WHO says the NSW Blues can’t win the State of Origin opener on Wednesday night?
Here are my reasons why the experts might be wrong.
1. Queensland has picked their best fullback in the centres.
2. The Hayne Plane is back to his spectacular 2009 Dally M form.
3. Mitchell Pearce didn’t get picked at halfback.
4. Paul Gallen has got the biggest ticker since Phar Lap.
5. The Blues have been off the drink for a week.
6. The Maroons are getting old.
7. Queenslanders are so complacent the game hasn’t even sold out.
8. Mal Meninga really thinks he is the Maroons’ coach.
9. Laurie Daley won five series as a player and knows what it takes.
10. Queensland has picked their best halfback on the bench.
11. Josh Papalii is playing more like a park footballer than an Origin star.
12. Darius Boyd has been playing even worse in the Knights’ backline.
13. In six games Justin Hodges hasn’t scored a try this year.
14. Hodges also hasn’t made a linebreak all season.
15. Josh Reynolds’ niggling tactics will put Johnathan Thurston off his game.
16. Daniel Tupou is the game’s best high-flyer since Israel Folau.
17. Coffs Harbour doesn’t have a King Cross.
18. Billy Slater has been shaky under the high ball all season.
19. No Blake Ferguson-type distractions this year in the build-up to the game.
20. While we’ve been preparing for a footy game, the Maroons have been practising dance moves.
21. The NSW starting back-rowers have nine line-break assists to Queensland’s two this season.
22. The Blues wingers have scored 11 tries to their opponents’ six this year.
23. Blues selectors chose the team on form, not reputations.
24. The referees are finally awake to Cameron Smith’s attempts to influence them.
25. Queensland didn’t pick Dave Taylor (he was sensational on Saturday night against the Warriors).
26. The bounce of the ball and close refereeing calls are long overdue to go our way.
27. The Hayne Plane didn’t play in games two and three last year.
28. Darius Boyd is more worried about his next pay cheque.
29. Ryan Hoffman has leaked all the Storm big three’s sneaky tricks to Laurie Daley.
30. Paul Gallen and Trent Merrin have averaged more metres than any other Origin forwards this year.
31. Daniel Tupou was just 14 when we last won a series (law of averages suggest it’s our turn).
32. We’ll do it for Birdy.
33. Corey Parker, with his grey hair, looks more like one of the Maroons FOGS.
34. Time is running out for Lewis, Gallen and Watmough to win a series.
35. Laurie Daley hasn’t phoned Phillip Ronald Gould for advice.
36. Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson know how to win tight games. The Dogs have won three by one point.
37. Nate Myles is still terrified of Paul Gallen’s fists.
38. Trent Merrin doesn’t have to carry his Dragons team mates.
39. The Maroons will desperately miss Sammy Thaiday’s power and experience.
40. The Hayne Plane leads Billy Slater in tries, tackle busts and try assists this year.
41. Gorden Tallis and The Mole are tipping Queensland.
42. Beau Scott tackles like a machine and is the toughest man on the field.
43. Paul Gallen missed the decider last year.
44. The Blues three-quarter line has scored 19 tries compared to Queensland’s 11 this year.
45. Chris McQueen has been struggling to make the Souths starting team.
46. Trent Hodkinson is a better goal-kicker than Thurston, Smith and Parker put together.
47. Josh Morris shutdown Greg Inglis last year.
48. Aaron Woods is twice the player he was when he debuted last season.
49. Tony ‘T-Rex’ Williams is back to his barnstorming best.
50. There are no Cronulla Sharks in the Queensland team.
