QLD team for Game 2

[Hutty1986]

No Ferguson, no Hayne, no Stewart and Farah is barely in on field condition. I don't quite understand what you're concerned about.

Farah will be fine & Dugan is in excellent form. Though I have a feeling if those guys you mentioned were playing, you'd be calling them ordinary and how Qld will win by 20+ anyway..

 

[Mig2006]

We need Hannant's metres! Myles is a tackling Prop - in current form, he's not going to run 140+ metres and that was our problem in game one. I don't like the bench but I do applaud the dropping of Harro and Shillington.

 

[Knightmare]

My biggest concern is if Qld constantly get within 20 metres of their tryline. Provided NSW (via their forward pack) control posession (dictate terms?) and don't just consistently make big metres from inside the Blues' 50 but regularly get within 40 metres of the NSW tryline then I am fairly confident.

 

[chigurh]

For the first time in 7 years in a live rubber am I truly worried about being beaten at Suncorp. No props = no go forward. Hannant... I am just flummoxed!

Me too. The players picked are all quality, but the balance is way off.

The pack was beaten in game 1 so how they think the answer to that is to go in with only one prop is a bit beyond me. :?

 

[Frank_Grimes]

Take your pick, or use both.

Raw nerve confirmed. Johnsy = rattled.

 

[Shorty]

That is true, but going into that game neither side had the advantage. NSW have a better forward pack than Qld, their forwards dominating was a major part in the Blues' convincing performance (and victory) in Game 1. If I were the Qld selectors, I would have done everything possible to match NSW in the forwards for Game 2. Granted, this is Origin and I have written off players before who subsequently turned in a solid performance, but my biggest concern looking at the match ups going into this one is Merritt. I'm sure Qld will improve on their performance last match, but I'm fairly confident NSW will improve as well, especially in the area that allowed Qld back into the contest- ball control.

I think the forward packs are about on par on paper, and NSW is definitely hungrier.
As I said before, the Queensland team, as a whole was underwhelming.
NSW completely ambushed (though they should have expected it) in enthusiasm and aggression.

Like I said the DCE selection is puzzling but I think that if the forward pack actually fires it will be game on.

 

[Knightmare]

Hungrier- that is the key word.

Even in last years' series, Qld weren't as energetic or creative in attack as what we'd grown accustomed to. Then to play even worse in the opening game of the series this year is ominous. Aside from the fact they are playing at home and it's a sudden death result for them, I can't think of what motivation they might have that NSW don't have. Plus I get the feeling that, after 7 years, the Blues will indeed be hungrier.

 

[Maroon4life]

I like our starting pack, i think it will get us the start we needed now that we've shed the pillow and harrisson. The team could only be improved by replacing gillett with hannant. Their asking Scott to have a massive game.

I'm concerned about our go forward when the interchanges start. I think its cocky of our selectors to be that confident not to take Hannant into this game, he's done this before and played a great game last night, put him in.

 

[Shorty]

Hungrier- that is the key word.

Even in last years' series, Qld weren't as energetic or creative in attack as what we'd grown accustomed to.

Well, that's what winning so often will do to you, complacency is human nature and it was bound to happen.
Losing so often will make you even more determined also.

That's why I think they've put DCE to inject some excitement and youth into the game, which NSW has heaps of.

Then to play even worse in the opening game of the series this year is ominous. Aside from the fact they are playing at home and it's a sudden death result for them, I can't think of what motivation they might have that NSW don't have. Plus I get the feeling that, after 7 years, the Blues will indeed be hungrier.

lol it's not ominous, they underestimated NSW, who knows how they'll perform with a fire up the butt and 52,000 screaming Queenslanders behind them.

I do think NSW has it this year, but I don't believe they get it at Suncorp.

 

[user_nat]

So Mal watched game 1 and decided that what we needed was even less props.

Rightio.

 

[johns_reds]

Only one specialist front rower? What the hell are they thinking?

If NSW had of gone with a similar balance, they would have been laughed at.

I have no idea why we have suddenly gone away from our winning formula of 3-4 front rowers + Myles and Thaiday.

Agree 100% with this, I do not understand their thinking this year

 

[typicalfan]

This is the worst QLD side on paper for a while imo. The Blues have the advantage in the forwards and off the bench now. Cherry Evans is a bit of a strange pick. The bench is ordinary for QLD no big men and very inexperienced. I would have given the team another chance.

 

[Tweed Titan]

They dropped the right players but ruined team balance. Papilli for Harrison is good, Pillow should have been replaced by Hannant. Queensland will be hard to beat at Suncorp still.

Thanks Qld for picking one prop,


Regards,

NSW

 

[ggmu]

Not happy at all with the 1 prop picked just asking for trouble IMO.

 

[johns_reds]

We'll probably lose this year but they'll learn their lesson and pick 3-4 props next year

 

[Spot On]

“We are all in the same boat, in a stormy sea, and we owe each other a terrible loyalty.”

Not sticking solid anymore hey.

If QLD do lose the second game it will be interesting to see who gets the arse for game 3. You'd have to think Tate, Boyd and Thaiday are going close to the chopping block.

 

[Knightmare]

Well, that's what winning so often will do to you, complacency is human nature and it was bound to happen.
Losing so often will make you even more determined also.

That's why I think they've put DCE to inject some excitement and youth into the game, which NSW has heaps of.

lol it's not ominous, they underestimated NSW, who knows how they'll perform with a fire up the butt and 52,000 screaming Queenslanders behind them.

I do think NSW has it this year, but I don't believe they get it at Suncorp.

That is true, but the NSW team are well aware of that. The majority of the side faced this exact scenario 11 months ago and came within a bees' dick of winning. They will be very, very eager to go one step better this time. Especially Robbie Farah...

 

[timka4]

Well, that's what winning so often will do to you, complacency is human nature and it was bound to happen.
Losing so often will make you even more determined also.

Also Slater, Thurston, Harrison, Thaiday, Shillington aren't as good as what they use to be from 06-11. Still good players but not as good. Also the Cronk/Thurston combo is overrated imo, even for aus, it's the best australia has no doubt and is better than NSW's halves pairing, but it's no Thurston/Lockyer either. That alongside NSW being hungrier, players that are actually threatnening is what has evened up the playing field massively.

 

[big hit!]

So I'm assuming they will run out as follows:

1. Slater
2. Boyd
3. Inglis
4. Hodges
5. Tate
6. Thurston
7. Cronk
8. Scott
9. Smith
10. Myles
11. McQueen
12. Thaiday
13. Parker

14. Te'o
15. Gillett
16. Papalii
17. DCE

I've structured the bench in the order as to how I think they'll be subbed on. Te'o for Myles, Gillett for Scott, Papalii for impact and DCE - maybe late in either half?

Parker starting at lock is a no-brainer. He's completely outplayed Harrison of late, but McQueen starting in the 2nd row is a big call, and no replacement prop is another head-scratcher.

Are T'eo and Gillett going to play in the middle? What's baffling is that both these players play on the edge week-in, week-out.

Scott, Myles & Parker are going to need a spell and the three forwards on the bench are logically the ones that will rotate with them through the guts. I can't see any other way it can work.

The issue isn't whether the forwards are backrowers or props. The issue is where they play on the field. NSW's are predominantly dominant middle forwards/props week-in and week-out. Gallen, Watmough, Merrin, Woods, Fifita all play in the middle. The only positional change is Bird who normally plays on the left at GC, but the middle isn't foreign to him either.

Imagine T'eo, Gillett & Papalli on the park up against Fifita, Watmough & Merrin after the first round of changes at 18-20 mins? Advantage Blues.

To negate this, Scott & myles will be playing more minutes and Meninga falling into the errors NSW committed for years with Gallen & Bird playing big minutes and losing impact.

 

[Maroon4life]

Are T'eo and Gillett going to play in the middle? What's baffling is that both these players play on the edge week-in, week-out.

Scott, Myles & Parker are going to need a spell and the three forwards on the bench are logically the ones that will rotate with them through the guts. I can't see any other way it can work.

The issue isn't whether the forwards are backrowers or props. The issue is where they play on the field. NSW's are predominantly dominant middle forwards/props week-in and week-out. Gallen, Watmough, Merrin, Woods, Fifita all play in the middle. The only positional change is Bird who normally plays on the left at GC, but the middle isn't foreign to him either.

Imagine T'eo, Gillett & Papalli on the park up against Fifita, Watmough & Merrin after the first round of changes at 18-20 mins? Advantage Blues.

To negate this, Scott & myles will be playing more minutes and Meninga falling into the errors NSW committed for years with Gallen & Bird playing big minutes and losing impact.

I agree with what you're saying but some of Scott's best games for QLD have been 30 minute stints in the first half before comming off, if he can produce one of those it sure's up our middle alot more. Like i said earlier their asking Scott to have a big game.

I think people are underestimating the starting pack. It will get on the front foot and i believe win the opening 20 minutes, The impact of Teo and Papali vs Fifita and Merrin will be the worrying factors leading into half time. Gillett just shouldn't be there, i still think hes cashing in on his rookie of the year award. Having Hannant come on would keep us golden the whole game.