Nathan Hindmarsh a State of Origin workhorse
Margie McDonald | April 03, 2009
Article from: The Australian
IF work rate alone dictated who pulled on an NSW Origin jersey this year, then Parramatta's Nathan Hindmarsh would have his bag packed for Melbourne.
The veteran of 16 matches for the Blues and 20 Tests for Australia, Hindmarsh did not enter selectors' deliberations last year.
However, this season, Hindmarsh is atop the tackle count for the NRL. In three rounds he has 154 against his name, or more than 50 a game.
His new coach at Parramatta Daniel Anderson said Hindmarsh "ticks all the boxes".
"I don't think it's a question of whether he's done enough. He is always going to be noticed and I don't think he's too far from the frame anyway," Anderson said.
"But you'd have to ask (NSW coach) Craig Bellamy and the selectors what balance they want in the team.
"It's up to them."
Blues backrowers from last year's campaign who could find their positions under threat this time include Willie Mason, Craig Fitzgibbon, Anthony Tupou and Anthony Laffranchi.
Hindmarsh has always said he would dearly love to play representative football again and tonight's game between the Eels and Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium is a chance to press his claims.
It would have been a better forum had Mason and Queensland Origin forward Nate Myles been on the field. The Roosters pair has been stood down for a week for breaking club alcohol rules.
But with Fitzgibbon and NSW halves Mitchell Pearce and Braith Anasta opposite him, Hindmarsh can still display his skills of breaking tackles, off-loading, chasing down kicks and simply defending.
Cronulla's Trent Barrett is another like Hindmarsh trying to get back into NSW contention.
The Blues have never lost a match with Barrett at halfback but for a chance to be on the plane to Melbourne for Game I at Etihad Stadium on June 3, he needs to keep playing.
Barrett did not complete the Sharks' full session yesterday and will see his doctor tomorrow on whether he can play against the Bulldogs on Sunday.
He badly bruised his neck in a tackle against the Dragons last Sunday and was taken off the ground on a stretcher and rushed to hospital with pins and needles down his right side.
But Hindmarsh's skipper Nathan Cayless said his teammate should be on NSW selectors' priority list.
"Definitely. I'm probably pretty biased towards Nathan in terms of the way he plays," Cayless said.
"I'm fortunate enough to play with him every week and I see up close all that he does.
"I think he's playing as well as he ever has.
"Last season, our team didn't go so well but I thought he was outstanding every week.
"From a personal view, as a Kiwi, when I saw he didn't make the World Cup squad I knew we were in with a chance."
Anderson also did not feel Hindmarsh needed to work on any particular area of his game to press his claims.
"They know he's rep standard," he said.
"Sure he missed last year but I'm certain he wasn't second-rower No38 on their selection list.
"He wasn't too far from it last year.
"This year, he's started off well, he's in good body shape and he's making a lot of tackles - quality tackles at that."
