My 2 cents worth:
I personally wouldn't pick Pearce for NSW after failing to contribute over the past 3 years but if Daley sticks to his word and picks Pearce he must also pick Maloney.
I have a feeling that Daley will only take us backwards. Its going to be a tough year for NSW.
it's a good thing QLD don't follow your advice with their halves. how much better would they be under this theory?!?!
many halves can look good at club when inside forwards are putting the opposition on the backfoot in the middle third, and outside forwards and centres are running the right lines and dominating their wider opposition. this is the case at the chooks this year. shit man, with guys like Jenno, SKD, SBW & O'Donnell out on the fringes, they're probably the best outside third unit in the NRL. any NRL-level half is going to look good in the tri-colours this year when you have these weapons to utilise.
You don't select a half by default because of club combinations. In fact, you'd select halves in spite of the cast they get to play with at their club, because any 6 or 7 will play downhill when they have team mates that deserve just as much or even greater attention. Remember Soward in a strong Dragons unit? Remember Wallace in a strong Broncos team?
Reynolds and Sutton have got the best 4 props rotation in the league at their club and a DH just as damaging as Smith or Farah, as well as a freak of nature who bobs in on the inside or outside like a steamtrain. We've seen what Sutton is like when he hasn't got the cast to support him. And Reynolds just hasn't done enough in his short career to warrant Origin selection. He's excelling as a game manager, but he's not necessarily setting the NRL alight with exceptional play of the manner of Cronk or Thurston. Sure, not many NSW halves do, but A Reynolds hasn't even shown a glimpse of being near their league. He's just doing the job for his club. Give him another season to continue to build his confidence and playmaking skills and then evaluate next year.
Problem is, too many folk get sucked into club form or club roles without breaking it down into detail. It's not unlike the Stewart brothers with Lyon at Manly. Lyon is the nexus of this combination. He is the star. Yet too many folks cream themselves over the Stewart's who then end up being impotent when selected for NSW. We know NSW selectors have for some time. Sometimes I wonder if the old geriatrics who use to pick the blues squad just went for the free food and grog and day with their mates, then just consulted stats at the end of the game for the selections.
