Matthew Johns: NSW will win State of Origin this Year

[Alec]

DeFensom is awesome, but Trent Merrin isn't any worse, so as long as NSW doesn't put Bird at lock just to make way for a nobody like G Stewart, T Williams or R Hoffman or something, you couldn't really blame them for not picking him.

 

[Mister Wright]

At first I was against what Meninga was doing last year in dropping Shillington and Harrison. They were great servents for QLD during our record breaking streak, however now on reflection it seems like a masterstroke. You keep selecting guys when they're younger to give them confidence and make them feel part of the team. However, when they get older you bring in the younger blokes as a sign of confidence. It's going to be invaluable this year that blokes like Cherry-Evans and Papalli have Origin experience behind them for game one.

The hard decisions will be when to replace the spine. At what point do you say that players other than Slater, Smith, Thurston and Cronk can provide better results? I hope we wrap up the series after game 2 so blokes like McCullough can get experience on the bench for the final game.

 

[Alec]

The problem with dropping of Harrison, is that he replaced him with McQueen, who is easily the worst of the QLD back rowers and is now a permanent fixture in the side.

 

[Harry Sack]

At first I was against what Meninga was doing last year in dropping Shillington and Harrison. They were great servents for QLD during our record breaking streak, however now on reflection it seems like a masterstroke. You keep selecting guys when they're younger to give them confidence and make them feel part of the team. However, when they get older you bring in the younger blokes as a sign of confidence. It's going to be invaluable this year that blokes like Cherry-Evans and Papalli have Origin experience behind them for game one.

The hard decisions will be when to replace the spine. At what point do you say that players other than Slater, Smith, Thurston and Cronk can provide better results? I hope we wrap up the series after game 2 so blokes like McCullough can get experience on the bench for the final game.

The bell tolls for Slater currently IMO, he's on his last legs for rep footy. Smith and likely Thurston will both do Lockyer's and play until they retire. Cronk, IMO, will lose his HB spot to DCE in the next few years, but he'll be moved back to the bench.

 

[Big Pete]

I never bought into the whole 'If Tongue was a Queenslander' line. Tongue was only worthy of selection in 2006, when New South Wales were coming off three straight series victory and had incumbents in the like of Ryan & Simpson. When they looked to blood somebody, they called in Gallen who was in great form for Cronulla, was a stand out in City v Country and had more upside to him.

Yeah, if Tongue was a Maroon he probably would have been selected over Stagg, Lillyman or Flannery but that says more about the Maroons depth than it does about their selectors nous.

Of course, if Tongue was still killing it in 2008-11 he should have been given a shot, but his form tapered off and he basically became the Canberra Kurt Gidley.

 

[CaptainHook]

The problem with dropping of Harrison, is that he replaced him with McQueen, who is easily the worst of the QLD back rowers and is now a permanent fixture in the side.

I think that's a bit harsh. I thought McQueen was magnificent in the decider last year and Harrison was a bit down on form last year and in 2012.

 

[winslow_wong]

he has predicted a blues victory the last 8 years. so far he's 0 from 8

 

[GCBRONCO]

Exactly, I'd be more worried if he backed us.