I don't think too many are apart from Maher.
Carney is the biggest defensive liability of all the halves in contention. As much as his attacking abilities are one of the best in the state, defence is a massive X on him. When he's targeted, his attacking game falls apart too. Very much a confidence player.
Too much emphasis is placed on form. Form is a variable that can be affected by the players around you at club level and the structures the coach has in place. Souths, Canterbury & Easts all benefit from the same thing. Their form comes from the blokes in the middle - Toleman, Graham, Eastwood Kasiano, Klemmer for the Dogs; Sam, George, Tom & Lima last year for Souths; & Moa, JWH, FPN, Kennedy last year for Easts. How many of them can be picked for NSW?? All 6 inferior halves and some of the outside forwards of these clubs benefit from what their superior team mates in the engine room do. When the chips are down, these support players have nothing.
Fulton & the coaches have no idea.
Look at the attributes players have first and foremost. Select based on this. Problem is, Fulton and Daley (& Stuart before him) don't know how too or are lazy to do the work. They take the easy option of selecting a bunch of support players from a club team in form for a few weeks. Shame most of the players contributing to the dominance of these teams can't be picked!!
