QLD Squad 2020

[Fernando]

Need to see more of Turpin before they're compared but Mahoney looks good. He has a great pass and really quick service.

 

[Fernando]

The only recognised centre in the squad is Moses Mbye and you could make the argument that he's a natural five eighth. It confirms that Queensland will be relying on their wings and five eighths to fill the role.

Yeah I don't consider Mbye a centre and I don't think he's good enough for Origin fullstop. From that squad I'd go Munster and Fifita.

 

[Bongo]

I would have included Hymel Hunt. He was good for the knights last year. Centre definitely our weakest position.

 

[Bongo]

Justin O'Neill could potentially be there too. But given his illness he is at long odds to be in contention. Hopefully at the very least he has his health back .

 

[Wolfie]

Centers is by far our weakest position.

 

[Sproj]

Would it be worth considering:

1. Ponga
2. Holmes
3. Oates
4. Munster
5. Gagai
6. Morgan/Milford
7. DCE
8. McGuire
9. Friend
10. Papalii
11. Fifita
12. Lowe
13. Arrow

14. Hunt
15. Joffa
16. Flegler
17. Hess/Welch/Horseburger/Feldt/Random Bolter

 

[Bongo]

As above, O'Neil, Hunt are options. If not Corey Thompson could do a job. He seems to play well every week. Could we put Hess or Lowe in the centres?

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I prefer to think that McC's omission is a sign that Kevvie already knows he's done as far as first grade is concerned.

 

[scobie]

Such a boost to have Holmes back. Apart from the obvoius strike power, get him him sniffing around the ruck in sets out of our own end.

 

[Bongo]

Such a boost to have Holmes back. Apart from the obvoius strike power, get him him sniffing around the ruck in sets out of our own end.

Yeah that's where Tate was awesome. Great runs out of dummy half in our own end. I want centre that does that and defends well. That's all we need for one centre spot.

 

[Fernando]

There’s Opacic, surprised he wasn’t named

 

[Wolfie]

There’s Opacic, surprised he wasn’t named

He needs to show more than just a good second half to the year really. Molo is the one from the Cowboys that i'm surprised that didn't get a look in, he was excellent from the bench. Probably in the same boat as Tommy.

 

[Foordy]

There’s Opacic, surprised he wasn’t named

he's exactly the type of bolter that QLD pick from left field and has a blinder on debut

 

[Kooly87]

It's early days obviously, but Holmes is potentially a big boost if he can hit the ground running.

1. Ponga
2. Gagai
3. Mbye
4. Munster
5. Holmes
6. Morgan
7. DCE
8. Arrow
9. Friend
10. Papalli
11. Lowe
12. Fifita
13. McGuire

14. Hunt
15. Ofahengaue
16. Welch
17. Kaufusi

I'd really prefer a proper Centre in place of Mbye, but given they haven't really named one, I'd say it's pretty unlikely we'll get one.

The only other left field option I can see in that squad would be Ronalda Mulitalo who played a fair bit of Centre during the back end of the season for Newtown on their Premiership run. He certainly handled himself well there, he scored a try and had something like 7 or 8 tackle breaks in their semi final against the Dragons who were Minor Premiers, but obviously Origin would be a huge step up and quite a baptism of fire given he almost certainly won't play Centre at Cronulla this season.

From outside of the squad, Tom Opacic to me just feels like one of those guys who would fit like a glove into a Queensland Origin jersey and handle it really well. Probably bag himself a double on debut or something crazy like that.

 

[Alec]

We really just need someone who can defend well centres. That's the first priority. Attack should mostly just be about getting good ball to Holmes/Gagai/Oates (if he plays)

 

[winslow_wong]

Weak backline

 

[Wolfie]

I think Munster in the centers could work well. In saying that i thought Morgan would do well there and he struggled quite a bit.

 

[QLD-Rookie]

Change is definitely needed, so something a bit left-field.
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Kyle Feldt
3. Valentine Holmes
4. Dane Gagai
5. Corey Oates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Josh McGuire
9. Ben Hunt
10. Josh Papalii
11. David Fifita
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Jai Arrow
14. Michael Morgan
15. Christian Welch
16. Francis Molo
17. Jaydn Su’A