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Noddy finds his groove
By Iain Payten
June 23, 2006
BRETT Kimmorley may finally have been forgiven for that wayward Origin pass - and he's got a former Queensland "Neville" to thank.
As Kimmorley enters the weekend back in the selectors' good books, another solid showing by the Sharks captain may see him answer the game's biggest question: "Who will be New South Wales's halfback in the Origin decider?"
With incumbent Brett Finch expected to be overlooked, Kimmorley and Penrith's Craig Gower will duel this weekend for the Blues' No.7 in Melbourne.
And given Kimmorley's outstanding recent performances for the Sharks, the prospect of his return to Origin next week marks a stunning climb back up the pecking order.
The Sharks playmaker lost support on the panel after his intercepted pass saw NSW lose Origin I in extra time last year, and he hasn't been considered since.
Until now.
Kimmorley has been at the helm of the Sharks' impressive seven wins from eight games, and a new, relaxed attitude by the skipper has been credited for the club's form.
Instrumental in Kimmorley's reinvention is former Queensland halfback and new Sharks assistant coach Adrian Lam.
The former Maroons captain has this year helped Kimmorley transform himself from an all-encompassing general of the Chris Anderson era to a "selfish" strike player with less pressure on his shoulders.
"Lammy spoke to me a fair bit in the off-season about touching the ball less but probably being more effective when I do touch it," Kimmorley said this week.
"In the past I have just felt I had to be more dominant and get the ball every time, but often not doing much.
"Now I feel like I am getting the ball less and doing more with it. And it is helping the other players as well."
Lam, one of Paul Vautin's unheralded Maroon "Nevilles" in 1995, said he felt Kimmorley was now in some of the best form of his career.
"He has been one of the better halfbacks over a long period of time," Lam said.
"And coming here, I just thought I could help him with changing a few little parts of his game he'd got into his habits.
"Teams over the years have been built around Kimmorley as a halfback, where I thought we might be successful if we could take a bit of pressure off him.
"He is a born leader so if he can concentrate on his game more and relying on everyone else doing his job, it flows on naturally.
"The good thing about Noddy's character is that he is a clever guy, and he knew he needed to change a couple of things to get that X-factor back in his game."
Kimmorley's form, and experience at Origin and Test level, has seen NSW powerbrokers warm once more to his claims for the high-pressure Origin decider.
Gower remains the frontrunner, but his return from injury tomorrow night leaves him an unknown quantity.
Lam believes the fallout to that pass would have affected Kimmorley's confidence last year, but he says the skill of the Sharks star is the key to toppling his home state next week.
"If it had of been me, or a normal halfback, I think (the intercept) would have affected me," Lam said.
"But, like in soccer, if you miss a penalty shot, you get over it and move on.
"Noddy has got the experience.
"Every time he has had to do the job for Australia, he has won man of the matches. In State of Origin, he is one of those guys who loves the pressure. He is the man for the job."
Kimmorley repeats he can do nothing more than perform on the field, and a convincing performance against Andrew Johns tomorrow - after a points victory over Matt Orford last weekend - provides no better case.
"If I get a chance to play Origin again, I would love to," Kimmorley said.
"While I am playing good footy, you would like to play for your state."
The Daily Telegraph
By Iain Payten
June 23, 2006
BRETT Kimmorley may finally have been forgiven for that wayward Origin pass - and he's got a former Queensland "Neville" to thank.
As Kimmorley enters the weekend back in the selectors' good books, another solid showing by the Sharks captain may see him answer the game's biggest question: "Who will be New South Wales's halfback in the Origin decider?"
With incumbent Brett Finch expected to be overlooked, Kimmorley and Penrith's Craig Gower will duel this weekend for the Blues' No.7 in Melbourne.
And given Kimmorley's outstanding recent performances for the Sharks, the prospect of his return to Origin next week marks a stunning climb back up the pecking order.
The Sharks playmaker lost support on the panel after his intercepted pass saw NSW lose Origin I in extra time last year, and he hasn't been considered since.
Until now.
Kimmorley has been at the helm of the Sharks' impressive seven wins from eight games, and a new, relaxed attitude by the skipper has been credited for the club's form.
Instrumental in Kimmorley's reinvention is former Queensland halfback and new Sharks assistant coach Adrian Lam.
The former Maroons captain has this year helped Kimmorley transform himself from an all-encompassing general of the Chris Anderson era to a "selfish" strike player with less pressure on his shoulders.
"Lammy spoke to me a fair bit in the off-season about touching the ball less but probably being more effective when I do touch it," Kimmorley said this week.
"In the past I have just felt I had to be more dominant and get the ball every time, but often not doing much.
"Now I feel like I am getting the ball less and doing more with it. And it is helping the other players as well."
Lam, one of Paul Vautin's unheralded Maroon "Nevilles" in 1995, said he felt Kimmorley was now in some of the best form of his career.
"He has been one of the better halfbacks over a long period of time," Lam said.
"And coming here, I just thought I could help him with changing a few little parts of his game he'd got into his habits.
"Teams over the years have been built around Kimmorley as a halfback, where I thought we might be successful if we could take a bit of pressure off him.
"He is a born leader so if he can concentrate on his game more and relying on everyone else doing his job, it flows on naturally.
"The good thing about Noddy's character is that he is a clever guy, and he knew he needed to change a couple of things to get that X-factor back in his game."
Kimmorley's form, and experience at Origin and Test level, has seen NSW powerbrokers warm once more to his claims for the high-pressure Origin decider.
Gower remains the frontrunner, but his return from injury tomorrow night leaves him an unknown quantity.
Lam believes the fallout to that pass would have affected Kimmorley's confidence last year, but he says the skill of the Sharks star is the key to toppling his home state next week.
"If it had of been me, or a normal halfback, I think (the intercept) would have affected me," Lam said.
"But, like in soccer, if you miss a penalty shot, you get over it and move on.
"Noddy has got the experience.
"Every time he has had to do the job for Australia, he has won man of the matches. In State of Origin, he is one of those guys who loves the pressure. He is the man for the job."
Kimmorley repeats he can do nothing more than perform on the field, and a convincing performance against Andrew Johns tomorrow - after a points victory over Matt Orford last weekend - provides no better case.
"If I get a chance to play Origin again, I would love to," Kimmorley said.
"While I am playing good footy, you would like to play for your state."
The Daily Telegraph
