Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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MAROONS coaching legend Wayne Bennett isn’t about to help NSW win a State of Origin series.
But the seven-time premier coach has got one tip for Blues selectors — pick try-scoring machine Jimmy ‘the Jet’ Roberts in the centres.
“He’s ready,” Bennett declared when The Daily Telegraph sounded him out about his Brisbane Broncos flyer and his ability to lift to the next level in State of Origin football.
Roberts is vying with Josh Dugan, Dylan Walker, Jack Bird and Joey Leilua for the right centre role.
Despite his wayward off-field history, Bennett is convinced Roberts would step up to the mark.
“He’s playing great football for us and each week he’s got better,” Bennett said. “His form is excellent and Origin shouldn’t be too far away for him.
“He’s very good defensively when he’s on and he’s going great in attack. You could say he’s in a better position to be picked for NSW than he was last year.
“His football is much better, he much fitter and he’s in a much better place overall.”
Arguably the fastest man in rugby league, Roberts has been in slashing form for the Broncos, scoring three tries last week against the Gold Coast Titans to push himself into contention for a Blues jersey.
His seven tries this year are more than any other Blues centre.
With Josh Mansour out, much will depend on whether Daley and his adviser Peter Sterling are prepared to switch Dugan to the wing to make way for Roberts or Bird in the centres.
Leilua, for all his attacking strength and power, is seen as too big a liability in defence.
He has six tries this year, second behind Roberts of all the centres but has been found out numerous times defending on the Canberra Raiders’ right side.
Daley told The Daily Telegraph he is a fan of Roberts who he coached in the Indigenous All Stars and with the Blues emerging squad.
“His last couple of games have been really good,” Daley said.
“Hopefully he’ll continue that and he’ll maybe find himself in a city jersey in a couple of weeks and we’ll see what happens from there. Everyone knows what he’s capable of doing.
“With Jimmy he’s always been a talent but sometimes on and off.
“There might be a couple ahead of him but you never know what might happen. He’s in the picture for sure.”
The left side centre position is as wide open with five players — Michael Jennings, Jarrod Croker, Jarryd Hayne, Josh Morris and Tyrone Peachey all under consideration.
For all the Origin experience of Jennings and Morris, there is Huge pressure on Daley and Sterling to seriously consider Canberra Raiders skipper Croker. He is a wonderful competitor and one of the NRL’s most consistent performers.
Much will depend on how Hayne comes back with the Gold Coast Titans over the next few weeks, given his record in Origin and Test football before he left to have a crack at the NFL.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...t/news-story/0e2cc9af88241532775a3ba927cac5c2
But the seven-time premier coach has got one tip for Blues selectors — pick try-scoring machine Jimmy ‘the Jet’ Roberts in the centres.
“He’s ready,” Bennett declared when The Daily Telegraph sounded him out about his Brisbane Broncos flyer and his ability to lift to the next level in State of Origin football.
Roberts is vying with Josh Dugan, Dylan Walker, Jack Bird and Joey Leilua for the right centre role.
Despite his wayward off-field history, Bennett is convinced Roberts would step up to the mark.
“He’s playing great football for us and each week he’s got better,” Bennett said. “His form is excellent and Origin shouldn’t be too far away for him.
“He’s very good defensively when he’s on and he’s going great in attack. You could say he’s in a better position to be picked for NSW than he was last year.
“His football is much better, he much fitter and he’s in a much better place overall.”
Arguably the fastest man in rugby league, Roberts has been in slashing form for the Broncos, scoring three tries last week against the Gold Coast Titans to push himself into contention for a Blues jersey.
His seven tries this year are more than any other Blues centre.
With Josh Mansour out, much will depend on whether Daley and his adviser Peter Sterling are prepared to switch Dugan to the wing to make way for Roberts or Bird in the centres.
Leilua, for all his attacking strength and power, is seen as too big a liability in defence.
He has six tries this year, second behind Roberts of all the centres but has been found out numerous times defending on the Canberra Raiders’ right side.
Daley told The Daily Telegraph he is a fan of Roberts who he coached in the Indigenous All Stars and with the Blues emerging squad.
“His last couple of games have been really good,” Daley said.
“Hopefully he’ll continue that and he’ll maybe find himself in a city jersey in a couple of weeks and we’ll see what happens from there. Everyone knows what he’s capable of doing.
“With Jimmy he’s always been a talent but sometimes on and off.
“There might be a couple ahead of him but you never know what might happen. He’s in the picture for sure.”
The left side centre position is as wide open with five players — Michael Jennings, Jarrod Croker, Jarryd Hayne, Josh Morris and Tyrone Peachey all under consideration.
For all the Origin experience of Jennings and Morris, there is Huge pressure on Daley and Sterling to seriously consider Canberra Raiders skipper Croker. He is a wonderful competitor and one of the NRL’s most consistent performers.
Much will depend on how Hayne comes back with the Gold Coast Titans over the next few weeks, given his record in Origin and Test football before he left to have a crack at the NFL.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...t/news-story/0e2cc9af88241532775a3ba927cac5c2
