Queensland need bigger backs

[salivor]

My backline would be:

1. Bowen
2. Tate
3. Hodges
4. Tonga
5. Slater
6. Lockyer
7. Prince

It's a scary prospect seeing this lot defend but it's been made clear over the last 3 or so years that we need to score 24-30 points to beat NSW.

They're not huge but theres enough size there, Hodges will never play on the wing again and with Berrigan at the Broncos Tate will be a winger in 12 months time. He's got size and speed and has never had the skills to set up an outside man, he's naturally suited to the position.

Prince to play halfback, should never have been dropped in the first place. Let him take the lead in organising the backline and doing most of the kicking and just let Lockyer and Bowen inject themselves into the play when they feel the need ala Johns and Anasta.

And it's not even necessarly about size, it's about having centres who can actually set up an outside man, neither Bowman or Berrigan excel in this area. You put two explosive runners in Tate and Slater either side of guys like Hodges and Tonga and we won't have any problems finding our way over the line.

 

[Johns Magic]

Tate needs to be there somewhere, be it as a winger or a centre



1. Shifcofske
2. Slater
3. Tonga
4. Hodges
5. Tate

That's a big backline.

Shifcofske is the coolest customer in the NRL. He wouldn't let anyone down and defensively he is superb. Safe as houses under the high ball, and gives QLD a genuine goalkicking option. Extra playmaker to take pressure off the halves.

Slater is electric. Certainly not the most reliable player in the game, but his attacking flare will give QLD something they so sorely lacked last night. Being on the wing will take pressure off him. QLD will need a player with his attacking prowess if they are going to amass a large amount of points.

Tonga has size, speed, skill. He has performed admirably in his few representative appearances, and would have shut down the Gasnier-King combination that murdered Berrigan last night.

Hodges, like Tonga has all the attributes a centre should have. He has been outstanding this year for Brisbane, and surely deserves a reprieve in the Origin arena. Has been making line breaks at will at club level.

Brent Tate. The forgotten man. Before Gasnier's recent run in Origin games, Tate was the premier centre in the game. Speed to burn and a great step, defensively he is very sound. Berrigan is not half the player Tate is. On the wing due to his versatility. The only man in Queensland capable of shutting down Matt King.

 

[aqua_duck]

Tate is over rated, never was as good as they made him out to be. He was never the best centre in the world, just a cheap immitation of a player fit to wear that tag.
In any case has never been the same player since Meli made it his sole mission in the game to take him out.

 

[Phillips]

1. Clinton Schifcofske

2. Billy Slater

3. Justin Hodges

4. Willie Tonga

5. ?

Josh Hannay, Steven Bell, Ty Williams & Brent Tate (who i also think is over-rated) come into consideration.

 

[Eelectrica]

Justin Hodges has forced me to change my opionion of him and he would have found a place in my Queensland team for game 3.
Don't know where we are going to find our biggers wingers though. Put Williams on the rack for a few weeks?

 

[Meanie]

I say it again Craig Frawley.

And Tate's not overrated, he's just been injured quite a bit with the neck thing these past 2 seasons. Every game he's played this year he's been sensational (Well besides the Melbourne debacle).

Frawley, Tonga and Hodges would at least match up with the NSW big 4. They're still one short though. Slater and Tate are too small.

 

[Johns Magic]

Tate small?

He's 6 foot 2 and 90 kilos. He's only a touch smaller than Cooper. He's no monster but he holds his own.

 

[Meanie]

Really? I always thought he was smaller for some reason.

 

[bluesbreaker]

6) Jason Smith

 

[aqua_duck]

Tate small?

He's 6 foot 2 and 90 kilos. He's only a touch smaller than Cooper. He's no monster but he holds his own.

He's that not small, just plays below his weight.

 

[Tommy Smith]

This backline would look good for QLD next year. Not too small...

1. Darren LOCKYER
2. Billy SLATER
3. Willie TONGA
4. Justin HODGES
5. Greg INGLIS

Locky has to move back to FB. Just last night he missed another 8 tackles; two lead to tries and another two lead to line-breaks. And throughout the series he missed nearly 30 tackles. His attack is severely blunted and he was much more effective in Origin during his days at FB.

6. John THURSTON
7. Tim SMITH

 

[Johns Magic]

This backline would look good for QLD next year. Not too small...

1. Darren LOCKYER
2. Billy SLATER
3. Willie TONGA
4. Justin HODGES
5. Greg INGLIS

Locky has to move back to FB. Just last night he missed another 8 tackles; two lead to tries and another two lead to line-breaks. And throughout the series he missed nearly 30 tackles. His attack is severely blunted and he was much more effective in Origin during his days at FB.

6. John THURSTON
7. Tim SMITH

Inglis is a Knights junior.

 

[bluesbreaker]

Inglis came to Knights from Qld though, didn't he?

 

[Tommy Smith]

Inglis came to Knights from Qld though, didn't he?

That's what i thought.

He played for the QLD schoolboys side.

From Melbourne Storm Website:

Career
Greg started playing rugby league with the Bowraville Tigers, and from an early age it was clear he was a player of some ability. He was signed by Storm at a junior carnival on the NSW North Coast at 15, before moving to Brisbane to complete his schooling. Was selected for Queensland and Australian schoolboys sides and then under-17s and Junior Kangaroos. Was a member Brisbane Norths U-19s Colts premiership winning side last year and he also made his senior debut as a 17-year-old with the Devils in 2004. He scored a total of six tries in his first 2 games.

 

[strong_latte]

Queensland need bigger hearts.

Nah mate, what they need are bigger balls! They were playin like girls out there last night

 

[JJ]

Gould's right in that they were on their heels too much.

IMO Williams and Thurston just aren't up to it. But it' not so much that the backs need to be bigger (Bowman is big...), it's that they need to be better!!! Apart from Bowen and Lockyer, that's a pretty ordinary backline... no, a very ordinary backline. And Bowen and Lockyer are not the best defensive backs going around

 

[Rastus_in_Melbourne]

This backline would look good for QLD next year. Not too small...

1. Darren LOCKYER
2. Billy SLATER
3. Willie TONGA
4. Justin HODGES
5. Greg INGLIS

Locky has to move back to FB. Just last night he missed another 8 tackles; two lead to tries and another two lead to line-breaks. And throughout the series he missed nearly 30 tackles. His attack is severely blunted and he was much more effective in Origin during his days at FB.

6. John THURSTON
7. Tim SMITH

Funny enough this is the backline I was thinking about myself yesterday. Except I had Bell instead of Inglis. Maybe Prince instead of Thurston. While Lockyer and the Broncos seem to go ok with Lockyer at 5/8, Qld probably needs to play him at fullback.

 

[Misty Bee]

Have a look at their options:

Wesser
Lockeyer
Tonga
Tate
Hodges
Bell
Slater
Bowen
Schifcofske

With potential halves out of:

Lockyer
Prince
Thurston
Marsh
Witt
Wagon

Jason Smith omitted because he had retired from rep footy.

Potentially you'd have

1 Schifcofske
2 Slater
3 Hodges
4 Tate
5 Tonga
6 Lockeyer
7 Prince
14 Marsh.

Plenty of fire power there.

 

[Rastus_in_Melbourne]

I agree Misty, I think Qld have the talent and even size in the backs if they choose to use it. There 4-5 fullbacks for starters, which is depth at that position it's never had.

 

[Saint 60]

I dont know whether they need the bigger backs...or some forwards that will actually work..
Price back with Webb and things may of been different...

Qld forwards did not play poorly...but they were hardly any force, which is whats needed in SoO (usually) lol
Crocker was the best in Qld forwards and hes hardly an enforcer...
ehh
go the blues