Game I Queensland Origin Team

[Unbreakable]

 

[Alec]

O'Neill - 8 games, 83 tackles, 10 missed, 2 errors.
Gagai - 11 games, 158 tackles, 35 missed, 9 errors.

It's hard to argue against who's the safer player. With that in mind, Gagai has 57 tackle busts, 10 offloads, 3 line-breaks & O'Neill has 12 tackle busts, 2 offloads, 1 line-break.

There's a vast difference in their attack capabilities from the Centre position.

There's also a big difference in the quality of the teams they play in. O'Neill's defence is highly overrated.

 

[Sproj]

This is Kevvie's origin version of Money ball isn't it.

 

[Big Pete]

Calling O'Neil's defence better than Gagai's is hardly overrating it.

Gagai has always had technique issues and it didn't matter when he had the best coach of all-time helping him he still couldn't fix it.

 

[Wolfie]

I would have dropped Boyd in at left center and had Chambers at right center personally.

 

[Dexter]

I'd love to have seen Munster in the centres, I'd back him 1 on 1 against either Dugan or Hayne plus his D is better than the others.

 

[Alec]

Hodges was a shit jersey grabbing defender for a long time too, but did better in an Origin setting. Gagai plays for the Knights, put O'Neill there and no one would even want to sign him.

 

[Big Pete]

Hodges' had his poor moments, but for the most part was a very solid defender. One of the Broncos pet plays during that time was relying on Hodges' kick-chase down that right fringe.

Hypotheticals add nothing to the discussion.

 

[Browny]

I'd prefer a bloke who can tackle over one who can't. Tries saved are better than tries scored

 

[Porthoz]

I would have dropped Boyd in at left center and had Chambers at right center personally.

Would be my choice, or Munster with Boyd on the wing, although the latter would deny us the go forward from Oates.

It wouldn't dent our defense, but would certainly improve our attack massively in my opinion.
As solid as O'Neill is in defense, he stands out like a sore thumb, and definitely does not deserve the "loyalty" tag against a long term servant like Slater, whom has an combination with Smith and Cronk, which in turn has brought Qld many victories.

 

[KnToad]

I'm all for loyalty and all but it's also smart to slip in a newer player while things are going well so they get a chance to play on a winning side and not when the wheels have started falling off.
I'm staggered that Hess, Wallace, or Sims didn't get Guerras spot on the bench.

 

[Browny]

It's come early but the succession plan has started. We can't afford the same as the Aussie cricket team

 

[Tera]

I really, really hope I'm wrong, but I don't feel like Milford is close to being ready for Origin.

It's not even his play, it's his mentality. All those times he stays down after he's been tackled.. you can't do that, you can't show that weakness in Origin. I feel that NSW's pack are going to specifically target him and not in the obvious "target the halves" way, I mean him specifically. I'm not sure how he'll handle the elbows across the face and knees to the head, it's going to be very interesting to see.

Hey, maybe there's some mongrel in there that we've yet to fully see and he'll put Klemmer in arm bar and suddenly love the niggle but I am a little concerned.

Either way, bring on Origin.

 

[tommy]

Meh. Throw him in the deep end. He'll either sink or float.

 

[Super Freak]

I really, really hope I'm wrong, but I don't feel like Milford is close to being ready for Origin.

It's not even his play, it's his mentality. All those times he stays down after he's been tackled.. you can't do that, you can't show that weakness in Origin. I feel that NSW's pack are going to specifically target him and not in the obvious "target the halves" way, I mean him specifically. I'm not sure how he'll handle the elbows across the face and knees to the head, it's going to be very interesting to see.

Hey, maybe there's some mongrel in there that we've yet to fully see and he'll put Klemmer in arm bar and suddenly love the niggle but I am a little concerned.

Either way, bring on Origin.

Milford does have some mongrel in him which he has shown numerous times over the past couple of years.

One example is against the Rabbitohs last year. Carter tripped him, and in the next set when Carter had the ball Milford went after him and made sure he got him back.

 

[Unbreakable]

I'm starting to think that Thurston is playing, basically everyone thinks he is, they just asked Laurie on a live cross whether he thinks he'll play and he said "From what I've been told, he's 100% playing", or something to that affect.

Oh well, it'll be a good week of experience for Milford regardless.

 

[pennywisealfie]

This is potentially a massive dick move from Kevvie. If Thurston plays and Milf is left out, I will cheer for NSW.

 

[mrslong]

I reckon the selection of Boyd over Slater is the proof they don't expect JT to play. The club combination of !ilf 6 & Boyd at 1 is a lot safer than Milf & Slater.

I owe my husband a fair bit of money....I bet him a million dollars that Slater would be at 1, Boyd on the wing. Damn.