NSW Game 2 team

[Tiger Hawk]

Chris Lawrence would've been a better choice at right centre as it is a position he is extremely familiar with week in-week out.

I think you've said this a couple of times. You are wrong, Lawrence has played left centre since 2008. He made his debut on right wing against the Broncos in '06 and played there for a few more games, but he has never played right centre that I can recall (apart from City vs Country).

 

[TiggaPlease]

Chris Lawrence would've been a better choice at right centre as it is a position he is extremely familiar with week in-week out.

Chris Lawrence is a LEFT centre.

He has only played right side a handful of times.

 

[NSW of Origin]

I think you've said this a couple of times. You are wrong, Lawrence has played left centre since 2008. He made his debut on right wing against the Broncos in '06 and played there for a few more games, but he has never played right centre that I can recall (apart from City vs Country).

Chris Lawrence is a LEFT centre.

He has only played right side a handful of times.

Mamma Mia!!!

I'm even getting them wrong. Gets confusing. But at the same time, you're proving my point. Players have a side that they are predominantly familiar with.

Well i don't know then. Apart from Lyon who doesn't want to play Origin (which is a f**king bitch because his right-side combo in defence at Manly with G Stewart as well as B Stewart in attack would be so invaluable), Idris is really the only other right centre that comes to mind who is basically a poor defender anyway.

J Moz, as good as he is and is playing for Canterbury, is a left centre. He was exposed badly in defence as a right centre in Game 1.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

I wouldn't be surprised if Beau Scott is brought in for J Morris. I don't agree with it, but I can definitely see it happening. If NSW are going to continue operating down the left as much as they did last year and in game 1, they might be prepared to write off attacking down the right flank and put in Scott in an attempt to stifle Inglis.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Idris has been playing on the left this season too mate

TMK, the only current right centres available to NSW are:

Champion
Lyon
King
Pommeroy

FTR, Lawrence played right centre for City this year

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Pomeroy. Sold!

 

[NSW of Origin]

I wouldn't be surprised if Beau Scott is brought in for J Morris. I don't agree with it, but I can definitely see it happening. If NSW are going to continue operating down the left as much as they did last year and in game 1, they might be prepared to write off attacking down the right flank and put in Scott in an attempt to stifle Inglis.

Very good point.

J Morris is lightening in attack and his defence is generally good, but as i explained he is part of the weakness on the right side.

IMO, it doesn't matter how dominant the NSW forwards were in Game 1 in gaining territory, the Blues weaknesses were still greater than QLDs. The two glaring ones were:

1. The ability of the NSW halves to capitilise on the possession and metres to set 4th, 5th & final tackle attacks, as well as capitalising after line breaks (particularly from Hayne & Jennings down the left) with composed and organised follow up play was one.

2. The new defensive combo on the right-edge as explained.

The first NSW exposed themselves. There needs to be more composure, communication and discipline from Farah, Pearce & Carney. Just look at how Smith, Thurston and Cronk (& Lockyer in days gone) take over in this dept. The Blues trio will be better for the Game 1 run in Game 2.

The second, QLD exposed - very well.

 

[NSW of Origin]

Idris has been playing on the left this season too mate

TMK, the only current right centres available to NSW are:

Champion
Lyon
King
Pommeroy

FTR, Lawrence played right centre for City this year

I also think he came on as a right centre for Australia in a test......obviously wasn't going up against the quality of QLD's left side in that game though.

I don't take much notice of Titans games. Did Idris swap to the left to accommodate Champion? I thought he was a right centre at Canterbury with J Moz on left. How is Champion playing anyway? As good as it was with Souths a couple of years ago?

King has been exposed several times this season. Not good.

As Tiger Hawk said, I wouldn't be surprised if Stuart went down the Scott route at right centre if he decided to shore up that edge.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

The special needs penguin has comfortably out-played King this year. Champion has only played one or two games due to injury and frankly, I've never been a fan. Defensively he's ordinary and with the ball he does nothing special.

Lyon is the best right centre in NSW but is a pig rooting f**kwit, and besides, has hardly been brilliant in his last several outings for the Blues.

 

[abpanther]

I've set it for a while now, the problem with the Blues backrow is that while they are all quality players, they are all too similar.

Lewis, Bird and Stewart are all ball players who like to work the fringes and won't make huge metres.

To me you can't play all 3 of them, you need at least 1 guy like Watmough who is primarily a ball runner and will make good metres up the ruck

 

[abpanther]

Also, Bird, Lewis and Stewart are all used to play lock at club level, which gives them the ability to roam and inject themselves where they can.

By playing two of them as traditional backrowers it limits their strengths and forces them to play are a ball runner on the fringes.

Lewis is much more comfortable at 13 then at 11 or 12

 

[Fire]

Nah. Zero changes. We'll be OK.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Stewart wears 13 (traditionally the "lock" designation) but operates almost solely on the right edge. He rarely plays away from there, but that's down to the Manly structure.

Bird and Lewis I agree with.

I think Bird has to start. The other two I was happy to start in game 1 but I'm leaning towards having Lewis as the fourth interchange (at the expense of Buhrer) - the question is who plays left side then?

 

[abpanther]

To be honest, even as a Panthers fan Lewis' form has been ordinary this season, yesterdays game against Manly was his best by far

 

[Joker's Wild]

Bird plays a lot of his time on the left for the Titans. Id have him left, Stewart right and Lewis in the middle

 

[gronkathon]

I dont think you can move Bird away from the middle considering how well he attacked the ruck working with Farah and off Tamou

 

[Jason Maher]

Scott plays right for St George to protect Soward.

Stewart plays right for Manly, Williams left and Watmough tight, although does roam to both edges. Williams also will play tight on the odd occasion. Stewart pretty much sticks to his right.

Woods looked pretty impressive against both Scott and Tamou, admittedly both were backing up. Have a feeling he'll get a call up as he's had back to back monster games (197 metres p/game) against big packs and played big minutes (66 yesterday and 72 against the Warriors). What's the deal with Watmough - is he injured? That would make Sims, Williams & Watmough all out of contention, so I'd be willing to bet the bench will be Buhrer, Creagh, Merrin & Woods (would still prefer no Buhrer and no Creagh).

Scott is not Soward's bodyguard anymore. Soward has stepped up his defence big time, and he's now on the opposite side of the field (Hornby has been on the right in defence).

I'd be inclined, if Watmong is unavailable, to move Gallen back to lock and to bring in two props to join Tamou and Merrin. I'd opt for TLL and Mannah due to their Origin experience, but wouldn't complain if one of Woods or Grant was given a go. In fact, I'd be inclined to do thios anyway, punt Creagh and Buhrer, drop one of the back rowers back to the bench, and bring in Watmong (if fit) or Scott or Hinchcliffe for the remaining bench spot. Gallen can still make 130 hit ups playing lock if he so desires.

NSW Team revision #1672

1. Brett Stewart
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Michael Jennings
4. Josh Morris
5. Akuila Uate
6. Todd Carney
7. Mitchell Pearce
13. Paul Gallen (c)
12. Greg Bird
11. Glenn Stewart
10. James Tamou
9. Robbie Farah
8. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs

14. Trent Merrin
15. Tim Mannah or Tim Grant or Aaron Woods
16. Luke Lewis
17. Beau Scott or Ryan Hinchcliffe (or Watmong if available)

 

[abpanther]

I see no reason to move Gallen away from prop

 

[gronkathon]

TLL has been terrible for the Raiders. He actually looks clueless for about half the time he is on the field

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Scott is not Soward's bodyguard anymore. Soward has stepped up his defence big time, and he's now on the opposite side of the field (Hornby has been on the right in defence).

I'd be inclined, if Watmong is unavailable, to move Gallen back to lock and to bring in two props to join Tamou and Merrin. I'd opt for TLL and Mannah due to their Origin experience, but wouldn't complain if one of Woods or Grant was given a go. In fact, I'd be inclined to do thios anyway, punt Creagh and Buhrer, drop one of the back rowers back to the bench, and bring in Watmong (if fit) or Scott or Hinchcliffe for the remaining bench spot. Gallen can still make 130 hit ups playing lock if he so desires.

NSW Team revision #1672

1. Brett Stewart
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Michael Jennings
4. Josh Morris
5. Akuila Uate
6. Todd Carney
7. Mitchell Pearce
13. Paul Gallen (c)
12. Greg Bird
11. Glenn Stewart
10. James Tamou
9. Robbie Farah
8. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs

14. Trent Merrin
15. Tim Mannah or Tim Grant or Aaron Woods
16. Luke Lewis
17. Beau Scott or Ryan Hinchcliffe (or Watmong if available)

Yeah Soward has improved his defence, but for three of the past four years he has had Scott protecting him, that's all I was saying.

I could've lived with seeing TLL get a go, even called for his inclusion at the end of last week, but then saw the Raiders game on Friday night. What a pea-heart. No thanks.

Bird's footwork and ball-playing caused problems for QLD so I'd leave him at lock.

Ultimately, the left side defence for NSW was quite effective so I'd probably be inclined to keep that as is. In fact, I'm probably overthinking it and should just stick with what I said after game 1 - the starting XIII was fine, we lost our way when we went to the bench, so if we fix that it'll go a long way to winning. Carney stepping up is a must as well. Morris needs to do a better job communicating in defence so Uate isn't constantly left with a 2-on-1.