State of Origin 2016: Bryce Cartwright can fill the hole for NSW at five-eighth

TWO weeks out from naming the NSW Origin team and we still don’t have a clue who will play in the Blues halves. Let’s throw up a name: Bryce Cartwright.

WE are just two weeks out from naming the NSW team for Origin I and we still don’t have a clue who will play in the Blues halves this year.

I want to throw up a name even though Laurie Daley has already shot it down.

Play Bryce Cartwright at five-eighth. Partner him with Mitchell Pearce, Trent Hodkinson, James Maloney, Adam Reynolds, Aidan Sezer, I don’t care. Just get Cartwright in the starting side.

And if you can’t fit him in the backrow, play him at five-eighth. What is there to lose, another Origin series?

When Daley was asked the question on NRL 360 on Fox Sports on Wednesday night about Cartwright’s credentials in the halves, the NSW coach didn’t waste a split second to say no chance.

But other aren’t so sure it couldn’t work.

Behind the scenes conversations have been going on for weeks. No one will come out and say it, but take it as fact it has been floated. Even though Daley won’t consider it.

I asked Andrew Johns this week if Cartwright could handle the job?

“Definitely,” Johns said, without hesitation.

Cartwright is enjoying his best season to date with Penrith.

Then I called Greg Alexander. Brandy told me how his 13-year-old son Braith had suggested the same idea after watching Cartwright terrorise Country last Sunday in Tamworth.

“He said to me; ‘Why don’t they just pick Bryce Cartwright at five-eighth’,” Alexander said.

“I went, ‘ummm, ahhhh ... but it did make me think too. He is skilful enough. He has got the ability.”

Would you do it?

“It is a lot of pressure on him to pick him out of position for his first Origin game but that is not saying it would not work. He has played five-eighth for Penrith,” Alexander continued.

“It is not ridiculous at all. Put it this way, if they named him at five-eighth I wouldn’t criticise the decision.”

Cartwright has the ability — but could he switch to five-eighth for his Origin debut?

Both Alexander and Johns were of the opinion Cartwright would be best served playing in the back row. But the problem for Daley is how does he fit Cartwright in with so many second row contenders.

The likes of Greg Bird, Beau Scott, Ryan Hoffman, Wade Graham, Luke Lewis, Josh Jackson, Trent Merrin, Tariq Sims, Tyson Frizell, have I missed anyone?

And that’s providing Daley decides to go for Paul Gallen up front. Is Cartwright such a silly option at 6, when you consider the other options?

“He has got to be somewhere in the 17,” Johns said. “I think NSW have always played their best footy when they have had big, running five-eighths.

“Laurie, Freddy, Trent Barrett, Braith (Anasta) ... five-eighths that were runners. And it gives you a big body in the defensive line too.”

Think back to when NSW played Greg Bird there. Bob Fulton hailed Bird as NSW’s answer to Wally Lewis after he gave Johnathan Thurston nightmares.

And I’m in the group that says it is time for NSW to take a chance this year. Remember, we got smashed 52-6 in the series decider last year, when Hodkinson and Pearce were in the halves. They scored eight tries, NSW scored one.

And when you go through the other contenders for the NSW halves this year it hardly fills you with great confidence.

Pearce might or might not play, depending on who you listen to.

Hodkinson missed two training sessions for Newcastle this week as he continues to battle his chronic knee injury. The latest word was that the Knights’ skipper was still no certainty to be playing against the Sharks on Sunday. Is Hodkinson really ready for another Origin campaign?

Cronulla’s pair of Maloney and Chad Townsend? While most would argue Townsend is a way off Origin, Maloney couldn’t have done much more this year to push his case for a Origin return this year.

Jack Bird is another option, though more than likely his best hope is to be the bench utility.

Canberra’s Sezer and Blake Austin? While Austin’s season has been hampered by injury, Ricky Stuart rates Sezer highly. But Laurie keeps telling us they lack the “big match experience”.

On Friday night it is Adam Reynolds’ turn when Souths take on Parramatta.

Since returning from his broken jaw, there is no doubt Reynolds has played within himself. So he has a lot to prove.

Josh Reynolds? The jury’s out there.

Then we go left field, to names like Lachlan Coote and Matt Moylan, or dare we say, Cartwright.

Ask yourself this question: Who do you think Queensland would least like to see running out in the No.6 jersey come June I at ANZ Stadium?

Originally published as State of Origin 2016: Bryce Cartwright can fill the hole for NSW at five-eighth