State of Origin Game III - Live Discussion

[Number6]

turning my attention to next years series ... this is how i would go (assuming all players healthy and in decent form):

1. Ponga
2. Holmes
3. Munster
4. Inglis (c)
5. Gagai
6. Milford
7. Cherry-Evans (last night earned him another shot)
8. Arrow
9. McCullough
10. Papalli
11. Su'a
12. Gillett
13. McGuire

14. Oates (utility as can play forwards and backs)
15. Ofahengue
16. Hess
17. Napa

18. Rhyse Martin

1-7 sounds good.

Arrow isn’t a prop. Napa or Offa to start over Papa who is better at impact.

Need a better hooker desperately. Macca can barely play 30 at origin let alone 80. This is biggest problem. Only options Hunt, Granville, Seg. Not promising. Have to pick on form next year and hopes someone comes forward.

Oates is going to have to have to have to do a lot to reassure selectors after butter fingers and missing high balls besides need a spare hooker and like the impact back. 3 forwards are enough with the big minute forwards we have.

 

[Porthoz]

Full credit to DCE last night, he was most definitely the difference.

However I don't think anyone ever questioned his ability. The reason he wasn't selected was never due to ability, it was down to his team mentality. He's not a team player. He can be, when he has a personal point to prove (like he did last night), but that's not how he normally plays long-term.

Once DCE gets comfortable in a team, he wants to call the shots. That in itself isn't bad, it's a great trait for a halfback to have, but he inevitably puts himself first, the team second. He would rather lose a game as a general, than win a game as a soldier. Last night's performance doesn't change that, he was playing at his best in order to prove himself.

Walters' decision to not play him was playing the long game, therefore I don't think it was the wrong decision. Was it the wrong decision therefore playing DCE last night? Time will tell. It was great to not lose the series 3-0, but is the team going to suffer long term because of DCE's attitude? Without Smith, Slater, Cronk, Thurston, and most of the seasoned players of the last 10 years, DCE is well and truly going to be one of the senior players from now on and after that game last night, he's going to expect to be able to run the team how he wants it. Once again, that's okay for a halfback, but not for one who has shown to always put himself before the team.

This is my main gripe as well.
There is no doubt he performed quite well last night, albeit in a dead rubber and backed by a dominant team in almost every aspect (which he definitely deserves credit for). For that reason he should (form and injury allowing) be the 7 for game 1 next year.
But what I have grave doubts over is whether he will put himself on the line and serve the team and his mates when the going gets tough.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I have also never seen him do that desperate extra 1% we expect from an Origin player in any game I have seen him play. Not one!

FWIW, as much as I think he is a filthy **** for his blatant lying and backflip on the Tits, that matters little on the field.

Also, as much as I am a Taylor fanboy (not of his current attitude though), if DCE performs to his ability under adverse conditions, I will back his selection continuously 100%.

Now onto other things about last night's game, Cooper is nearing his retirement, but FMD people are being harsh on him. He was again the top forward in runs and meters for Qld, didn't miss tackles, had a try assist and prevented Munster from being cited for putting a player in a dangerous position.
Sure, he is slower and once Gillo is back, Kaufusi is probably the better player to put there (unless Hess has an extraordinary first half of the 2019 season), but he deserves way more credit than he is being given.

P.S. LOL at blaming Wallace for Tedesco's try... that one is on Moose (probably worried because he let Cook through on his previous long range line break), but as Morkel said, the bigger problem was the handling of the previous tackle.

 

[Sproj]

Prepared to be called out on being correct, or prepared to be called out on reminding everyone that I was correct? :campeon::ARMS1::asz:

Edit: I love these oldschool emotes.

Imagine this being whispered:

Wallace Wallace Wallace

And then remember how well you (didn't) took that. Yep, I went there.

 

[ningnangnong]

Man, all the Blues in the office today had this opinion on Slater being awarded player of the series:

 

[holdzy]

And gifted NSW the chances they needed to clinch the series. He shouldn't be getting such an important position yet. Not until he has more experience in the Origin arena. A series under the wing of Inglis would be valuable for him.

The chances of Milford being 5/8 next year are slim. We all know Munster is going to keep his spot, but one can hope he doesn't. But QLD can get fucked and pick someone else. Milford stays at the Broncos.

Inglis won't be fullback, mate. Whether you think he should or not, he won't. Bet whatever you own on it.

Ponga is ready to go. He didn't cost QLD the game in game 2, Hunt and Chambers did.

The next series is a year away, who knows what will happen. Imo, Munster isn't guaranteed a spot, and neither is DCE. For Milford to become the player the Broncos need, I think he needs to be a (winning) Origin player.

 

[Mr Fourex]

:campeon::ARMS1::asz:

Edit: I love these oldschool emotes.

>like<

:banana:

 

[Unbreakable]

Imagine this being whispered:

Wallace Wallace Wallace

And then remember how well you (didn't) took that. Yep, I went there.

It still gets brought up occasionally, hate to say that we might've been better off if I was correct on that one, he's dog shit, as expected.

 

[PerthBrissy987]

 

[Harry Sack]

It's yet another reason I don't want Walters at the Broncos, he let politics and personal favourites choose Hunt at 7 instead of doing what was very obviously the best thing for the team.

Someone to correct me if wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that Kev wanted DCE for game one and he was overruled by Miles and Lockyer? Could absolutely be thinking of a different player

 

[PerthBrissy987]

Someone to correct me if wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that Kev wanted DCE for game one and he was overruled by Miles and Lockyer? Could absolutely be thinking of a different player

He wanted ponga at fb in game 1

 

[Harry Sack]

He wanted ponga at fb in game 1

Boom! Carry on, I knew I read something like that.

 

[Harry Sack]

Man, all the Blues in the office today had this opinion on Slater being awarded player of the series:

As salty as it seems.....I just don't see how he was tbh.

 

[Super Freak]

Ponga is ready to go. He didn't cost QLD the game in game 2, Hunt and Chambers did.

Ready to go based on what?

Apart from a linebreak where he nearly scored, kind of messed it up a bit, he didn't really do much else. Threatened to break through a couple of times but was pretty well contained for the most part.

NSW scored two tries on the back of errors from Ponga at crucial stages of the game. Hunt and Chambers cost us the game due to some bad decisions but Ponga making two errors which led to tries is fine? I don't really get it.

Ponga wasn't bad. He was solid. He is the future, but not quite yet.

 

[Slippin Jimmy]

As salty as it seems.....I just don't see how he was tbh.

It's the problem with a 4-3-2-1 voting system. If the judges all agreed that Slater was among the best on grounds in games 2 and 3, it will take someone else performing equally well in 2 games, plus playing well enough to register a vote in a 3rd to beat him.

Funnily enough if the system actually operated the way some people are suggesting (with collusion between judges) we'd probably get the more politically palatable result of a Blue winning it.

 

[Scorchie]

I love NSW Supporters. They win a series (2nd time in over a decade) and all they can do is whinge about a man of the series award [emoji23]

 

[WASSHHH]

Ready to go based on what?

Apart from a linebreak where he nearly scored, kind of messed it up a bit, he didn't really do much else. Threatened to break through a couple of times but was pretty well contained for the most part.

NSW scored two tries on the back of errors from Ponga at crucial stages of the game. Hunt and Chambers cost us the game due to some bad decisions but Ponga making two errors which led to tries is fine? I don't really get it.

Ponga wasn't bad. He was solid. He is the future, but not quite yet.

Don’t you think you’re being a little too critical of Ponga, perhaps to justify why you’ve suggested Inglis should be fullback?

To look at the facts, he was:
- on debut;
- a relative NRL rookie as well;
- playing WAY out of position;
- played well in excess of half the game in said position, and;
- one of the only players to constantly look threatening.

Not to mention he was playing in what is almost always an incredibly tight contest that also had the added pressure of being a game with the series on the line, in Sydney.

Put him at FB, he doesn’t have to make decisions required of a FB playing what could only be described as a roving lock / second rower role. He also then gets to play his customary role, one he is infinitely more experienced in.

I’m not saying he didn’t make mistakes, but it’s grossly unfair to criticise him in the same breath as Hunt and Chambers when he was playing a role that’s so unfamiliar to him and he’s nowhere near as experienced as them.

If I’m honest, I believe Ponga was the least of our worries in game II. Imploding Ben Hunt and his mate Kick-Happy Will Chambers played the biggest parts in QLD losing game II. Why? Because, aside from the fact they are both very experienced NRL players and one is equally as experienced in origin, they simply didn’t do their jobs. A centre couldn’t defend at centre and kept kicking the ball away. A halfback couldn’t steer the team around in the final 20mins and kept kicking the ball away.

In my opinion at least, if you don’t think Ponga is ready, you’ll never think anyone is ready.

 

[Super Freak]

Don’t you think you’re being a little too critical of Ponga, perhaps to justify why you’ve suggested Inglis should be fullback?

No.

 

[Dexter]

Where I, and people who don't like DCE disagree, is that I don't think he's supposedly as toxic as he's made out to me, I don't buy it.

Watmough calling him out only makes me more sure it's a beat up. I seriously believe because DCE is so well spoken, and isn't a push over, that rubs over the dinosaurs in the game the wrong way.

Has he seriously done anything "bad" in his career, ever? I've heard lotza rumours, lots back paper gossip, but I've never once seen him do anything questionable. He doesn't play like a grub, he's led his teams to a premiership, he backed out on the Titans, but so what? I don't see that as some sort unquestionably unethical thing, it's a business, he got a better deal and he took it. That's completely pointless to me, as long as he performs at his best, and everytime I watch Manly play (which to be fair isn't often) he's clearly trying hard, he plays a clean, good game and doesn't go off at his teammates and the refs every time something goes wrong.

The only things he seems to be questioned about, is that he's went about getting the absolute best deal for himself, and that's not a grubby quality, the clubs will **** off players instantly if they're no longer any value.

While people keep perpetuating the myth that he deliberately fucked over the Titans that perception won't change.

The guy bought a house on the coast to move into. His parents were going to move there as well.
I know his father ( played footy with him ) so I know this to be true but everyone wants to keep repeating this crap that it was a tactic.

It's not true.