NSW Blues 2024

[soc123_au]

Yeah instead of picking the bloke who has led the team to 3 series wins, is a 3 time Brad Fitler medallist, current FB and captain for Australia and in better form this season than the bloke they originally picked, they really should have went with Will Kennedy.

At least we know now why he is a hog. Butchers chances either way, but at least we retain possession. Teddy aint why we lost, but he was shit last night.

 

[ALX25]

Brave Blues finally succumb to Maroons

Reduced to 12 men for the majority of the match, the Westpac NSW Blues still managed to put up a fight before Queensland finished strongly.

www.nswrl.com.au

 

[ALX25]

Blues getting around Suaalii: Madge

NSW Blues coach and players will get around their teammate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii following last night's dramatic Origin game.

www.nswrl.com.au

 

[Danish]

Don’t think we need many changes.

Edwards to fullback. Latrell to centre. Moses to half. These are 3 changes that are just either forced through suspension or bringing back injured players who would have otherwise been there in game 1.

The only non-injury/suspension change needed is absolutely anyone for Jurbo. He’s an absolute log and definitely not a captain. I mean f**k me he was considered such a liability once we were at 12 men that he had to be yanked after 25 mins and only came back on when it was over. That’s not a captain

 

[johns_reds]

Jurbo as captain screams NSW 2010 when they were stuck with Gidley because they named him captain

 

[Chins get the wins]

Jurbo as captain screams NSW 2010 when they were stuck with Gidley because they named him captain

He's barely NRL level these days

 

[Valheru]

At least we know now why he is a hog. Butchers chances either way, but at least we retain possession. Teddy aint why we lost, but he was shit last night.

lol he was one of the better players easily

We lose by 50 if Edwards is there.

 

[lockyno1]

lol he was one of the better players easily

We lose by 50 if Edwards is there.

Apart from throwing the ball over the sideline and running around in circles what did Tedesco do? Bloke has been cooked for 2 years. Oh yay he scored a try...he bombed about 6.

 

[soc123_au]

lol he was one of the better players easily

We lose by 50 if Edwards is there.

Ha ha, organiser of the best defense the game has ever seen vs the guy who organised the defense that leaked 30 to the Sharts.

Dyl plays we probably still lose, but any sane person knows it's by less.

Teddy was elite for a long time, he just isn't anymore. No shame in it, but it's time to let go.

Out of curiosity who do you think he played better than? The Pimms sipper obviously, maybe slightly ahead of Nicho and the benchies that got garbage time.

 

[Sime_11]

Edwards knows when to run and when to stay the f**k out of the play

teddy loves the attention

 

[speedster]

IMO he almost single handed changed the momentum in halfway through that first half, he should be one of the first players chosen for game 2.
IMO NSW have been burnt time and time again having no utility on the bench and it happened again tonight, to me having 2 edge backrowers on the bench is just completely redundant.

He's a good impact player and did himself no harm with that performance. It's not a hill I wish to die on as far as bench props is concerned. Him or Utoi - toss of a coin. I suppose, keep him there since he is now an incumbent that was one of the few to play well.

Definitely need a bench utility which in my mind McInness is although he doesn't cover the backs. But someone like Murray, if fit, can slot into centre and defend brilliantly there if needed. Burton is a good choice at center too although Mitchell should be there imo.

 

[speedster]

It was a very weird decision, I watch the Roosters every week and whilst Suaalii is a good player he isn't even the best centre at the Roosters let alone the best centre option for this game of Origin. Also, with just over 50 games he's effectively a rookie so only should have been selected if absolutely necessary.

Why no Burton? Every time I get around to watching the Dogs he seems to be their best player, if a half goes down he can cover, he's won a comp at centre, surely he's our best choice in that position even if Suaalii was available and wanted...



I like the team but I still don't think getting rid of Tedesco is the answer. Ran over 200 metres, scored a try, second most tackle breaks and looked good for the most part in a soundly beaten team.

For me I think we need to go with the following, keeping in mind that we don't want to make too many changes over a game that probably would've been much closer if we played 13 Vs 13

1. Tedesco 2. To'o 3. S. Crichton 4. Burton 5. Lomax 6. Luai 7. Moses 8. J. Trbojevic ( C ) 9. Api 10. Haas 11. Martin 12. A. Crichton 13. Yeo

14. Watson 15. Paulo 16. Leniu 17. Young

---

Experience throughout the backline except on Lomax's wing which should be fine, Luai/Moses a much stronger halves pairing, forwards looking strong, bench looking tough with a genuine utility option on there that can cover halves, hooker and could maybe even fill the backline if need be.

If Madge could get Wighton out of retirement and he plays himself into form he'd be a possibility for 14 also, he's been very shit this year though so he'd have to play himself into some incredible form...

Tedesco passed the ball once to my recollection. He's a ball hog who gets his stats up but rarely gets his outside backs into space which is criminal at rep level. Re - Burton - I'd be tempted to punt Luai and select Burton at 6 so as to include him and Mitchell as well.

 

[speedster]

He was tied with S Crighton as NSW best player

Leaving him out would be insanity.

Critter was head and shoulders above the rest of the Blues players. Spencer was good. He has very good impact but a small motor but for the bench, righto, leave him in.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

I don’t rate him but for the halves I’d swap Luai for Burton. Simply because his bombs add to our killing fullbacks policy.

Also Moses for Hynes.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Tedesco passed the ball once to my recollection. He's a ball hog who gets his stats up but rarely gets his outside backs into space which is criminal at rep level. Re - Burton - I'd be tempted to punt Luai and select Burton at 6 so as to include him and Mitchell as well.

Tedesco passed the ball way more than usual, unfortunately it was either to the ground, behind a player, to someone in a worse position, or over the sideline.

 

[isaiah]

Lenui was interviewed and said how unlucky they were to go a man down. Reckless is worse than careless. Walsh is fortunate to be a chance to play game 2. They were after Walsh intentionally. I remember during the 8 series wins in a row, slater getting taken out and Inglis started the next game, with an attitude that looked like: ‘try that on me’

 

[aqua_duck]

He's a good impact player and did himself no harm with that performance. It's not a hill I wish to die on as far as bench props is concerned. Him or Utoi - toss of a coin. I suppose, keep him there since he is now an incumbent that was one of the few to play well.

Definitely need a bench utility which in my mind McInness is although he doesn't cover the backs. But someone like Murray, if fit, can slot into centre and defend brilliantly there if needed. Burton is a good choice at center too although Mitchell should be there imo.

I don’t consider McInness a utility because he covers middle and at a pinch dummy half but not at a high level, gives you zero cover in the backs or even as an edge. Murray can cover centres but again it’s a bit of an adjustment. For me having both McInness and Murray is abit redundant.
Stefano is a decent player but I think he’s someone who takes abit longer to get into the game than Leniu, I don’t think there’s a single forward in the game who can have the same impact in a 20 minute stint as Leniu

 

[aqua_duck]

Don’t think we need many changes.

Edwards to fullback. Latrell to centre. Moses to half. These are 3 changes that are just either forced through suspension or bringing back injured players who would have otherwise been there in game 1.

The only non-injury/suspension change needed is absolutely anyone for Jurbo. He’s an absolute log and definitely not a captain. I mean f**k me he was considered such a liability once we were at 12 men that he had to be yanked after 25 mins and only came back on when it was over. That’s not a captain

Yep Jurbo is a good bloke and is a decent player in a vacuum but imo NSW are falling into the trap of picking too many ‘battlers’ citing the Qld selection strategy of picking guys like Dallas Johnson, Ashley Harrison, Jacob Lillyman, Tim Glasby, etc.
If I’m NSW my middle rotation would be Haas, Paulo/Utoikamanu, Murray, Yeo, Leniu.

 

[speedster]

Tedesco passed the ball way more than usual, unfortunately it was either to the ground, behind a player, to someone in a worse position, or over the sideline.

True. And yes, once is way above his average.

 

[speedster]

I don’t consider McInness a utility because he covers middle and at a pinch dummy half but not at a high level, gives you zero cover in the backs or even as an edge. Murray can cover centres but again it’s a bit of an adjustment. For me having both McInness and Murray is abit redundant.
Stefano is a decent player but I think he’s someone who takes abit longer to get into the game than Leniu, I don’t think there’s a single forward in the game who can have the same impact in a 20 minute stint as Leniu

McInness is a hooker who has converted to backrow, not the other way round. He has played there for many years and knows the role like the back of his hand. he is high quality there. It would allow Api to play in the halves if needed and one of the halves to then shuffle out to the centres if needed. Meanwhile, Murray is just an exceptional player that would not only cover centre but excel at it if called upon there. You need players with good utility value which is what Qld demonstrated aptly last night.