Hodkinson was terrible. Bring back Pearce.

[Frailty]

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.

The kicking game was a lot better this year. Only a few times did I think a kick was badly placed, unlike most of the last few years.

The halves pairing compliment each other well. Hodkinson is a steady player, that guides the team around, whilst Reynolds is all energy. It works well.

Maloney I would give another go in case of injury or suspension - if his form hadn't been so shit this year.

 

[MarkC]

Hodkinson was just steady as expected, but that kept the team calm and well organised.

Even though he did not do anything special he was still 100% better the Pearce.

Longer term Brooks, Cornish or some other talented young half may take Hodko's spot.

As the team won all players should keep their place unless injured or suspended, if fact you want to make minimal changes over the whole 3 games.

Next year there may be better options for some positions, Pearce will not be one of them.

 

[ek999]

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.

This is what the Qld halves produced (combined):

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

 

[Sime_11]

Hayne was able to be given room by the halves, something that hasn't happened for NSW for an age.... yet trolls still keep talking up pearce.....

 

[MARSHALL ZHUKOV]

The NSW halves didnt do anything wrong although they didn't do anything much at all and sadly for them neither have the ability or creativity to be halves at SOO level. Fair NRL players but you need much more from your halves than these two served up. I dont think QLD were or will be shaking in their boots if both retain their positions for game 2. No Hayne NSW lose and if Cronk didnt break his arm QLD win.

If changes are not made in the halves and forwardsn then game 3 in Queensland will be the decider. NSW need to win game 2 to win the series lose this game then QLD will win game 3 and retain the SOO Shield.

 

[MarkC]

Hayne was able to be given room by the halves, something that hasn't happened for NSW for an age.... yet trolls still keep talking up pearce.....

Exactly right, the game plan for NSW was to get the ball to Hayne at the right time with the right formation.

It takes a while to build combinations and get up to the speed of the game.

The last thing you want to do is go changing the team for no real reason after a win.

It has to be a wind up - no one could seriously think Pearce is a better optoon.

 

[MARSHALL ZHUKOV]

Hodgkinson and Reynolds may not lose you a game but at this SOO level they wont win you one either. They both lack the ability and creativity at this Level. I expect DCE and Thirsty to completely dominate them in game 2 and show them up as FAIR NRL players but sadly for them not SOO players.

NSW must change the halves and make changes in the forwards too for game 2- Pearce and Maloney as the halves and Fifita/Bird in the forwards.

For NSW to win the series game 2 is it- they must win this game.

 

[MarkC]

Marshall - The difference is Maloney and Pearce will lose you a game at origin level, they have got an established track record of losing many games.

This is not just the result on the scoreboard, but their contribution to the result.

Added to that from what I have seen Maloney is struggling at NRL level at present, he is not going well.

At least Hodko and Reynolds give Hayne and the NSW pack a fighting chance of wining the game.

 

[Danish]

The kicking game was a lot better this year. Only a few times did I think a kick was badly placed, unlike most of the last few years.

The halves pairing compliment each other well. Hodkinson is a steady player, that guides the team around, whilst Reynolds is all energy. It works well.

Maloney I would give another go in case of injury or suspension - if his form hadn't been so shit this year.

Hodkinson's kicking was poor I thought. His 2 cross-field kicks were way too shallow, and his long range bombs were too deep. His long kicking particularly was terrible to the point that Hayne was forced to take over those duties in the 2nd half.

His only decent kick for the night was the grubber that forced a line drop out in the first half.

Again though, I don't see that he did anything to get dropped, and i absolutely do not think that Pearce ever deserves another shot short of some sort of miraculous transformation over a few seasons.

Maloney as you say is in no form to be taking a spot this year. If he is in form next year and the incumbent is injured then he'll be in the mix

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

NSW must change the halves and make changes in the forwards too for game 2- Pearce and Maloney as the halves and Fifita/Bird in the forwards.

For NSW to win the series game 2 is it- they must win this game.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

 

[Danish]

Hayne was able to be given room by the halves, something that hasn't happened for NSW for an age.... yet trolls still keep talking up pearce.....

The space for Hayne was made by FINALLY playing him at fullback. A luxury that few halves pairings for NSW have actually had over the past 8 years.

 

[edabomb]

Better to stay out of the way than to get involved and repeatedly stuff up at key points.

 

[Packy]

Halves Defence:

NSW
Made:46
Missed:1

QLD
Made: 34
Missed: 7

Viola

 

[dragon_around]

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.

It's bad enough we change halves when we lose, but to do it after a win? :crazy:

 

[big hit!]

As the team won all players should keep their place unless injured or suspended, if fact you want to make minimal changes over the whole 3 games.

A simple Win - loss scenario is an extremely weak process for determining whether the team remains intact or determining if changes need to be made.

Taking Game 1 as an example, if Boyd wasn't held up by B Morris or Thurston kicked his goals, then you would support changes to be made simply because one or two events changed the course of the game and the team lost?

The call for punting TH & JR would be massive if one or two plays went the other way, because they were largely ineffective despite the win, no different to Pearce.

In saying that, yes they should remain but it's not simply because they recorded a win.

The NSW goal line defence was epic, but the QLD swarming defence as NSW tried to run the ball out of their defensive red zone was just as huge. NSW couldn't run through tissue paper in the final 30 mins of the second half. Perhaps it was from all the defensive work but the aspects of the game have to be analysed rather than just the outcome. It is the success or failure of these factors that leads to the outcome.

This one went NSW's way. Doesn't mean that NSW can withstand all the pressure again with the same outcome in Game 2.

Fifita & Bird should be in the team if available.

This was the first game where DCE took full control of QLD right-side attack, and it showed. He'll be good for the run.

 

[Chook]

This is what the Qld halves produced (combined):

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

Like I said the QLD halves were well off their game last night and NSW benefitted more from that than what the NSW halves produced.

Chook.

 

[Muffdaddy]

The 6 and 7 last night did as well as the 6 and 7 in game one last year. Enough to get us over the line, and Hayne played.

game 2 last year, no Hayne, Thaiday played and ran over Maloney, like he would to this year's 6 and 7 and Thurston and Cronk played their usual game.
QLD forwards dominated.

game 3 last year, no Hayne, QLD forwards dominated and Thurston and Cronk played their normal game.

Lets not get our knickers in knot here.
The 6 and 7 this year need to win the series to be anything. At the moment, they are just lucky Cronk broke his arm, DCE played poorly, Thurston has probably his worst game ever at SOO level and our forwards made metres. Oh, and Hayne played.

I would be more than happy if Pearce and Maloney never played origin again, I would rather the 6 points thru Origin than a NSW win.

 

[betcats]

So many salty roosters fans in here talking about kicking lol f**k off clowns your semi geniused halfback had twelve games and not once did he play a better game then our half last night. Seriously if Trent had of run out there and not touched the ball or made a tackle for the whole 80 minutes then that would lap Pearceys best origin performance.

Hodkinson was solid, didnt drop any balls, butcher any overlaps, or give away any stupid penalties, assualt any females etc Yeah his kicking game was not the best but that being said Pearce would be stoked to produce that sort of kicking in an origin.

 

[gronkathon]

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.

 

[reanimate]

The halves were fine, leave the spine untouched.