Best player to never play at Origin/Test level

[JB]

Nathan Merritt. Maybe he isn't up to rep standard, but considering the other nuffies that have been picked......,he's been hard done by.

 

[typicalfan]

They like big wingers in origin. Not that I agree with it, although I do somewhat. I think Yow Yeh would carve Merritt up. But still Merritt is a talent.

Aiden Tolman, Luke Douglas, Preston Campbell, Nathan Friend, Nathan Blacklock.

 

[Big Pete]

Parramatta seemed to be the home for good club players who couldn't take that next step up...

Wade McKinnon
Luke Burt
Paul Stringer
Glenn Morrison
Mark Riddell
Dean Widders (circa 05 only)

All of them handy players on their day.

Think you're being a bit premature on Tolman typicalfan - wouldn't surprise me to see him carve out a big career in that arena yet.

I was trying to think of one Broncos player but really it'd be easier to name players who shouldn't have been selected in the first place. The only player I could think of is somebody who should have played for Country at some point - Ashton Sims. Now, that might sound like a crazy nominee but Sims when on is a good player with the ability to inspire his troops. I think he deserved a shot at City/Country, especially infront of some of the no hopers they selected infront of him.

 

[gypsy]

The only player I could think of is somebody who should have played for Country at some point - Ashton Sims. Now, that might sound like a crazy nominee but Sims when on is a good player with the ability to inspire his troops. I think he deserved a shot at City/Country, especially infront of some of the no hopers they selected infront of him.

Ashton has played Test level though, he is a Fijian legend!

 

[bad boy bubby]

Preston is a special player, but in his prime he was up against Fittler and Johns for a halves gig, with Noddy and Barrett as backups. Similarly, a glut of fullbacks dating from Brasher to Hayne including Mullins, Minichiello, Hodgeson, Stewart, plus the obscure man-love Bellamy has for Kurt Gidley went a long way to keeping the likes of Campbell, Peachey and Patten out. I can offer less excuse for Tingha - although the defence issue was always against him as in rep games you have to be roughly the shape of a fridge.

I still think David Fairleigh and Mario Fenech were the best never to represent their state or above - both fantastic first class forwards. Without checking the records, I'll nominate Phil Blake as well, and second Matt Parson's and Luke Burt's nominations.

There are stacks whose origin resume should have been heaps longer, including Matt Bowen, Steve Price (who was ignored untill his late 20's), Clinton Schifcofske, Nathan Hindmarsh, Hasem (suddenly we won when we picked him), Patton, Peachey (made for Origin imho) Scott Prince et al.

Is this the best didnt make Origin/Test side?

1) Luke Patten
2) Nathan Blacklock
3) Tony Martin
4) Steve Ella
5) Luke Burt
6) Jason Taylor
7) Kevin Hastings
8) Matt Parsons
9) Nathan Brown
10) John Skandalis.
11) Mario Fenech
12) David Fairleigh
13) Mark Laurie

14) Phil Blake
15) Dean Widders
16) Feliti Mateo
17) Mark Tookey.

Coach: Warren Ryan.

Fairleigh played for both NSW(10 games) and Australia (2 tests)
Fenech 2 origin games
Ella NSW (8 games), Aust. (4 tests)
Taylor was a reserve in two Origin games, I think.

 

[Parra Pride]

Beau Ryan.

 

[Easts R #1]

I reckon Lance Thompson would have been an absolute gun for the Blues

Some players are made for origin and Thompson fits the mould!

 

[Easts R #1]

Nathan Merritt. Maybe he isn't up to rep standard, but considering the other nuffies that have been picked......,he's been hard done by.

Neither consistent or tough enough for origin. this is where NSW fall over.

 

[Easts R #1]

Isaac De Gois
Matt Parsons

Gee up!

 

[nqcowboy87]

id throw ty willimas into the mix, 2005 he was building to something big, solid in origin solid at club level, why he didnt make the test squad at the end of 05 is beyond me he was solid all year and played in the gf (i know we got our ass handed to us). but they ended up going with tahu who was alright got injured and in that first game got injured and they replaced him in the centres with trent waterhouse off the bench than brought brent tate who was having an up and down year. then the next year had that horrible knee injury and it was basically all down hill from there, i honestly believe if hed have kicked on he would be a mainstay in the qld sides we have now

 

[gypsy]

Ty Williams is truly awful.

 

[Canard]

Ty Williams is truly awful.

I assume you mean was??

Not that I agree with you.

 

[Loudstrat]

Fairleigh played for both NSW(10 games) and Australia (2 tests)
Fenech 2 origin games
Ella NSW (8 games), Aust. (4 tests)
Taylor was a reserve in two Origin games, I think.

LOL - long day at work. Ella was part of the 82 Eels that filled every spot from 2-9.

 

[Big Pete]

id throw ty willimas into the mix, 2005 he was building to something big, solid in origin solid at club level, why he didnt make the test squad at the end of 05 is beyond me he was solid all year and played in the gf (i know we got our ass handed to us). but they ended up going with tahu who was alright got injured and in that first game got injured and they replaced him in the centres with trent waterhouse off the bench than brought brent tate who was having an up and down year. then the next year had that horrible knee injury and it was basically all down hill from there, i honestly believe if hed have kicked on he would be a mainstay in the qld sides we have now

I disagree with him being solid in Origin, if anything he was one of the Maroons biggest problem. Posing little to no threat and offering no resistance in defence. He might have been able to kick on from it, but really to say he was solid is being as generous as you could be.

Definitely a good club player.

 

[Patorick]

Daniel Gartner (1994-1998).

 

[Brutus]

Gary Vernon (Loudy's favourite Eel of all-time)

 

[glockers]

This Peachey nonsense needs to stop. Robbie Ross and Peachey under performed in Origin and funnily enough when NSW went back to old man Brasher they had huge success.

A past it Brasher was still the best fullback in the comp. He should never have been dropped in the first place. Therefore Ross and Peachey never should have played origin.

As for Galea, his best years were before 06. His 06 year was so so. I think he should have been in the team for a couple of years.

Skandalis never making it is the bigger travesty though.

Dymock should have been in the team more often. Billy Pedan and Lance Thompson were unlucky. The Nathan Brown comments deserve more love.

Chris Heighnington should be in the current team.

Did Brett Rodwell play origin? My memory is hazy on that one.

Blacklock and Hazem should have played 10 origin games each. Sadly that didn't happen.

 

[Big Pete]

Chris Heighnington should be in the current team.

Didn't catch the Four Nations did you?

He was terrible for the Poms.

 

[Loudstrat]

Ross was a media darling/ A solid fullback in media favorite teams. Playing now he'd be in State Cup everywhere bar Saints, Cronulla, Souths and when major acne strikes, Canberra.

Galea is in John Morris category. Get down to that level after you have talked about Adam Dykes and Mitch Healey, who, if were the Cronulla halves today, would be the NSW halves (I assume Healey is a blue).

I guess you could also throw Todd Carney's name around in this thread for Origin too.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Didn't catch the Four Nations did you?

He was terrible for the Poms.

He's not much of a player Hino, sure he makes 15-20 runs a game, but most of them he just runs straight back into the markers for minimal yardage. Once Ellis came to the club we all have seen how far short of the world class backrower mark he is.


As for the main question, I'd have to go with Skando, can't believe how often he was overlooked.