Hodkinson was terrible. Bring back Pearce.

[Glen]

Joke thread or not, a lot of people seem to be overstating how well he played. I thought he started really well then battled as the game went on. He still didn't disgrace himself and he was 1000 times better than Pearce

 

[Danish]

Hodkinson WAS crap. Ineffective when we had a weight of possession in the first half, completely lost when QLD were dominating in the 2nd to the point that all his playmaking and kicking duties were taken off him by Hayne. He also missed both conversions which really could have come back to haunt us but luckily Thurston forgot how to kick as well.

Having said all that, i would absolutely NOT drop him. His defence was sound, and he will be much better for the run. We also need to keep as much of the team as possible together given we will have an enforced halves change with Reynolds likely suspended.

I would slot Greg Bird into 5/8 and have him rooming with Hodkinson in camp. Personally I think we'll see a much more positive involvement from him next game

 

[MARSHALL ZHUKOV]

No Hayne NSW lose simple as that- Hodgkinson and Reynolds lack ability and creativity and this was magnified in a game at this level. Fair Club NRL players but not SOO level players though. If Cronk didnt break his arm QLD would have won NSW players and supporters need to remember this.

For game 2 the following changes must be made- Pearce and Maloney for Hodgkinson and Reynolds- Fifita and Bird for either 2 out of Merrin/Scott and Whatmough(apparently injured and possibly out for the season)- Hopoate and or Idris for either or both of the Morris twins if they are not available due to injury.

 

[Packy]

Only in NSW do we pick apart a player who contributed well to a win.

 

[Chook]

Top notch trolling Albert.

That said, the NSW halves were very lucky QLD were off their game as they squandered a lot of possession.

This is what the NSW halves produced (combined):

Tries - 0
Try Assists - 0
Line Breaks - 0
Line break assists - 0

They should stick with them for the whole series, but if QLD get their game on and the NSW halves produced that next game, it'll be a QLD walkover.

Chook.

 

[Jaegerex]

Hodkinson had an awful game. His field kicking was straight to a Queenslander. No penetration in attack. NSW won narrowly. Hayne won the game for NSW despite Hodkinson's woeful performance.

It is time to forgive and forget Mitchell Pearce's "snatch and grab" night out. He is the superior scrum half in NSW. He needs to be back for Game 2.

You do realise just about all his field kicks in the first half found grass? The second half found the Queensland backs though. He also got a forced repeat set in a single game, which I haven't seen Pearce do in the last 6 games for NSW.
He didn't have an exceptional game and was fairly nervous it would seem with his poor goal kicking, but even with that he and Reynolds contributed more to a single NSW victory than Pearce has contributed to every NSW victory he has been a part of combined.

 

[jargan83]

/endthread

 

[mozza91]

He was solid and deserves another shot. The commentators might even learn how to pronounce his surname properly.

 

[Danish]

He was solid and deserves another shot. The commentators might even learn how to pronounce his surname properly.

The only chance of Rabs learning how to pronounce Hodkinson is if there is a long odds nag with a bit of a chance running in the 5th at Orange sometime between now and game 2

 

[big hit!]

A winning passenger. Played better than Thurston who was the real passenger last night

QLD's attacks down the left side all went through Thurston. It's where they scored two tries and where B Moz held up another. Thurston was their spark. DCE struggled on the other side but will be good for the run, especially now he'll be getting big minutes in the structure in training for game 2.

Thurston was Hayne's bitch in defence though. Turnstile.

 

[BranVan3000]

Top notch trolling Albert.

That said, the NSW halves were very lucky QLD were off their game as they squandered a lot of possession.

This is what the NSW halves produced (combined):

Tries - 0
Try Assists - 0
Line Breaks - 0
Line break assists - 0

They should stick with them for the whole series, but if QLD get their game on and the NSW halves produced that next game, it'll be a QLD walkover.

Chook.

Same stats for QLD 6,7 and 9.

 

[Godz Illa]

NSW actually got a few repeat sets last night. I thought I was dreaming.

 

[betcats]

looked like we played more footy in that first half then the previous 8 series combined as well.

 

[thorson1987]

NSW actually got a few repeat sets last night. I thought I was dreaming.

This

 

[Timmah]

Much troll

Many lols

Wow.

 

[Dutchy]

Played ok. Still a plodder.

 

[morley101]

Further Stats

NSW Halves Offloads 1, Tackle Breaks 1
QLd Halves Offloads 2, Tackle Breaks 6

 

[Frailty]

Further Stats

NSW Halves Offloads 1, Tackle Breaks 1
QLd Halves Offloads 2, Tackle Breaks 6

We can't compare to QLD halves... Would anyone in NSW be as good as Thurston, Cronk or DCE? I doubt it...

NSW Halves last night > NSW Halves in the last 5-6 years.

 

[betcats]

Further Stats

NSW Halves Offloads 1, Tackle Breaks 1
QLd Halves Offloads 2, Tackle Breaks 6

We have exactly zero halves in NSW that can compete with QLDs halves, even the 'weakened' version with Cherry Evans. Comparing them is pointless imo, we all know the QLD halves are superior.

The fact that our halves didnt butcher any tries has them above the last pair of muppets.

 

[Danish]

We can't compare to QLD halves... Would anyone in NSW be as good as Thurston, Cronk or DCE? I doubt it...

NSW Halves last night > NSW Halves in the last 5-6 years.

The NSW halves have generally looked ok in most of the games we've won over the last 5-6 years.

I honestly don't think Reynolds or Hodkinson did anything different or contributed more than Maloney and Pearce did last year, but that is besides the point. The point being that Pearce and Maloney didn't do anything last year to demand their spots for 2014 and as such I'm happy to give these new 2 an entire series if not more to get themselves right.

Pearce's time in origin is over IMO. Maloney has another chance if he earns it but that won't be this series.