RecordBreakingMaroons.
Juniors
- Messages
- 2,295
With the Aus/NZ Anzac Day Test behind us, it's great to see how good the prospective Maroon players are performing.
Many of them have carried injuries or have been recovering from pre-season surgery in prior years. This is the first year in a long time that Thurston and Hodges haven't fallen into either of those two categories. Inglis is looking fitter, happier,and more dangerous(pre- Origin) than he has for many of the last 6 years that he has participated at Origin level.
Smith, Cronk, and Slater are setting the benchmark for their prospective positions in this season's NRL rounds. Their last game against the Bulldogs was a defensive slugathon. A perfect practice for SOO.
The Anzac Day Test was a tough encounter. Much tougher than the City/Country Blues love-fest. All of the players, on both sides of the Test, would have come away from it knowing that they had played a tough game of football. Cherry-Evans being the exception. The Kiwis didn't spare our boys.
Even though Boyd and Tonga have been quiet this year in sides that have been less than their best, I see no reason why they wouldn't lift for Origin, should they garner selection. Similarly Myles has been said to be playing well for an underperforming Gold Coast team.
The remaining games before Melbourne will be interesting to watch. I would guess that Mal has already decided who he wants to make up the QLD 17 for Origin 1. He doesn't play the media in the same way that Stuart does ( media machine working courtesy of Fittler, Daley, Johns et al), preferring to comment in his weekend column. You will see that change as Origin grows closer.
I'm waiting for Raudonikas to start his "Bash the Maroons." tripe and Elias to pronounce that NSW will win with a clean- sweep. Sigh. Can they help themselves? That crap may well work to QLD's advantage. Building the weight of expectation. Putting pressure on NSW.
I'm only going to watch Games 2 and 3 in person this year. Melbourne is a nice place, but it's spoiled by all of those f*cking Victorians. I should go to see Game 1 because my brother is working in Melbourne and it would give us a chance to catch-up. Still, yuck Melbourne. Home of the Australian Fairy League competition. Where State Of Origin gets short shrift and is largely overlooked.
I hope that the blues put up some kind of opposition this year. They will surely come out with lines like "Seven series in a row is the best motivation we could have to perform well." It's a shame that that motivation doesn't appear to have much of a motivating effect upon them.If nothing else, at least they get to "bond" and Stuart gets to comment upon "The look in their eyes". :lol:
It'll be interesting to see whether any of the young guns of the last few years get selected for the Maroons and gain an opportunity to carry-off a match winning play. Thereby cementing themselves into future Origin selection. One good Series for a young gun is all that it takes.
As a QLD fan I know that we shouldn't get complacent, but this year looks decent for the Maroons. That is a nice place to be at this stage.
Many of them have carried injuries or have been recovering from pre-season surgery in prior years. This is the first year in a long time that Thurston and Hodges haven't fallen into either of those two categories. Inglis is looking fitter, happier,and more dangerous(pre- Origin) than he has for many of the last 6 years that he has participated at Origin level.
Smith, Cronk, and Slater are setting the benchmark for their prospective positions in this season's NRL rounds. Their last game against the Bulldogs was a defensive slugathon. A perfect practice for SOO.
The Anzac Day Test was a tough encounter. Much tougher than the City/Country Blues love-fest. All of the players, on both sides of the Test, would have come away from it knowing that they had played a tough game of football. Cherry-Evans being the exception. The Kiwis didn't spare our boys.
Even though Boyd and Tonga have been quiet this year in sides that have been less than their best, I see no reason why they wouldn't lift for Origin, should they garner selection. Similarly Myles has been said to be playing well for an underperforming Gold Coast team.
The remaining games before Melbourne will be interesting to watch. I would guess that Mal has already decided who he wants to make up the QLD 17 for Origin 1. He doesn't play the media in the same way that Stuart does ( media machine working courtesy of Fittler, Daley, Johns et al), preferring to comment in his weekend column. You will see that change as Origin grows closer.
I'm waiting for Raudonikas to start his "Bash the Maroons." tripe and Elias to pronounce that NSW will win with a clean- sweep. Sigh. Can they help themselves? That crap may well work to QLD's advantage. Building the weight of expectation. Putting pressure on NSW.
I'm only going to watch Games 2 and 3 in person this year. Melbourne is a nice place, but it's spoiled by all of those f*cking Victorians. I should go to see Game 1 because my brother is working in Melbourne and it would give us a chance to catch-up. Still, yuck Melbourne. Home of the Australian Fairy League competition. Where State Of Origin gets short shrift and is largely overlooked.
I hope that the blues put up some kind of opposition this year. They will surely come out with lines like "Seven series in a row is the best motivation we could have to perform well." It's a shame that that motivation doesn't appear to have much of a motivating effect upon them.If nothing else, at least they get to "bond" and Stuart gets to comment upon "The look in their eyes". :lol:
It'll be interesting to see whether any of the young guns of the last few years get selected for the Maroons and gain an opportunity to carry-off a match winning play. Thereby cementing themselves into future Origin selection. One good Series for a young gun is all that it takes.
As a QLD fan I know that we shouldn't get complacent, but this year looks decent for the Maroons. That is a nice place to be at this stage.
