Queensland Maroons 2019

[Big Pete]

Interesting to see Milford being pushed as the utility. It seems like this has gained traction over the past couple of weeks but I'm not sure if it would be wise. Milford can only play five-eighth or fullback and I think it's imperative that the utility should be able to handle multiple positions.

Arrow has to be in the starting side.

It's going to be interesting to see who will captain the Maroons. With GI gone, that generation is all but gone with Matt Gillett being the longest serving Maroon having debuted in 2012. Gillett doesn't strike me as a leader and if you're to believe the narrative being floated in the media it will be between Daly Cherry-Evans, Cameron Munster and Michael Morgan. Morgan's utility status may see him miss out since there's every possibility he may come off the bench at some point. So it becomes a contest between Munster and Cherry-Evans which on paper is a fairly straight forward equation, but I don't think it will be that straight forward.

By virtue of captaining his club side, you would say Cherry-Evans, but the Maroons selectors were so weird about his inclusion in the side, they may talk themselves into Munster. I think if Cherry-Evans is fit, he'd be the clear option, but the Maroons have a huge rap on Munster and they see him as an Origin legend.

If Cherry-Evans is ruled out, I would like to see Morgo get it in the interim. I'm a subscriber to Gus' opinion that your half should be your captain and Morgo seems to be the most qualified of the lot. I also don't think the Maroons can afford to be too loyal to this generation of talent until they prove themselves.

 

[Big Pete]

Origin By the Numbers Squad
1. Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
2. Justin O'Neil (North Queensland Cowboys)
3. Hymel Hunt (Newcastle Knights)
4. Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
5. Corey Oates (Brisbane Broncos)
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles)
8. Dylan Napa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
9. Reed Mahoney (Parramatta Eels)
10. Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
11. David Fifita (Brisbane Broncos)
12. Kurt Capewell (Cronulla Sharks)
13. Jai Arrow (Gold Coast Titans)

Honorable Mentions
Anthony Milford, Dale Copley, Corey Norman, Michael Morgan, Ben Hunt, Corey Thompson

I always enjoy Big League's annual exercise where they pour through the stats and come up with the best 17.

A couple of points

Their weighting system is:
Runs: 15
Running Metres: 25
Offloads: 30
Tackle-Breaks: 30
Tackles: 20
Line-Breaks: 60
Line-Break Assists: 40
Try Assists: 60
Tries: 70
Forced Dropouts: 25
Post-Contact Metres: 12
Missed Tackles: -20
Penalties: -40
Errors: -30

Also, Big League had Jake Friend as the stand-out as dummy half, but obviously injury ruled him out.

What I like about this list is that it tosses up a few names that aren't discussed in the media but should definitely be in the frame. Hymel Hunt has been a surprisingly good acquisition for the Newcastle Knights. Last year it seemed like he was going to transition into the second row, but he's picked up the dream spot of playing on the left edge at Newcastle outside of Ponga and he's been really solid. Hymel Hunt was a member of the 2015 Emerging Maroons and while he won't be Walters first choice, he will be a part of the 2020 Emerging Maroons and could very well push for a spot.

Kurt Capewell has been a really solid edge runner for Cronulla. He's really come a long way in his career. He started his professional career off at the Brisbane Broncos as a backline utility and filled in every position. He's since found himself on an edge and while his versatility has probably hurt his game because he hasn't been able to commit to a position, he's taken another step forward in Wade Graham's stead. He'd struggle to make a full strength Sharks side, let alone a full strength Maroons side, but he definitely needs to be a part of the Maroons 2020 Emerging squad and if he can continue to develop his game you never know.

 

[some11]

Well well well, how the turntables.

Such a lack of depth means considering Granville or Mbye.

 

[big hit!]

Well well well, how the turntables.

Such a lack of depth means considering Granville or Mbye.

Smith will play. It'd be great if he does.

 

[Big Pete]

Matt Ballin's Queensland XIII for Game I
1. Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
2. Corey Oates (Brisbane Broncos)
3. Michael Morgan (North Queensland Cowboys)
4. Will Chambers (Melbourne Storm)
5. Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles)
8. Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
9. Jake Granville (North Queensland Cowboys)
10. Josh McGuire (North Queensland Cowboys)
11. Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm)
12. Matt Gillett (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Jai Arrow (Gold Coast Titans)

14. Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra Dragons)
15. Mat Scott (North Queensland Cowboys)
16. Coen Hess (North Queensland Cowboys)
17. Dylan Napa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

18. Ethan Lowe (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Mal Meninga's Queensland XIII for Game I
1. Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
2. Corey Oates (Brisbane Broncos)
3. Michael Morgan (North Queensland Cowboys)
4. Will Chambers (Melbourne Storm)
5. Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles)
8. Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
9. Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra Dragons)
10. Dylan Napa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
11. Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm)
12. Matt Gillett (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Josh McGuire (North Queensland Cowboys)

14. Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers)
15. Jai Arrow (Gold Coast Titans)
16. Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane Broncos)
17. Ethan Lowe (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

18. Jake Granville (North Queensland Cowboys)
19. Jarrod Wallace (Gold Coast Titans)

 

[aqua_duck]

Apparently Jai Arrow has been injured at training

 

[isaiah]

Matt Ballin's Queensland XIII for Game I
1. Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
2. Corey Oates (Brisbane Broncos)
3. Michael Morgan (North Queensland Cowboys)
4. Will Chambers (Melbourne Storm)
5. Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles)
8. Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
9. Jake Granville (North Queensland Cowboys)
10. Josh McGuire (North Queensland Cowboys)
11. Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm)
12. Matt Gillett (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Jai Arrow (Gold Coast Titans)

14. Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra Dragons)
15. Mat Scott (North Queensland Cowboys)
16. Coen Hess (North Queensland Cowboys)
17. Dylan Napa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

18. Ethan Lowe (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Mal Meninga's Queensland XIII for Game I
1. Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
2. Corey Oates (Brisbane Broncos)
3. Michael Morgan (North Queensland Cowboys)
4. Will Chambers (Melbourne Storm)
5. Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles)
8. Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
9. Jake Granville (North Queensland Cowboys)
10. Dylan Napa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
11. Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm)
12. Matt Gillett (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Josh McGuire (North Queensland Cowboys)

14. Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers)
15. Jai Arrow (Gold Coast Titans)
16. Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane Broncos)
17. Ethan Lowe (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

18. Jake Granville (North Queensland Cowboys)
19. Jarrod Wallace (Gold Coast Titans)

Funny that ballin must know more about good origin players than mal. Much better side. No ofahengaue is a start.

 

[SBD82]

Funny that ballin must know more about good origin players than mal. Much better side. No ofahengaue is a start.

Mal must really rate Granville. He’s got him at 9 and as the 18th man.

Ballins side looks the goods. As a NSW supporter it’s the one that i’d least like to face.

 

[King hit]

Mal must really rate Granville. He’s got him at 9 and as the 18th man.

Ballins side looks the goods. As a NSW supporter it’s the one that i’d least like to face.

People like Ballin usually know more about the game then what people like Meninga do.

 

[Big Pete]

Funny that ballin must know more about good origin players than mal. Much better side. No ofahengaue is a start.

I disagree.

In a bygone era where Queensland had the likes of Price, Civoniceiva, Scott and Shillington playing for them I would have been opposed to Ofahengaue's selection, but right now beggers can't be choosers. Outside of Josh Papalii, none of the Queensland front row forwards 'deserve' to be there, so Kev, Locky and Billy have to pick from an ordinary bunch.

Ofahengaue doesn't look out of place among that lot. He's got issues defensively, but the other options are hardly better in that department and he usually does a good job off the bench for the Broncos. I'd like to think he still has improvement in his game and deserves the opportunity to test himself in this environment.

At a time where a player like Dylan Napa can be considered a certainty, Queensland cannot afford to be pretentious over Ofahengaue.

 

[Vic Mackey]

So apparently Moses Mbye was going to be on the bench, he has however done his whole state a solid and injured himself at training

 

[isaiah]

Is coen Hess out now too?

 

[isaiah]

I disagree.

In a bygone era where Queensland had the likes of Price, Civoniceiva, Scott and Shillington playing for them I would have been opposed to Ofahengaue's selection, but right now beggers can't be choosers. Outside of Josh Papalii, none of the Queensland front row forwards 'deserve' to be there, so Kev, Locky and Billy have to pick from an ordinary bunch.

Ofahengaue doesn't look out of place among that lot. He's got issues defensively, but the other options are hardly better in that department and he usually does a good job off the bench for the Broncos. I'd like to think he still has improvement in his game and deserves the opportunity to test himself in this environment.

At a time where a player like Dylan Napa can be considered a certainty, Queensland cannot afford to be pretentious over Ofahengaue.

Disagree, I like Papalii, Scott, Wallace, Maguire, Arrow if fit, and Napa as our middle forwards. And David Fifita or Gavin Cooper in if Arrow is out.

 

[Big Pete]

Disagree, I like Papalii, Scott, Wallace, Maguire, Arrow if fit, and Napa as our middle forwards. And David Fifita or Gavin Cooper in if Arrow is out.

That's fine, but I feel Ofahengaue deserves an opportunity and that players like Scott, Wallace and Cooper have had theirs. I respect what Scott has done for Queensland, but his form for North Queensland has been patchy and he really struggles when the game is played up tempo.

 

[some11]

So apparently Moses Mbye was going to be on the bench, he has however done his whole state a solid and injured himself at training

They're going to pick him regardless apparently.

I don't get it, maybe they're been watching different games to me.

 

[Sphagnum]

Mums all over QLD having to clean the splooge off their husbands and son's sheets after Haas and Fifita both get picked for origin 1.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Mbye? Huh

 

[Haffa]

Good side QLD. You're the clear favourites. Hopefully the underdog blues can lift

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Gee the greater fifita family.. aren't too imaginative with their Christian names are they..

 

[King hit]

Thought Granville would’ve been a shoe in after his game on Saturday