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The SOO issue

Special K

Coach
Messages
19,560
If wade isn’t in there it’s because of something. Freddy picked wade with basically no games last year and same with Tom this year. Freddy and wade are super close. Wade is also easily one of the 27 best players NSW has.

I think wade may be in need of a break and some relief with the bubble. It’s been a massive year, his role with the RLPA and he just had his second kid during it all. Probably just wants to be a human for a few weeks.Origin bubble would start soon and go until basically December. That’s a long time to be not allowed to be out of the house.
 
Messages
15,224
NSW coach Brad Fittler has controversially cut one of the game's premier front-rowers, Knights prop David Klemmer, from his 27-man squad.

Klemmer's teammates from last series-winning game three triumph, Mitchell Pearce and Wade Graham, were also notable absentees from Fittler's updated squad on Sunday night.

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David Klemmer has been left out of NSW's State of Origin squad.CREDIT:NRL PHOTOS

The omission of Pearce and Graham hardly came as a surprise given their form in 2020, but Klemmer has been averaging 175 metres a game this season and is the incumbent starting Australian prop.

Klemmer is also one of NSW's most capped players with 14 games of a possible 15 over the past five series, but his position in the team has been somewhat clouded in conjecture since Fittler took over in 2018.

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In his first series in charge, Fittler was set to overlook Klemmer in favour of Ryan James, who had been booked on a plane from the Gold Coast to Sydney, only to change his mind at the 11th hour.

After missing Origin II in Perth, Klemmer was then initially left out for game three last year before being included following a suspension to Tariq Sims.

The news comes a week after Fittler left out Sims and Paul Vaughan, who both featured in NSW's series victory last year.

Fittler added just two names to his squad on Sunday night, calling in Klemmer's Knights teammate Daniel Saifiti and Dragons centre Zac Lomax as a replacement for the unavailable Tom Trbojevic, who withdrew this week through injury.

Fittler will continue to add players to his squad as teams are knocked out of the premiership race in the coming weeks. As it stands, six of the 27 spots in the squad have been filled. Saifiti and Lomax join Payne Haas, Tyson Frizell, Jake Trbojevic and Cameron McInnes.

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The selected players will be permitted to temporarily leave the NRL bubble introduced this season because of the COVID-19 pandemic and will be required to maintain a level of fitness before re-entering the bubble again for the start of camp on the Central Coast on October 19.

NSW BLUES POTENTIAL 27-MAN SQUAD
Backs (nine spots)
Safe: James Tedesco, Josh Addo-Carr, Jack Wighton, Zac Lomax*
Fighting for five spots: Ryan Papenhuyzen, Clint Gutherson, Nick Cotric, Blake Ferguson, Daniel Tupou, Stephen Crichton, Campbell Graham

Halves and hookers (five-six spots)
Safe: Luke Keary, Nathan Cleary, Damien Cook, Cody Walker, Cameron McInnes*
Fighting for two-three spots: Mitchell Moses, Api Koroisau

Forwards (12-13 spots)
Safe: Payne Haas*, Tyson Frizell*, Boyd Cordner, Cameron Murray, Jake Trbojevic*, Daniel Saifiti*
Fighting for six-seven spots: Junior Paulo, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Dale Finucane, Nathan Brown, Ryan Matterson, Angus Crichton, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo

Likely NSW team for Origin I
  1. James Tedesco
  2. Josh Addo-Carr
  3. Zac Lomax/Stephen Crichton/Clint Gutherson
  4. Jack Wighton
  5. Daniel Tupou/Nick Cotric
  6. Luke Keary
  7. Nathan Cleary
  8. Daniel Saifiti
  9. Damien Cook
  10. Payne Haas
  11. Tyson Frizell
  12. Boyd Cordner (c)
  13. Jake Trbojevic
Reserves

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14. Cameron Murray 15. Junior Paulo/Reagan Campbell-Gillard16. Angus Crichton/Ryan Matterson 17. Clint Gutherson/Ryan Papenhuyzen

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/or...s-fittler-cuts-three-more-incumbents-20201004
 

Chimp

Bench
Messages
2,871
Who cares?
I hope he was dropped - bloke needs a rocket or something to wake him from his slumber - as the captain he has been poor
100% agree. He’s been one of my favourites over the years - who doesn’t love a player that likes to smash blokes in defence, but then also has some silky skills in attack.... Unfortunately though, he’s shown neither of these qualities all year, and if I’m really honest, I think he’s looked half arsed - like he’s just going through the motions and picking up his pay check.
 

Inferno

Coach
Messages
18,329
No surprise he was dropped.

Shame his best position is the same one played by the captain. I'm probably biased but I think Graham when in form is better than Cordner.
 

Griffoshark66

First Grade
Messages
6,269
I believe that was true when Cordner was first made Captain, but Boyd is light years ahead now. The concussions are a worry though.
 

shaggs

Coach
Messages
11,146
I believe that was true when Cordner was first made Captain, but Boyd is light years ahead now. The concussions are a worry though.
Cordner isn’t going to make the flashy plays that wade can. He isn’t going to be used as a ball player, but he certainly doesn’t have the mistakes, missed tackles or penalties in him either.

The trade of is solid consistency or potential match winner
 

Weaponhead

Coach
Messages
10,997
Cordner isn’t going to make the flashy plays that wade can. He isn’t going to be used as a ball player, but he certainly doesn’t have the mistakes, missed tackles or penalties in him either.

The trade of is solid consistency or potential match winner
Fair assessment. Cordner is tough, makes tough runs, makes tackles. In his younger days he was a good hole runner.

Wade at his best open up the left edge with ballplaying and kicking. Can also smash the right half (as Cronk found out).

Wade has been poor and needs a break. I think there is a good case to play 13. Get his hands on the ball more. Can still float around. Sharks are one of the few team still playing 13 as third prop.
 

Chimp

Bench
Messages
2,871
Fair assessment. Cordner is tough, makes tough runs, makes tackles. In his younger days he was a good hole runner.

Wade at his best open up the left edge with ballplaying and kicking. Can also smash the right half (as Cronk found out).

Wade has been poor and needs a break. I think there is a good case to play 13. Get his hands on the ball more. Can still float around. Sharks are one of the few team still playing 13 as third prop.
You’ve still got to have a 13 who’s willing to make the hard yards though - the teams with smaller 13’s have blokes playing there who are quick off the mark and nuggety, I think Wade at 13 would make us even more ploddy.
 

carinashark

First Grade
Messages
5,580
There where a couple of turnstile moments that worried me. He used to very good, maybe just age. Maybe off the bench but we have younger guys that can do that. Talakai has a nice grubber in him. For captain SJ, back up would be a senior guy who can do angry.
 

Version IV

Juniors
Messages
794
There where a couple of turnstile moments that worried me. He used to very good, maybe just age. Maybe off the bench but we have younger guys that can do that. Talakai has a nice grubber in him. For captain SJ, back up would be a senior guy who can do angry.
Not sure if angry works u also need a captain that communicates with the ref
 

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