The Really Early NSW Team 2012 Thread That Will Be Hated By All!!!

[Dragon2010]

Yeah. I'd probably drop Merrin to. Not that he's a bad player just not an Origin style player. We have to look at a both a mobile and strong forward pack without being too monstrous and sacrificing speed for size. We can beat QLD off the foot in the front-row which is a good think to gain the metres in speed rather then sheer force but we need the strength to make the tackles as well.

 

[timka4]

Yeah. I'd probably drop Merrin to. Not that he's a bad player just not an Origin style player.

I don't think it that, he just doesn't seem developed enough as a player yet to have been in the origin side. It would have been a good experience for him and he could very well be there in the next 2-3 years.

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Forward pack - either:

8. Gallen
9. Farah
10. Galloway
11. Lewis
12. Scott
13. Stewart

14. (utility)
15. Watmough
16. Mannah
17. (prop)

...or:

8. Mannah
9. Farah
10. Galloway
11. Lewis
12. Scott/Stewart
13. Gallen

14. (utility)
15. Watmough
16. (prop)
17. (prop)

Gallen at prop gives us a slightly more versatile and mobile pack, allowing Stewart at lock to inject some skill, but sacrifices an extra prop and hence affecting our ability to bash our way up the field. The backrow options are all set in stone IMO, with Galloway definitely getting one prop spot for being selected in the Australian team, and Mannah for being the best prop in the last Origin series for NSW.

The questions are who would fill the other prop vacancies - Tim Grant, Kade Snowden, Luke Douglas, Trent Merrin, Aiden Tolman, Tariq Sims and the injury prone Tom Learoyd-Lahrs are all viable options IMO. I would only play the wide-running Tariq Sims though if Gallen is at lock, otherwise we will fall into the mistake of fielding a pack that is simply too small to combat the big QLD forwards.

The bench utility spot in a bit of a question mark. Gidley has held this spot down for a while now, but personally I think he is rubbish and overrated. Greg Bird is strong, can play in the halves if needed too, and has been in good form, while Tony Williams, though a terrible selection for Australia, is versatile enough to play at wing, centre and backrow.

 

[timka4]

In most of our teams we haven't named Gidley, but he will be there so it definitely changes a lot of our teams around just to fit him in. Whether that be adding or subtracting props or backrowers from our bench and it'll change where Gallen will play. All just for Gidley lol

 

[timka4]

Thought Lawrence played really good today despite the great lack of ball he got in the first half. I also though Galloway had a good game too.
Lewis was great again like he always is in the Aus jersey, Watmough was solid.
Uate played his usual good game, besides the blunder lol.
Gallen was just classic Gallen.
Still not overly convinced of Williams, yeah he made a break but that's because whoever missed the tackle put in 0 effort to tackle him.
I think Lawrence and Galloway (if he gets more than 10 minutes) will be handy additions in next years origin no doubt

 

[Allstar Knights]

I'm a big Gidley critic at rep level but to be fair, when he's energetic around dummy half, he can create plenty of chances and he has the ability to lift the whole side. That's not excusing the dumb shit he does too ... but if he can get some of it out of his game and I'm sure Bennett will help with that, then bringing him on off the bench is handy. Especially when Ennis and Farah have struggled to match the type of attacking flair Gidley has shown for NSW when he's on his game.

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Well you can almost put together the team based on Australian incumbency.

1. Stewart (Australian reserve, pulled out for personal reasons)
2. Hayne (reportedly would have been in squad if not injured)
3. Lawrence (Australian centre)
4. Jamal Idris (unless Lyon plays representative again, he is the best right centre available)
5. Akuila Uate (Australian winger)
6. Jamie Soward
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Paul Gallen (Australian prop)
9. Robbie Farah (Australian reserve)
10. Keith Galloway (Australian prop)
11. Luke Lewis (Australian backrow)
12. Beau Scott (Australian reserve)
13. Glenn Stewart (Australian reserve, pulled out for personal reasons)

14. Kurt Gidley/Greg Bird
15. Anthony Watmough (Australian backrow)
16. Tim Mannah
17. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs

Soward and Pearce are selected mainly to keep some continuity in the halves. Mannah and Learoyd-Lahrs have been NSW's best available props over the past two seasons (TLL moreso in 2010, Mannah in 2011).

Kurt Gidley is the incumbent utility for NSW, but Bird can offer so much more, and if Farah can maintain 80, Bird can simply slot into the backrow and do his usual business. Another utility option is Tony Williams I guess...

Unless they are willing to shift Jennings to right centre, or Jamie Lyon comes out of representative retirement, Idris seems the only solid right centre option. A last resort option could be to shift Beau Scott out to the centres and bring Tony Williams into the 17.

 

[timka4]

Jennings or Lawrence will play right centre before Jamal does, unless he learns how to defend and shift in defense at the titans

 

[Yosh]

Kurt would have been in the Aus squad if he didn't pull out with injury.

 

[RHCP]

Just because Tim Sheens is losing his marbles doesn't mean Sticky needs to follow suit.

 

[Dragon2010]

Kurt played good in GameII this year. Repeat that and he will be a class Origin player for NSW no doubt. Bennett should help him there.

 

[timka4]

He did because he kept his game simple, he is a good player when he keeps his game simple. But his problem is that sometimes he tries to be too fancy and he isn't that type of player and he usually forces a play that isn't on

 

[Pazza]

Will he be playing 5/8 at Newie?

i imagine that you guys will have:

1.Boyd
6.Gids
7.Mullen
9.Buderus

 

[timka4]

I think most of us Knights supporters have agreed that Gids will play in the 7 or 9 (if so, Buderus will start on the bench).
However, with Mullen's best position being 5/8th, we think Gidley will play a similar role to Hornby and just let Mullen play his natural game out wider.
Of course this isn't all of the knights fans view I must add, just the majority from what I've read and posted (so don't come raging)

If Mullen and Gids play well enough we might see them both in the halves. Pearce has exactly lit the arena on fire yet and we all know Gidley will be there so....

 

[boxhead]

Hayne needs to be in a position that stops him from passing the freakin ball.

Centre suited him perfectly because he is there to run, and run is what he does best.

Err, how many tries has he set up in the past few years with his passing game, both long and short, despite our team having one of the worst backlines in the competition? Your also forgetting his amazing tally of line-break assists.
But according to you, he shouldn't pass the ball :roll:

 

[perverse]

odds are very good for

1. Boyd (1. Boyd)
6. Mullen (6. Soward)
7. Gidley (c) (7. Hornby (c))
9. Buderus (9. Fein)

next year at the Knights.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Yep, with Hilder signed on for a further 2 seasons, I cant see Gids being used at hooker.

 

[jbl31649]

I'm a big Gidley critic at rep level but to be fair, when he's energetic around dummy half, he can create plenty of chances and he has the ability to lift the whole side. That's not excusing the dumb shit he does too ... but if he can get some of it out of his game and I'm sure Bennett will help with that, then bringing him on off the bench is handy. Especially when Ennis and Farah have struggled to match the type of attacking flair Gidley has shown for NSW when he's on his game.

Kurt played good in GameII this year. Repeat that and he will be a class Origin player for NSW no doubt. Bennett should help him there.

He did because he kept his game simple, he is a good player when he keeps his game simple. But his problem is that sometimes he tries to be too fancy and he isn't that type of player and he usually forces a play that isn't on

He was the difference in attack in Game II. Ennis provided nothing in attack. Granted he does put great pressure on the kickers in D, but Gids was getting the ball out and splitting the markers
.

Even if he doesn't play hooker at the Knights, he can still fill it in SOO. As much as I feel Robbie should be there, I cant see Ricky picking Robbie.


Big Mack's side is very good aside from Idris and I can see Tariq Simms appearing in there somewhere.

Have Gids at Hooker and it free's up a place on the bench. With him and Lewis we are covered for any in game injuries.

Still like Hayne at centre with Lawerence and M.Gordon on the wing (and gives us qualitiy goal kicking). But even Jennings could fit in.

It's funny though from all the sides I've seen posted, I bet where not even close to what Ricky's thinking.....!

 

[timka4]

I thought Ricky selected pretty well this year, yes there were the usual players that no-one really wants (Morris, Creagh, King) but other than that he made some good selection ie Leaving out Idris and putting in someone like Hopoate was a big call to make and it succeeded.

 

[isaiah]

Well you can almost put together the team based on Australian incumbency.

1. Stewart (Australian reserve, pulled out for personal reasons)
2. Hayne (reportedly would have been in squad if not injured)
3. Lawrence (Australian centre)
4. Jamal Idris (unless Lyon plays representative again, he is the best right centre available)
5. Akuila Uate (Australian winger)
6. Jamie Soward
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Paul Gallen (Australian prop)
9. Robbie Farah (Australian reserve)
10. Keith Galloway (Australian prop)
11. Luke Lewis (Australian backrow)
12. Beau Scott (Australian reserve)
13. Glenn Stewart (Australian reserve, pulled out for personal reasons)

14. Kurt Gidley/Greg Bird
15. Anthony Watmough (Australian backrow)
16. Tim Mannah
17. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs

Soward and Pearce are selected mainly to keep some continuity in the halves. Mannah and Learoyd-Lahrs have been NSW's best available props over the past two seasons (TLL moreso in 2010, Mannah in 2011).

Kurt Gidley is the incumbent utility for NSW, but Bird can offer so much more, and if Farah can maintain 80, Bird can simply slot into the backrow and do his usual business. Another utility option is Tony Williams I guess...

Unless they are willing to shift Jennings to right centre, or Jamie Lyon comes out of representative retirement, Idris seems the only solid right centre option. A last resort option could be to shift Beau Scott out to the centres and bring Tony Williams into the 17.

doesnt strike much fear, most of these have tried and looked ordinary. even without lockyer, its just cronk and thurston in the halves with either barba or cherry evans on the bench, IMO