Your NSW Team for Game 2

[TV Ted Ellery]

I read this morning that Farah's only going to miss 2 weeks?

I read elsewhere that he was in doubt for origin 2. I suppose it depends on the extent of his injury. Maybe it was also a case of sensationalism.

 

[Jason Maher]

We desperately need Robbie for game 2. Ennis is a proven failure at Origin level. We can carry Pearce, but carrying Pearce and Ennis would prove too much I fear.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I think Farah will be right but if he is not you would have to pick Hinchcliffe, surely? Better defender than Ennis.

 

[firechild]

Hoffman on the left didn't look as good as Lewis on the right. The drop off Cam Smith didn't look good either.

But punting him and bringing in another prop changes the dynamic in the middle.

It means shifting Bird left and altering the mobile middle third rotation of which Bird is an integral part and worked very well last night.

With the exception of Tamou who I thought played very flat and slowed the play down rather than bending the line (although he was solid as a rock in defence), the balance of the middle rotation with Gallen - Watmough - Merrin & Fifita gave the QLD forwards a heap of problems with their footwork in attack and quick shutdown of the ball carrier in defence. Slater was lurking constantly and the NSW forwards denied the offloads.

All the interchanges last night were amongst these 6 players with Lewis & Hoffman playing full 80 mins from memory. The reason NSW were so much better last night than in Sticky's years was because Daley rotated the middle constantly. Kept them fresh. 80 min players or not, this is imperative when forwards play in the middle.

Hoffman and his combinations with Maloney and Jennings will be better for this 1st up game. He's been out of the side for a couple of years and his game and his effectiveness is very much dependent on familiarity of combinations and repetition. Just like the Lockyer-Thaiday-Hodges & Thurston-Harrison-Inglis of QLD teams past. A bit hasty calling for his head. Typical NSW fans though.

Furthermore, replacing Reynolds with a Grant or Woods puts in an extra body into the middle rotation. Sounds a winner with having 7 blokes rotating in and out of there but it will also reduce the game time of all of those blokes. Once again, the dynamic changes from what NSW had last night.

Hannant will come back though. Up to Daley to decide if he thinks the same tactics will be a winner in Game 2. Personally, I reckon a subtle change has to be made to keep the toads honest and expecting something new. Nothing major, just a small change that keeps the game plan fresh.

All that would make sense except for the fact that people forget Watmough for the bulk of his career was a left side 2nd rower. He could slot into Hoffman's spot and then they could use props rotated in the middle. Same basic plan but Watmough on the left would be far better than Hoffman and then Watmough wouldn't be playing as a front rower. Get some more size in the middle to wear down the QLD forwards.

Watmough on the left, Bird in the middle and Lewis right. Gallen/Fifita/Woods/Grant/Merrin rotating through the middle. In case of injury Gallen drops back or Merrin comes into the 2nd row.

 

[madunit]

So drop a guy because the coach didn't end up needing him to come on for that particular game?

Pretty harsh on the guy...

harsh yes, but he wasn't needed. May as well put another forward there and help carry the workload up front.

Common sense.

 

[herbert henry1908]

So drop a guy because the coach didn't end up needing him to come on for that particular game?

Pretty harsh on the guy...

It is harsh.

But that's origin footy.

It was harsh not selecting Grant after his performance last year as well.


Selecting a player that will definetly take the field benefits the team more IMO.

 

[StFigJam]

With the exception of Tamou who I thought played very flat and slowed the play down

I found that every time Gallen got the ball it slowed the play down.

 

[big hit!]

All that would make sense except for the fact that people forget Watmough for the bulk of his career was a left side 2nd rower. He could slot into Hoffman's spot and then they could use props rotated in the middle. Same basic plan but Watmough on the left would be far better than Hoffman and then Watmough wouldn't be playing as a front rower. Get some more size in the middle to wear down the QLD forwards.

Watmough on the left, Bird in the middle and Lewis right. Gallen/Fifita/Woods/Grant/Merrin rotating through the middle. In case of injury Gallen drops back or Merrin comes into the 2nd row.

so completely change the winning game 1 plan to an unproven one with this squad?

I was very much the advocate of the 4 prop-2 small forward rotation in the middle prior to Daley's game 1 squad team selection, but he chose a different path and managed it via interchange much better than what Stuart did, and it was extremely effective - dominant in fact. Daley proved that if NSW can win the set count, then this mobile pack can dominate QLD.

Why the f**k would he abandon that and go big now? How about a bit of realism instead of idealism FFS.

Besides, why would you play the best middle forward in rugby league right now out of position? It's like playing the best fullback in the game in the centres. :lol:

In everyone's quest to punt Hoffman (who's obviously as much-maligned as much Pearce), nuffies want to alter the strategy that provided the platform for last night's win. How about looking at the team as a collective rather than personal agenda against specific players FFS!

As I said, perhaps Daley can look at making a subtle adjustment and bring in another prop to bolster the middle. But Bird & Watmough in the middle are integral to Daley's strategy along with Gallen, Fifita, Tamou & Merrin.

 

[big hit!]

I found that every time Gallen got the ball it slowed the play down.

I think he overplayed his role again towards the end of the game. Just kept demanding more ball and also had the effect you refer to. He needs to restrain himself and doesn't appear to know how to. evident from that left-right combo he stunned Myles with. I laughed hard though.

 

[JT_]

Good thing we don't have fans having a say in the lineup, keep the same team ffs!

 

[Twizzle]

Some silly Parra fan trying to pretend Hayne >>>> The Dugan, when all and sundry know damn well that The Dugan >>>>> Hayne. It's a fact of the universe.

he must have been on the bench with Reynolds last night, I dont recall seeing on the ground

 

[carlosthedwarf]

If Farah's injured do you bring in Ennis, Hinchcliffe or Rein?

How about using Reynolds as dummy half? I'd rather that than Ennis. Using both Reynolds and Hinchcliffe could be a good short term solution (assuming Farah is back for game 3)

 

[Louiethefly]

You haven't watched the Dragons this year if you're even mentioning Rein as a possible selection. Mitch has been terrible. It will be between Ennis and Hinchcliffe. I'd go with the latter, but the selectors would no doubt go with the former.

Has Rein been injured this year? He has been playing terribly, I'd be more inclined to pick Cam King over Rein even for SOO. Hopefully it doesn't come to that though.

 

[ek999]

If Farah is out then I would think that Ennis will be hooker

 

[RHCP]

Ennis has been having a pretty good season tbh, playing better than he was the first time he was picked.

 

[Sphagnum]

My only change would be Hoffman. Has proven time and time again he is not up to origin standard.

I still remember K Hunt smashing him every time he touched it a few years ago.

Made some dreadful mistakes in attack and defense last night.

The rest all showed they should be there.

 

[Louiethefly]

Just no Mitch Rein and I'm happy.

 

[Red Bear]

If Farrah's injured someone in for him. And Woods or Grant for Reynolds. Only changes that need to be considered at this point IMO.

 

[Amadaca]

Is Farah definitely out, or what?

 

[Murf]

If Farah is out then it should be another hooker in. Id take Bedsy over Ennis and bring Reynolds on in the 60th for him. Or failing that, another forward to the bench and really steamroll the QLDers.

Also hopefully the ridiculous notion that there is a better fullback than Hayne in NSW can finally be put to bed now. He should have been out number one ever since 2008.