No need to feel sorry for Michael Gordon - I don't think he would have been picked. Clearly form played no part in the team selection.
Otherwise we wouldn't have:
Josh Dugan - struggling to stay fit at club level, missed half the season already. Some strong games, but no better then Hayne, or even remotely close to Flash. With no rep experience there's no reason he should be considered without solid, consistent club performances leading into the game.
Michael Jennings - I'm a Panthers supporter, but he has played maybe 2 decent games all year. Granted one was the City vs Country match, but that's not enough for Origin selection. Although he beats using Idris on the wrong side of the field - it should have been Josh Morris simply for the fact he's a left centre and the most experienced with the left winger
Jason King - Worst selection by far. Panthers have 4/5 better front rowers then him, as do several other teams. If he wouldn't crack a few first grades top 17 players, he shouldn't be near the NSW top 17. There are so many front rowers that should have been ahead of him... Tolman, Galloway, Grant, Douglas, TLL etc. off the top of my head.
I also disagree with leaving out:
Jarryd Hayne - I would have had him at left wing until Flash was injured, but the second the form fullback of the competition was injured he should have kept his spot from last year. His form isn't great, but he's in better form then Dugan and he's one of the few NSW players to CONSISTENTLY carve QLD up.
Luke Lewis - Returned for the Panthers against a strong Broncos side and put in an awesome 80 minute performance, carving up a few potential QLD forwards. He's clearly fit enough, and he has proven himself capable of playing great footy at rep level with a MOTM performance for Australia last year.
Anthony Watmough - In one game he has caused more damage to QLD then Beau Scott or Ben Creagh could dream of doing between them in all 3 games. They're good club players, but guys like Lewis and Watmough are just more suited to rep games where things can get tough.
The inclusion of so many Dragons suggests that form and combinations were important to cracking the side, the above proves that it had nothing to do with it.
