NSW at a cross road

[Wato]

After leaving out several former and current test players including Kurt Gidley, Jarryd Hayne, Luke Lewis, Anthony Watmough, Robbie Farah and Micheal Weymen the Blues excelled in a game dominated by Queensland despite losing by four points. The Blues rediscovered the grit required to play origin football or will the selectors stick with there side or will normal service resume and several changes be made.

Prior to this match New South Wales wherre written off as 'the worst blues team ever" but despite this put up there first strong showing in years during a live match. So will we be forced to see NSW selectors have a battle over whose egos bigger with the coach again or will common sense prevail?

 

[Cliffhanger]

Lol, if Ricky Stuart had any common sense he would still have a first grade team to coach.

 

[Wato]

I think he went with the right team. That was proven during the game aswell Queensland had 60% of the ball and very good field position and scored just 3 tries two from kicks. If the drop anybody they are insane, are you saying you have more faith in the selectors then sticky?

 

[Dragon2010]

I think he went with the right team. That was proven during the game aswell Queensland had 60% of the ball and very good field position and scored just 3 tries two from kicks. If the drop anybody they are insane, are you saying you have more faith in the selectors then sticky?

Providing we had little position and QLD had five sets in a row near our line. It truly shows that this team is capable. Best NSW have played in a while.

I have total faith in Ricky because it's just not "Team" NSW anymore. It's a culture, mateship and passion. Something you need to win Origin. You can't loose and make 10 changes and think to win. Stick with a team form a bond and it pays off.

When a NRL team looses a club game do they drop seven players and choose new? (Ok different scenario but in relation).

 

[Cliffhanger]

I don't have an ounce of faith in either. I'm happy for them not to make any dramatic changes, but Hayne has to come in for Morris, and something has to be done about the props, they just weren't good enough.

Our problem isn't making changes, we make changes because we have to recitfy the stupid selections that were made in the first place.

I don't think the selectors got it completely wrong but there were some decision that were straight up wrong and that was still clear last night.

 

[Dazzat]

You're using the wrong analogy. NSW aren't at a crossroads. They are still completely lost, wandering around the city of their dreams.

They turned left when they should have turned right into Pick and Stick Street. They've gone right past Jarryd Hayne park without stopping and will live to regret it. And the selectors have run over scores of players, leaving them crippled and scared on the side of the road.

Lastly, it's quite plain that the NSW P76 has run head-on into the Queensland Hummer.

 

[chrisD]

What a load of crap, QLD played down to our level and when they needed to step up they did so with soul destroying ease. The one and only thing we could take from that game was online defense, which was made a shitload easier by the lack of Inglis, Hodges, Tuqiri or Tate, and in their place rookies and a broken Tonga.

 

[no name]

How can this be the right team when they gifted 60% of the ball to the QLDers? Us Blues supporters are just lucky the Maroons had an off night. If they dish that Sh!t up again they will get lapped.

 

[Ladmate]

You don't stick with a flawed formula. You change it until it works. This team is a flawed formula. Keeping it makes it harder to move away when it inevitably fails.

 

[Dazzat]

You don't stick with a flawed formula. You change it until it works. This team is a flawed formula. Keeping it makes it harder to move away when it inevitably fails.

Keep that thought ... and stick with it.

Looking on the brightside for NSW, you're ex-player reunions should go off, and if you ever start an ex-NSW super fund you'll have a bit of capital to work with.

 

[Hutty1986]

Hahahahaha, so the Blues weren't gutsy, it was just Qld in "cruise control". My god some of your toads fans are dribblers

 

[chrisD]

Hahahahaha, so the Blues weren't gutsy, it was just Qld in "cruise control". My god some of your toads fans are dribblers

lol, gutsy. Yeah we were gutsy, until we were ahead with a chance of winning the match. How'd we go for guts then?

 

[Shorty]

Hahahahaha, so the Blues weren't gutsy, it was just Qld in "cruise control". My god some of your toads fans are dribblers

Be realistic though, it wasn't all because of NSW's defence....but it wasn't going to be easy to score a try, no.

If NSW change the team.....they'll lose, simple as that.
Keep the team and they have a crack at the series.

 

[johns_reds]

Albert Einstein's definition of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results...

In saying that NSW only need 2 or 3 changes, bring in Hayne and some new props and then they'll be sweet as.

Both teams have room for improvement on the first game, we'll see who picks up thier act in game 2!!!

 

[babyg]

What a load of crap, QLD played down to our level and when they needed to step up they did so with soul destroying ease. The one and only thing we could take from that game was online defense, which was made a shitload easier by the lack of Inglis, Hodges, Tuqiri or Tate, and in their place rookies and a broken Tonga.

So true.

 

[Dragon2010]

QLD are still human and they still make mistakes...They might be good but they are not some divine un-beatable team. You make it sound like we got flogged by 50 points?

 

[Pierced Soul]

how can they be close when the 4 props were out run by 1 qld prop? if you wnat to say nsw were "close" then perhaps having 2 better props heklps get them a few more opportunities in which they score. perhaps having some players with a bit of x factor i.e. hayne could have produced a special play at the right time when needed.

the team did well to hold on but thats what they did, held on, they didnt look like every winning till they got in front and even then they looked shaky. look how easily qld went upfield when they had to.

dean young was useless there was little impact off the bench (except for ennis who should have been starting), if stuart is smart enough to tweak the team then yes i think there's a good chance of levelling the series but if you pick the same squad you can expect the same result

 

[RHCP]

The team needs tweaks. Not major overhauls, just a few little adjustments. The main things we need to address:

We missed Hayne's long kicking game. Pearce was woeful in the first half with his clearing kicks, he found a Queenslander on the full every time.

It was no coincidence the pressure started to ease slightly when Soward started kicking and finding space.

Jarryd should be in the team somewhere, if we've got Pearce in charge of belting the ball out of our half again we're going to struggle in the battle for field position. In the 1 or 2 doesn't matter, Dugan can chase from the wing on fifth tackle coming out of our end.

We missed TLL's tackle busting ability. He's the only NSW front rower who can effectively knock off a Queensland defender with the ball in hand.

Ennis came on and showed us what else we were missing, a bit of energy and a bit of mongrel. In the past those two traits were displayed by Gidley and Watmough, who both deserve to come back into the team. In my opinion, the best team we can field for Game Two is:

1. Josh Dugan
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Michael Jennings
4. Mark Gasnier
5. Akuila Uate
6. Jamie Soward
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
9. Michael Ennis
10. Kade Snowden
11. Beau Scott
12. Greg Bird
13. Paul Gallen

14. Kurt Gidley
15. Tim Mannah
16. Trent Merrin
17. Anthony Watmough

 

[Jason Maher]

Perhaps we picked the wrong Dragons players. Weyman and Hunt, or at least one of them, should have been there. As much as I rate Merrin, I still can't believe he got a gig ahead of both of them. Weyman and Hunt are established first graders, have plenty of go-forward, and are both great defenders. Merrin is still finding his feet.

 

[Pierced Soul]

Perhaps we picked the wrong Dragons players. Weyman and Hunt, or at least one of them, should have been there. As much as I rate Merrin, I still can't believe he got a gig ahead of both of them. Weyman and Hunt are established first graders, have plenty of go-forward, and are both great defenders. Merrin is still finding his feet.

weyman should have been there ahead of merrin. weyman would have ripped in, even if he got belted he'd still show some aggression and kept carting it forward