So with just the one match to go before the New South Wales team is announced, who would be lining up in a Blues jersey for you this year? My team is below:
1. Jarryd Hayne
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Josh Morris
4. Michael Jennings
5. Brett Morris
6. Josh Reynolds
7. Trent Hodkinson
8. James Tamou
9. Robbie Farah
10. Paul Gallen (c)
11. Luke Lewis
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Anthony Watmough
14. Tim Mannah
15. Aaron Woods
16. Tony Williams
17. Trent Merrin
Clearly this won't be the one selected by Laurie Daley. Trent Hodkinson should replace Mitchell Pearce. Pearce has been out of form for a lot of the season and he's the one keeping Maloney in the team. Hodkinson's goal kicking has been top notch and his partnership with Reynolds has seen the Dogs at the top of the ladder.
Had Fifita been fit then Gallen would shift to lock and Bird would push Hoffman out of the side. People will question my choice of Tim Mannah but he's picking up big metres for Parramatta and getting through plenty of work. With Woods and Merrin the Blues will have a big pack on the bench with the ability to offload.
Tony Williams is hitting his straps for the Bulldogs and won't play big minutes. Hoffman is in the side purely to replace Greg Bird. That back-row can play 80 minutes but having Williams on the bench provides that extra gear for the Blues.
The back-line virtually picks itself. Hayne is the form fullback of the competition, the Morris twins always perform for the Blues as does Jennings. In Daniel Tupou we have a big aerial target and neither Tate or Boyd are going to challenge him well in the air.
Replies
Id slot Timmy Mannah in there and make him the leader of the pack..
I'd go Hayne Morris Morris Jennings Dugan carney Pearce/Adam renalds
I wouldn't be playing Dugan in a position he's never played in at a senior level. Wing is a very specialist position these days. Carney's too injury prone and goes missing far too often in big games.
If the halfback is either Pearce, Mullen or Hodkinson, we will hand the series to Qld.
At least with Reynolds, we have a chance that we otherwise wouldn't have. He's the only one we have that is capable of punishing the maroons.
Forget Josh Reynolds and Hodkinson as I watched dogs play warriors and neither are upto soo standard. Hodkinson is a speed bump and take away his kicking he offers nothing. As for Reynolds he is full of himself and is a hog trying to big note himself taking a lot of wrong options. Over rated and already failed once as a utility as he was and is still not up to origin. If this combo gets picked it will be another loss.
1. Jarryd Hayne - tick
2. Daniel Tupou < Josh Dugan (great in the air too, better returner, better tackler then Tupou)
3. Josh Morris - tick
4. Michael Jennings - tick
5. Brett Morris - tick
6. Josh Reynolds (Todd Carney what a shame he is injured!)
7. Trent Hodkinson (If Carney was fit, I would have Wallace as half, he gives nice early balls to the outside backs which in my humble opinion are better then QLDs outside backs!
8. James Tamou - tick
9. Robbie Farah - tick
10. Paul Gallen (c) - tick
11. Luke Lewis -tick
12. Ryan Hoffman < Tariq Sims (This Blues team has enough experience, Tariq offers a lot more aggression )
13. Anthony Watmough < Wade Graham (another ball player, our outside 5 are better then QLD's we need players who can play to those strengths)
14. Tim Mannah - tick
15. Aaron Woods - tick
16. Tony Williams - tick
17. Trent Merrin -tick
1. Josh Dugan
2. Josh Mansour
3. Jarryd Hayne
4. Michael Jennings
5. Brett Morris
6. John Sutton
7. Trent Hodkinson
8. Aaron Woods
9. Robbie Farah
10. Paul Gallen (c)
11. Luke Lewis
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Anthony Watmough
14. Tim Grant
15. James Tamou
16. Tony Williams
17. Trent Merrin
Can't have Josh Morris, too many Joshs. Great defender but has never offered enough in attack in Origin.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 6 Next