2019 Origin Discussion

[Big Pete]

Boyd was famous for being a stand-out SG Ball player when he should have been playing Harold Matts for Newcastle. In typical Roosters fashion, they went all-in, signed him to an NRL deal and made room for him in their NRL team ASAP.

Fair play, they got a good 'un.

I just loved last year how Freddy used Gus as a mouthpiece to inspire Boyd ahead of last year's series. One of those behind the scenes stories that makes the game that more compelling.

 

[Ponga01]

What the ****..

I just googled Boyd Cordner because I was interested how old he was. I won't spoil it for anyone who doesn't know, because I was legitimately shocked.

It shocks me that James Maloney is 32 and Adam Blair is 33.
Matt Gilllett is the same age as Alex Glenn

 

[Ponga01]

NRL CRISIS REACHES DISASTER LEVELS
Any hope of Queensland’s returning to their decade of dominance in the State of Origin arena could well and truly be over in 2019 after injuries have the Maroons staring down a dismal selection crisis.
After five rounds, it was reported that there had been 65 injuries to start the season, while over the past two weeks there have been an additional 18 players struck down.
The injury plagued start to the season has crippled the Sharks with Shaun Johnson making it even more dire in the Shire.

Friend will be out for three or four months with his biceps tendon rupture.Source:Getty Images
But Manly Daly Cherry-Evans has highlighted the disaster particularly in the Origin arena.
The Maroons now have doubts of Cherry-Evans, who has been tipped as a frontrunner alongside Cameron Munster for the Queensland captaincy, as well as the Roosters’ Jake Friend, who suffered a ruptured biceps tendon on ANZAC Day.
One of the players expected to be pushing for an Origin spot by now is the Titans’ Ash Taylor, but rugby league great Peter Sterling slammed the star after a poor performance in the 30-14 loss to the Tigers.
“Tyrone Roberts has really become the dominant playmaker up there,” Sterling said before saying he was “expecting more” from the Titans’ million-dollar man.
It leaves Queensland with plenty of questions still in their spine.
Cowboys coach Paul Green also reacted to the horror start to the season, saying any of his stars looking at the Origin arena may need to think again with the way they’re playing.
“Generally, the team hasn’t been in great form,” he said. “To pick a rep side, you want to pick players from the teams which are full of confidence and performing well.
“We’ve had I think up to seven Origin representatives at certain times. I’m not sure we’ll have that level of representation this year.”

 

[Alec]

DCE could be out for up to 6 weeks, according to the radio. Everything is falling apart for QLD.

 

[Unbreakable]

Things just went from hard to nearly impossible losing DCE & Friend. They were going to be the 2 leaders of the team this season.

1. Ponga
2. Oates
3. Chambers
4. Morgan
5. Gagai
6. Munster
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Scott
11. Cooper
12. Gillett
13. Arrow

14. ?????
15. Papalii
16. ?????
17. ?????

NSW 3-0.

 

[tommy]

We need to get members of the 1995 team in there. No training, just bonding sessions. Get Fatty as an assistant. I believe.

 

[Old Mate]

Could Milford be a 7 option with Hunt off the bench?

 

[Unbreakable]

Could Milford be a 7 option with Hunt off the bench?

Milford would need to string together best month of footy of his career to have a chance, Hunt has pretty comfortably out performed him so far this year. Much less of a liability in defense as well.

 

[BruiserMk1]

Things just went from hard to nearly impossible losing DCE & Friend. They were going to be the 2 leaders of the team this season.

1. Ponga
2. Oates
3. Chambers
4. Morgan
5. Gagai
6. Munster
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Scott
11. Cooper
12. Gillett
13. Arrow

14. ?????
15. Papalii
16. ?????
17. ?????

NSW 3-0.

Yeah I hate to be negative but the injuries and players out of form I can see that result happening.
It was a great dynasty but NSW with their young squad, depth and belief will see them come out on top.

 

[Ponga01]

The reason behind our success is that we had the Australian spine and the best in the world. We went from Slater-Thurston-Cronk-Smith to Ponga-Munster-DCE/Hunt-McCullough.

Don’t get me wrong, these are still good players but not at the same level.

 

[Alec]

The reason behind our success is that we had the Australian spine and the best in the world. We went from Slater-Thurston-Cronk-Smith to Ponga-Munster-DCE/Hunt-McCullough.

Don’t get me wrong, these are still good players but not at the same level.

Yeah, I think everyone knows this. Though I think Ponga definitely has the potential to be Slater-level, and probably higher if he has the same work ethic.

 

[Super Freak]

DCE will be back for Game 1.

 

[Ponga01]

DCE will be back for Game 1.

I hope so

 

[Ponga01]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/st...k=a6797306534b8fd028a24ea7f551dd9e-1556534332
Ben hunt talks origin.

 

[Alec]

Hunt's game 2 last year was one of the biggest chokes I've seen in Origin, it even surpassed Pearce IMO. We've had so many opportunities to win that game, but he (and Chambers too) just completely threw them all away.

 

[Big Pete]

There were various plays last year that summed Hunt up as a player to me.

The grubber kick in Game II was most certainly one.

To me the play highlights Ben Hunt's instincts which are really good for a halfback, but just his inability to execute the play. If you go back and watch it, he has chasers on the ball and there was plenty of space behind the Blues line. If he was able to hold the kick up, at the very least Maloney is off to the bin, or it's a penalty try to Queensland because his interference on Kaufusi was far worse than what Hunt did to Cordner. It was a tough competition for biggest milk of 2018 with Will Smith, Billy Slater, Gavin Cooper etc. all putting up wonderful efforts, but Cordner's effort was certainly a stand-out.

Anyways, the kick doesn't come off and just about every Queenslander wanted Hunt tarred and feathered.

Fair enough.

Two nights later, Hunt finds himself in a similar circumstance and without blinking puts in a kick again. Aitken puts it down and St George pull off a stunning comeback in a game they really should have lost. It was almost like Hunt had a point to prove with that kick, unfortunately for him, the wheels were coming off the Dragons campaign and perception was beginning to become the reality.

 

[Unbreakable]

It's 5.5 weeks until Origin 1, DCE is out 4-6 weeks.

Even if he hasn't played a game for Manly, I'd be picking him at 7. I don't think we can win with Hunt starting at Halfback.

 

[Big Pete]

I didn't mind the team they posted on 100% Footy

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Corey Oates
3. Dane Gagai
4. Will Chambers
5. Kyle Feldt
6. Cameron Munster
7. Michael Morgan
8. Jai Arrow
9. Ben Hunt
10. Josh Papalii
11. Matt Gillett
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Josh McGuire

14. David Fifita
15. Dylan Napa
16. Jarrod Wallace
17. Christian Welch

I forget who the 16 was. It may have been Jarrod Wallace? Regardless, that was their team if Cherry-Evans was unfit for Game I.

Munster and Cherry-Evans will be the halves if fit, but I'm far from sold on either. Morgan has made a mixed start to the season, but his ability to perform in the clutch makes me lean towards him.