For what it's worth I would have chosen Adam Reynolds at 7 and Mitchell Moses at 6. That is by far the better and more reliable combo. Two halves that know how to kick you out of trouble and great short kicking games. Also they can both count numbers well on either side of the field and exploit the short side better then any other current halves/five eights available.
For those that think having two club halves playing together is wrong and confusing, you're mistaken as long as one of those halves is a running halve as what Moses is. Look at QLD when they had Thurston and Cronk. At first people were worried that it wouldn't work and were wondering how they would jell, but they ended up being the best halves combo since Langer and Lewis. The best play makers are just that, the best.
Putting these two together would also have a calming affect on the team with the surety of Reynolds experience and his relaxed approach to games. It would also allow Moses to bring his best asset to the fore, his running game knowing he isn't the only true playmaking option out there easing that burden a little while he can acclimatise to the origin arena since he is still very new to it. Also our 5th tackle option should never be an issue no matter who is caught with the ball on the fifth. They are both the best gunslingers in the game at this.
How no one in the media never even suggested it as a possibility is just staggering and shows that 99% of the so called experts are just monkey see monkey do repeaters and regurgitaters.
Anyhow it won't matter a whole mountain of beans who is the halves pair if we can't win the forward battle and win it well. That is always where they beat us first. We need to win that for the full 80 mins not just 60 or 70. QLD will just keep coming right to the end as we know they always do. Their whole team play like forwards at this level. We play most SOO games like they are club games. This is also why Cleary has by enlarge failed at this level. The forwards have not aimed up like they do for him at Penrith.
He and every other half in this NRL can't play on the back foot, not many have throughout history other then the 8th immortal and Tommy Raudonikis that I can remember actually. At Penrith Cleary can play in a dinner suit most games with the likes of JFH, Moses Leota, Liam Martin and the back three doing all the aggressive and hard lifting work that keeps the space for him and Co open and available.
This is why they will probably win this years decider too, barring injury. Leota and Martin are kamikaze beasts in big games, boy do I wish we had just one player like either to be honest. Martin has surprised me a little, because there was a stage there that he had gone off and was playing very soft, but maybe he was carrying an injury or just as it sometimes happens lost focus and was out of form, but boy has he come back with a vengeance.
Anyway, they're my thoughts on the matter. Moses will shine and help NSW to victory if we dominate the forward battle and ruck, just like most other games that we have dominated for the full 80 minutes. The real trick though is can Fitler and Co get into the heads of our players to lift just like Slater and Co has done for their side? We need to win up front enough for Moses and Co to part the Maroon sea, otherwise there won't be any miracles this time around again I'm afraid.
Forwards win matches and halves get punted if they don't, unless you are Cleary of course, then only injury takes you out.
