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State of Origin 2K19 Discussion

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
I wish Nathan was dropped after seeing that team. That's an awful side and Nathan and Jimmy really got screwed by Fittler

I doubt Joey could win a series with that team up against Queenslands side.

Yep they are completely screwed. That forward rotation is going to get destroyed by Queensland.

Freddie is obsessed with having smaller guys to speed things up later in the game but origin is officiated differently and the refs won't penalise for slowing the ruck which cancels out the quicker players.
 

lsta5838

Juniors
Messages
636
Initially I was shocked.. still think could have had better option than Fergo, but thinking how much trouble our edges got into in game 1, we could have been flogged. Also a bit concerned with 3 or so Dragons players, but think we will win it.
 

Crashtest

Juniors
Messages
1,139
Yep they are completely screwed. That forward rotation is going to get destroyed by Queensland.

Freddie is obsessed with having smaller guys to speed things up later in the game but origin is officiated differently and the refs won't penalise for slowing the ruck which cancels out the quicker players.

You think he would of leaned that from game 1. Instead the team balance is even worse.

Plus seven changes when this time its a Sunday game, giving them even less time to prepare and less training days to work together. It's just seems fricking nuts.

I still hope he has a plan and somehow makes it all work, but after one loss, then this reaction makes him look like he is clueless and panicking. And he is undoing the culture he said he stood for and wanted to build with the players, all from a four point loss in game one.
 

Flashstep

Juniors
Messages
522
Really bizarre team named, Wighton at centre is a massive gamble, Saifiti is average, no Mitchell either. JMoz didn’t deserve to be dropped he was one of our best game 1.

This puts all sorts of pressure on Cleary, Fitler has picked a team of form players but has stuck by an average halfback who isn’t origin level yet, I guarantee if we lose the fans/media will tear him a new one...
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
You think he would of leaned that from game 1. Instead the team balance is even worse.

Plus seven changes when this time its a Sunday game, giving them even less time to prepare and less training days to work together. It's just seems fricking nuts.

I still hope he has a plan and somehow makes it all work, but after one loss, then this reaction makes him look like he is clueless and panicking. And he is undoing the culture he said he stood for and wanted to build with the players, all from a four point loss in game one.

Yep everyone criticised him for his bench because it needed another middle so he responds with small middles who depend on big props at club level:

Murray plays behind the Burgii
Funicane is lock behind the Storm pack

It should have been:

8. Tamou
9. Cook
10. Vaughan
11. Cordner
12. Frizell
13. Turbo
14. Funicane
15. Murray
16. RCG
17. Genuine Utility for HIA
 

mxlegend99

Referee
Messages
23,040
We have one of the worst looking attacks in the NRL and have for a while, but our halves get picked for origin. Shit makes no sense.
The halves won the series last year and there's no alternatives this year. Rate them or not... they were the best option.

Walker has been putrid since Keary went down and his Origin position became likely. He has not handled the pressure at all.

Keary injured
Pearce ruled himself out both games

You could look at someone like a Moses or Brooks. But they're as inconsistent as it gets and only have 2x Finals matches experience between them for big game experience... and no combinations to work with in a shorter preparation.

Not that halves will matter when you dont have a front row rotation for the game. Vaughan is a quality front rower. Saifiti could maybe be a good impact front row option in a rotation... but he's starting and our bench has no replacements.

We had Paas and Klemmer (big minute, big body, big workload forwards) in game one and still got smashed in the forwards. So we now have a lighter pack less capable of a big workload and dropped specialist centres for guys who have played a handful of centre over a few years between them.

The team makes no sense... but you've singled out one of the few things that actually did make sense. Picking the only fit halves available who happen to have experience, a combination and won us last years series too. Who would you have picked?
 

Abacus

Juniors
Messages
2,093
Yep everyone criticised him for his bench because it needed another middle so he responds with small middles who depend on big props at club level:

Murray plays behind the Burgii
Funicane is lock behind the Storm pack

It should have been:

8. Tamou
9. Cook
10. Vaughan
11. Cordner
12. Frizell
13. Turbo
14. Funicane
15. Murray
16. RCG
17. Genuine Utility for HIA
Sure, NSW needs more Panthers representation.
 

mxlegend99

Referee
Messages
23,040
Sure, NSW needs more Panthers representation.
Regardless of what teams the players are from. It needed 2 more front rowers. Especially if you're going to carry Saifiti who in the last 5 weeks has averaged 73 metres not having cracked 100 metres since round 8.

This guy is replacing Daving Klemmer who averaged 176m per game at Knights and made 149m in Game 1 before injury.

I think Saifiti could do a job in a proper front row rotation. But starting for blues without a replacement on the bench ... this pack is going to get belted.
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
Sure, NSW needs more Panthers representation.

From what I've heard Tamou is averaging 130m a game. You can have any props you want there. My point was the position more than the specific players. We don't have a single specialist prop on the bench and Saifiti is averaging less than 90m a game. We're basically playing with one prop.

Regardless of what teams the players are from. It needed 2 more front rowers. Especially if you're going to carry Saifiti who in the last 5 weeks has averaged 73 metres not having cracked 100 metres since round 8.

This guy is replacing Daving Klemmer who averaged 176m per game at Knights and made 149m in Game 1 before injury.

I think Saifiti could do a job in a proper front row rotation. But starting for blues without a replacement on the bench ... this pack is going to get belted.

This.
 

Abacus

Juniors
Messages
2,093
From what I've heard Tamou is averaging 130m a game. You can have any props you want there. My point was the position more than the specific players. We don't have a single specialist prop on the bench and Saifiti is averaging less than 90m a game. We're basically playing with one prop.



This.
LOL. You included Tamou and RCG. RCG v Sims, I'm happy with Sims - more upside and you're not rewarding a Panther that's phoned it in for 80% of the season so far. If you were going to nominate a prop, Junior Paulo would be my pick.

For Saifiti, he's played a maximum of 47 minutes in a match since starting. You need to read that column on the stat sheet when assessing run metres. Also, have a look at his post-contact metres. He was also part of Pearce's platform during their unbeaten streak. Again Tamou v Saifiti is lineball for me - NSW have selected looking to the future.
 

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,474
I like the side. Safiti belongs there more than Crichton IMO. Graham is a gamble but aside from one bad game he has been made for origin and leaving Latrel out is hard but his performance in game 1 was bad, not just like he played bad but his effort was bad IMO, that's unforgiveable at that level and should cost you a spot in a rep team. He will be back no doubt.
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
LOL. You included Tamou and RCG. RCG v Sims, I'm happy with Sims - more upside and you're not rewarding a Panther that's phoned it in for 80% of the season so far. If you were going to nominate a prop, Junior Paulo would be my pick.

For Saifiti, he's played a maximum of 47 minutes in a match since starting. You need to read that column on the stat sheet when assessing run metres. Also, have a look at his post-contact metres. He was also part of Pearce's platform during their unbeaten streak. Again Tamou v Saifiti is lineball for me - NSW have selected looking to the future.

Use whatever props you want. The problem is the fact that there are none on the bench at all. There's two locks and two second rowers. Murray and Funicane play with big props at there clubs and won't have that here. They'll be the props coming off the bench or Trbojevic will be on with them in the middle.

It's not exactly a recipe for success.
 

Fangs

Coach
Messages
11,415
Tariq Sims is a very weird choice. I thought he was poor for the Dragons yesterday.

They said Ryan Matterson was extremely close to selection in game 1. Now he has fallen behind Sims and Graham (After only 2 games back from a major injury).
 

mxlegend99

Referee
Messages
23,040
I have no issue with Safiti being picked as an impact benchie. But being picked to start without having any front rowers to rotate him with... it's insane

15/20 mins in the front rowers will start to get tired and Queensland will be ready to replace theirs with actual front rowers. While we will lose size bringing on second rowers instead.

Our pack got destroyed the second half in Game 1 with Klemmer and Paas in the rotation. Two big body big workload guys. Replaced with one big body average workload guy.

Unless we can dominate possession its just hard to see our pack going 80 with Queenslands. It's hard to see Jimmy and Cleary having a decent platform set for them. Looks like our backline was picked to make up for the lack of size up front. Dropping specialist centres for a fullback and a half... to also fit in Fergo.

This team has 6 days together to build brand new combinations across the park. It's insane.
 

martielang

Bench
Messages
3,385
LOL. You included Tamou and RCG. RCG v Sims, I'm happy with Sims - more upside and you're not rewarding a Panther that's phoned it in for 80% of the season so far. If you were going to nominate a prop, Junior Paulo would be my pick.

For Saifiti, he's played a maximum of 47 minutes in a match since starting. You need to read that column on the stat sheet when assessing run metres. Also, have a look at his post-contact metres. He was also part of Pearce's platform during their unbeaten streak. Again Tamou v Saifiti is lineball for me - NSW have selected looking to the future.

Agree with RCG not being there but disagree with the Saifiti selection & Tamou missing out.

You've lost your best & most experienced prop to injury & you replace him with a rookie that plays average/low minutes with no specialist prop on the bench? Doesn't make sense to me. Saifiti isn't exactly a wrecking ball either. I think Tamou tightens your defence, has been there before (with varied results) & can play big minutes.
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
Walker has been putrid since Keary went down and his Origin position became likely. He has not handled the pressure at all.
Did you hear the Gus podcast? Cordner told him to play his natural game. Cordner (and Fittler) should have told him to pass it to Tedesco, Mitchell and himself at every opportunity, at least until the heat went out of the game.

Agree with RCG not being there but disagree with the Saifiti selection & Tamou missing out.

Tamou would have been ideal but he was never under consideration. If Freddy's been watching Cleary and Maloney, you'd think he'd have been watching Tamou as well. I feel he is about to discover the folly of using second rowers and locks as props.
 
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