With the State of Origin teams named after this weekend’s Magic Round, here’s my 19-man squads for NSW and Queensland.
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For the Blues, I’m going against the popular opinion to team up Mitchell Moses and Nathan Cleary in the halves, because I reckon it’s time to give Ethan Strange a crack at Origin.
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Ditto Blayke Brailey who gets my dummy half spot ahead of Reece Robson who is not on the bench _ but Tom Starling is.
There’s also no room for Stephen Crichton.
But Dylan Edwards stays at fullback ahead of James Tedesco.
Meanwhile for the Maroons, Kalyn Ponga is a must in the No 1 jersey ahead of Reece Walsh, and it’s a no brainer that Sam Walker takes over from Tom Dearden at halfback.
I’ve also named a bolter in the centres.
NSW
FULLBACK: DYLAN EDWARDS
This shouldn’t be a debate because dropping Edwards would be madness.
Yes, Teddy has been in sensational form this year.
But so has Edwards who is currently ahead of Tedesco in the Dally M Medal count.
Edwards’ Penrith connection with Cleary is another factor that can’t be discounted.
These two have played so much footy together that they instinctively know each other’s next move.
Just as importantly, Edwards knows when not to overplay his hand like Tedesco has been guilty of on occasions in the past.
Edwards was also one of the Blues’ best in last year’s decider despite the disappointing result, so previous form shouldn’t count against him here.
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PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 18: Dylan Edwards earms the nod for Paul Crawley’s Blues team.Source: Getty Images
WINGERS: BRIAN TO’O and CAMPBELL GRAHAM
Brian To’o picks himself.
No winger in the game starts sets better than the Panthers’ little big man. To’o is also a tremendous finisher, which is why I’d have him on the left side outside Latrell.
The other wing spot is a more contentious.
And while you could make a case for both Josh Addo-Carr and Tom Jenkins, I’ve gone Campbell Graham.
The giant Rabbitoh never shirks his work, is great in defence, good in the air, and Graham has the temperament to handle anything Queensland would throw at him.
CENTRES: LATRELL MITCHELL and KOTONI STAGGS
If Latrell is fit, he’ll absolutely terrify Queensland.
The only concern is the back injury that ruled him out of Souths’ win over the Sharks last week.
If he doesn’t get through Magic Round, Bradman Best slots straight in because he’s never let NSW down.
The bigger talking point is the fight for the right centre spot between Stephen Crichton and Kotoni Staggs.
If Crichton was at his best, it wouldn’t be a debate.
But this season the Bulldogs’ skipper hasn’t looked fully fit since he came back from his shoulder injury, and it’s still clearly impacting him.
Meanwhile, Staggs has been enormous for the Broncos.
And his recent two-match suspension would only guarantee that Staggs goes into the Origin opener at full fitness.
Would you rather Crichton carrying an injury, or Staggs at his blockbusting best?
Mitchell Moses misses out.Source: Supplied
HALVES: ETHAN STRANGE and NATHAN CLEARY
I maintain the Blues have always been at their best when they have a powerful running five-eighth.
So while most have Moses locked in as Cleary’s halves partner, I’d pick Strange whose performance against Penrith last round absolutely screamed that the young Raider is Origin ready.
The way Strange went after the game was not only fearless, it was like he was trying to hurt the opposition every time he carried the ball.
It again brought flashbacks of a young Laurie Daley when he was wearing the Canberra and NSW No 6 jumper.
And given Cleary’s game has gone to another level this season, I truly believe that giving him total ownership of the NSW team _ and not partnering him with another halfback _ could help Cleary finally dominate at Origin level.
FRONT ROW: KEAON KOLOAMATANGI and MITCH BARNETT
I’m done waiting for Addin Fonua-Blake to justify why the Sharks prop should be a walk-up start just because the Origin eligibility rules have changed this year.
Mitch Barnett is made for Origin.
The harder the game gets, the tougher he plays.
Alongside Barnett I’d have the Rabbitohs’ metre-eater Keaon Koloamatangi, who has been in great form for the past 12 months.
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HOOKER: BLAYKE BRAILEY
I know Robson will probably get picked.
But after eight Origins, I can’t remember one game when Robson has offered anything as a running threat out of dummy half for NSW?
And when I looked back on my notes from last year’s decider it was the thing that jumped out at me.
Of course he defends like a trojan.
But so does Brailey.
And while Robson has been outstanding playing behind the Roosters pack this year, I reckon Brailey would go okay playing behind the Roosters as well.
I’d also have Starling on the bench as the backup dummy half for the same reason.
Starling loves to charge out of the line and smash blokes twice as big as him to try and change the momentum of the game, while his unpredictability darting out of dummy half would make him the perfect tag-team partner for Brailey.
It’s a one-two punch that I reckon could counter what Harry Grant gives Queensland.
BACK-ROW: HUDSON YOUNG AND HAUMOLE OLAKAU’ATU
I don’t think it’s an argument that Hudson Young and Haumole Olakau’atu deserve the edge back-row spots.
Both have been in terrific form this year, or in Olakau’atu’s case especially since Kieran Foran took over at Manly.
LOCK: ISAAH YEO
To be honest, I don’t care if it’s Isaah Yeo or Cam Murray who starts at lock because NSW won’t lose either way.
BENCH: TOM STARLING, CAMERON MURRAY, ANGUS CRICHTON, JACKSON FORD, JAMES TEDESCO, MITCHELL MOSES
I’ve stated my case for Starling and Murray, while Angus Crichton and Jackson Ford give the Blues options to play in the middle or the edge.
As for Teddy and Moses, they’re still on the extended bench to give the Blues cover for every position in the backline.
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QUEENSLAND
FULLBACK: KALYN PONGA
If Billy Slater was picking his team after last year’s grand final, Reece Walsh is the first named.
But on recent form, Ponga has to be the starting fullback.
Ponga’s last two games for the Knights have been phenomenal since he returned from injury, and he’s just so dangerous any time he goes near the ball.
You could start Walsh and use Ponga off the bench.
But for mine that’s probably a greater risk than simply backing the hottest fullback in the game right now.
WINGERS: SELWYN COBBO and HAMISO TABUAI-FIDOW
Selwyn Cobbo in for the injured Xavier Coates.
And Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow shifts from fullback to the wing to make way for Ponga.
CENTRES: JAXON PURDUE and ROBERT TOIA
Robert Toia handled Latrell superbly last year after the young Rooster got his shock call up.
Meanwhile, Slater recently gave Jaxon Purdue a push in the media which has me thinking that the young Cowboy could get his shot.
If that turns out to be the case, Purdue deserves it.
While the Blues centres have more power, Queensland have them covered for pace.
It would make for a hell of a match up.
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HALVES: CAMERON MUNSTER and SAM WALKER
Slater would have breathed a sigh of relief when Cam Munster bounced back to form last week against the Tigers.
And with Dearden injured, Sam Walker’s time is now.
Walker has the best short kicking game in the NRL, while his instinctive style is made for Origin.
I had a chat to Wayne Bennett this week who said Walker is the closest thing he has seen to Allan Langer.
And no one knows Origin better than Bennett.
Walker is also only 23, while Daly Cherry-Evans is 37.
And DCE has had his go.
As for the talk about Jake Clifford being a potential bolter, I love Clifford at his best.
But at this point his best and his worst are just too far apart to gamble on him at Origin level.
I think it would be too big a risk for Queensland even though Clifford is the bigger body with a booming long kick.
One way or another, it’s sets up a cracking contest when the Roosters take on the Cowboys this Saturday.
Sam Walker is the man to replace Tom Dearden, writes Paul Crawley.Source: Getty Images
FRONT-ROW: TINO FA’ASUAMALEEAUI and PAT CARRIGAN
With Josh Papalii out of the picture this year, I reckon Pat Carrigan is a walk up start to partner big Tino in the Queensland front-row. Especially after Lindsay Collins suffered another recent head knock.
HOOKER: HARRY GRANT
Harry Grant is automatic selection. The best dummy-half in the game.
BACK-ROW: REUBEN COTTER and KURT CAPEWELL
Reuben Cotter and Kurt Capewell were Queensland’s back-row combination last year. Just lock them in.
LOCK: TRENT LOIERO
While Trent Loiero hasn’t been great for the Storm, Queensland’s famous pick-and-stick mentality probably gets him the nod at lock.
The only question is if Slater should move Cotter to the middle and start young Kulikefu Finefeuiaki on an edge.
Cotter’s defence has been brutal this year, while Finefeuiaki is an absolute beast running the ball.
BENCH: MAX PLATH, KULIKEFU FINEFEUIAKI, LINDSAY COLLINS, TOM FLEGLER, REECE WALSH, KURT MANN
Max Plath is in terrific form for the Dolphins while Tom Flegler is slowly getting back to his best. As for Collins, the Roosters’ prop just needs to get through Saturday’s clash against the Cowboys without another head knock.
I’d also have Walsh on the extended bench just in case, while Kurt Mann also provides outstanding utility value.