Best player to never play at Origin/Test level

[Hutty1986]

thats you knob jockey.

:lol: Souffs

 

[gypsy]

:lol: Souffs

Well said!

 

[Patorick]

Can't believe I forgot Michael Monaghan.

He was on fire in 2007.

 

[betcats]

I think Aaron Payne and Nathan Friend are unlucky to never have played.

Unlucky as in they were good enough to play rep footy not as in they should be picked over Cameron Smith.

I also agree that Blacklock and Presto should have been picked at some in their careers. I also think Michael Monaghan would have made a good bench utility as well as Alan Tongue.

Can't remember who said it but someone said if Tongue was a QLD'er he would have played alot of origin.[/QUOTE]

Gordon Tallis was saying that a lot a couple seasons ago untill one of the other fox nrl guys asked who he would of dropped from the QLD pack for Tongue for the last few origin series, Tallis had no answer. Unfortunately for Tongue he has always had better players in front of him.

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

From memory that was Gower.

Finch replaced him in Game 2 2004.

Yep he was ruled out before Orford was picked and ruled out also i think.

 

[H.H]

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

That'd be '83...

In terms of test football, Horrie Hastings by 10 country miles. As big a selection travesty as there has ever been in the game - in particular the 1982 Kangaroo Tour.....Mark Murray was picked ahead of him FFS....talk about a political selection.

Still rankles with me to this day.

 

[Canard]

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.

Mitch Healy was a Qlder from memory

 

[Marshall_magic]

Can't believe I forgot Michael Monaghan.

He was on fire in 2007.

Weren't people on here tipping Manly to miss the finals completely in 2008 soley because they let Monas go? From memory there was a huge overreaction to his departure on here.

 

[bad boy bubby]

Mitch Healy was a Qlder from memory

Nope. Cronulla junior, played for Engadine Dragons

 

[Canard]

Must have been getting confused with Paul Green, or some other mediocre half that never really cracked it.

As a Cowboys fan Im am highly qualified on identifying mediocre and sub par NRL players.

 

[Patorick]

Mitch Healy was a Qlder from memory

http://www.casrl.co.uk/completedhtmfiles/archive3.htm

Says he was born in Sydney.

 

[bad boy bubby]

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

Haha, I understand.
Parra were a great team to watch in those days, Kenny was my second favourite player of the time, behind Sludge of course.

 

[Canard]

http://www.casrl.co.uk/completedhtmfiles/archive3.htm

Says he was born in Sydney.

As above, Im pretty sure my memory has let me down there.

But you do realise place of birth is irrelavant in the Origin critieria, otherwise Sterlo would have played for QLD etc. etc.

 

[Patorick]

As above, Im pretty sure my memory has let me down there.

But you do realise place of birth is irrelavant in the Origin critieria, otherwise Sterlo would have played for QLD etc. etc.

Junior club: Engadine Dragons.

I take your point though.

 

[firechild]

Weren't people on here tipping Manly to miss the finals completely in 2008 soley because they let Monas go? From memory there was a huge overreaction to his departure on here.

Not just on here. Manly were widely tipped to miss the 8 that year based on a number of factors. Losing Monas meant we were without a decent hooker (I believe Ballin was yet to debut), Lyon was forced to play in the halves because Travis Burns was leaving (though he didn't play in the '07 GF anyway) and there were others leaving, including Chris Hicks who had been excellent on the wing for Manly. It meant that the spine consisted of Orford, Stewart, an untested hooker and a centre in the 6 jersey.

 

[Mr Saab]

David Howell
Daniel Fitzhenry
Lee Murphy
Paul Doolan

All the selectors fault

 

[Patorick]

Not just on here. Manly were widely tipped to miss the 8 that year based on a number of factors. Losing Monas meant we were without a decent hooker (I believe Ballin was yet to debut), Lyon was forced to play in the halves because Travis Burns was leaving (though he didn't play in the '07 GF anyway) and there were others leaving, including Chris Hicks who had been excellent on the wing for Manly. It meant that the spine consisted of Orford, Stewart, an untested hooker and a centre in the 6 jersey.

Ballin debuted in early 2007.

 

[firechild]

So he did, 12 games in '07. I don't even remember him playing that season. No doubt he was coming off the bench in the backup hooker role Des liked to use at the time?

 

[Big Pete]

I actually remember Ballin making this awesome debut - scored a try and kicked a 40/20. Think he filled in while Orford was injured and then subbed in for Monas later.

 

[nqcowboy87]

todd payten should have been given a go