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Origin 2013 NSW side

watatank

Coach
Messages
14,174
Merrin is more than capable of playing on the fringes, and I certainly wouldn't classify him as a 'big forward', I personally think he affords you great flexibility but is wasted as a prop who just carts it up. Bird plays 80 mins everyweek as an edge forward, Watmough is capable of 80 and so is Lewis. At origin level you won't get more than 40mins out of Grant, Tamou can go 40-50 mins, Woods on debut should get about 40 and I'd personally use Fifita in short sharp spells

Merrin struggled defending the middle of the field last year in Origin and I think it's one of the main reasons he got dropped. He has improved his mobility and fitness from last season but not to the point where he can also defend as an edge forward. I don't think he can or should be asked to adapt to playing wide/
 

Ant

Juniors
Messages
478
Early on but.
1 Hayne
2 Gordon
3 Morris
4 Jennings
5 Morris
6 Carney
7 Reynolds
8 Tamou
9 Farrah
10 Grant
11 Bird
12 Lewis
13 Gallen

14 Reynolds
15 Watmough
16 Woods
17 Fifita

I think Reynolds is an ideal 14 as he was playing hooker before moving to six for the dogs. Don't want to make too many changes to a side that has been so close. I think the question is probably around whether hayne plays wing, with Stewart at one or hayne at fullback with Gordon or someone else on the wing. Uate, taufua and Merritt in contention.
Think centres will stay the same.
I have chosen Adam Reynolds over Pearce and Mullen. But keeping carney but with Reynolds on bench I have options.
Props Tamou easy , think stick with grant he was good last year. Farrah easy.
Bird, Lewis, Gallen easy.
Watmough on bench.

Last two was hard. With Gallen, grant, Tamou, watmough you already have 4 core players. Even bird and Lewis have played there. Watmough and Gallen have played edge but seem to play mostly in core now. We know Gallen could push up when watmough comes on.

We are lacking edge backrowers. Tony Williams hopefully will regain form to be our impact player. Other than that we can look at older guys creagh and Hoffman. Or I really like Jackson from the dogs . Sims is on comeback trail.

There are lots of props/core behind the starting two. Fifita, mannah, woods, merrin, mason, Douglas I think young Ryan James is a bolter but probably just city country this year. I live the way james throws his weight around and wants to dominate.

But given lack of stand outs I have gone with woods for offloads and work rate and Fifita for impact meaning Gallen will stay in backrow even if mainly as a core.
 

mozza91

Coach
Messages
13,767
1-Hayne
2-Morris
3- Morris
4-Jennings
5-Uate
6-Reynolds/Carney
7-Reynolds
8-Gallen
9-Farah
10-Tamou
11-Watmough
12-Bird
13-Graham/Stewart(if fit)

14-Hinchcliffe
15 -Woods
16-Lewis
17- Merrin.
 

dinko

Juniors
Messages
166
1-Hayne
2-Morris
3- Morris
4-Jennings
5-Uate
6-Reynolds/Carney
7-Reynolds
8-Gallen
9-Farah
10-Tamou
11-Watmough
12-Bird
13-Graham/Stewart(if fit)

14-Hinchcliffe
15 -Woods
16-Lewis
17- Merrin.

Give yaself an uppercut,, NO HINCH, RF is an 80 MINUTE SUPERSTAR
 

RHCP

Bench
Messages
4,784
1. Hayne
2. B Morris
3. J Morris
4. Jennings
5. Uate
6.
7. Pearce
8. Tamou
9. Farah
10. Merrin
11. Bird
12. Watmough
13. Gallen (c)

14. Grant
15.
16.
17.

I think those should be near locked in at this point. Last 3 bench spots and 5/8 are still up for grabs for whoever wants to take them.
 

SydneyRaider9

Juniors
Messages
87
1. Hayne
2. B Morris
3. J Morris
4. Jennings
5. Uate
6.
7. Pearce
8. Tamou
9. Farah
10. Merrin
11. Bird
12. Watmough
13. Gallen (c)

14. Grant
15.
16.
17.

I think those should be near locked in at this point. Last 3 bench spots and 5/8 are still up for grabs for whoever wants to take them.

Merrin won't be prop
 

Disco

Bench
Messages
2,701
I cannot believe people don't have Stewart at Fullback, people get too obsessed with kick returns and a flashy tackle bust.

Stewart is the best defensive fullback in the comp, not only in his own play but in his marshaling of the defensive line and when lining up against Slater, Inglis, Hodges, Cronk and Thurston that is what you need.

Back that up with his support play and his uncanny knack of being in the right place and the right time.

He should be a certainty!

1.Stewart
2.Hayne
3.Morris
4.Jennings
5.Gordon
6.Carney
7.Pearce
8.Grant
9.Farah
10.Gallen
11.Lewis
12.Watmough
13.Bird

14.Gidley
15.Tamou
16.Merrin
17.Dunno, we need someone with a bit of impact, Williams and Sims would have been the obvious picks but neither are killing it atm......so this spot remains open
 

Tweed Titan

Bench
Messages
3,345
Brett Stewart is shite at Origin level. Good support runner and that's it.
Sorry but I call BS on this. Stewart has never let NSW down and is consistently one of our best players throughout his NSW career. That said, I don't pick him this year as he has lost too much pace. Gordon or Hayne for me, with the other probably on the wing. He will always be a player I look back on highly though for his time in sky blue, despite the shower of shite he constantly had to play with and the comical decisions to play Kidley in front of him so many times.
 
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Tweed Titan

Bench
Messages
3,345
This is my revised team based on the season so far, injuries permitting. Lets not lose fact NSW were 1 point and a Matt Cecchin QLD blow job in game one away from winning a series where we essentially had two away games. There's no need for wholesale changes.


FB) Gordon/Hayne (Gordon backup goal kicker)
LW) B Morris
LC) Jennings
RC) J Morris
RW) Hayne/Gordon (Gordon backup goal kicker)

FE) Carney (Third choice goal kicker in case of injury)
HB) A Reynolds (Goal kicker)

FR) Tamou
HK) Farah (vc) (Farah is playing the 80 minutes)
FR) Grant
LSR) Bird
RSR) Lewis (also the back line utility in case of injury)
LO) Gallen (c) (also a backup/rotation front rower)

INT) Merrin (Primarily front row/also a back row option)
INT) Woods (Front row)
INT) Watmough (Back Row/emergency front row)
INT) Graham (back row/halve utility)

18th man: Fifita, J Reynolds or Ryan James (give a young guy the experience of camp and game day and see if they can take their game to another level and/or be ready when they play in the future)

It's too soon back from injury for Tariq Sims. T-Rex is playing his way out of a jersey, but I still hold hope he may improve in time for game 1. I hate not picking Brett Stewart, but he is getting a bit too long in the tooth and has lost a fair bit of pace. It was also hard to leave Uate out of the team but he is another great option if someone else gets hurt, or goes T-Rex on us. Tim Mannah is also unlucky but we have some great props right now.

I think this team has everything required at this level, including 2 excellent goal kickers, to get the job done. Quality players, played in positions they excel in with plenty of balance. My only concern is our halves combination is obviously unproven and we may struggle if a back or Farah gets injured during a game. In my opinion this would be extracting the maximum out of NSW's resources.

Adam Reynolds should give NSW the short kicking game to put the blowtorch on the Qld goal line defence, even if his running game is very much a work in progress. Not a whole heap to chose from in that position so lets go with a guy who at least has a lot of things going for him.
 
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Someone

Bench
Messages
4,964
1. Stewart
2. B Morris
3. Hayne
4. Jennings
5. Uate/Gordon

6. Carney
7. Pearce/(if 0-2 going into game3, Reynolds)

8. Tamou
9. Farah
10. Grant
11. Watmough
12. Bird
13. Gallen

14. Lewis/Graham
15. Hoffman
16. Merrin
17. Mannah
 

Tweed Titan

Bench
Messages
3,345
1. Stewart
2. B Morris
3. Hayne
4. Jennings
5. Uate/Gordon

6. Carney
7. Pearce/(if 0-2 going into game3, Reynolds)

8. Tamou
9. Farah
10. Grant
11. Watmough
12. Bird
13. Gallen

14. Lewis/Graham
15. Hoffman
16. Merrin
17. Mannah

I think Josh Morris deserves a spot in the centres. He is a lock down defender on Inglis and has the pace and footwork to tear Qld up if given space. Other than that and Hoffman I think you have chosen a fairly good team.
 

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