State of Origin 2025

[Beavers Headgear]

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Read a few fan comments on May, I haven’t watched him closely enough to judge it, but they said his numbers look great through sheer quantity of mins and runs, but his runs don’t have any impact on the line

 

[Scott]

No Corey Horsburgh in the Queensland team spells trouble for us on Sunday!

 

[Scott]

Read a few fan comments on May, I haven’t watched him closely enough to judge it, but they said his numbers look great through sheer quantity of mins and runs, but his runs don’t have any impact on the line

Clearly a very very good player. Very questionable 'çharacter' though.

 

[JJ]

Read a few fan comments on May, I haven’t watched him closely enough to judge it, but they said his numbers look great through sheer quantity of mins and runs, but his runs don’t have any impact on the line

Yeah, but somewhere it said he was high in post contact metres etc... I think there are also questions about his 'fit'

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Here’s how Daley explained some of the biggest calls he had to make:

Leaving out Tom Trbojevic: “We spoke last night and I just I want him fit ... I think he’s struggling a little bit with the way he’s running and to play Origin you don’t want to be taking people in with any doubts. He was OK. He knows he’ll get back to being in the squad.”
Picking Cleary and Moses and leaving out Luai: “It was a difficult one. I got to speak to Jerome and ... I just told him it was gut feel with Mitch. I like the way he’s playing but also his kicking game. Kicking game in big games is so important and I just feel as though if Queensland start to target Nathan, as they’ve done in the past, we’ve got an outstanding option with Mitchell. And I think his running game, his confidence and the fact he delivered last year. A tough call but Jarome handled it like a professional.”
Leaving out Terrell May:“I think it was more about the fact that other players have been playing particularly well. Max King, what he’s been able to do has been excellent. Terrell’s playing some really good football and like all the others he’s just got to keep banging down the door and his opportunity will come at some stage, But we just thought at this stage in Game One that’s the team we wanted to go with. Max Deserves his chance. Stefano has really improved out of sight the past couple of weeks.”
On picking Yeo as captain: “I could have picked a number of players but Yeo I think is certainly the standout. Captain of Penrith the last four years, Australian captain ... he has got that standing in the game. He’s got a presence about him when he speaks and I’ve just been really impressed with the meetings I’ve had with him ... I think he’s just an obvious choice.”

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Here’s how Daley explained some of the biggest calls he had to make:

Leaving out Tom Trbojevic: “We spoke last night and I just I want him fit ... I think he’s struggling a little bit with the way he’s running and to play Origin you don’t want to be taking people in with any doubts. He was OK. He knows he’ll get back to being in the squad.”
Picking Cleary and Moses and leaving out Luai: “It was a difficult one. I got to speak to Jerome and ... I just told him it was gut feel with Mitch. I like the way he’s playing but also his kicking game. Kicking game in big games is so important and I just feel as though if Queensland start to target Nathan, as they’ve done in the past, we’ve got an outstanding option with Mitchell. And I think his running game, his confidence and the fact he delivered last year. A tough call but Jarome handled it like a professional.”
Leaving out Terrell May:“I think it was more about the fact that other players have been playing particularly well. Max King, what he’s been able to do has been excellent. Terrell’s playing some really good football and like all the others he’s just got to keep banging down the door and his opportunity will come at some stage, But we just thought at this stage in Game One that’s the team we wanted to go with. Max Deserves his chance. Stefano has really improved out of sight the past couple of weeks.”
On picking Yeo as captain: “I could have picked a number of players but Yeo I think is certainly the standout. Captain of Penrith the last four years, Australian captain ... he has got that standing in the game. He’s got a presence about him when he speaks and I’ve just been really impressed with the meetings I’ve had with him ... I think he’s just an obvious choice.”

I dont buy the May/King explanation. Just say you dont want May because you subscribe to the attitude stuff. Dont talk about banging the door down and then end up selecting King over him.

Also, its gonna sound bias, but besides incumbency what else does Robson have this year that puts him over Egan? The fact that they have Connor Watson on the bench as hooker cover, I reckon you get Wade in there for the attack he gives you. And you have the insurance for him in Watson.

Besides that, pretty good team, a fair few blokes under injury clouds though which is a concern, but that is the same for both sides

 

[Izz]

Also, its gonna sound bias, but besides incumbency what else does Robson have this year that puts him over Egan? The fact that they have Connor Watson on the bench as hooker cover, I reckon you get Wade in there for the attack he gives you. And you have the insurance for him in Watson.

I think there's a feeling across the ditch that Egan isn't 'tough' enough for Origin, whereas Robson 'is.' Dunno what that's based on. The fact Robson looks more likely to have been run over by a bus?

Here's their stats from zerotackle, sorted by tackles made. Stats-wise, while they've both made the same amount of tackles (and Egan's missed 10 more), Egan is pretty well ahead everywhere else.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

‘Not all coached by QLDers’: Slater’s cutting reply as Maroons boss grilled over Origin issue

‘Not all coached by QLDers’: Slater’s cutting reply as Maroons boss grilled over Origin issue

www.foxsports.com.au

Billy back on his QLD high horse again lol.. guessing those were NSW journos asking the barbed questions though so dont blame him for getting a bit prickly.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Slater asked about the form of the 4 QLD NRL sides who are all struggling at the moment, his response “they aren’t coached by Queenslanders”

 

[JJ]

I think there's a feeling across the ditch that Egan isn't 'tough' enough for Origin, whereas Robson 'is.' Dunno what that's based on. The fact Robson looks more likely to have been run over by a bus?

Here's their stats from zerotackle, sorted by tackles made. Stats-wise, while they've both made the same amount of tackles (and Egan's missed 10 more), Egan is pretty well ahead everywhere else.

View attachment 102312

Incumbent but also viewed as a more robust defender? Watson offers the spark that Egan would?

 

[JJ]

Slater asked about the form of the 4 QLD NRL sides who are all struggling at the moment, his response “they aren’t coached by Queenslanders”

Wow, now that gem spreads to what state you happen to be born in… nice

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Toia, Loeiro and Fermor all being reported as making QLD's starting 17 with Toia playing centre and Holmes shifted to wing.

If true the young fella likely lines up on the right opposite Crichton. One way or another, that's going to be a memorable debut...

Got this wrong. If Toia plays right side like he does in clubland, he'll be opposite Latrell wont he... bloody hell that's a big ask for a 10 game rookie.

 

[JJ]

Got this wrong. If Toia plays right side like he does in clubland, he'll be opposite Latrell wont he... bloody hell that's a big ask for a 10 game rookie.

That’s a risky one imo, guess if they think the kid is the guy then ok, but they could have left Holmes there and picked QLD legend Gagai, or used a backrower as cover

The other big risk seems to be Moses at 6…. Could go either way that one

 

[Izz]

Yeah, Toia a huge call. Don't think he's up to it yet, tbh. He's been rocks and diamonds at club level so far, so how will he go against that extra intensity?

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

That’s a risky one imo, guess if they think the kid is the guy then ok, but they could have left Holmes there and picked QLD legend Gagai, or used a backrower as cover

The other big risk seems to be Moses at 6…. Could go either way that one

Yea man, Toia is bombshell stuff. He's a weapon on attack with that massive right foot step but Latrell will test his def no doubt.

I think the whole QLD right edge is going to be targeted. Angus Crichton and Latrell running at (possibly) Toia and Nanai... gotta be worth a crack.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

 

[JJ]

View attachment 102324

Obviously Ikin wouldn’t be on that list without Super League, some good players there though

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I also rate Egan over Robson, but tbh if you're looking at the most skilled and impactful NSW hooker I'm still picking Koroisau by the length of the straight. Just look how he carved up yesterday.

I think a couple of years ago when Koroisau got injured NSW made the call to go with Robson (possibly helped by the Cowboys having had a great 2022 while people weren't quite sold on the 2023 Warriors yet) and since he has gone ok and Api is in his 30s, they've stuck with Robson. I doubt it's much more scientific than that.

NSW do have a history though of picking physically strong and "tough" players over skill players - they were always reluctant to pick Farah even when he was a much more notable club player than his competition (Ennis etc). There might still be a perception that a playmaking hooker just gets in the way at Origin level. They also have a long history (although I'm going back a bit here) of picking big strong wingers over smaller guys who were prolific try scorers.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Talk of Tom Dearden being the heir to the QLD 7 throne. The interesting to listen to Tood Carney today talking about Dearden now having the record as a starting 7 at NRL level of 1 win, 27 losses after last weekend