If there was another game in 3 weeks...

[QUEENSLANDER]

With folau still out, myles suspended who would u have for a hypothetical game 4. Lets also assume hunt is overseas since he wont be taking part in origin for a while

1. Slater - made some mistakes, but saved a lot of tries)
2. Inglis - didnt like him starting on the wing, but it was a masterstroke. Found out williams over and over
3. Tonga
4. Hodges
5. Boyd
6. Lockyer
7. Thurston
8. Price
9. Smith
10. Civo
11. Harrison - unlucky not to get player of series
12. Thaiday
13. Johnson

14. Shillington - good form on debut. Was making 2 hitups per set for a while there
15. Hannant
16. Costigan - brought some mongrel to the team which crocker failed to do
17. Cronk - time to give him a go

So yes,i have dropped crocker. He has let us down this year epicly. Never thought id see the day

 

[Coxy]

Crocker out, Hannant in, that's about all that's required. I'd still have Hunt there (he's not going to be gone in 3 weeks!). Hunt actually looked dangerous in attack last night once he came on, though did he come on to the back row? That seems odd given our pack was already being outmuscled.

Frankly for 2010 I hope and pray Dave Taylor kicks on massively and is ready for Origin...Queensland's front row stocks are shocking.

And despite Price saying he wants to play on, did you see the look on his wife's face as she stood on the sideline watching him being loaded onto the medicab? There'll be pressure for him to give it away.

 

[OXY-351]

Seriously, what's the point of this thread?

p.s - Would Steve Price even be awake in 3 weeks?

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Does there have to be a massive point to each thread? We would be analysing the team if it was game 2, why not analyse it now

 

[Coxy]

I thought Scott and Shillington were both good with ball in hand, but their defence was ordinary. Still, it was just their debuts, they'll improve.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Shillington was good. He was making 2 hitups in some sets. Good work rate. Cant say i noticed him missing too many tackles, i was too angry at crocker missing everything that ran at him

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

i agree. nsw won with their 2nd row last night. their props were not better than ours, our backs dominated, it was purely watmough and creagh really. we need some 2nd rowers that are fast and agile, dunno where they are going to come from tho

 

[OXY-351]

Does there have to be a massive point to each thread? We would be analysing the team if it was game 2, why not analyse it now

I thought that was the point of the other "spoilers" thread though. Just seems to be so many threads on this forum that end up going down the same path

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

I was just trying to keep talk of team changes to a separate thread, thats all :)

 

[Mister Wright]

Slater was starting to win me over in the last two games with his massive improvement in defense. However, his handling, last night was inexcusable at State of Origin level. I doubt very much if Hunt would have made the same errors.

If a side was named in 3 weeks, I would have Hunt replace Slater at fullback and bring in Walker/Sailor onto the bench and have Prince replace Lockyer.

 

[Je$ter]

Yeah, defence comes with time/experience anyway so I don't see that being much of a concern.

However, QLD I reckon need to do better with their back row - They lack a bit of skill to be honest. Harrison is OK, Johnson is just there for his defence, Thaiday is good but needs to concentrate on running wide more and using his ball skills (he's got some). Costigan is much like Harrison in a way....pretty basic back row IMO. I think they may be found out in the next few years.

Just like our back row and old props were going to be found out in the past 4 years?

 

[Alec]

OLD has one bad game and suddenly the back row sucks? I still think it's excellent, provided our props get on top, or at least match the opposition. Ashley Harrison is probably the most underrated player in the NRL, brilliant in defence, underrated in attack, and is a good ball player for a forward. Dallas Johnson, while useless in attack, tackles all day long and helps out the other forwards. Thaiday, when used properly and when he's on his game is a very damaging wide runner. I think the balance is perfect, all that was needed was for our props to deliver. Unfortunately Shillington and Scott weren't great (though they were pretty inexperienced) and Price had one of his worst games in ages.

 

[Black Philip]

For next year IMO the only changes that should be made are Costigan in for Crocker, Prince in for Lockyer (Locky has run his course in origin), Cronk in for Hunt and if Price retires - Matt Scott to replace him.

I thought Matt Scott was pretty good last night, nothing special in defence but did his job well going forward.

 

[Je$ter]

[quote="Je$ter":1lzpbw00][quote="The Rock":1lzpbw00]Yeah, defence comes with time/experience anyway so I don't see that being much of a concern.

However, QLD I reckon need to do better with their back row - They lack a bit of skill to be honest. Harrison is OK, Johnson is just there for his defence, Thaiday is good but needs to concentrate on running wide more and using his ball skills (he's got some). Costigan is much like Harrison in a way....pretty basic back row IMO. I think they may be found out in the next few years.

Just like our back row and old props were going to be found out in the past 4 years?[/quote:1lzpbw00]

What? Since when? [icon_shru Anyone who ever doubted Civo and Price because they were getting old were just stupid. Experienced props are always the best props in the game. Price and Civo have carried this QLD team for 4 years. All your backrowers had to do was turn up, defend and that's their job done.

Next year could be different though Jeb. Price and Petero may not play, or at least 1 of them may not - That'll hurt QLD. Also with guys like Creagh and Watmough in the NSW backline, and if NSW are smart enough to come up with the right team next year (and I hope this year is a real turning points/learning curve for them!) then NSW will cause QLD some problems and it may just force QLD to make some changes.

QLD can't keep the same team forever. The game evolves, coaches come up with ways and means of finding weaknesses in the opposition ESPECIALLY in a team that has been together for so long.

NSW's mobile and creative back row caused some serious problems for NSW on Wednesday night and I reckon that will be NSW's strength going into next year - QLD may have to look to counter it by finding some decent mobility and creativity in the back row.[/quote:1lzpbw00]

[icon_lol1. [icon_lol1. [icon_lol1. [icon_lol1.

Can't you read newspapers? Every year someone comes out and says Price and Petero are too slow for Origin, two referees is going to make them obsolete etc etc.

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/ori...-dog-act/2009/07/16/1247337218521.html?page=2

All the signs in this story indicate that Ebony and Ivory will play again next year.

 

[Coxy]

The SMH has the best league writers in the press. Except Gus.

 

[mrslong]

They will play for pay back. I liked Civa's comments in the Courier Mail about Poore and Waterhouse. They'd better watch out@!

 

[Flutterby]

I thought Scott and Shillington were both good with ball in hand, but their defence was ordinary. Still, it was just their debuts, they'll improve.

Just because I like pointing out when Coxy is wrong - this was actually Scott's SECOND origin - he played game one in 2006 [icon_razz1

And if there was another game in 3 weeks, I think Justin Poore would be lucky to get off the field in tact.