Time for new blood: Webcke
By Barry Dick and Ben Dorries
June 21, 2005
SHANE Webcke has warned of tough State of Origin times ahead for Queensland unless big, young forwards can be found to replace an "ageing" pack.
The 21-Origin veteran said all the fuss about him not being available for representative football was masking a worrying lack of emerging forward talent.
Webcke, 30, has steadfastly fended off suggestions that he make a one-off comeback to Origin football for the July 6 decider against NSW at Suncorp Stadium and yesterday urged the Maroons to look elsewhere.
"Everyone is so busy talking about me they seem to be overlooking a wider problem and that is Queensland has an ageing pack of forwards," he said.
Petero (Civoniceva) probably has a year or two left in him and the same applies to Thorny (Brad Thorn) because they are about the same age as me."
Civoniceva is 29 and Thorn is 30, while Origin I man of the match Steve Price, who would have been the first prop picked for the decider if he were fit, is 31.
"It's time for Queensland to start looking ahead and perhaps blooding a few younger forwards," Webcke said. "If that means losing this game, so be it."
Webcke was reluctant to nominate which forwards Queensland could look at for Game Three but chairman of selectors Des Morris said nuggety Sharks prop Danny Nutley was "being looked at".
"We have to see who is available and who's not, but Nutley is one guy we're thinking about," Morris said.
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The Sharks have a bye this week, denying Nutley a chance to push his claims but Morris said that would not affect the selectors' thinking.
"That won't go against him because he's got a bit of a hamstring strain and the week off might be good for him," he said.
Nutley is 31 so he would have to be regarded as a stopgap selection but there is a feeling he would worry the Blues with sheer aggression.
Former Queensland captain and coach Wally Lewis said Nutley would fit the Origin mould well.
"Danny Nutley is very much a hardline player and he has the ability to make the big name and larger NSW players feel very uncomfortable. There have been a lot of players that have been able to raise their ability 10 to 15 per cent in Origin matches and I think Nutley would fit into that category," Lewis said.
Queensland's forward pack make-up for the series decider remains a puzzle with enforcer Carl Webb to undergo more medical scans on his injured groin tomorrow. Scans in Brisbane last Friday revealed no significant muscular injury but Cowboys staff will commission another medical examination.
Webb, who did some light swimming yesterday morning, is now rated an extremely doubtful starter for the Cowboys in their clash against the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday. "He's unlikely to play. More scans will give us a better indicator of how the injury is going," Cowboys head trainer Billy Johnstone said yesterday.
Lewis believes Queensland needs an injection of fresh blood on the interchange bench and says versatile South Sydney skipper Ashley Harrison could be the man to provide it.
"I think we probably need more of a spark off the bench. The NSW bench certainly provided more than what we did," Lewis said.
"Ashley Harrison is a player I really like. His biggest bonus is that he can cover so many positions ? lock, second-row and even five-eighth."
