Brisbane Courier-Mail journalist Peter Badel says this is the worst NSW team in Origin history
Duds: that's the view of Courier-Mail journalist Peter Badel. Picture: Brett Costello
Source: The Daily Telegraph
THE Blues have become a State of Origin basketcase in recent seasons, but NSW's interstate fortunes officially hit rock bottom when their squad was announced at 5pm last Sunday.
As a proud Blue who grew up idolising the wizardry of Peter Sterling and the toughness of Ray Price, it pains me to say it - but the class of 2011 is the worst team in NSW Origin history.
It is worse than the squad whipped 3-0 last season. Worse than the 1995 Blues outfit which fell to Paul Vautin's Maroons, the biggest underdogs in Origin history. And unquestionably worse than the 1988-89 NSW outfits who suffered clean sweeps in consecutive years as Wally Lewis ran riot.
It is not just an appraisal based on the names that will appear in Origin I next Wednesday night. It is the wider selection philosophy, the swift disposal of stars considered NSW's future and the mystifying snubbing of players whom Queensland would consider tailormade for Origin football.
Just 12 months ago,
Luke Lewis,
Jarryd Hayne,
Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and
Jamal Idris were considered key planks in NSW's restoration plan.
On Wednesday night, they will be watching Origin I from their living rooms.
Given the Blues' failures under former coach Craig Bellamy, it is understandable that his successor, Ricky Stuart, would seek to wipe the slate clean armed with fresh ideas and a fresh vision to dismantle the most gifted Queensland side in Origin history.
No-one can dispute Stuart's passion. In that sense, there is no better candidate to revive the Blues. He is a brilliant motivator. But the selection policy over which he has presided is seriously flawed.
The omission of Hayne is just one gaffe. Who will forget his incredible 50-metre solo try on debut in 2007, which ranks among Origin's great four-pointers? Queensland would fear him at any second. For Stuart to suggest he is a five-eighth is to forget Hayne was so impotent in the No.6 jumper his club side, Parramatta, shifted him to fullback.
And where is
Luke Lewis? Privately, several Maroons who played with Lewis during last year's Four Nations rate him one of the NRL's most valuable utilities. Yet the Blues have overlooked him for
Beau Scott, who was towelled up in the centres last year by
Greg Inglis and has yet to prove he is a representative-quality player.
NSW's 10-man forward pack, including utility
Dean Young on their four-man bench, has played a total of 27 Origin matches - the same number as Maroons prop
Petero Civoniceva.
Eels warhorse
Nathan Hindmarsh, a veteran of 17 Origin matches and 22 Tests, is widely regarded in NSW as yesterday's man.
At 30, he is five years younger than Civoniceva.
The NSW teams of 1988-89 may have been flogged 3-0 but they contained players of the ilk of Sterling, Michael O'Connor, Wayne Pearce, Steve Roach, Benny Elias, John Ferguson, Andrew Ettingshausen, Paul Sironen, Glenn Lazarus and Mark Geyer.
The current Blues wouldn't hold a candle to that crew. What Ricky Stuart would give to have those names running out next Wednesday night.
Courier-Mail sportswriter Peter Badel is Sydney-born and bred
