back rowers

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

If you name your all Australian back row as players who once played for Australia then that is just dumb, Australian back row as of 2013 Anzac test was bird, Thaiday, gallen

Lewis and watmough were bench players, not Australian back rowers

oh so when they come of the interchange and on the field they're still playing interchange and not the back row?

 

[gronkathon]

Surely Tolman is out of the equation after tonight.

A good club player with workload but zero impact into the defensive line

 

[Spot On]

Surely Tolman is out of the equation after tonight.

A good club player with workload but zero impact into the defensive line

That was always my query with him. Great motor to play big minutes but the bloke gets buried when carting the ball.

 

[isaiah]

We struggled to match the QLD props for years. Got our arses handed back to us series after series because we had blokes like Weyman, Kite, White, Snowden, King et al lining up. However, the worm has turned. I look at the QLD pack and fail to see, outside of Nate Myles, anyone that is going to dominate us as they used to. I know they will be better at home but it does seem as though we have the superior pack now, especially with Gallen at prop playing smart minutes (not an entire f**king game) and an absolute man mountain with skill in Fifita. Grant or Woods should do a good enough job as the other starting prop.

I am sceptical of Tolman and Snowden at this level. I can't believe Mason is being seriously considered unless he has two ten minute stints. We had that with Weyman years ago. Need better than that.

As for Merrin, I agree with someone above. He aint a good origin prop. The role he played in game 1 is his go.

Lillyman and Kennedy are massive downgrades on the beasts QLD have had in the past. Shillo is in poor form. It will be interesting to watch what happens. I will be shocked if Gallen shirks his task of carrying the ball forward because he jabbed Myles in the head a couple of times. Can't see that happening.

i agree that for 7 series we have had an unbeatable formula of a dominant prop rotation including webcke, civo, and price who gave the room reqd. for thurston, locky, and cronk to set up an almost all-australian backline to score more points than you. our backrow has been there as reliable tacklers and link men. what a dream for meninga to coach. i think now that matt scott has risen to that level, hannant can do it on occasion, and we need a third prop to stand up. men like lillyman and shillo can do it, imo. and one day with maturity, i think maguire can too.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

i agree that for 7 series we have had an unbeatable formula of a dominant prop rotation including webcke, civo, and price who gave the room reqd. for thurston, locky, and cronk to set up an almost all-australian backline to score more points than you. our backrow has been there as reliable tacklers and link men. what a dream for meninga to coach. i think now that matt scott has risen to that level, hannant can do it on occasion, and we need a third prop to stand up. men like lillyman and shillo can do it, imo. and one day with maturity, i think maguire can too.

Webcke retired from Origin in 2004.

 

[Big Pete]

My team...

1. Josh Dugan (SOS Hayne)
2. Brett Morris
3. Michael Jennings
4. Josh Morris
5. Blake Ferguson
6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Aaron Woods
9. Robbie Farah
10. Paul Gallen
11. Luke Lewis
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Greg Bird

14. Josh Reynolds
15. Trent Merrin
16. Anthony Watmough
17. Andrew Fifita

 

[johns_reds]

oh so when they come of the interchange and on the field they're still playing interchange and not the back row?

In that case gidley is an Australia hooker because he comes on at hooker

 

[MacDougall]

They should just name an extended bench. Number of reasons.

Watmough has an injury cloud over him.
Grant has an injury cloud over him.
Dugan/Hayne injury cloud.
Woods has yet to play this round and is playing a team that features a few potential opponents on the ground that Origin 2 is playing at.

Solution? Name them all and see who's right come next Wednesday. The Maroons did it in game one.

 

[MacDougall]

1. Dugan
2. Morris
3. Jennings
4. Morris
5. Ferguson
6. Maloney
7. Pearce
8. Gallen
9. Farah
10. Merrin
11. Lewis
12. Hoffman
13. Bird

14. Fifita
15. Watmough
16. Grant
17. Reynolds
18. Woods
19. Ennis
20. Hayne
21. Gordon

 

[T.T]

1. Dugan
2. Morris
3. Jennings
4. Morris
5. Ferguson
6. Maloney
7. Pearce
8. Gallen
9. Farah
10. Merrin
11. Lewis
12. Hoffman
13. Bird

14. Fifita
15. Watmough
16. Grant
17. Reynolds
18. Woods
19. Ennis
20. Hayne
21. Gordon

shouldn't they name hayne to start with dugan to cover

 

[MacDougall]

Yeah I guess logically but Hayne is a million to one so says Gallen. Maybe not numbering them and just naming a "squad" would be better.

 

[mxlegend99]

1. Jarryd Hayne > Josh Dugan > Michael Gordon > Nathan Merritt (with injury concerns at fullback.. this would be my pecking order. Hopefully Hayne can play though)
2. Brett Morris
3. Michael Jennings
4. Josh Morris
5. Blake Ferguson
6. James Maloney
7. Todd Carney (some chance at doing something creative, unlike Pearce)
8. Tim Grant > Aaron Woods (Grant needs to be the replacement for Tamou if he is fit. He has been there before and was in great form for Penrith. Aaron Woods would be my pick if he isn't fit though)
9. Robbie Farah > Josh Reynolds (Farah needs to be given until the day of the game, if he can't play then Josh Reynolds beats Michael Ennis. Although I would take just about anyone to not have Ennis in the team)
10. Paul Gallen (c)
11. Luke Lewis
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Greg Bird

14. Andrew Fifita
15. Trent Merrin
16. Anthony Watmough
17. Wade Graham

 

[T.T]

team has been named. congrats woods on the well deserved debut

1. Josh Dugan
2. Brett Morris
3. Michael Jennings
4. Josh Morris
5. Blake Ferguson
6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Paul Gallen
9. Robbie Farah
10. Aaron Woods
11. Ryan Hoffman
12. Luke Lewis
13. Greg Bird
Interchange:
J Reynolds
Anthony Watmough
Trent Merrin
Andrew Fifita