NSW Team 2014

[Charlie124]

Hardly in form for club though is he?

 

[Joker's Wild]

The optimism about this team is perplexing. The 2nd row is disastrous and the halves will do bugger all and be duly discarded after one game. QLD will win by 30.

Qld were written off in 1995 because their team on paper were vastly inferior to NSW. They won the series 3-0

Its SOO. Anything can happen

 

[Hutty1986]

Qld were written off in 1995 because their team on paper were vastly inferior to NSW. They won the series 3-0

Its SOO. Anything can happen

Outrageous JW. Haven't you been listening to Raider & Lambretta?? Qld are certainties!!!

 

[Joely01]

Hardly in form for club though is he?

He actually hasn't been that bad in the couple of games back, and as i said with the injuries we have for game 1, they didn't really have much of a choice

 

[Charlie124]

Tariq Sims goes alright

 

[madunit]

Given Hodkinson asks for less ball than Pearce or Brooks, his place at halfback may lead to Farah doing even more play making duties.

As for calling a halfback and five-eighth a combination, thats just crazy. These days, your hooker and halfback have a combination.

Furthermore, both Luke Brooks and Tyrone Roberts have statistically been in better form and created more opportunities than Hodkinson this year.

I'll admit Brooks is not ready for Origin yet, perhaps NSW would've been better giving the #7 jumper to Roberts. He'll at least ensure that Farah isn't overplaying his hand all game.

He also takes the line on a lot more than Pearce and Hodkinson

 

[Packy]

Sims hasn't been anything special this year.

 

[Packy]

Given Hodkinson asks for less ball than Pearce or Brooks, his place at halfback may lead to Farah doing even more play making duties.

As for calling a halfback and five-eighth a combination, thats just crazy. These days, your hooker and halfback have a combination.

Furthermore, both Luke Brooks and Tyrone Roberts have statistically been in better form and created more opportunities than Hodkinson this year.

I'll admit Brooks is not ready for Origin yet, perhaps NSW would've been better giving the #7 jumper to Roberts. He'll at least ensure that Farah isn't overplaying his hand all game.

He also takes the line on a lot more than Pearce and Hodkinson

He'll also ensure QLD have someone to target in defence.

Hokko will be fine. Having Hayne at Fullback will suit Hokko and Reynolds when it comes to play making or a 3rd option.

 

[Spot On]

How many times has Jamal been run around this season? He is as good as any centre in the game defensively, his timing and positioning have been almost perfect all year.

I agree he isnt as fit as he could be but to act like he is a liability in defense is very stupid.

I think he still has a few areas to brush up on in defence. There's no doubt he can be caught out by the quicker opponent.

My initial post stated that I love what Jamal could bring to this team....... when fully fit. He isn't. And that's I think is one of the reasons why he was not chosen in the centres for NSW for this game. He could quite possibly be a liabilty defensively at this level at this point in time.

 

[betcats]

Should have been given a run in Origin????

He is certainly knocking on the door.

 

[betcats]

I think he still has a few areas to brush up on in defence. There's no doubt he can be caught out by the quicker opponent.

My initial post stated that I love what Jamal could bring to this team....... when fully fit. He isn't. And that's I think is one of the reasons why he was not chosen in the centres for NSW for this game. He could quite possibly be a liabilty defensively at this level at this point in time.

Anyone who has watched him this year would not be worried about his defense.

 

[Sime_11]

notice that Laurie picked players in their positions?

Jamal has been good but there are better centres in that NSW team (who have more origin experience). no point bringing a Centre in to do a 2nd rowers job. only way Jamal will get in is if Josh Morris or Jennings get injured & cant play game 2/3. I like Jamal (Penrith Fan here) but he wont get in Origin. (unless extremely desperate)

form is one thing, a player who has origin experience & has shown they can play at origin level is another, lukey lewis is a perfect example of this. Lewis is (and always will be if fit/playing) one of the first NSW players picked IMO.

Look at Qld elite players 4 weeks ago, their form wasnt up to scratch (poor for their standards), it wouldnt matter, they'd still pick them because they can cut it at Origin level and produce the goods (hence Qld 8-0)

 

[Jason Maher]

Sims should have been picked over She-Rex, not Luke Lewis.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

Qld were written off in 1995 because their team on paper were vastly inferior to NSW. They won the series 3-0

Its SOO. Anything can happen

While I agree that anything can and often does happen in SOO, the comparison to 1995 isn't that strong. The worst dry spell either side had endured was 3 series. With NSW getting closer to double figures in consecutive series losses it's not too hard to see why some Blues fans have little confidence.

1985 would be a stronger comparison with the Blues having gone through 5 years of defeat since the inception of SOO.

 

[betcats]

Given Hodkinson asks for less ball than Pearce or Brooks, his place at halfback may lead to Farah doing even more play making duties.

As for calling a halfback and five-eighth a combination, thats just crazy. These days, your hooker and halfback have a combination.

Furthermore, both Luke Brooks and Tyrone Roberts have statistically been in better form and created more opportunities than Hodkinson this year.

I'll admit Brooks is not ready for Origin yet, perhaps NSW would've been better giving the #7 jumper to Roberts. He'll at least ensure that Farah isn't overplaying his hand all game.

He also takes the line on a lot more than Pearce and Hodkinson

Roberts has the dummy and go and thats about it. I think Hayne will be used to do more playmaking this year given his current form.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

You watch league but rate Tyrone Roberts an origin standard player????. f**k off you imbecile.

We've all seen Jamals career so far. He's already at club number 3 and it's a fact he is a poor trainer and hard to get fit due to attitude and lack of application to diet etc. He's nowhere near as fit as he could be. The fact you base good defense on the ability to monster an opponent most of the time but overlook the occasions where he is caught by a quicker man and unable to move quickly enough in certain directions to contain his opposite shows you don't understand what his weaknesses are or how they can be exposed.

Roberts is good at one thing and that's actually being creative and that's something we haven't had in a half back since probably Andrew Johns. It's not like we have amazing depth in the halves so it's you who really needs to f**k off.

This is more cr@p coming from you. How is he a poor trainer? Last year when he was at the Titans each players heart rate would measured during a training session and surprisingly enough his on average would be the highest. It's pretty easy for fat cxxnts like you to sit back and say other people have bad attitudes and can be fitter but why don't you go out and watch one of their training sessions before you spew your cr@p. Out of curiosity when was Jamal at his fittest in your eyes? No where did I say that monitoring your opponent means good defense, your trying to distort my argument you little snake. I said his positioning has improved drastically and doesn't usually get himself into situations where his lack of lateral movement gets exploited. He does get caught every now now and then and he does get beaten on the outside as well but what centre doesn't?

 

[Joker's Wild]

Given Hodkinson asks for less ball than Pearce or Brooks, his place at halfback may lead to Farah doing even more play making duties.

As for calling a halfback and five-eighth a combination, thats just crazy. These days, your hooker and halfback have a combination.

Furthermore, both Luke Brooks and Tyrone Roberts have statistically been in better form and created more opportunities than Hodkinson this year.

I'll admit Brooks is not ready for Origin yet, perhaps NSW would've been better giving the #7 jumper to Roberts. He'll at least ensure that Farah isn't overplaying his hand all game.

He also takes the line on a lot more than Pearce and Hodkinson

Roberts? God no. He has been in pretty awful form this year and doesnt have what NSW are going to need from both of their halves, a long kicking game.

This is why they should have picked Mullen but the boat has now sailed

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

Even 0 points.. we win. NSW haven't won for 8 in a row. Soon to be 9.

Ummm I'm not disputing how many times you've won, but I was replying to the guy who was trying to make it sound like it was impossible for NSW to win.

 

[Joker's Wild]

While I agree that anything can and often does happen in SOO, the comparison to 1995 isn't that strong. The worst dry spell either side had endured was 3 series. With NSW getting closer to double figures in consecutive series losses it's not too hard to see why some Blues fans have little confidence.

1985 would be a stronger comparison with the Blues having gone through 5 years of defeat since the inception of SOO.

Wasnt a direct comparison, more an example of the folly of writing off teams before a ball has been kicked at this level.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

Roberts? God no. He has been in pretty awful form this year and doesnt have what NSW are going to need from both of their halves, a long kicking game.

This is why they should have picked Mullen but the boat has now sailed

He's actually been ok but he's just in a real cr@p side. You're right he has no kicking game and that will always be his downfall but he can goal kick and he does have a decent running game and is creative.