State of Origin 2018: Maroons selectors want the ‘fired up’ Dylan Napa to face Blues
DYLAN Napa has come under scrutiny for his attacking style recently but none of that bothers the Maroons selectors, with Gene Miles admitting Queensland need the Roosters hitman “fired up”.
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QUEENSLAND selection boss Gene Miles has challenged Dylan Napa to “fire up”, admitting the Maroons’ Origin dynasty will come crashing down if they are bashed by the Blues in midfield.
Miles drew a line in the sand for Queensland’s starting front-rowers — Napa and Jarrod Wallace — in the wake of Matt Scott’s controversial omission for Origin I next week.
The Blues have named an ominous pack for the series opener at the MCG, with 115kg monster Reagan Campbell-Gillard, David Klemmer and Paul Vaughan primed to rip into the Maroons.
Roosters hitman Napa came under fire for his tackling style a fortnight ago when he launched himself at Korbin Sims, leaving his Broncos rival nursing a broken jaw.
But with Queensland’s new-look engine room boasting just five games of Origin experience, Maroons hierarchy have urged Napa not to change his firebrand style as he prepares for NSW fireworks.
“I want the fired up Dylan Napa,” Miles said. “I think all Queenslanders do.
“You don’t want him to change too many things — his greatest asset is his aggression.
“There is a fine line and he’s not to cross that, but Origin is a different ball game.
“It is his backyard and he loves it — Napa is made for Origin.”
The front-row is considered Queensland’s Achilles heel and NSW coach Brad Fittler will back his forward intimidators to win the middle-third at the MCG.
In the absence of 22-game veteran Scott, Miles concedes Napa and Wallace must combine to lead the way — or face the grim prospect of NSW winning just their second series in 13 years.
“Our No. 8 and No. 10 must do a fair job and if they don’t do a fair job, we won’t win, it’s as simple as that,” said Miles, a veteran of 23 Origin games.
“Origin footy is won upfront, it’s been proven for (38) years.
“So if they don’t do their job, we can’t ask (Queensland halves) Ben Hunt and Cameron Munster to do their job.
“They (Napa and Wallace) realise their responsibility. They are young and don’t fear too much. They just have to cart the ball forward and not make any mistakes.”
Maroons coach Kevin Walters said Hunt’s struggles behind a beaten Dragons pack last Saturday night illustrated the importance of Queensland’s forwards holding their own in midfield.
“The game starts with our forwards,” Walters said. “We saw last Saturday night in the Penrith-Dragons game … both sets of halves have been great all year, but the Penrith forwards clearly dominated their opposition.
“I’m not expecting our forwards to dominate their forwards, but we need to keep an even keel with (NSW) to give our halves the opportunity to shape the game.
“That’s what we will be expecting.”
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