There is going to be a fair bit of competition for the two wing spots - two Morris boys, Stewart, Hayne, Dugan, Uate to go into 3 positions. Of course Aku is going to be picked being a current Kangaroo, but there is a fair bit of form and a fair few points being scored in that list and Aku isn't really at the top of it...
But of course there is a great deal of bias around here. Making mocking comments with no substance behind them indicates that...
Personally I wouldn't care if Aku isn't picked. Whoever is picked will be cannon fodder and we need wins on the board.
The amount of games J Morris has played away from centre can be counted on one hand, so how he figures in this discussion is a mystery when you consider the current state of NSW centres.
Sure Dugan or Stewart could be picked at fullback, but that of itself doesn't preclude Uate being in the side.
So that leaves just Hayne and B Morris.
B Morris is playing well this season at fullback, but his Origin career is fairly lackluster.
G T TA LB TB MT E AVG
Morris 5 0 0 1 6 5 6 69m
Uate 3 1 1 2 16 1 1 131m
Errors and missed tackles are killers at Origin level, as are outside backs who can't make ground out of your own half.
If picked Hayne will do a job at wing, centre or fullback. Whether he is the best option at fullback or centre remains to be seen, but he is a head above Morris if he is considered for the wing spot.
As for Morris, he should be consigned to the Williams/Turner/McManus level of "Break glass in case of emergency". Good club player, not first choice for his State, hell there is a guy on a Mormon mission I would have ahead of him.
Uate has been going well this year. Nothing spectacular, but as was said above, all his performances have been between good and great. An encouraging thing to see, particularly last week, is his improvement in decision making in defence, that part of his game required some work and it looks like he has taken it on well.
