Origin 2013 NSW side

[Cherrybrookdragon84]

Why are so few people mentioning Trent Merrin??? He is an absolute moral for Origin....been there for four of the last six games and turning himself into the next Paul Gallen.
Without Morris i think we'd be best served with Tafua on his wing....hits like a truck in defeence and not scared of the hard yards coming out of his end. Better option than Uate in D. Merrit worries me because although he is a fantastic finisher, he will struggle physically with the intensity of Origin and Inglis and Hodges would have no problem palming him, unlike bigger guys like Morris's and Ferguson.
I dont think we should pick a utility player either. Farrah can play 80. If lewis and bird are picked they can cover 5/8, centre if a half gets injured........and WHAT if anything is GIDLEY going to give us seriously????? We all know he will get picked only to replace Farah when he's playing well

 

[Someone]

lol merritt. why not just bring steve turner out of retirement

 

[Pete Cash]

Nathan Merritt would struggle to get a game for Canberra. Souths backline is their clear weak link.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

Why are so few people mentioning Trent Merrin??? He is an absolute moral for Origin....been there for four of the last six games and turning himself into the next Paul Gallen.
Without Morris i think we'd be best served with Tafua on his wing....hits like a truck in defeence and not scared of the hard yards coming out of his end. Better option than Uate in D. Merrit worries me because although he is a fantastic finisher, he will struggle physically with the intensity of Origin and Inglis and Hodges would have no problem palming him, unlike bigger guys like Morris's and Ferguson.
I dont think we should pick a utility player either. Farrah can play 80. If lewis and bird are picked they can cover 5/8, centre if a half gets injured........and WHAT if anything is GIDLEY going to give us seriously????? We all know he will get picked only to replace Farah when he's playing well

Where is he going to play? Gallen already has the 13 jersey locked in. No doubt he's playing well, but there's just no space.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

Ferguson will be a disaster under the high ball of Cronk and Thurston. Isn't even a realistic option.

:lol: Oh dear.

 

[RHCP]

Where is he going to play? Gallen already has the 13 jersey locked in. No doubt he's playing well, but there's just no space.

You don't think number 8, 10, 14, 15, 16 or 17 will fit? Or do you genuinely believe he cannot make metres and tackles in the middle of the field without the 13 on his back?

 

[Joely01]

Ashley Graham was top tryscorer too last year, you didn't see people calling for him to be picked for QLD even when a wing spot was open because all he does is fall over the line - just like Merritt.

Um actually there was a push for Graham to get picked last year, but Tate beat him to the free wing spot.....

 

[Spot On]

A pretty good side.Maloney in for me, I worry about Ferguson and 1 too many forwards on the bench.
I would like to give Ryan James a go.

I'd like to see Ryan James "have a go" before he is given a go. Bit soft around the edges that one. Can improve his carries ten fold as well. Would struggle to get involved at Origin level.

 

[Joely01]

You don't think number 8, 10, 14, 15, 16 or 17 will fit? Or do you genuinely believe he cannot make metres and tackles in the middle of the field without the 13 on his back?

He has a point, Merrin is playing great footy but there really isn't room for him.

8. Grant
10. Tamou
11. Bird
12. Lewis
13. Gallen

14. Will be a utility that can play hooker
15. Woods
16. Mannah
17. Watmough

 

[Spot On]

You don't think number 8, 10, 14, 15, 16 or 17 will fit? Or do you genuinely believe he cannot make metres and tackles in the middle of the field without the 13 on his back?

But where do you play him??? Would you include him in the prop rotation or does he replace a backrower??

Is Mannah really being considered for origin again???? Would have thought there would be 6 blokes in front of him this year depending on where Gallen plays.

 

[Joely01]

But where do you play him??? Would you include him in the prop rotation or does he replace a backrower??

Is Mannah really being considered for origin again???? Would have thought there would be 6 blokes in front of him this year depending on where Gallen plays.

You haven't watched Mannah play this year I'm guessing?

 

[Spot On]

You haven't watched Mannah play this year I'm guessing?

Surely you can come up with something better than that overused line.

Please tell me your pecking order for NSW frontrow forwards then. Include Gallen in that list too.

 

[Joely01]

Surely you can come up with something better than that overused line.

Please tell me your pecking order for NSW frontrow forwards then. Include Gallen in that list too.

Tamou
Grant
Mannah
Woods


I haven't chosen Gallen in any of the NSW teams I've named to play as a prop because I don't want him to play their.

And you didn't answer the question, so ill take that as a no you haven't watched Mannah play this year.

 

[Spot On]

You can take it any way you like it. Your question was answered. You just can't work it out.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I didn't realise that you were a Raiders fan, so that explains your keenness for wanting him in there. As I said, I don't believe size is the be all and end all, however Josh Morris and Idris would take a bit of running over.
Maybe NSW need to do what they did in the Meninga days and pick a specialist defender like they did with Chris Mortimer to look after Inglis.

I'm not a Raiders fan but I'd have Ferguson over Josh Morris. Morris is a good NRL player but he doesn't have the physicality and x-factor that Ferguson has.

Ferguson is like a poor man's Greg Inglis, which is actually a compliment.

 

[BranVan3000]

Ashley Graham was top tryscorer too last year, you didn't see people calling for him to be picked for QLD even when a wing spot was open because all he does is fall over the line - just like Merritt.

Graham has been 18th man for Queensland, has been in the maroons camps consistently and has been very close to representing. And he isn't half the winger that Merritt is.

 

[Jono078]

Don't know what the rest of you will think about this, but Kade Snowden..

Been the Knights player of the week for 3 weeks running and putting up good numbers over the last month. Any chance?

 

[gUt]

My team for you merkins at the moment. This team would be 50/50 for a win against the Qld team as it currently stands on form v form and injuries v injuries:

1. Hayne
2. Taufua
3. Jennings
4. Ferguson
5. Gordon
6. Maloney/Carney
7. A. Reynolds
8. Tamou
9. Farah
10. Mannah
11. Watmong
12. Bird
13. Gallen

14. Grant
15. Woods
16. Merrin
17. Lewis

Also I'm a bit surprised no one is talking about Sezer as a future prospect. This guy looks the goods and the Titans have done very well to poach him.

 

[big hit!]

Why are so few people mentioning Trent Merrin??? He is an absolute moral for Origin....been there for four of the last six games and turning himself into the next Paul Gallen.

that's kind of his problem. he's plays the middle ball playing forward now, like Gallen.

Where is he going to play? Gallen already has the 13 jersey locked in. No doubt he's playing well, but there's just no space.

You don't think number 8, 10, 14, 15, 16 or 17 will fit? Or do you genuinely believe he cannot make metres and tackles in the middle of the field without the 13 on his back?

He's not playing as a prop. It's not the role he's so effective at with his club. Prop is the last position I'd shift a player who hasn't played the position regularly at his club. Yes, he's played there in the past but he hasn't this season. The same reason Gallen shouldn't play prop is the same reason Merrin shouldn't play prop so that rules out 4 of those jerseys.

He struggles to get one of the other 2 due to squad balance. Watmough is another small middle forward and can also play over towards the left edge, both of which he does with Manly. That means he can interchange Gallen and Bird (who is expected to play on the left edge if Gallen is the middle forward). The other smaller forward on the bench should be capable of playing on the right to interchange the probable right forward in Lewis, such as T Sims or Hinchcliffe, IMO. A utility for the sake of a utility is a waste of interchanges IMO.

He has a point, Merrin is playing great footy but there really isn't room for him.

8. Grant
10. Tamou
11. Bird
12. Lewis
13. Gallen

14. Will be a utility that can play hooker
15. Woods
16. Mannah
17. Watmough

What do you think about Hinchcliffe? Can fill in on the edge (on the right for Melbourne) and play at Acting Half.

The problem with the utility is that lots of folks believe that it should be a given that one is selected. With QLD, Cronk deserved to be in the team. When Craig Wing was utility, he deserved to be somewhere in the NSW team. It shouldn't be an automatic position that promotes someone who does not deserve to be in the team. I don't believe that is the current situation because I reckon Hinchcliffe is a solid player who can be selected on positional merits alone IMO, but he sure isn't the utility in the mould of Cronk or Wing were. Even as interchange players, they were one of the first players picked in their relevant Origin squads. NSW does not have that player at the moment. QLD didn't have that player once Lockyer retired and Cronk moved onto the run-on and they never really picked one. Bowen didn't last and Gillett is versatile, but is really only an edge forward or centre - one position away from each other.

But where do you play him??? Would you include him in the prop rotation or does he replace a backrower??

Is Mannah really being considered for origin again???? Would have thought there would be 6 blokes in front of him this year depending on where Gallen plays.

This is the dilemma. The make up of the forwards will be dependent upon Daley's wants. Does he want certain players in his squad no matter what and at the cost and sacrifice of positional strength?Or does he want a positionally strong and balanced forward unit? Stuart did the former. Meninga does the latter. Stuart's choice meant he ended up with a smaller forward pack where he disrespected the prop position by playing guys like Gallen, Watmough, & Creagh in there and out of position just so he could realise his back rower wet dream. It may have worked if and only if NSW could win the possession battle, but we didn't and the outcome was QLD's fair dinkum props - Scott, Petero, Hannant, Shillo - wore the NSW smaller forwards down in the middle third of the ground in the 50-70min mark of games.

Merrin isn't the only player that could be hard done by IMO. Hoffman could be considered stiff too but there is Bird ahead of him for the left forward position, and Watmough can play this position as well as the middle position for Gallen from the interchange too.

There are going to be some unlucky footballers weekend after next.

 

[big hit!]

Don't know what the rest of you will think about this, but Kade Snowden..

Been the Knights player of the week for 3 weeks running and putting up good numbers over the last month. Any chance?

3 weeks isn't enough, particularly after he struggled the last time in this arena and at club too.

i wouldn't rule him out for later games if he can keep it up, but he's a bit back in the queue.