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2025 Origin 2 - Wed 18 Jun - NSW v QLD @ Optus

Who wins Game II?


  • Total voters
    9
  • This poll will close: .

Warrimoo3

Juniors
Messages
945
That’s a strange team named by Queensland. Three quarters of the spine are in very ordinary form. Fotuaika is a bench player only at SOO level. Fermor has been good and should start but he’s been dropped altogether. Grant was worst on ground in game 1 , but is not going to be punted because of the Melbourne connection.



A better option would have been to keep DCE and move him to hooker. His defence is still good enough and his raking kicks would be 10 metres extra from dummy half. Drop Grant. Recall Gagai. The Hammer to fullback. Ponga to the bench for impact and to cover backline injuries. Get Big Papa out of retirement. Drop Lolero. Fermor to start. Collins has been terrible for the Roosters since returning from injury especially in defence but there aren’t many alternatives.

The only way the named Queensland side can possibly win is if they get close to 60 percent possession or NSW lose players to the sin bin.
 

speedster

Bench
Messages
3,407
I know Walsh has only had the one game back and has to manage a knee issue but he carved up in that game and looked back to his exceptional best. Ponga, by contrast, still seems to be suffering from severe constipation with ball in hand despite chasing a kick through and scoring the winning try in the last minute. But he didn't carve while Walsh did. I would have rolled the dice on Walsh in Perth and had Pong on the bench in the 14 ahead of Kurt the sex offender.

At least had Walsh in the reserves to give more time to mull a late switch before kick off. As a NSW supporter, I'm happy Walsh isn't there after witnessing his display against, admittedly, a poor Titans side.
 

Woody90

Bench
Messages
3,365
I know Walsh has only had the one game back and has to manage a knee issue but he carved up in that game and looked back to his exceptional best. Ponga, by contrast, still seems to be suffering from severe constipation with ball in hand despite chasing a kick through and scoring the winning try in the last minute. But he didn't carve while Walsh did. I would have rolled the dice on Walsh in Perth and had Pong on the bench in the 14 ahead of Kurt the sex offender.

As a Knights fan I would have picked Walsh too. Both at their best there’s no way I’d take Walsh over Ponga but KP’s in bad form and carrying both a rib cartilage and ankle injury that’s definitely contributing to it. He wasn’t even able to train before game 1 so I find his selection odd. I think Slater feels a bit indebted to him for basically winning them the 2022 series that’s perpetuated this narrative that Billy is some kind of super coach, but also Ponga doesn’t seem like he’s that interested in playing SOO either. He wants to play for the Kiwis.
 

speedster

Bench
Messages
3,407
As a Knights fan I would have picked Walsh too. Both at their best there’s no way I’d take Walsh over Ponga but KP’s in bad form and carrying both a rib cartilage and ankle injury that’s definitely contributing to it. He wasn’t even able to train before game 1 so I find his selection odd. I think Slater feels a bit indebted to him for basically winning them the 2022 series that’s perpetuated this narrative that Billy is some kind of super coach, but also Ponga doesn’t seem like he’s that interested in playing SOO either. He wants to play for the Kiwis.
He looks cooked this season and yeah, not exactly the Billy Moore type of QUEENSLANDER! :D
 

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