2024 State of Origin discussion

[Mustafur]

bit early but we are less than 2 months away figured it's worth talking about.

For me I think What QLD does with Cobbo is going to be interesting, I think he is good to go at left centre and move Hammer to the right, with Holmes being either cut or moved to right wing at this stage.

 

[Sproj]

Of course depending on further injuries, I’d seriously go with this:

1. Walsh
2. Ponga
3. Hammer
4. Cobbo
5. Coates
6. Munster
7. Cherry-Evans
8. Collins
9. Grant
10. Cotter
11. Fifita
12. Nanai
13. Carrigan

14. Hunt
15. Hopgood
16. Flegler
17. Capewell

The forwards are a bit up in the air but that backline in my mind is set in stone

 

[Mr Fourex]

Of course depending on further injuries, I’d seriously go with this:

1. Walsh
2. Ponga
3. Hammer
4. Cobbo
5. Coates
6. Munster
7. Cherry-Evans
8. Collins
9. Grant
10. Cotter
11. Fifita
12. Nanai
13. Carrigan

14. Hunt
15. Hopgood
16. Flegler
17. Capewell

The forwards are a bit up in the air but that backline in my mind is set in stone

Super strong backline......

 

[Fernando]

@Sproj Hammer and Ponga together would be great to watch, everyone would be excited to see that. We've gone from having very few centre options to having some depth there in a short amount of time. If Val and Murray were put on an edge together they'd do a great job too. Val is declining but still good and Tualagi is becoming a beast.

 

[Mustafur]

What I see happening atm:

1. Walsh
2. Taulagi
3. Hammer
4. Cobbo
5. Holmes
6. Dearden
7. DCE
8. Collins
9. Grant
10. Cotter
11. Fifita
12. Nanai
13. Carrigan

14. Ponga
15. Fotauika
16. Flegler
17. Hopgood

I think Munster isn't going to be picked by Billy due to his Groin issue which is stopping him playing 100%(he says he can play at most 80% and it's not improving atm, I think going by what Billy did with Ponga last year this might make sense), not to mention Dearden is playing in career best form atm.

Grant can play 80 mins and I think Hunt is going to start to be phased out of rep teams tbh, it already happened for the Roos.

Munster might still make the squad though and it could be a camp decision on what he does but I can see him going for Dearden in game 1.

Coates is playing well but I think Holmes might pip him for a wing spot because he tends to play best there more than anything else.

 

[Renegade]

Would still have cobbo on the wing. Holmes (IMO) still has credit in the bank. Though wouldn't be opposed to them interchanging as the game progressed.

I'd take Coates on the other wing. He's been great this year and deserves a spot. Hammer is the only walkup starter for the backline.

Whoever doesn't start fb gets the other bench spot.

 

[LittleDavey]

What I see happening atm:

1. Walsh
2. Taulagi
3. Hammer
4. Cobbo
5. Holmes
6. Dearden
7. DCE
8. Collins
9. Grant
10. Cotter
11. Fifita
12. Nanai
13. Carrigan

14. Ponga
15. Fotauika
16. Flegler
17. Hopgood

I think Munster isn't going to be picked by Billy due to his Groin issue which is stopping him playing 100%(he says he can play at most 80% and it's not improving atm, I think going by what Billy did with Ponga last year this might make sense), not to mention Dearden is playing in career best form atm.

Grant can play 80 mins and I think Hunt is going to start to be phased out of rep teams tbh, it already happened for the Roos.

Munster might still make the squad though and it could be a camp decision on what he does but I can see him going for Dearden in game 1.

Coates is playing well but I think Holmes might pip him for a wing spot because he tends to play best there more than anything else.

I agree on Munster, not Coates though. He's been exceptional this year and Val really hasn't been good at all. I'm almost expecting Val to miss out based on form, but that's not how Billy will roll. It'll be interesting to see the makeup of the back 5 in particular, you could make a good case for a few permutations of the available guys and I'm not sure any of those would be "wrong".

 

[Mustafur]

I agree on Munster, not Coates though. He's been exceptional this year and Val really hasn't been good at all. I'm almost expecting Val to miss out based on form, but that's not how Billy will roll. It'll be interesting to see the makeup of the back 5 in particular, you could make a good case for a few permutations of the available guys and I'm not sure any of those would be "wrong".

That's the one I'm most unsure on, Billy tends to pick players thinking of the future and for that Coates makes sense so it could very much happen.

But this team list is young so maybe he thinks experience atleast for that game.

 

[Mustafur]

Would still have cobbo on the wing. Holmes (IMO) still has credit in the bank. Though wouldn't be opposed to them interchanging as the game progressed.

I'd take Coates on the other wing. He's been great this year and deserves a spot. Hammer is the only walkup starter for the backline.

Whoever doesn't start fb gets the other bench spot.

Holmes is a defensive liability for me, he was very iffy in Origin last year and he has been like that for Cowboys too this year, I can see Billy moving Cobbo to the centres.

 

[Fitzy]

What I see happening atm:

1. Walsh
2. Taulagi
3. Hammer
4. Cobbo
5. Holmes
6. Dearden
7. DCE
8. Collins
9. Grant
10. Cotter
11. Fifita
12. Nanai
13. Carrigan

14. Ponga
15. Fotauika
16. Flegler
17. Hopgood

I think Munster isn't going to be picked by Billy due to his Groin issue which is stopping him playing 100%(he says he can play at most 80% and it's not improving atm, I think going by what Billy did with Ponga last year this might make sense), not to mention Dearden is playing in career best form atm.

Grant can play 80 mins and I think Hunt is going to start to be phased out of rep teams tbh, it already happened for the Roos.

Munster might still make the squad though and it could be a camp decision on what he does but I can see him going for Dearden in game 1.

Coates is playing well but I think Holmes might pip him for a wing spot because he tends to play best there more than anything else.

I think it will be the last year of Grant-Hunt but I think it will still be that.

I think Coates is in the best form of all the outside backs and Billy speaks highly of him.

I think Cobbo would be lucky to get a spot especially considering Hammer would have that left centre locked down.

I’d go:
1. Walsh
2. Taulagi
3. Tabuai-Fidow
4. Cobbo
5. Coates
6. Munster/Dearden
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Collins
9. Grant
10. Cotter
11. Nanai
12. Fifita
13. Carrigan
14. Hunt
15. Flegler
16. Hopgood
17. Ponga

Big minute mobile, fit yet effective middles. With Grant/Hunt and Ponga’s ability as roaming locks we don’t really leave ourselves vulnerable anywhere.

No point taking away the hooking dynamic that has worked for us very well previously

I agree I’m not certain Slater will back Munster but with a week and a half camp with a no contact bib on and Dearden 18th man the right player will be picked imo.

Coates has been the pick of the lot in the backs, Taulagi had an excellent origin last year, Hanmer will be there and it’s a flip of the doing between Cobbo and Val.

Walsh will be fullback. Slater just loves him and will want to make sure he can get as much football into him as young as possible to be a long term gun (already is) at that level. I genuinely believe the big difference between game 1 and 2 from 3 was the absence of Walsh. I have no isssues with Ponga getting picked either but I think whilst they are neck and neck you pick the guy who not only was integral last series and is younger by some margin. Need to find a substantial role for Ponga to wreak havoc from. Roaming lock is likely but head knock may be the concern. Could see a world where he is selected at centre or on the wing also.

 

[Mustafur]

As for NSW I think this is probably what is likely to be seen barring injuries as of right now:

1. Tedesco
2. JAC
3. Crichton
4. Best
5. To'o
6. Luai
7. Cleary
8. Jurbo
9. Koroisau
10. Haas
11. Martin
12. Olakau’atu
13. Yeo
14. Egan
15. Murray
16. RCG
17. Cartwright

 

[Mustafur]

I think it will be the last year of Grant-Hunt but I think it will still be that.

I think Coates is in the best form of all the outside backs and Billy speaks highly of him.

I think Cobbo would be lucky to get a spot especially considering Hammer would have that left centre locked down.

I’d go:
1. Walsh
2. Taulagi
3. Tabuai-Fidow
4. Cobbo
5. Coates
6. Munster/Dearden
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Collins
9. Grant
10. Cotter
11. Nanai
12. Fifita
13. Carrigan
14. Hunt
15. Flegler
16. Hopgood
17. Ponga

Big minute mobile, fit yet effective middles. With Grant/Hunt and Ponga’s ability as roaming locks we don’t really leave ourselves vulnerable anywhere.

No point taking away the hooking dynamic that has worked for us very well previously

I agree I’m not certain Slater will back Munster but with a week and a half camp with a no contact bib on and Dearden 18th man the right player will be picked imo.

Coates has been the pick of the lot in the backs, Taulagi had an excellent origin last year, Hanmer will be there and it’s a flip of the doing between Cobbo and Val.

Walsh will be fullback. Slater just loves him and will want to make sure he can get as much football into him as young as possible to be a long term gun (already is) at that level. I genuinely believe the big difference between game 1 and 2 from 3 was the absence of Walsh. I have no isssues with Ponga getting picked either but I think whilst they are neck and neck you pick the guy who not only was integral last series and is younger by some margin. Need to find a substantial role for Ponga to wreak havoc from. Roaming lock is likely but head knock may be the concern. Could see a world where he is selected at centre or on the wing also.

I think it will be hard with that bench though because our middle props are tiny outside Collins and Flegs in that situation, I was thinking along the line of Grant doing 80 anything stopping that like HIA or what not, Cotter comes in as hooker which is how he got into first grade, and or mixing it with Ponga, if normal than Ponga coming in as a 3rd play maker or late game lock, Hopgood could probably play hooker too tbh, he is a very good ball player.

With tino out we will feel that.

 

[Fitzy]

As for NSW I think this is probably what is likely to be seen barring injuries as of right now:

1. Tedesco
2. JAC
3. Crichton
4. Best
5. To'o
6. Luai
7. Cleary
8. Jurbo
9. Koroisau
10. Haas
11. Martin
12. Olakau’atu
13. Yeo
14. Egan
15. Murray
16. RCG
17. Cartwright

I couldn’t be happier that’s the side as well. Teddy has no right to be there anymore. Luai is the best of a bad bunch this year. I don’t think Yeo is the right fit for lock at all especially when they play Teddy-ball. They always struggle to inject Murray into the game when Yeo is lock. Haas is a shadow of himself in origin strangely, that could change so not counting on it. Think there middles outside of that are well covered by ours in the important metrics of origin as well as form going into it. I think we win and win comfortably. We have too much strike, the better pack, the better spine, level heads, tall, mobile, rapid, creative outside backs and the better coach. We also have the luxury of Suncorp decider so if we can snag 1 or 2 we are in the box seat.

 

[Sproj]

NSW has to have someone better than Jurbo

 

[Mustafur]

NSW has to have someone better than Jurbo

I think RCG is better but I can see Jurbo starting because they like him, Tedesco is going to get fullback as default I think because the fullback options for NSW are dire, Trell has been a basket case, Turbo is half of what he was, Papenhuysen could actually be an option though but I can't see them picking him because they are not the brightest bunch over there

Drinkwater has been shown up alot this year I think he has fallen in the pecking order.

 

[Fitzy]

I think it will be hard with that bench though because our middle props are tiny outside Collins and Flegs in that situation, I was thinking along the line of Grant doing 80 anything stopping that like HIA or what not, Cotter comes in as hooker which is how he got into first grade, and or mixing it with Ponga, if normal than Ponga coming in as a 3rd play maker or late game lock, Hopgood could probably play hooker too tbh, he is a very good ball player.

With tino out we will feel that.

Yeah I was originally going to go cotter to cover hooker but I think we feel the pain more there than we do the benefit of Ponga. Pat is a large minute player, so is Cotter we can get away with it

I don’t necessarily disagree with your sentiments at all but I think if that concern is to great it’s at the expense of KP not hunt for mine.

 

[Sproj]

I could see NSW going something like:

1. Papenheuzen
2. To’o
3. Turbo
4. Crichton
5. Edwards
6. Strange
7. Cleary
8. Utoikamanu
9. Koraisau
10. Haas
11. Oloakuatu
12. Martin
13. Yeo

14. Robson
15. Murray
16. Saifiti
17. Talakai

 

[Mustafur]

I could see NSW going something like:

1. Papenheuzen
2. To’o
3. Turbo
4. Crichton
5. Edwards
6. Strange
7. Cleary
8. Utoikamanu
9. Koraisau
10. Haas
11. Oloakuatu
12. Martin
13. Yeo

14. Robson
15. Murray
16. Saifiti
17. Talakai

You can see NSW doing that, come on lmao.

Strange no way lol.