South Sydney’s clash with Cowboys is Adam Reynolds’s chance to claim a State of Origin jersey

IF you want to impress the Origin coach, there’s no better team to do it against than the premiers. Now is Adam Reynolds’s chance, writes MATTHEW JOHNS.

Reynolds must make himself updroppable: Johns

ON Friday night Adam Reynolds has the ideal opportunity to put himself in the box seat for State of Origin selection as he returns in the Rabbitohs’ big test of credibility against the premiers, the North Queensland Cowboys.

In absence, Reynolds’ reputation as a footballer has increased. It’s what happens sometimes; you only discover a player’s true worth when they’re not there.

In talking about Souths, we often refer to Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess as the Bunnies’ most crucial players. But you can pencil in the little No.7 as well.

In Round 1 against the Roosters, with Reynolds pulling the strings, Souths looked like the Rabbitohs of 2014, organised and ruthless.

That afternoon in 32 degree heat, Reynolds kicked the Roosters to death. He delivered pinpoint kicks, which either resulted in tries or repeat sets of six.

After 25 minutes, due to Reynolds’ perfect kicking display, Souths had found themselves with 75 per cent possession, and against an opposition defence so tired, the Rabbitohs did as they pleased and won 42-10.

Post match X-rays revealed Reynolds had suffered a fractured jaw in the 60th minute. He hasn’t played since, and the Rabbitohs haven’t looked the same team.

If you want to impress the State of Origin coach, then there’s no better team to do it against than the premiers, led by Queensland’s most valuable player Johnathan Thurston.

Now Reynolds gets that very chance. If he can be dominant and maintain form, then he must be the Blues halfback. But don’t expect any clues from Laurie Daley, as the coach continues to keep his cards close to his chest.

Laurie appeared on NRL 360 last week and hinted that he’s leaning toward sticking with the squad which did it for him in 2014, yet were demolished by a record margin in Game 3 last year.

A lot of the conversation between Laurie and the show’s co-host, Paul Kent, revolved around NSW’s most problematic position, the halves. Again, Daley hinted that he’s looking to stick loyal, mentioning Trent Hodkinson, Josh Reynolds and Mitchell Pearce.

When Kent challenged Laurie, by questioning their form and throwing up names such as Canberra’s Aidan Sezer and Blake Austin, Laurie remained dead pan, shrugged his shoulders and commented that it’s up to other pairings to be consistently good and force selection.

There’s the challenge. Make me select you.

Daley has put the players on notice, applied the pressure, now he sits back and sees how they react.

After starring performances against the Bulldogs, Sezer and Austin couldn’t repeat it against Parramatta last Saturday.

Meanwhile Hodkinson had close to a best on ground performance against the Tigers, and Josh Reynolds had his best game for 12 months in the Dogs’ win over the Storm.

What Laurie is saying is he’s not going to change the team just for the sake of it. If players want to be selected they need to force change.

Adam Reynolds needs to force change.

Some players have done enough to force change. James Tedesco has been a revelation in 2016. Even in a losing side against the Knights last Sunday, he was a handful every time he had the football and had some beautiful touches when ball playing on those sweeping block plays.

Josh Dugan can have a big impact from the wing position, where he has freedom to roam the field and still features on kick return.

A kick-returns team of Tedesco, Dugan and Blake Ferguson will create a threat and really kickstart a set of six.

Bryce Cartwright is a must. Cartwright provides a strong attacking focal point of which the likes of Tedesco can feed off. New South Wales needs more in the forward pack than just the ability to grind.

In 2014 it was Jarryd Hayne who provided NSW’s major attacking threat. It was Hayne’s ability to create something out of nothing, which provided a number of crucial moments in a tight series.

Cartwright’s selection gives the Blues that key creative player who has the talent to manufacture opportunity. Hayne did it with his athleticism, Cartwright can do it with his skill and vision.

While NSW are short on talent in some key positions, there’s an abundance of talent in some others. The back row is one, and fullback another.

If I were coaching I’d have to have Matt Moylan in the squad. Look at how different Penrith look with him back in the team. Moylan is a supremely gifted individual whose greatest gift may just be confidence.

In 2014 with Moylan pulling the strings, Penrith came within a game of the grand final. In 2015, after losing Moylan mid year, the Panthers were a loss away from the wooden spoon. Quite a contrast. We haven’t got so much talent that we can ignore what Moylan brings.

Moylan would be perfect for that role off the bench, which Cooper Cronk made his own for Queensland while waiting for Darren Lockyer to retire. It’s time for new blood in the NSW jersey.

Like in 1989 when Jack Gibson ushered in the next era by selecting the young Canberra pair of Laurie Daley and Bradley Clyde among a team of new faces.

Queensland won that series 3-0, but the decision to make the generational change a year early would prove a masterstroke.

Twelve months later NSW wrapped up the 1990 series with many of those new faces leading the Blues into an era of dominance. That time has come again!

Originally published as South Sydney’s clash with Cowboys is Adam Reynolds’s chance to claim a State of Origin jersey