Test Selection: Matt Cooper or Justin Hodges, loyalty or form?
The selection of the centre partner for Mark Gasnier to contest Friday week’s Test pitting 2005 Tri Nations Champions New Zealand against runners up Australia is creating a divide in the rugby league community. In the blue corner we have Matt Cooper the incumbent NSW and Australian centre and in the red corner Justin Hodges, a former Queensland representative who is the form centre in the NRL competition.
Over the coming days you will hear the words “loyalty” and “incumbent” mentioned by coach Ricky Stuart and the selection panel as well as from those wanting Matt Cooper to retain his centre position. Those pushing the barrow of Justin Hodges will throw around the word “form” when asked what the Australian side should be selected on and retort “Where did loyalty get us in 2005?” The argument for both players will be strong, so what should we be looking at one trying to make the selection here?
Justin Hodges
The big Queensland centre has been scintillating form for Brisbane in season 2006 and the sheer numbers he has produced are hard to ignore. Gone from his game is the trash talk and niggle that so often hampered his impact when returning to the Sydney Roosters after a season ending knee injury in 2003. Hodges is concentrating on playing football and we are seeing career best form from the young centre who was last at his peak in 2002 when winning a premiership with the Ricky Stuart coached Roosters.
Round One: vs North Queensland Cowboys
17 tackles – 1 m/tackles – 0 line break – 17 runs for 185m – 0 errors – 5 offloads
Round Two: vs Cronulla Sharks
D.N.P
Round Three: vs Parramatta Eels – 1 try
15 tackles – 4 m/tackles – 4 line breaks – 17 runs for 206m – 1 error – 2 offloads
Round Four: vs St George Illawarra Dragons
13 tackles – 3 m/tackles – 2 line breaks – 14 runs for 172m – 1 error – 2 offloads
Round Five: vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – 1 try
11 tackles – 5 m/tackles – 1 line break – 18 runs for 187m – 0 errors – 1 offload
Round Six: vs Sydney Roosters
D.N.P
Round Seven: vs Penrith Panthers
20 tackles – 0 m/tackles – 2 line break – 19 runs for 250m – 2 errors – 3 offload
Matt Cooper
By his own lofty standards, Matt Cooper has made a quiet start to the 2006 season registering only two tries to his name in the Dragons for wins this year. Cooper is one half of the world’s best centre combination and is often overshadowed by his centre partner Mark Gasnier, though no one can argue that the Dragons three quarter isn’t world class. Renown for being the best defensive centre in the game, Cooper has not been his usual self in defence where it is rare to see him miss a tackle one on one.
Round One: vs Wests Tigers
13 tackles – 3 m/tackles – 0 line break – 15 runs for 138m – 0 errors – 1 offload
Round Two: vs Penrith Panthers
D.N.P
Round Three: vs South Sydney
D.N.P
Round Four: vs Brisbane Broncos
29 tackles – 5 m/tackles – 0 line breaks – 8 runs for 50m – 2 errors – 1 offload
Round Five: vs Newcastle Knights
19 tackles – 1 m/tackles – 0 line break – 8 runs for 106m – 3 errors – 0 offload
Round Six: V Manly Sea Eagles – 2 tries
15 tackles – 5 m/tackles – 1 line break – 11 runs for 127m – 1 error – 1 off load
Round 7: vs Sydney Roosters
11 tackles – 0 m/tackles – 0 line break – 11 runs for 91m – 1 error – 0 offload
Does the above move us any closer to coming up with an answer? Not really, as stats only tell part of the story and should not be used soley to make such a decision when it comes to earning a green and gold jersey. Of those missed tackles from both players, did they recover and get the opponent after a second attempt? Of those meters made, did they create that on their own or run into a yawning gap created by the inside man?
The argument of "the incumbent player if he had done nothing wrong, deserves to keep his place in the side" I agree with to an extent. I don't agree that should be the case with all players in a representative team as this prevents us from moving forward as a team. I do agree when discussing those rare champion players who rise to the occasion when the Australian selectors call. Of the current crop of players, that argument would work for Darren Lockyer, Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus, Anthony Minichello and Nathan Hindmarsh - the other twleve players should be their on form first, past performance second and loyalty third.
On sheer weight of numbers, Justin Hodges has earnt a call up to the national team. He can not do much more each week for Brisbane in the lead up to the Test to get the points ahead of Cooper.
If we look at loyalty and incumbency, Matt Cooper as one half of the best centre combination in the world gets the nod ahead of the Queensland centre. Cooper won a NSW Origin series with NSW and Stuart, he was our Test centre in the runner up Australian side in 2005.
The great news from all this is we will not be let down by either player. The depth of the Australian team is great and provides even more reason to reward form. Competition for positions is healthy and will be all important in 2006 as we build toward reclaiming the Tri-Nations title we held in 2004.
"be good to us and we'll be good to you"...
