is soward ready for origin?

[gregstar]

is soward ready for origin?

 

[muzby]

hell yeah...

if he can play in the all-star games and do a good job of that (not to mention win a grand final & world club championship) than yes, he is ready..

 

[gregstar]

i'm sure every saints fan on the planet believes he's ready.

i'm curious as to the rest.

 

[TiggaPlease]

Is Origin ready for Soward?

I honestly reckon he's good enough and if he's not "ready" now he'll never be. I'm sick of the NSW mentality of wanting big halves who just tackle and not much else. We want our halves to produce points.

So yeah, chuck him in. Better than someone like wallace FFS

 

[anjado]

I think if you have won a premiership when you are the dominant half in your team. Then you are more than good enough to play State of Origin. Soward is a good player and has been performing well for years if Carney doesn't hit form i would have no problem picking Soward.

 

[Danish]

Yes, although I doubt he'll get picked.

Ricky Stuart doesn't like him for some reason. Stifled his career massively at Easts. In his dozen or so appearances he won 3-4 MoM awards and yet he was forever getting shafted back to reggies or worse shifted into all manner of positions other than his preferred 5/8 (fullback being the most ridiculous).

Still, I think it would be much more fun to disregard Stuart's personal problems with Soward and just play the race card. Haven't had a "NSW don't pick black fellas" whinge for a while now

 

[gregstar]

Yes, although I doubt he'll get picked.

Ricky Stuart doesn't like him for some reason.

that's the reason i doubt he'll get picked.

or i can see stuart making him the fall guy if he does & qld win.

 

[Danish]

I think if you have won a premiership when you are the dominant half in your team. Then you are more than good enough to play State of Origin. Soward is a good player and has been performing well for years if Carney doesn't hit form i would have no problem picking Soward.

I'd love to see a Soward Carney combo personally, with Soward at 6 and Carney at 7.


Pearce in no way deserves a blues jumper this year, unfortunately I think he might already be penciled in given he was present at Sticky's big pow wow earlier in the season.

 

[andrew057]

He definitely deserves a chance.

 

[gUt]

I for one am glad they haven't been picking him. He probably has the best all-round kicking game in the comp. Then there's his pace...

 

[Packy]

How can we use that as an excuse? He goes well behind a forward pack. When his pack isn't going well he kicks for territory well.

He has to be in the team this year.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I dont know. I picked him to play for the Blues when he was just coming through the Roosters but I dont see much in his game thats changed other then his defence.

Id prefer him in the side with an experienced half partner with him.

 

[league]

Was Pearce ready when he played after a handful of FG games?

What about Mullen? Why do we only use the "not ready" excuse for Soward?

Soward should've been picked last year, if he's not picked this year then I'll really start to wonder wtf is up with NSW.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Was Pearce ready when he played after a handful of FG games?

What about Mullen? Why do we only use the "not ready" excuse for Soward?

Soward should've been picked last year, if he's not picked this year then I'll really start to wonder wtf is up with NSW.

Because Soward doesn't come across as threatening. Nothing Soward does other then his kicking game "wows" me. I feel the same about Lockyer these days (but he's selected for other reasons these days).

 

[league]

Because Soward doesn't come across as threatening. Nothing Soward does other then his kicking game "wows" me. I feel the same about Lockyer these days (but he's selected for other reasons these days).

And what "wows" you about Pearce? Average running and passing game, below average kicking game. Tough player who always leads the kick chase and get's stuck in, no more no less.

Soward is the best half or 5/8 we have available.

 

[adamkungl]

Because Soward doesn't come across as threatening. Nothing Soward does other then his kicking game "wows" me. I feel the same about Lockyer these days (but he's selected for other reasons these days).

This. I don't rate him...Dragons fans will call me bitter, don't give a sh*t. He plays a very specific role given to him by Bennett and has noticably less impact in attack than Fien, Hornby and Boyd.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

And what "wows" you about Pearce? Average running and passing game, below average kicking game. Tough player who always leads the kick chase and get's stuck in, no more no less.

Soward is the best half or 5/8 we have available.

Pearce can lead the way. But iv gone off Pearce after watching him this year. Last year yes, this year no.

Im not saying that Soward shouldn't be picked, he isn't playing bad at all, but he needs to show me more then his kicking game as his small frame can be a liability.

 

[Tweed Titan]

I said yes, but IMO Carney is better.

 

[Hutty1986]

I think he's definitely ready, but to be honest I'd love to see him play from the bench. He could cause some havoc with some tired Qld forwards and his kicking game could really be valuable late in either half. His defence has improved out of sight and he can have a 'minder', D. Lockyer style. If we want to finally beat these arrogant pieces of sh*t, we need to realistically score 20+ points to do it

 

[Firey_Dragon]

SOO is all about building pressure, no one in the comp does it better in the comp than Soward. His kicking controls the flow of the game better than anyone.

He may not have the natural ball playing ability of some other candidates, although he still sets up plenty of tries, but you know you'll always have the opposition pinned returning the ball from their own 10 even if your forwards aren't getting a roll on. That's paramount in origin, and for NSW the only other guy who can do that albeit nowhere near as well is Mullen. Pearce and Carney don't mount anywhere near as much pressure with their kicking games.

I'd like to see
6. Soward
7. Mullen
OR
6. Carney (if his form improves)
7. Soward

Unlikely to happen though.