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It's sink or swim for Noddy
May 27, 2005
It's likely Brett Kimmorley will be given a second chance in Origin II but Andrew Johns will be waiting in the wings, writes Greg Prichard.
The debate over whether Brett Kimmorley should keep his place in the NSW team for State of Origin II began before Origin I had finished. And even the support he has received since from Blues coach Ricky Stuart and the selectors won't stop it.
It will be the hot topic among football fans and commentators this weekend, and the discussion will continue up until we see how Andrew Johns fares for Newcastle in his scheduled comeback match against Brisbane at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday week.
That will be the only chance Johns will get to press his claims over "Noddy" for Origin II against Queensland at Telstra Stadium on June 15, and don't believe for a second that if Johns wows them against the Broncos it won't put the cat among the pigeons. Or, in his case, the master among the apprentices.
Johns would have to do plenty to force his way back into the Origin arena so quickly, and the odds would have to be against him at this stage.
He hasn't played since breaking his jaw against the New Zealand Warriors on April 17 and will have been out for seven weeks by the time he makes his NRL return. He was just starting to find form again after coming back from a knee reconstruction when he broke his jaw. He recently turned 31.
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But he is, after all, Andrew Johns, and when you look for people capable of doing the seemingly impossible you go to freaks of nature like him.
It is worth checking in with the man who knows Johns better than anyone - his brother Matthew - to find out whether he thinks Joey will be ready if NSW want him.
"I've got no doubt he would be ready," Matthew said. "It's funny how things turn out sometimes and the broken jaw has allowed Joey to concentrate on getting back the strength, speed and mobility he was still missing after coming back from the knee reconstruction.
"He has been doing a program at the Queensland Institute of Sport and he is super fit. His confidence is really high. He believes that when he comes back this time he won't be feeling his way. He believes he'll be able to dominate straight away.
"Joey was really finding his form the day he broke his jaw and he is going to come back better than that. I think he'll explode against the Broncos. I think we'll see him at the top of his game that day."
But, having said that, Johns snr admitted Kimmorley did not deserve the criticism he received for his performance at halfback in the 24-20 extra-time loss to the Maroons at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
"Noddy obviously didn't have a good night but he is a halfback who goes to the [defensive] line and for that to work his forwards must be going forward," Matthew said. "The way it turned out in Origin I, it was like he was playing in a phone booth. I feel for Noddy. We like to have scapegoats after a loss and he seems to be wearing that, but it's unfair."
Andrew Johns also sympathised with Kimmorley during a radio interview with John Laws on 2UE yesterday.
"I'm going to stick up for Brett," Andrew told Laws. "If I'd been out there last night I couldn't have done any better than what Brett did. He had no ball and the team was going backwards."
Andrew went as far as to seek his brother's help in trying to contact Kimmorley. "Joey rang me to get Noddy's phone number," Matthew said. "He genuinely feels for him. There's a lot of mutual respect there."
But respect is one thing, a NSW jumper is another, and if Johns got the call-up he obviously wouldn't be knocking it back.
It's not on the radar, though, according to Stuart and the selectors.
"I don't want to make any changes," Stuart said. "We talk loyalty and we talk commitment and that is what we've got to show as a group. There's no reason he [Kimmorley] can't have a big game in game two. That's what I expect because he's a good player."
Selector Laurie Daley echoed Stuart's sentiments. "I'd stick with Noddy," Daley said. "It was a difficult night for him but he can certainly turn that around."
So, too, did chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy. "Kimmorley was on his heels a lot in the Origin game," he said. "The Cronulla pack has been going forward and he's been on his toes there. He's entitled to an ordinary game under those circumstances. I reckon he deserves another game."
Kimmorley was too disappointed to talk after the game, but speaking upon his return to Sydney yesterday he made clear his belief that if he plays well for the Sharks in the two club games before the team for Origin II is picked he should hold his spot.
"I'm just looking forward to Saturday night [and the game against Parramatta] now," he said. "I want to do well this week and next week and then we'll see what happens.
"I've had a lot support from Ricky and my [NSW] teammates and I've had a lot of messages of support overnight and this morning on the phone.
"It was obviously a very disappointing night but now I'm looking forward to playing my next game for Cronulla and backing myself there."
Although Kimmorley did some good things against the Maroons, his kicking game was poor and he threw the pass that was intercepted by Queensland replacement back Matt Bowen for the winning try. But the fact the Maroons forwards won the battle up front obviously contributed to some degree to the difficulties Kimmorley faced.
NRL Stats showed the Queensland starting pack of forwards, as a group, were up on the average metres they had made in club games this season, while the starting NSW forwards were down.
Stuart and the selectors are not talking as if they plan to bring in another specialist prop, but that will be another subject for debate among fans.
After the game, Stuart was very critical of the performance of referee Paul Simpkins, saying wrong decisions had determined the result. But referees' boss Robert Finch defended Simpkins yesterday, saying: "I was happy with the way he went."
Finch backed Simpkins on the vast majority of his decisions but did say he felt the ruck penalty awarded to Queensland late in the game - from which Maroons five-eighth Darren Lockyer missed a shot at goal from in front - wasn't worth being the game decider it could have been.
Simpkins probably thinks his spot is safe for Origin II. Bill Harrigan, unlike Johns, isn't making a comeback.
May 27, 2005
It's likely Brett Kimmorley will be given a second chance in Origin II but Andrew Johns will be waiting in the wings, writes Greg Prichard.
The debate over whether Brett Kimmorley should keep his place in the NSW team for State of Origin II began before Origin I had finished. And even the support he has received since from Blues coach Ricky Stuart and the selectors won't stop it.
It will be the hot topic among football fans and commentators this weekend, and the discussion will continue up until we see how Andrew Johns fares for Newcastle in his scheduled comeback match against Brisbane at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday week.
That will be the only chance Johns will get to press his claims over "Noddy" for Origin II against Queensland at Telstra Stadium on June 15, and don't believe for a second that if Johns wows them against the Broncos it won't put the cat among the pigeons. Or, in his case, the master among the apprentices.
Johns would have to do plenty to force his way back into the Origin arena so quickly, and the odds would have to be against him at this stage.
He hasn't played since breaking his jaw against the New Zealand Warriors on April 17 and will have been out for seven weeks by the time he makes his NRL return. He was just starting to find form again after coming back from a knee reconstruction when he broke his jaw. He recently turned 31.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
But he is, after all, Andrew Johns, and when you look for people capable of doing the seemingly impossible you go to freaks of nature like him.
It is worth checking in with the man who knows Johns better than anyone - his brother Matthew - to find out whether he thinks Joey will be ready if NSW want him.
"I've got no doubt he would be ready," Matthew said. "It's funny how things turn out sometimes and the broken jaw has allowed Joey to concentrate on getting back the strength, speed and mobility he was still missing after coming back from the knee reconstruction.
"He has been doing a program at the Queensland Institute of Sport and he is super fit. His confidence is really high. He believes that when he comes back this time he won't be feeling his way. He believes he'll be able to dominate straight away.
"Joey was really finding his form the day he broke his jaw and he is going to come back better than that. I think he'll explode against the Broncos. I think we'll see him at the top of his game that day."
But, having said that, Johns snr admitted Kimmorley did not deserve the criticism he received for his performance at halfback in the 24-20 extra-time loss to the Maroons at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
"Noddy obviously didn't have a good night but he is a halfback who goes to the [defensive] line and for that to work his forwards must be going forward," Matthew said. "The way it turned out in Origin I, it was like he was playing in a phone booth. I feel for Noddy. We like to have scapegoats after a loss and he seems to be wearing that, but it's unfair."
Andrew Johns also sympathised with Kimmorley during a radio interview with John Laws on 2UE yesterday.
"I'm going to stick up for Brett," Andrew told Laws. "If I'd been out there last night I couldn't have done any better than what Brett did. He had no ball and the team was going backwards."
Andrew went as far as to seek his brother's help in trying to contact Kimmorley. "Joey rang me to get Noddy's phone number," Matthew said. "He genuinely feels for him. There's a lot of mutual respect there."
But respect is one thing, a NSW jumper is another, and if Johns got the call-up he obviously wouldn't be knocking it back.
It's not on the radar, though, according to Stuart and the selectors.
"I don't want to make any changes," Stuart said. "We talk loyalty and we talk commitment and that is what we've got to show as a group. There's no reason he [Kimmorley] can't have a big game in game two. That's what I expect because he's a good player."
Selector Laurie Daley echoed Stuart's sentiments. "I'd stick with Noddy," Daley said. "It was a difficult night for him but he can certainly turn that around."
So, too, did chairman of selectors Bob McCarthy. "Kimmorley was on his heels a lot in the Origin game," he said. "The Cronulla pack has been going forward and he's been on his toes there. He's entitled to an ordinary game under those circumstances. I reckon he deserves another game."
Kimmorley was too disappointed to talk after the game, but speaking upon his return to Sydney yesterday he made clear his belief that if he plays well for the Sharks in the two club games before the team for Origin II is picked he should hold his spot.
"I'm just looking forward to Saturday night [and the game against Parramatta] now," he said. "I want to do well this week and next week and then we'll see what happens.
"I've had a lot support from Ricky and my [NSW] teammates and I've had a lot of messages of support overnight and this morning on the phone.
"It was obviously a very disappointing night but now I'm looking forward to playing my next game for Cronulla and backing myself there."
Although Kimmorley did some good things against the Maroons, his kicking game was poor and he threw the pass that was intercepted by Queensland replacement back Matt Bowen for the winning try. But the fact the Maroons forwards won the battle up front obviously contributed to some degree to the difficulties Kimmorley faced.
NRL Stats showed the Queensland starting pack of forwards, as a group, were up on the average metres they had made in club games this season, while the starting NSW forwards were down.
Stuart and the selectors are not talking as if they plan to bring in another specialist prop, but that will be another subject for debate among fans.
After the game, Stuart was very critical of the performance of referee Paul Simpkins, saying wrong decisions had determined the result. But referees' boss Robert Finch defended Simpkins yesterday, saying: "I was happy with the way he went."
Finch backed Simpkins on the vast majority of his decisions but did say he felt the ruck penalty awarded to Queensland late in the game - from which Maroons five-eighth Darren Lockyer missed a shot at goal from in front - wasn't worth being the game decider it could have been.
Simpkins probably thinks his spot is safe for Origin II. Bill Harrigan, unlike Johns, isn't making a comeback.
