Thurston, as incumbent, GF player and Dally M POTY, will get the nod. Heather Lockyer at pivot. Prince willunderstudy, but Smith will probably jag a bench spot.
Those that bagged Smith for a duff prelim final ignore Princes duff effort in a test jumper, and the WCC. Prince hasn't shone in his time, save for the back half of last season, and a SOO back in '94. Like Sherwin, Orford, Finch, Seymour and a few others, Prince is in the "hasn't reached his potential" category.
INteresting that Nathan Fein hasn't been mentioned. IMHO, no halfback, bar the odd appearances by Joey between operations, is setting the world on fire. His rep preplacement? Sherwin, the bloke I rate as most likely, hasn't quite got there. Gower is crap when he's there, but at least we can keep an eye on him. Orford can't jag a bloody City Firsts jumper - Manly paid a squillion for a bloke who can only shine on the average Saturday Arvo game, which I guess is here Manly play most. Barrett has missed his calling. Noddy has done his duty. Having said that, any of 'em could do well in the Blues No. 7.
Queensland have botched up anything that remotely looks like a halfback since Alfie. Ben Walker had his eye on the green jacket, but got the ire of Benny. Prince was classy at the back end last year, but has too much poor form in his game. Sheppard was the loser in the QLD merry-go-round that has seen the Cowpats fumble Prince and Fein before him, and plug the holes with Thurston and Firman. At St George, he's probably not worried.
Thurston has the Dally M, and wasn't too bad last year. He's young, and getting better.
Of all the other NRL halfbacks, you can only say that about Tim Smith.
