NSW coach Brad Fittler’s plans to stop Kalyn Ponga and Cameron Munster
Brad Fittler admits he’s been waking up at night in cold sweats — haunted by the task of selecting a Blues side that can silence Queensland X-factors Kalyn Ponga and Cameron Munster.
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Brad Fittler admits he’s been waking up at night in cold sweats — haunted by the task of selecting a Blues side that can silence Queensland X-factors Kalyn Ponga and Cameron Munster.
Just 10 days out from announcing his NSW team for Origin I, Fittler revealed five Blues spots remain up for grabs as injury, form and off-field distractions thwart his ability to confidently declare his final 17-man squad.
Fittler also crushed the annual Origin form verses loyalty debate, declaring his only loyalty was to the NSW jersey.
And in a dire warning to Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson and troubled Brisbane centre James Roberts, Fittler said he was remaining firm with last year’s series-winning template of overlooking players who have lingering off-field issues.
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BLUES’ RIGHT SIDE
NSW won last year’s series with a right-side defence that included edge forward Tyson Frizell, halfback Nathan Cleary, Roberts at centre and winger Tom Trbojevic.
Fittler said Frizell was the only certainty to hold down his position with Trbojevic injured, Roberts dumped from the Broncos’ NRL side and Cleary struggling to ignite the Panthers.
Fittler is looking at number of different options including Blake Ferguson on a wing and possibly Josh Morris, Mitchell Aubusson, Jarrod Croker or Jack Wighton in the centres, tasked with stopping the two best left-side attacking weapons in the game, Maroons five-eighth Munster and fullback Ponga.
“We’re still a bit vague on a few things, with injury and a few players playing reserve grade,’’ Fittler said of his squad status.
“All I know is, we need to nail that right side. Because if you’ve got Cam Munster, Kalyn Ponga coming down that side. It wouldn’t matter who else is in our team, that’s without doubt their strength. It’s been their strength for 15 years.
“But every time we try and think of something, someone gets hurt.
“There’s three positions on that side. We’re pretty set on Tyson. He did a great job last year.
“You could pretty much pen him in — but there’s a lot of people for that right side (we’re looking at).
“We’re weighing up a winger too because we lost Turbo (Trbojevic) from last year. A lot of thought is going into it.
“I reckons there’s eight or nine players that are in and there’s anything up to five left open.’’
JET LAGGED
Fittler is a stickler for ensuring a drama-free Origin build-up.
He has no interest in picking players who could derail the team’s preparation with headlines and questions over their contracts which could distract their focus.
Which given their current club issues, doesn’t auger well for Gutherson and Roberts.
“The thing we learned last year with a heap of kids was, it looked like footy was their priority,’’ Fittler said.
“And their team was their priority. That worked for us.
“It was important and it proved to me that it worked because the two stages we had 12 players on the field and held a good account for ourselves. So it’s incredibly important and we just keep pushing all our players to get your shit sorted.’’
LOYAL TO CLEARY
Fittler is an unabashed Cleary supporter.
He has enormous respect for him as a player, while as a person, Fittler has witnessed first-hand the character of the 21-year-old and how he has handled himself through a difficult period at Penrith.
Whether Fittler sticks with last year’s series-winning halfback is his most contentious decision.
“It’s tough because I like him,’’ Fittler said.
“I know what sort of kid he is and I really gravitate towards him because I think everyone knows what type of kid he is.”
Asked if that was the one call which was keeping him up at night, Fittler said: “Yeah, there’s a couple.
“That whole right side, you wake up in cold sweats … again, Ponga and Munster down that side.’’
FORM V LOYALTY
Fittler conceded that Cleary’s age — with a long career ahead of him — was a factor why he would consider picking the Penrith halfback despite his mediocre form.
But he added combinations were invaluable inside the State of Origin furnace — which is why South Sydney’s Adam Reynolds connection with NSW hooker Damien Cook and Blues bolters Cam Murray and Cody Walker, created cause for serious consideration.
“No one had a clue what we were going to pick last year,’’ Fittler said.
“We were really confident with who we were going to pick and this year there’s all talk about incumbency and you want to be loyal because you’ve got a relationship with people, but my job it to be loyal to the jersey.
“I want the best possible team that is going to present our state, inspire young kids and win a State of Origin series. Youth does help (the decision to stick with an incumbent player).
“As a halfback (Cleary he already has those) combinations and if you go with another halfback, you’ve got to make new ones (in camp).
“That’s why Adam Reynolds is an obvious one (to consider). The combination thing always comes up in our conversations.’’
Originally published as NSW coach Brad Fittler’s plans to stop Kalyn Ponga and Cameron Munster
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