Blues legends offer some selection tips to Queensland ahead of Origin II
The aftermath of State of Origin Game I sees Queensland in dire straits, so some generous New South Welshman have lent their voices to help solve Maroons woes ahead of Game II.
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It’s not every day you find New South Wales so willing to help out the enemy state, but hey, we’re a generous bunch.
The aftermath of State of Origin Game I created a slightly different tune. For once, the Blues are in a position to claim that they get Origin.
Do the Maroons?
DCE in or DCE out? Is more impact needed from the forwards? Can Harry Grant handle the hooker duties all alone? And what of the questions around the back five? Billy Slater might not be so quick to pick and stick for Perth.
So here you go, Billy and co; ahead of selection for Game II, here’s some free advice from some of the best to ever wear Blue on what it would take to even try and level the Origin ledger.
AARON WOODS
In: Corey Horsburgh and Selwyn Cobbo
Slater was adamant in his Game I post-match press conference he had an in-game problem, not a selection issue at hand, but Woodsy sees things a bit differently.
“For me it was the personnel,” he said on Triple M.
“(On Horsburgh) you need an aggressive bench … Selwyn Cobbo, you need some big bodies out the back end of the field, because NSW handled your back five really well.”
ANDREW JOHNS
In: Tom Dearden/Jamal Fogarty, and possibly J’maine Hopgood and Josh Papali’i
Out: Daly Cherry-Evans
“No one beats father time,” Johns said on Nine’s Immortal Behaviour.
“Unfortunately, every champion comes to the end, and I think Daly has come to the end ... which is a massive, huge call ... I think the decision has to be made on the halfback.”
The former NSW halfback suggested Queensland instead opt for Tom Dearden or his incoming replacement at Manly, Jamal Fogarty, while even throwing in J’maine Hopgood or convincing Josh Papali’i to come out of retirement as options to help in the forwards.
BRAITH ANASTA
In: Tom Dearden
Out: Daly Cherry-Evans
Likewise, Anasta says the disruption at club level and background noise about DCE’s possible signature at the Roosters will continue to do damage to the Maroons moving forward.
“He wasn’t the only one that underperformed but you’ve got to think they’ve got to create a new era here. They’ve got to look to new players. Dearden when he came on sparked the last 10 or 15 minutes,” he said on Triple M.
“I think they’ve got nothing to lose because right now they don’t look close to winning the series. So if he (Billy) rolls the dice a little bit and brings in Dearden and shuffles the decks a little bit, and they lose the series, at least they’ve started the combination and made some change.
“They do need to make change. You couldn’t take that (same) team into Game II and think you’ve got a chance against NSW. I don’t think they’re any chance.”
FREDDY FITTLER
No changes
But despite Dearden waiting in the wings, some New South Welshman think the assumed road isn’t as clear as it seems trying to push the No. 6 into the 7 jersey.
“There needs to be a better player to come in. There’s no good worrying about making a change unless there’s a better player to take his jersey,” he said on Freddy and the Eighth.
“Billy’s also conscious about setting up a game. Dearden, he hasn’t been convincing, as in being able to do that at club level, so whether it’s a Fogarty who can play that (DCE’s) style.”
BRYAN FLETCHER
In: Corey Horsburgh
Out: Moeaki Fotuaika
The famed mastermind of the grenade celebration has some explosive insights of his own.
Instead of worrying about the halfback he feels Queensland have bigger fish to fry and instead need to adjust other areas that failed, like moving Coates back his preferred left side.
“I know you’re looking to score a try (against To’o) and they were very close, but don’t forget Zac (Lomax) did score two,” he said on SEN radio.
“They (also) just need an offloader. This is where I feel they might get a Corey Horsburgh … (for) Mo (Fotuaika)? Just to have something a little bit different. We know he’s got good footwork.
“I mean I don’t really care actually, but if I was a Queenslander, they need more second phase play.”
PHIL GOULD
In: Reed Mahoney
Out: Harry Grant to bench
Grant may have been listening to the Beatles after his tough outing in Game I, because he needs somebody, and not just anybody, to help him out in Game II.
The man for the job, according to Gould, is his Bulldogs hooker.
“I think you can help Harry Grant and make him a weapon by keeping him out of the early fray which brings in someone like Reed Mahoney who can go out there and bust himself for 20, 25 minutes until he can’t walk again, and then put Harry on there who can be an effect,” Gus said on 100% Footy.
“They need one more energetic middle to absorb a fair bit of that bulk in the early part of the game where Yeo and Crichton and these fellas are just punching away at their middle trying to wear them down.
“If they can just hold their own in the middle a little bit, be a little bit more disciplined, not give up as much in the play the ball, not give up as many penalties, (then) possession and momentum are a funny thing in rugby league.”
WADE GRAHAM
In: Ben Hunt, Reece Walsh
Out: Harry Grant to bench and Kalyn Ponga
If Queenslanders don’t want to gamble on a hooker untried in Origin, maybe it best to go back to the familiar.
“If Ben Hunt’s fit you could talk about starting Ben Hunt and Harry Grant coming off the bench,” Graham said on Triple M.
Kalyn Ponga’s ineffective and quiet performance in Game I also begs the question.
“If Reece Walsh was fit and firing there could be a conversation about the fullback position.”
WILLIE MASON
In: Selwyn Cobbo
NSW’s outside backs monstered the Maroons at Suncorp, but if there’s any hope for Game II then Queensland’s own must do the same, with some added help.
Val Holmes back the centres, Hammer to the wing, and a place for Cobbo could be the recipe to success for Mason
“You’ve got to have some sort of combo with Munster and the left side back rower Nanai, or Cotter, then you have Ponga around the back with some moves then you’ve got Val then you’ve got Hammer, you can make some decent plays out of that ” Mason said on his Levels Network podcast.
“I love Cobbo. He loves contact, coming out of yardage, play two’s, that’s what you want. He’ll run straight into Payne Haas and not care. I want that guy, no fear, no nothing, find his front, spin out, good under the high ball.
“That’s a guy that I don’t even want to play against if I’m NSW. He’s really aggressive, and if he’s goes up near Latrell … he’ll line Latrell up.
“If he (Slater) was trying to teach him (Cobbo) a lesson, it’s learnt. Whatever it was, I don’t know. I’m not even going to get into it because I don’t really give a sh*t because it’s Queensland, but I want to see Cobbo play.”
PAUL GALLEN
In: Corey Horsburgh
If one of the most passionate and fierce Blues in Gallen can’t see the hatred and fight in the opposition, something’s wrong.
“You’ve got to bring Corey Horsburgh back don’t you? A bit of emotion, a bit of passion back into the team.”
TODD CARNEY & MITCHELL PEARCE
In: Corey Horsburgh
The duo also admitted on their sixes and seven’s podcast the Maroons need some big body changes like Horsburgh and Cobbo.
But even if those changes are made, sorry, there’s no hope Queensland.
“There’s only really Horsburgh in the middle
“If you look at the way NSW start their sets and the way they dominate, it’s definitely one of those things we’ll be able to combat,” Pearce said.
JAMES MALONEY
No changes
While everyone else on this list has their two cents to give, some, like this former Blues six on the Rugby League Journeymen podcast, just said it like it is.
“I don’t know where they go to, I don’t know what their other options are to bring in. How good is it!” Maloney laughed.
Good luck Queensland, you’ll need it.
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