New South Wales 2016

[Walt Flanigan]

I’m positive that Sezer would get the job done but would like to see how Austin goes over the next month. He had a few cracks at the line on Monday but was obviously holding back a bit after the knee injury. Wouldn’t be unhappy at all with a Sezer/Maloney combination.

 

[nick87]

Pick and stick is only a good policy if you're picking the right players and winning.

Trent Hodkinson has been dreadful this year, if he gets picked, you might as well hand QLD another trophy now

 

[Caped Crusader]

False. Picking out-of-form incumbents (like Hodkinson) or media darlings (like Reynolds) is what NSW has been doing wrong. Using 'big game experience' is another bullshit justification, like saying Player X is an 'origin player' - just because a certain player hasn't had the team around him to make the finals doesn't mean he isn't fit for Origin.

Sezer has been the best option for NSW for years, it's just been unfortunate for him that he's been playing for Gold Coast. He's a step up from A.Reynolds, and shits on Hodkison from a great height.

Austin was one of the form 5/8s in the comp last year, and was playing very well for Tigpies the year before. Maloney is better, but given the versatility he showed at Wests he'd be close to perfect for a bench spot.

tbf on the NSW selectors, and i rarely am, Sezer has had a few unfortunate injuries around SOO and CvC time that have meant picking him has been all but impossible

The funny thing about Hodkinson is his strength is no doubt his kicking game but when you watch last years series you see Pearce actually take the majority of the kicking options. Its mind boggling that the game plan was set up that way given just how shit Pearces long kicking is.

 

[BranVan3000]

False. Picking out-of-form incumbents (like Hodkinson) or media darlings (like Reynolds) is what NSW has been doing wrong. Using 'big game experience' is another bullshit justification, like saying Player X is an 'origin player' - just because a certain player hasn't had the team around him to make the finals doesn't mean he isn't fit for Origin.

Sezer has been the best option for NSW for years, it's just been unfortunate for him that he's been playing for Gold Coast. He's a step up from A.Reynolds, and shits on Hodkison from a great height.

Austin was one of the form 5/8s in the comp last year, and was playing very well for Tigpies the year before. Maloney is better, but given the versatility he showed at Wests he'd be close to perfect for a bench spot.

Sorry, but I would hope that the halves picked for NSW hav actually played at least one finals game and have a proven history of leading their team to more victories than losses. As of now Sezer and Austin have potential but no credentials. They are a small step up from Brooks and Moses in that regard. They can get on highlights reels, but you need more than a highlights reel plucked from less than half your games for the year to be good enough for Origin

 

[Caped Crusader]

Pick and stick is only a good policy if you're picking the right players and winning.

Trent Hodkinson has been dreadful this year, if he gets picked, you might as well hand QLD another trophy now

Tough to disagree with this really

Its taken Trent a hell of a lot longer to gel with the Knights than first hoped. Might be a confidence thing coming back from off season surgery but he is certainly well below origin selection form right now. He has improved from Rd 1 to Rd 5 but not enough just yet

Any fair dinkum NSW supporter would be picking Sezer and Maloney at this stage.

 

[Hutty1986]

You simply cannot pick Duges on the wing. He's at fullback, centre, or at home sinking cruisers watching the game.

 

[betcats]

Why cant he picked on the wing? He doesn't pass it should be his spot. Any reasons that rule him out from being a winger should rule him out from the centres. Lets be realistic if he cant adapt to the wing don't pick him because he must not be very good.

 

[Pete Cash]

Nsw has a lot of problems but its hard to get around the fact some of the best players ever in the most important positions on the field were born in queensland in the early 80s lol.

They are getting long in the tooth but milford is going to be the best player in the world so its not like things get easier for nsw in that regard.

Anyways austin and sezer were hurt by not being fit. If they hadnt got injured and canberra were undefeated on their play they would be making a very strong case for the spot. Honestly no halves for nsw are really banging down the door from what i can see.

Also dugan is too slow for the wing. If nsw must pick a big lug non playmaker fullback for the wing might as well go wighton (yes he plays for my team) because hes a bit faster than dugan but just as safe under the high bal. I'd rather a specialist winger like say mansour

 

[TheGoldenPoint]

You simply cannot pick Duges on the wing. He's at fullback, centre, or at home sinking cruisers watching the game.

Agreed. Should only be FB or centre.

 

[BennyV]

Sorry, but I would hope that the halves picked for NSW hav actually played at least one finals game and have a proven history of leading their team to more victories than losses. As of now Sezer and Austin have potential but no credentials. They are a small step up from Brooks and Moses in that regard. They can get on highlights reels, but you need more than a highlights reel plucked from less than half your games for the year to be good enough for Origin

Why? Pearce has won a grand final, did it help him? Likewise Soward? Carney went to a GF, Maloney has won one and lost one, didn't mean a thing for those guys.

Different arena, different team, whole different game. You pick the best players, end of story. All this other media-driven crap about 'origin players' and 'big game players' don't mean a thing, it's agenda driven crap to get certain players picked.

Sezer is the best halfback eligible for NSW. That should get him the spot. Next best would be Adam Reynolds, but Sezer's running game and vision/creativity is superior, and has been for some time, not just at Canberra.

 

[TheGoldenPoint]

Why? Pearce has won a grand final, did it help him? Likewise Soward? Carney went to a GF, Maloney has won one and lost one, didn't mean a thing for those guys.

Different arena, different team, whole different game. You pick the best players, end of story. All this other media-driven crap about 'origin players' and 'big game players' don't mean a thing, it's agenda driven crap to get certain players picked.

Sezer is the best halfback eligible for NSW. That should get him the spot. Next best would be Adam Reynolds, but Sezer's running game and vision/creativity is superior, and has been for some time, not just at Canberra.

What makes Sezer the best halfback in NSW? He is in good form, but he has played, what, 2 games this year? I'm not saying he is a bad halfback, he has a lot of potential, but lets see how he goes for another month before we start to call him the best halfback in NSW.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Why cant he picked on the wing? He doesn't pass it should be his spot. Any reasons that rule him out from being a winger should rule him out from the centres. Lets be realistic if he cant adapt to the wing don't pick him because he must not be very good.

Did you not watch the test match where he played on the wing? It was one of the worst games I have ever seen Dugan play. He was horrendous.

In terms of him at centre, I agree with you. If he is going to be picked, you play him at fullback. Otherwise you leave him out.

It is not like NSW has a shortage of specialist wingers or centres to choose from. Also the few games he has played at centre, Dugan has not set the world on fire. He was playing so well there this year the Dragons moved him back to fullback.

 

[Caped Crusader]

What makes Sezer the best halfback in NSW? He is in good form, but he has played, what, 2 games this year? I'm not saying he is a bad halfback, he has a lot of potential, but lets see how he goes for another month before we start to call him the best halfback in NSW.

If Sezer isnt the best halfback in NSW then who is?

Reynolds has played no more games than him and Hodkinson is still finding his feet at Newcastle

 

[Hutty1986]

Looking forward to seeing how Friz goes tonight. Would love to see him play Origin, hopefully he has a blinder.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

One of the things that impresses me most about Sezer is how well he is going straight away with a new club. There's talk about Hodkinson still finding his feet at Newcastle and the same is true at Origin level. The ability to adapt to a new coach and structure so quickly is pretty impressive and it's a transition that some quality NRL halves
struggle to make (Pearce, Hodkinson, DCE, Reynolds, Soward, Carney...etc).

Even more impressive considering the "fact" that all players go backwards under Ricky Stuart ;-)

 

[SBD82]

Did you not watch the test match where he played on the wing? It was one of the worst games I have ever seen Dugan play. He was horrendous.

In terms of him at centre, I agree with you. If he is going to be picked, you play him at fullback. Otherwise you leave him out.

It is not like NSW has a shortage of specialist wingers or centres to choose from. Also the few games he has played at centre, Dugan has not set the world on fire. He was playing so well there this year the Dragons moved him back to fullback.

He played well in the centres last year and he was moved to fullback because the other option had two shockers.

There is probably an argument that there are better centres available, but he is a very good centre.

 

[SBD82]

Why cant he picked on the wing? He doesn't pass it should be his spot. Any reasons that rule him out from being a winger should rule him out from the centres. Lets be realistic if he cant adapt to the wing don't pick him because he must not be very good.

He is too slow for the wing. And his defensive reads are awful there.

He is fast enough for centre. And his defensive reads are good there.

 

[nick87]

What makes Sezer the best halfback in NSW? He is in good form, but he has played, what, 2 games this year? I'm not saying he is a bad halfback, he has a lot of potential, but lets see how he goes for another month before we start to call him the best halfback in NSW.

His kicking game is exceptional, he can ball play and ball run and the fact he doesn't float in and out of games
He's a strong defender by halfback standards and he's a sharp shooter as far as goal kicking games

He's basically the complete halfback in the way JT/Cronk is. Obviously not at their elite level in terms of performance but in terms of he does everything you want in a halfback. He's a poor mans Cronk and that's good enough to be NSWs best option IMO

 

[SBD82]

His kicking game is exceptional, he can ball play and ball run and the fact he doesn't float in and out of games
He's a strong defender by halfback standards and he's a sharp shooter as far as goal kicking games

He's basically the complete halfback in the way JT/Cronk is. Obviously not at their elite level in terms of performance but in terms of he does everything you want in a halfback. He's a poor mans Cronk and that's good enough to be NSWs best option IMO

You make a pretty good case here nick.

I'll admit that I haven't seen enough of sezer to be sold on him. But it sounds like he is the best option.

One thing is for sure... I'd rather him (or anyone) than Mitchel f**king Pearce.

 

[BennyV]

What makes Sezer the best halfback in NSW? He is in good form, but he has played, what, 2 games this year? I'm not saying he is a bad halfback, he has a lot of potential, but lets see how he goes for another month before we start to call him the best halfback in NSW.

The fact that he is better than the other options.

He has a great kicking game (at least on par with Reynolds and Hodko) with the added bonus of being a strong, direct runner and having more vision and creativity than the other two. He has the ability to control a game as well as open it up with a great play.

And its not about this year, he's been doing it for years, the only problem is that hes been playing for Gold Coast, so hes barely noticed. He almost single handedly pulled apart a red hot Bulldogs team last year with said kicking and game management, and hes shown plenty of ability to create tries for himself and others.

If he's not the best option, who is?