Here's my 2 cents.
Kimmorley should go and Gower should be given next chance. Johns is not fit, and Only Orford should be opted for in comparison with Gower. Unless Andrew Johns can turn things upside down at the Knights on his own, he shouldn't be considered.
I believe the selectors will get it wrong though. I reckon they will stick with Kimmorley to give him the opportunity redeem himself after throwing that stupid pass. I wouldn't do it, but selectors have historically done stupid things like that. Sometimes it works, more often it doesn't. I reckon if he didn't throw that last pass they would boot him.
I though both coaches used their bench poorly. Fitzgibbon and Hindmarsh should have been given a rest earlier. Both were physically drained and should have been pulled off long before they were. Watmough was wasted with his 15 minutes on the paddock. He looked fine and it would be hard to drop him based on no errors, missed tackles etc. If Sticky only saw 15 minutes game time for him, then he should have opted for either Kite, Stevens or Clinton on the bench to play Front Row.
I thought Both the NSW starting props looked fine when they got some ball and stopped having to make a million tackles.
I thought King looked great. And could be considered for the centre position if required.
Priddis should have got the hooking role in the first place. I'm sorry, but you don't pick players who can't win at club level. I don't care how many injuries they have. Good players can turn a match no matter who is with them. Priddis did the job for Australia, and I didn't see anything last night from Buderus that Priddis couldn't have done better.
Queensland got it 100% right on Wesser. Slater was the pick for fullback. Anybody who remembers last years series would remember how much of a problem Wesser had with ball handling and kicks. Not that Slater was properly tested under a kick all night.
The change of Halfback should be enough to win game 2, but Queensland should be also stronger with Carroll there to do Lockyer's tackling. I doubt I have seen a more inept kicking performance by a halfback. You have to give Queensland some credit on it though, they hassled the NSW kickers all night, while NSW put absolutely no pressure on theirs.
Yep,
Wing was one of the best on-field. He was bloody awesome and as soon as he came on NSW began to dominate. All of NSW tries came with him on the field and in the thick of the action.
