2019 Origin Discussion

[Morkel]

I can also guarantee that Walters picks Chambers again, I despise the way he plays in Origin with the stupid offloads and grubbers every attacking raid down the right, but Walters loves him for whatever reason, you should've heard him jizzing in the commentary box the other night any time Chambers did something decent.

I agree, Chambers and Kaufusi were our worst players last year, but they'll get picked because of how the Storm are going, and because we just don't have much viable depth.

 

[Morkel]

My two cents:

01 Ponga
02 Oates
03 Morgan
04 Chambers *
05 Gagai
06 Munster
07 DCE
08 McGuire
09 McCullough / Friend
10 Wallace
11 Cooper *
12 Gillett
13 Arrow

14 Hunt
15 Papalii *
16 Napa *
17 Hess / Martin

18 Friend / McCullough
19 Fifita

* Only there because we lack depth, and because they have got the job done before.

 

[Unbreakable]

The 2019 Origin side, based on form!

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Corey Oates
3. Hymel Hunt
4. Michael Morgan
5. Corey Thompson
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Josh McGuire
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Josh Papalii
11. Kurt Capewell
12. Matt Gillett
13. Jai Arrow

14. Ben Hunt
15. David Fifita
16. Jarrod Wallace
17. Matt Scott

 

[Cult]

Kalyn Ponga hasn't earned a starting spot, but Corey Allan & David Fifita have? Interesting take.

I'd say our 1, 6 & 7 are pretty much a lock to be Ponga, Munster & DCE with Morgan slotting in either in the centres or bench utility. Hunt should be in the 17 as well based on form, but I'd say it's much more likely that he's either the 9 or bench utility.

They haven't either but I chose them because there's nobody else pushing for that spot. I chose Ponga off the bench because he'd have more of an impact than Allan, plus Allan has done more than a few blokes who have been gifted the Queensland wing spot over the years. Fifita has been better than Cooper

 

[Unbreakable]

They haven't either but I chose them because there's nobody else pushing for that spot. I chose Ponga off the bench because he'd have more of an impact than Allan, plus Allan has done more than a few blokes who have been gifted the Queensland wing spot over the years. Fifita has been better than Cooper

Allan really hasn't been that good, his work rate is shocking for a modern day outside back. He can bust the line and find the stripe quite well, but he showed on the weekend his top speed is a bit lacking as well (Got chased down by 2-3 Bulldogs with a pretty handy head start)

Gagai has owned the right wing spot for QLD & Oates has earned a crack at the left wing spot, I'd say the Centres are the only position up for grabs this year.

Edit:

Something I never really considered, if we want to get our best players in the 17, we could legitimately consider Morgan at right centre, Munster at left centre, DCE & Norman in the halves and Hunt at 9 lol, literally 6 halves in the starting line-up if you wanna include Ponga.

1. Ponga
2. Oates
3. Munster
4. Morgan
5. Gagai
6. Norman
7. Cherry-Evans
9. Hunt

 

[Wolfie]

I read somewhere somebody wanting Fifita in at right center. He is athletic enough to do it, but that would be a monstrous gamble.

 

[Black Philip]

I'm surprised more people aren't naming Christian Welch. We're down on quality middle forwards and even though he's playing off the bench for Melbourne he's killing it.

1. Ponga
2. Oates
3. Chambers
4. Morgan
5. Gagai
6. Munster
7. Cherry-Evans
8. McGuire
9. Friend/Mahoney
10. Papalii
11. Kaufusi
12. Gillett
13. Arrow

14. Friend/Mahoney/Hunt
15. Welch
16. Napa/Wallace/Glasby/Whoever stinks the least
17. Fifita

 

[Porthoz]

I'm surprised more people aren't naming Christian Welch. We're down on quality middle forwards and even though he's playing off the bench for Melbourne he's killing it.

1. Ponga
2. Oates
3. Chambers
4. Morgan
5. Gagai
6. Munster
7. Cherry-Evans
8. McGuire
9. Friend/Mahoney
10. Papalii
11. Kaufusi
12. Gillett
13. Arrow

14. Friend/Mahoney/Hunt
15. Welch
16. Napa/Wallace/Glasby/Whoever stinks the least
17. Fifita

This guy knows!

Not quite sure about Chambers though. Depends on his form I guess...

 

[Black Philip]

This guy knows!

Not quite sure about Chambers though. Depends on his form I guess...

Totally agree, I only opt for Chambers because our center stocks are so limited. Other than him it's slim pickings. Hymel Hunt? Phillip Sami? Ben Hampton? I haven't seen enough of Hymel Hunt to say if he warrants consideration, Sami has been playing from the bench, and although I rate Hampton I don't think Paul Green does too highly as he's been restricted to the wing if he has played.

 

[Porthoz]

Totally agree, I only opt for Chambers because our center stocks are so limited. Other than him it's slim pickings. Hymel Hunt? Phillip Sami? Ben Hampton? I haven't seen enough of Hymel Hunt to say if he warrants consideration, Sami has been playing from the bench, and although I rate Hampton I don't think Paul Green does too highly as he's been restricted to the wing if he has played.

Yes, at this stage I can't argue any of that. I might consider Munster there if Hunt is playing well enough to fill the 5/8 spot. He can play his natural game and leave the organisation/management to DCE.

 

[Alec]

Welch has been solid, and really inpressive last week.

But I'll always worry about Storm players turning out to be numpties outside of the Storm system and Cam Smith's talents guiding them.

 

[Morkel]

Welch has been solid, and really inpressive last week.

But I'll always worry about Storm players turning out to be numpties outside of the Storm system and Cam Smith's talents guiding them.

Me too, I may be exaggerating, but it seems for every forward that seems handy when playing for the Storm, 4 out of 5 are bog average out of that system. Kaufusi dogged it the entire last Origin series, Glasby you could argue was never much chop but he was used the same way Welch seems to be considered, and didn't do much of anything, and is now derping it up for the Knights. Proctor, Harris, etc are looking nothing like rep players while playing for the Titans and Warriors. McLean hasn't been shit, but isn't exactly marquee prop like the Cowboys hoped.

 

[Black Philip]

Yes, at this stage I can't argue any of that. I might consider Munster there if Hunt is playing well enough to fill the 5/8 spot. He can play his natural game and leave the organisation/management to DCE.

I'm right with you there. Munster can play centre and play it very well, but the spine comes first and our best option at 6 is Munster. Hunt shits the bed under big pressure, Lewis and Croft are not quite ready yet, and I'm not sure Taylor will ever be ready. As for Milford, currently I don't think he's is even close to consideration.

Welch has been solid, and really inpressive last week.

But I'll always worry about Storm players turning out to be numpties outside of the Storm system and Cam Smith's talents guiding them.

I get what you mean, I was reluctant to pick Kaufusi for this reason. He looks good for the storm but has been underwhelming so far for Queensland. Cooper and Hess are options but Cooper is 33 now and Hess is inconsistent at club level. Although Cooper does play on the left for the cows, which is an advantage for him since Gillett is an automatic selection for the right flank. Hess and Kaufusi have to make that adjustment.

I went with Welch because I think he has earned a shot and I've seen nothing from the likes of Napa and Wallace in both club form and their previous origin appearances that really justify re-selection. But then again, beggars can't be choosers.

 

[Porthoz]

I'm right with you there. Munster can play centre and play it very well, but the spine comes first and our best option at 6 is Munster. Hunt shits the bed under big pressure, Lewis and Croft are not quite ready yet, and I'm not sure Taylor will ever be ready. As for Milford, currently I don't think he's is even close to consideration.



I get what you mean, I was reluctant to pick Kaufusi for this reason. He looks good for the storm but has been underwhelming so far for Queensland. Cooper and Hess are options but Cooper is 33 now and Hess is inconsistent at club level. Although Cooper does play on the left for the cows, which is an advantage for him since Gillett is an automatic selection for the right flank. Hess and Kaufusi have to make that adjustment.

I went with Welch because I think he has earned a shot and I've seen nothing from the likes of Napa and Wallace in both club form and their previous origin appearances that really justify re-selection. But then again, beggars can't be choosers.

I wouldn't pick Taylor to partner DCE, just like I wouldn't pick Hunt to partner Munster of Milford (should he regain his best form). Munster is the best pick to partner DCE at this point for sure, but if Chambers is stinking up the joint, I might take the gamble as long as there is no demand on Hunt to be the game manager.

I do think Napa is the type of guy who can be useful in SOO. He didn't let us down when he played IMO. Same goes for Kaufusi btw, who I would pick ahead of Cooper or Hess. Welch has been very solid and deserves a look before Wallace who hasn't performed at the level we'd like, be it in the NRL, much less Origin.

Hopefully we can fit Fifta or Su'a into our left edge at the Broncos, and transform that into Origin jerseys in the future...

 

[Morkel]

I'm right with you there. Munster can play centre and play it very well, but the spine comes first and our best option at 6 is Munster. Hunt shits the bed under big pressure, Lewis and Croft are not quite ready yet, and I'm not sure Taylor will ever be ready. As for Milford, currently I don't think he's is even close to consideration.



I get what you mean, I was reluctant to pick Kaufusi for this reason. He looks good for the storm but has been underwhelming so far for Queensland. Cooper and Hess are options but Cooper is 33 now and Hess is inconsistent at club level. Although Cooper does play on the left for the cows, which is an advantage for him since Gillett is an automatic selection for the right flank. Hess and Kaufusi have to make that adjustment.

I went with Welch because I think he has earned a shot and I've seen nothing from the likes of Napa and Wallace in both club form and their previous origin appearances that really justify re-selection. But then again, beggars can't be choosers.

There was that one game that Napa monstered, which is the only reason I've considered him. He has dominated in an Origin before, whether he has another one in him is another question.

Same as you, I don't like Cooper ATM, but he's the best we have that regularly plays on the left. Before him it was Guerra (who wasn't doing too bad this year but is now out long term), who I think is also normally on the right. What is it with the lack of left edge specialists, both for Qld and the Broncos?

Edit: @Porthoz, Kaufusi was Broncos-like in his defence all last series. I lost count of how many times he went with arm grabs and people went right through him. That means at least 3 times.

 

[Porthoz]

Edit: @Porthoz, Kaufusi was Broncos-like in his defence all last series. I lost count of how many times he went with arm grabs and people went right through him. That means at least 3 times.

I can't recall that happening, but you may well be right. I tend to quickly erase those kinds of disasters from memory.

 

[tommy]

Can't blame Storm forwards for being flops in Origin. They probably see it as a little holiday away from Bellamy and his expectations.

 

[BruiserMk1]

Billy Moore’s team

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

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