NSW Team 2014

[T.S Quint]

It's an ok side but I think just one change on the side could have made a huge difference. I would drop Hoffman, bring williams as starting, move Reynolds to the bench and have Mullen and Hodkinson in the halves. Would also have been nice to replace Scott with Tariq Sims.

That's better than the team we have, but I still wouldn't have Reynolds or Williams there at all.
Mullen is probably the best choice for the halves, but because the selectors have this stupid notion of only picking club 'combinations', he misses out because Tyrone Roberts isn't going to make it.

Halves these days rarely pass it to each other anyway.

 

[ripthebodyhookthehead]

Hopoate has been the form centre thought Jennings was lucky

 

[canberra_raiders2k2]

Mullen isn't even close to being fit enough. He still has that hamstring injury. Taking an injured half isn't exactly the best decision.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Mullen isn't even close to being fit enough. He still has that hamstring injury. Taking an injured half isn't exactly the best decision.

Not to mention that Mullens form on the field has been fairly average. Too many simple mistakes. Maybe 3 more weeks and he will be in calculations.

 

[gallagher]

That's better than the team we have, but I still wouldn't have Reynolds or Williams there at all.
Mullen is probably the best choice for the halves, but because the selectors have this stupid notion of only picking club 'combinations', he misses out because Tyrone Roberts isn't going to make it.

Halves these days rarely pass it to each other anyway.

They dont pass to each other but they know each others game. Knowing who does what, where and when in different situations is a huge advantage.

 

[Dazzat]

Best NSW team in a while (except for Hoffman). Should be a good contest. Choosing the Canterbury halves could be a master stroke by Laurie.

 

[DB]

Mullins should be in there

 

[Spot On]

what have you been watching?

Please. If you can't see that Idris isn't near full fitness then you should ask yourself the above question, not me.

And If he is fully fit he'll never ever get a gig in the centres at Origin level. You can't be that slow to move laterally or turn and chase and expect to be effective against the best centres going round.

He's playing well, no doubt, but he isn't near full fitness atm.

 

[Tweed Titan]

I was wondering who we would all blame when NSW lose this year, it looks like Scott and/or Hoffman will take the blame.

Poor Mitchy hey? Poor bloke is actually really good and shouldn't have been dropped. Bet you hope NSW go bad so you can delude yourself into thinking Shitchell hasn't been that bad in SOO. It's everyone else's fault :lol:

 

[Spot On]

I may have missed this info, but where did you read/hear Pearce has been banned from the Clovelly for two years?????

Albert, are you able tell let us where you got this info from????

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

Poor Mitchy hey? Poor bloke is actually really good and shouldn't have been dropped. Bet you hope NSW go bad so you can delude yourself into thinking Shitchell hasn't been that bad in SOO. It's everyone else's fault :lol:

How about sputneek crowing that his alter-ego besthalfbackpearce predicted that Pearce would be the Captain of the Kangaroos by 2015:

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showpost.php?p=8271037&postcount=285

 

[Tweed Titan]

To put it in perspective:

Pros: No Pearce. I was going to give his 12 origin games 1/10, then I remembered that he scored a try once and he even managed a try assist. So to be fair he gets 3/10. My highlight was his impersonation of someone suffering from Tourette's Syndrome and Parkinson's Disease simultaneously for the duration of game 3 last year. Please now do a Jamie Lyon and retire from rep footy. Worst origin 7 to play over five games by far.

Our 1-5 looks pretty awesome and I think Tupou may surprise a few.

Hayne at 1 and Farah at 9 should take some pressure off our halves.

No dickheads like Derpuson and Josh Bogan to derail the campaign (hopefully). Hopefully Daley is serious about the clean up of team culture and professionalism.

Cons: I'm not convinced this 6 & 7 combination is the answer, but surely they can beat a 3/10 merely by not dropping the ball constantly, throwing wayward passes and not kicking out on the full/getting charged down all the time. Those were Shitchell specialties.

Hoffman is a massive downgrade from Bird. Would have rathered Wade Graham or Tariq Sims and push Luke Lewis into the starting side.

 

[isaiah]

the Blues team stinks. :lol:

9-0. Book it now.
Mind you, i dont think NSW can actually pick a team capable of beating QLD. Said so for the last 4 years and got shouted down by hardcore blues fans

based on the 35 odd players named, QLD still have the best 5 players on the feild. They still have 10-13 of the best 15-20 players on the field. Until that changes, the Blues arent winning the series. And definitely not when they have to go on the road twice in a 3 game series

can anyone stop the corey parker offload?

 

[big hit!]

I'm still astounded that the best halves available to NSW according to the two most recent coaches in each of the last 3 years, also pair for the same NRL team.

Cos yeah, out of 16 top level rugby league clubs in a salary capped league, the best two halves in the state will more often than not play for the same club.

Coincidence? Or coaches that don't know shit?

Game 1, 2015 the NSW halves will be [insert the two halves of in-form club here]

Bullshit.

 

[Captain Apollo]

That's better than the team we have, but I still wouldn't have Reynolds or Williams there at all.
Mullen is probably the best choice for the halves, but because the selectors have this stupid notion of only picking club 'combinations', he misses out because Tyrone Roberts isn't going to make it.

That is part of the problem. I mean when did:

1. Jonathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk ever play together at club level?; and
2. Darren Lockyer and Jonathan Thurston ever play together at club level?

That is how stupid the thinking is by NSW. Personally I'm not sold on Hodkinson at 7 but he's there so....

That said I just wish the NSW management would shut up about selections now.

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

Game 1, 2015 the NSW halves will be [insert the two halves of in-form club here].

Two games at Suncorp and a likely NSW loss would tend to indicate that it will be two completely different halves next year.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

That's better than the team we have, but I still wouldn't have Reynolds or Williams there at all.
Mullen is probably the best choice for the halves, but because the selectors have this stupid notion of only picking club 'combinations', he misses out because Tyrone Roberts isn't going to make it.

Halves these days rarely pass it to each other anyway.

I really rate Roberts, he's very underrated and if i could I'd have him there instead of Hodkinson. I would still have Williams in the side though to give us that extra punch out wide. I think with Fifita missing we'll really need it to dominate.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

Please. If you can't see that Idris isn't near full fitness then you should ask yourself the above question, not me.

And If he is fully fit he'll never ever get a gig in the centres at Origin level. You can't be that slow to move laterally or turn and chase and expect to be effective against the best centres going round.

He's playing well, no doubt, but he isn't near full fitness atm.

Please. I've watched Idris for almost his whole career and atm he looks fitter than ever. The fact that you pinpoint his lateral weaknesses and don't even realise how good his defence has been over the last two seasons due to his positioning makes me wonder if you've even watched him play over the last 2 years.

 

[typicalfan]

That is part of the problem. I mean when did:

1. Jonathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk ever play together at club level?; and
2. Darren Lockyer and Jonathan Thurston ever play together at club level?

That is how stupid the thinking is by NSW. Personally I'm not sold on Hodkinson at 7 but he's there so....

That said I just wish the NSW management would shut up about selections now.

You realise that part of the reason QLD are successful is due to established combinations. Thurston and Lockyer took a series to really gel however their combo flourished. Cronk came into the starting lineup with an NRL combination with Slater and Smith, not to mention Inglis in the centres. Don't forget the good Johns, Buderus combination of 7 and 9 in the past, Stuart and Daley, Sterling and Kenny.

It takes time to develop a combination but to cheat a bit bring in an already established combination is a good option.

Mullen was good in the city v country but overall hasn't shown he is truly 100%.

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

You realise that part of the reason QLD are successful is due to established combinations. Thurston and Lockyer took a series to really gel however their combo flourished. Cronk came into the starting lineup with an NRL combination with Slater and Smith, not to mention Inglis in the centres. Don't forget the good Johns, Buderus combination of 7 and 9 in the past, Stuart and Daley, Sterling and Kenny.

It takes time to develop a combination but to cheat a bit bring in an already established combination is a good option.

Mullen was good in the city v country but overall hasn't shown he is truly 100%.

Also not to be forgotten is how many of the Maroons get to play as a team when the Kangaroos jerseys are handed-out. For many years now JT, Smith, Inglis, Slater, Boyd, Myles, Thaiday. If fit you could throw in Hodges and Tate who both have played with that core Maroon group in the Kangaroos. There's plenty of opportunity for the QLDers to come together as a team outside of State Of Origin.