NSW 2019

[Big Pete]

If it wasn't obvious before, Cleary's selection confirms that Gus is Freddy's mouthpiece. Half the appeal of tuning into 100% Origin last year was just to hear Gus' takes because you knew they were coming from somewhere. One week he's bagging Cordner out for being one dimensional, the next Cords discovers his passing game. Even Gus' disappointment in Jack Wighton being manufactured into a fullback was clearly coming from somewhere and surprise surprise, as soon as he changes position, he's in the Blues side.

Point being, Gus has been saying all season his advice to Brad was if he selected Cleary last year, he had to commit to him for two seasons. Outside of the obvious bias towards Penrith, the idea was that Origin has a place in a player's development and dropping a player especially a halfback can impede their development. I think it's a self-serving rhetoric myself, but you can see the rationale behind Cleary's selection and why Brad was so desperate to see Nathan play well against Parramatta.

I'm curious to see how he plays. There's a lot of parrallels between him and Pearce, this series is as good a chance as any to prove he can actually step up in the big games.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

He's the best young forward I've seen since SBW

Funnily enough them two seem to be best mates on Insta.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/05/27...h-and-sbw-behind-haass-rise-to-blues-history/

Knew they were close, didn't know they were this close!

 

[Lambretta]

We’ve won 2014 and 2018 in recent years. What was consistent in those years? In form club combinations in the halves and having a game managing half

15,16,17 was all over the place. Players who never played together before.

If you have the opportunity to use two in sync halves you really should take advantage of it

At least the hooker and five eighth will know each others games

With you all the way mate

 

[big hit!]

We’ve won 2014 and 2018 in recent years. What was consistent in those years? In form club combinations in the halves and having a game managing half

15,16,17 was all over the place. Players who never played together before.

If you have the opportunity to use two in sync halves you really should take advantage of it

At least the hooker and five eighth will know each others games

i think you need to think back to last year and recall QLD had pretty bad preps to their first couple of matches. influential players were injured + 3 greats (all in the spine) of any era retired after 2017, and they left their best organiser (DCE) out because he was tainted after he had a couple of awful matches in a losing series when he went into camp lame and hardly did any training. it was always going to be tough for QLD last series.

a rep side with halves from different clubs can do well. the key to success are these 9 days leading into the match. the halves aren't just combining with each other but with their respective edges.

 

[Dave's mate]

We’ve won 2014 and 2018 in recent years. What was consistent in those years? In form club combinations in the halves and having a game managing half

15,16,17 was all over the place. Players who never played together before.

If you have the opportunity to use two in sync halves you really should take advantage of it

At least the hooker and five eighth will know each others games

No Mitchell Pearce is the correct answer

 

[macavity]

How are the blues the favourites? Qld have the better spine by a fair way.

 

[ReddFelon]

How are the blues the favourites? Qld have the better spine by a fair way.

Hunt vs Cook = Cook
Munster vs Walker = tie
Cherry Evans vs Cleary = DCE
Ponga vs Tedesco = Teddy

The spine is only part of it though, NSW definitely has the better winger (Addo Carr) centre (Latrell) and forwards.

Last year a huge component of the NSW win was the forwards in defence and offence. Queensland have lost Inglis, Slater and Holmes since last series.

 

[macavity]

Hunt vs Cook = Cook
Munster vs Walker = tie
Cherry Evans vs Cleary = DCE
Ponga vs Tedesco = Teddy

The spine is only part of it though, NSW definitely has the better winger (Addo Carr) centre (Latrell) and forwards.

Last year a huge component of the NSW win was the forwards in defence and offence. Queensland have lost Inglis, Slater and Holmes since last series.

Cook and Hunt is a tie. The rest the Maroons have an advantage. A big one at 7.

 

[isaiah]

the halves pretty much just got out of the way last year. it was all cook, teddy, latrell and to a lesser extent tom turbo. this year theyve added walker to someone who might do something and just hope nathan stays out of the way again

None of the newbies and some of last year’s team don’t scare me as a qld fan. So much can go wrong with walker, Vaughan, cam Murray, and Crichton.

 

[ReddFelon]

Cook and Hunt is a tie. The rest the Maroons have an advantage. A big one at 7.

Hunt is not anywhere near Cook as a #9 and neither is Ponga in comparison to Tedesco.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Cook and Hunt is a tie. The rest the Maroons have an advantage. A big one at 7.

Waaay too early to place Ponga above Teddy.

No one is doubting Ponga's talent but Teddy has been the best player in the game for the past year now; starring in Origin and Premiership winning sides.

A 5 game win streak for Newcastle doesn't put Ponga ahead of him. Not even close.

Also suggesting that Hunt is on a par with Cook is sheer lunacy.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Waaay too early to place Ponga above Teddy.

No one is doubting Ponga's talent but Teddy has been the best player in the game for the past year now; starring in Origin and Premiership winning sides.

A 5 game win streak for Newcastle doesn't put Ponga ahead of him. Not even close..

But Channel 9 and Foxtel have told me he’s the bestest player in the whole world!!

 

[BranVan3000]

Did I just read that Ben Hunt is as good a 9 as Damien Cook?

 

[Spot On]

None of the newbies and some of last year’s team don’t scare me as a qld fan. So much can go wrong with walker, Vaughan, cam Murray, and Crichton.

You're just confident cause Campbell-Gillard isn't playing.

That big post contact metre gaining beast will be sorely missed hey.

 

[King hit]

Cook and Hunt is a tie

 

[The unknown]

Waaay too early to place Ponga above Teddy.

No one is doubting Ponga's talent but Teddy has been the best player in the game for the past year now; starring in Origin and Premiership winning sides.

A 5 game win streak for Newcastle doesn't put Ponga ahead of him. Not even close.

Also suggesting that Hunt is on a par with Cook is sheer lunacy.

People are quick to forget Tedesco has been performing at this level for 4 years now (yes he was this good at the tigers aswell, just nobody took much notice cause we are a rabble)

People saying Ponga > Teddy right now...lol yeahno

 

[macavity]

Hunt is a peanut at 7, but a very good 9.

The role Ponga will play he will decide the game for the Maroons.

 

[typicalfan]

Hunt is a peanut at 7, but a very good 9.

The role Ponga will play he will decide the game for the Maroons.

Playing the full 80 or close to it in origin is very different to club football. Very good maybe but you can't seriously tie him and Cook. Cook is even better than last season.

 

[typicalfan]

We’ve won 2014 and 2018 in recent years. What was consistent in those years? In form club combinations in the halves and having a game managing half

15,16,17 was all over the place. Players who never played together before.

If you have the opportunity to use two in sync halves you really should take advantage of it

At least the hooker and five eighth will know each others games

I would argue Maloney and Cleary were never a great combination and they played their best footy when the other one was absent. Even this season Cleary played one of his better gamed vs Parra and Maloney looked a bit better vs Manly.

Plus Cleary has an existing combo with Cook from last year.

I think Cooks combo with his halves is more significant than the halves themselves.

 

[typicalfan]

Hunt vs Cook = Cook
Munster vs Walker = tie
Cherry Evans vs Cleary = DCE
Ponga vs Tedesco = Teddy

The spine is only part of it though, NSW definitely has the better winger (Addo Carr) centre (Latrell) and forwards.

Last year a huge component of the NSW win was the forwards in defence and offence. Queensland have lost Inglis, Slater and Holmes since last series.

Throw in that Cody and Cook are probably the form combination of any kind in the nrl this year. Throw in Murray too his combination with both has been strong too.