NSW Blues must keep faith with Nathan Cleary and James Maloney
With an abundance of talent coming through, the NSW Blues are on the brink of a Maroons-like era of Origin domination - but that will not happen if selectors make this one big mistake - writes ANTHONY GRIFFIN.
Opinion
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Last year New South Wales looked like they finally got Origin.
But, just as quickly, they’re ready to throw out the winning formula, if all the commentary is to be believed.
As a Queenslander living in NSW, it bemuses me that the calls are already growing, after just three rounds, to ring in the changes.
Starting with incumbent Blues halves James Maloney and Nathan Cleary.
Yes, the Penrith pair have started the season slowly, which has mirrored the Panthers’ form, while Luke Keary and Adam Reynolds are piling on the pressure.
But Cleary and Maloney got the job done for NSW last year. Cleary showed composure beyond his years in the toughest test there is. His temperament is tailor-made for Origin.
His kicking game and defence were outstanding.
Together with Maloney he directed the Blues to a series win at 20 years of age.
Maloney was outstanding in the first two Origins, where he had a hand in five of the seven tries scored and conjured up wins from deficits in both games. He also kicked some important goals particularly in game two when he kicked two sideline conversions which were the difference in the four-point win.
LISTEN! Pressure on the Clearys, Ponga’s missing spark and rich pickings for the Blues. Plus Matty’s confrontation with “The Animal”. Don’t miss this week’s episode of The Matty Johns podcast with Paul Kent and James Hooper.
Cooper Cronk aside, Maloney is the most experienced successful playmaker in the NRL. He has won two premierships and an Origin series and knows how to get the job done. Jimmy is an extremely intelligent player. He sees the game differently. He’s like a coach on the field. It’s like he’s playing chess and all the other players are the pieces.
Nathan’s selection was seen as a bold step for the future of NSW. A young half that could handle the pressure of Origin and be a centrepiece to build around. He did exactly what they needed him to do.
Queensland have now lost the most successful group of playmakers in Origin history. Kevin Walters will be praying for the Blues to change theirs again.
Last year NSW made some big changes that not only led to a series win but created some of the depth from which they now have to choose.
With the abundance of talent coming through, the Blues are on the verge of a Maroons-like domination of State of Origin.
But they are equally at risk of shooting themselves in the foot by losing faith in what has got them into this position.
In game one of the 2006 series Queensland trailed by 14 points after 15 minutes.
They hadn’t won a series since 2001 and there was a sense, at the time, that the future of Origin was in trouble.
They eventually lost that game by a point — a Brett Finch field goal — but went on to win the series 2-1.
They didn’t lose another one until 2014 and won the next three after that.
In 2016, I took my 12-year-old son, in his Maroons jersey, to ANZ Stadium to watch game one.
NSW were down 6-4 with five minutes to go when a wave of Blue jerseys around us started heading for the exits.
“Why are they all leaving?” my son asked. “It’s not full-time”.
So I told him, “They don’t believe they can win and they’re sick of losing”.
Now the tide is well and truly turning.
After a decade of misery, a perfect storm is forming for the Blues.
Queensland’s stocks have plummeted since their last series win in 2017. Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Cronk have all retired. Greg Inglis and Matt Scott are nearing the end and Valentine Holmes has moved to the NFL.
NSW, meanwhile, are assembling a depth of talent not seen before in Origin football. How quickly things change.
Except those in NSW have already fallen into the old, losing habit of picking a fresh Blues team every week and pulling it apart.
And it has started with the halves — Maloney and Cleary or Keary and Reynolds?
On paper it may not matter who eventually gets the nod. That can be said for any position in the Blues’ line-up.
But State of Origin matches are not won on paper. Queensland have proved this time and time again.
The real story now is whether NSW can turn their abundance of riches into an era of series wins. Or do they abandon the formula coach Brad Fittler used with so much success?
Bring on the changes for the Blues I say. They are sick of winning already.
HOOK’S ALTERNATIVE NSW TEAM
To highlight the Blues’ incredible strength, lets pick a side excluding the team that played in game 3 of the 2018 series.
1. Clint Gutherson, 2. Blake Ferguson, 3. Euan Aitken, 4. Jack Bird, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. Tevita Pangai Junior, 9. Cameron McInnes, 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11. Isaah Yeo, 12. Josh Jackson, 13. Victor Radley, 14. Jessie Ramien, 15. Jordan McClean, 16. James Tamou, 17. Cameron Murray
Shadows: Matt Prior, Aaron Woods, Ryan Matterson, Dale Finucane, Ryan James, Josh Dugan, Michael Jennings, Mitchell Pearce, Mitchell Moses, Alex Johnson, Jack Wighton, Waqa Blake.
# 16 players from this list are under 25 years of age.
# 14 players have already played for NSW or Australia
Originally published as NSW Blues must keep faith with Nathan Cleary and James Maloney
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