Phil Rothfield reveals his New South Wales team for State of Origin I
FIND out who’s made the cut in Phil Rothfield’s New South Wales team for State of Origin I as the unpredictable 2018 NRL season makes Brad Fittler’s job all the more difficult.
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A COUPLE of months ago Blues coach Brad Fittler asked his selection advisers Greg Alexander and Danny Buderus to write down their State of Origin teams on a piece of paper.
This was before round one of the competition, but Fittler needed a starting base.
So they turned up for their weekly meeting in Freddy’s office at Olympic Park on a Wednesday morning with their teams written down.
Freddy’s big on confidentiality and won’t tell us the names on the pieces of paper.
All the obvious names were there — Boyd Cordner, Jake Trbojevic, Dave Klemmer, James Tedesco, Wade Graham and Tyson Frizell.
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Every Wednesday they gather at the NSW Rugby league headquarters to watch videos, check stats and talk footy form for three hours.
Trouble is the 2018 form has been so unpredictable.
Who would have thought St George Illawarra would be undefeated at the top of the premiership ladder after five rounds?
And the New Zealand Warriors. Who would have thought new signing Blake Green would turn the competition’s great underachievers into a genuine finals contender?
No one knew Andrew Fifita would turn his back on a Blues jersey to play for Tonga.
No one knew Brisbane’s Jack Bird would struggle to make an impact at his new club.
Or that Kangaroos front-rower Aaron Woods would make no impact at Canterbury.
Dragon Euan Aitken is the form centre in the competition and stepped past the great Greg Inglis for a magnificent try against the Rabbitohs.
It’s why the team Freddy, Brandy and Bedsy eventually pick will have little resemblance to the sides they chose back in late February.
The form landscape has changed so much.
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You go through the Blues’ team from Game III last year and you’ll get what I’m talking about.
Only four players — James Maloney, Mitchell Pearce, Tyson Frizell and Jake Trbojevic - are playing their best football.
The rest are going either okay or playing poorly.
Throw in the injuries and the unavailability of Jordan McLean, Nathan Cleary and Dale Finucane.
Plus Jarryd Hayne’s poor form before being injured for Parramatta.
BUZZ’S ORIGIN TEAM
1 James Tedesco (Roosters), 2 Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), 3 Euan Aitken (Dragons), 4 Josh Dugan (Sharks), 5 Josh Mansour (Panthers), 6 James Maloney (Panthers), 7 Mitchell Pearce (Knights), 8 Jack de Belin (Dragons), 9 Cameron McInnes (Dragons), 10 Dave Klemmer (Bulldogs), 11 Tyson Frizell (Dragons), 12 Boyd Cordner (Roosters), 13 Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles). Bench: 14 Paul Vaughan (Dragons), 15 Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Panthers), 16 Ryan James (Titans), 17 Wade Graham (Sharks).
Originally published as Phil Rothfield reveals his New South Wales team for State of Origin I
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