1. Dugan/Coote
7. Pearce
9. Ennis
13. Lewis
That is the core.
Wing spots - Kevin Gordon, Akuila Uate, Brett Morris and Chris Lawrence should fight for these. All of them are big, great in the air, lightning fast, strong and top finishers.
Centre spots - Joel Thompson and Jamal Idris fighting for one spot, Josh Morris and Michael Jennings fighting for the other spot. One side will have a sizable and powerful line-running centre, and the other will have a speedier strike centre.
Five-eighth - the two smaller options are Soward and Carney. Both are in decent form with nippy running games and big boots, but their tackling is questionable. Sutton and Campese are the larger options, but their creativity on a consistent basis under pressure isn't confirmed yet either. Bird is another option if Gidley is the utility.
Props - must pick four strong props. Snowden is a definite starter, and Mannah is a definite benchie, leaving two empty spots. For the workhorse prop to start with Snowden, I think King was a pretty poor option, and I feel that Douglas or Tolman would have been a better option. As for the impact man to partner Mannah on the bench, I don't mind TLL but I think Galloway might have been worth a shot.
Backrow - three slots; a workhorse, a linebreaker, and an allrounder. Workhorse slot should go to Heighington or O'Donnell, as they are well ahead of Waterhouse, Hindmarsh and Stewart on form. Linebreaker would go to Watmough because he is proven, but Mitchell Aubusson and Mark Minichiello would have to be pressing for his spot. Allrounder spot would have to go to either Gallen or Bird.
Utility - Bird or Gidley, no other real options out there.
So:
1. (Dugan/Coote)
2. (Gordon/Uate/Morris/Lawrence)
3. (Thompson/Idris)
4. (Morris/Jennings)
5. (Gordon/Uate/Morris/Lawrence)
6. (Carney/Soward/Campese/Sutton/Bird)
7. Pearce
8. Snowden
9. (Ennis/Farah)
10. (Douglas/Tolman)
11. (Gallen/Bird)
12. (Heighington/O'Donnell)
13. Lewis
14. (Bird/Gidley)
15. (Watmough/Aubusson/Minichiello)
16. (Learoyd-Lahrs/Galloway)
17. Mannah
Bird should be a priority pick though - if he doesn't get the five-eighth or backrow spot, he HAS to be on the bench at the expense of Gidley. Too good to be left out.
Therefore, a nice selection squad for NSW with plenty of youth, aggression and flexibility will be available.