The QLD Autopsy...

[Timmah6991]

If Cronk and DCE are out and we assume Hunt won't be selected... could that mean the return of the prodigal son? The "play in the halves at club level when all other halves are injured" wonder kid? God I actually hope not.

1. Billy Slater
2. Darius Boyd
3. Greg Inglis
4. Justin Hodges
5. Brent Tate
6. Cameron Smith
7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Matt Scott
9. Jake Friend
10. Nate Myles
11. Aidan Guerra
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Corey Parker

14. Ben T'eo
15. Matt Gillett
16. Jacob Lillyman
17. Josh Papalii

 

[Bucking Beads]

I'd love to see Taylor and GI rampaging down the left in game 2.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Right now I'd prefer sandow than hunt. Hunt is in god form but his distinct lack of a varied kicking game does it for me. All he can do ATM is bomb. Sandow is in decent form and has one of the better kicking games in the nrl. I hope it doesn't come to that

 

[Bucking Beads]

Right now I'd prefer sandow than hunt. Hunt is in god form but his distinct lack of a varied kicking game does it for me. All he can do ATM is bomb. Sandow is in decent form and has one of the better kicking games in the nrl. I hope it doesn't come to that

Certainly a huge issue if we need to replace both Cronk and DCE. Sandow has a much better kicking game but is pure liability in defence. Hunt can at least hold his own in defence but his kicking game is not great but has been improving. Hopefully DCE is all good.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Smoky for halfback spot if DCE and Cronk are out would be Michael Morgan IMO.

 

[Canga]

If both are out for game 2 I'd bring in Hunt personally with JT and Smith doing most the kicking.

 

[Foordy]

Idiocy alert:

@BuzzRothfield: I've done my column tomorrow on the Coward Tackle - Josh Papalii's dog shot on Paul Gallen #Origin

So no mention of the NSW player who did the exact same thing to Slater

 

[Splinter]

Right now I'd prefer sandow than hunt. Hunt is in god form but his distinct lack of a varied kicking game does it for me. All he can do ATM is bomb. Sandow is in decent form and has one of the better kicking games in the nrl. I hope it doesn't come to that

Sandow and Hodges next to each other in defence will stop that selection ever happening

 

[Brett]

Is it just me, or does anyone else not care as much this year?

We see Cronk get a broken arm, DCE injured his hip and might be out for weeks, Gallen could be out for weeks, Watmough tore his bicep and could be out for weeks.

I might get shot for this, but I feel SOO is diluting the NRL competition at the moment. QLD were dreadful last night. I found it a very boring game to watch until the 60th minute mark; after that it was great.

Our pack is small. We found it extremely difficult to make meters. Our backs, in particular Inglis, rarely got the ball, and when he did, Beau Scott's only objective in that game was to tackle Inglis, so he never got any quality ball. McQueen was average at best. Gillett missed a couple crucial tackles, but was otherwise excellent. Hodges was shut down all night.

I just feel like we're doing the same old, same old at QLD. It reminds me so much of the Broncos the way QLD are playing.

 

[Dexter]

Inglis needs to get quality ball which comes down to the halves and on that side, it's Thurston.

Slater was outstanding, no way do you replace him after that.

That's just it though, I am tired of waiting for the game where Inglis gets quality ball, at fullback he is in the game just like Hayne last night. NSW finally stopped picking him out of position and see what happened.

Slater and Inglis could easily do some swapping especially inside 20 to give GI some decent room, so no need to get rid of Slater

 

[Bucking Beads]

I don't think QLD have played at their very best in the last few series.

 

[Browny]

We did this game 1 last year. Played much better the next 2 games

 

[Sproj]

We need to have a more varied attack in Sydney and certainly more discipline. Errors cost us the game last night.

 

[Je$ter]

How funny is Rothfield? He's claiming Papalii's hit on Gallen is a cheap shot. Gallen didn't hurt his neck until he tried to elbow Papalli in the head.

Slothfield is close to my #1 on my 'rugby league person I want to punch in the face' list

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Slothfield is close to my #1 on my 'rugby league person I want to punch in the face' list

Didnt mention scotts tackle on slater which was even later than papaliis either

 

[Morkel]

Anyone else get the feeling that Hodges was trying too hard, like he often does for us? Do you think he was given a license to roam (especially as DCE was struggling) or do you reckon he took it upon himself? That whole game had a decidedly Broncos feel to it, unfortunately. There were a few times where Hodges made a bit of space but took the wrong option, I kind of think he'd lost faith in the halves like he does with Hoffman, and whether we might have had a better chance if it were left to Thurston.

 

[animal eater]

Boys and girls... chill the hell out. It's one game. NSW pretty much played as well as they possibly can. Hats off to them. We lost Kronk and still were in it to the buzzer. QLD were way off playing their best. Question time... How many times have you seen JT have two poor games in a row? Answer is never.

Next game it will help to have Thaiday on board for the sheer fact that he acts as a good protection for Thurston. Even after all that, if Gillette doesn't spill his lollies they still would of won.

Lesson learned is be ready for anything including losing a key play maker. It was obvious that DCE didn't practice in the 7. Now he will and the team will be better. If he is iffy or if Smith is iffy, Hunt is a viable option for the fact that he is a form 7 and can play 9. If Smith is injured well then the Andrew McCoullough era begins.

Last point which has been stated plenty is Inglis has to get the ball damn near every set. If that means putting Slater in the Wing than so be it. Greg is damaging when Greg wants to be damaging. The big difference in game one was their wild card ( Hayne) was way better and way more damaging then ours with Inglis.

Take a breath, it's going to be a different show in game two and we dominate game three.

 

[Morkel]

NSW's plan in the first half was to try to replicate the Dog's style. Bulk offloads, second-phase play, etc, to try to get Reynolds involved. To Qld's credit they really tightened it up in the second half. And just like with the Dogs, it only works anyway with mass possession, if Qld are even 5% better they won't get that again.