State of Origin 2018: Matty Johns selects his team to face Queensland in Game 1
THIS is the last chance to impress. With NSW State of Origin named on Monday there are still jerseys there for the taking. MATTY JOHNS picks his team to face Queensland in Game 1.
Opinion
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THIS is the last chance to impress. With NSW State of Origin named on Monday there are still jerseys there for the taking.
FULLBACK: TEDESCO VS TOM TRBOJEVIC
This battle is going all the way to the wire.
Both players have been up and down as far as form is concerned in 2018.
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James Tedesco is adjusting to a new club, a new style and a new halfback who demands a lot of his teammates as far as where to be and when to be there.
The complexity of this new attack will make Tedesco a better player in the long run, but in the short term he’s been out of sorts, but you can see he’s starting to gel and his performances of late have been far better.
For Tom Trbojevic, the month of April was the toughest of his short career, playing with injury and playing in a team weighed down by off-field drama and reported infighting.
For a player who makes the difficult look easy, suddenly that was turned on its head. But in the last few weeks it’s been Tom and brother Jake who have dragged the Sea- Eagles out of the deep hole they were in, Trbojevic is close to peak form, reminding us form is only temporary, class permanent.
Incumbency should carry very little weight in NSW team selections given our record in the last decade, however Tedesco is a little different in the fact he’s been, if not our best, close to, every time he’s pulled on a Blues jersey.
Tedesco’s running game through the middle and attacking energy are his strengths however Tom Trbojevic holds the advantage as far as ability to form combination with playmakers, and no doubt if selected, Tom’s instinctive understanding with brother Jake who has developed into a clever playmaker will be a big plus for the Blues.
MY PICK
My gut feel is Brad Fittler will select both. Tedesco at fullback and Trbojevic given the license to roam the field from the wing.
CENTRES: ROBERTS, AITKEN, MITCHELL
On talent and attacking threat Latrell Mitchell walks into this team, however there are still aspects of his game which will concern Fittler.
When the Roosters are on top Latrell looks superb but when they are under pressure I see mistakes in his game. Dropped passes, defensive misses and getting involved in unnecessary push and shove.
This weekend Fittler doesn’t need to see Mitchell score a brilliant solo try, he will want to see him remain strong when his team are under pressure.
James Roberts’s performance last Friday night turned everyone’s head. Roberts is in a good position because he can play either left or right centre.
What’s been impressive about Roberts this season is his ability to do something special out of nothing right when his team needs it ... And the fact he’s doing it in a team whose halves are struggling.
Euan Aitken has been putting his hand up for selection since round one, the better the opponent, the better he performs.
Strong with the football and strong and aggressive in defence.
MY PICK
I think Mitchell is still a work in progress, but a big performance tomorrow could force Freddy to pick him. If I was selecting at this moment, I’d go with Aitken and Roberts.
THE HALVES: CLEARY, KEARY, MALONEY
While the likes of Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks have been part of the discussion, it’s believed it comes down to Nathan Cleary, Luke Keary and James Maloney.
I thought two games back and straight in Origin would be too tight for Cleary returning from a knee injury, but after watching him against the Tigers last Thursday, I’d have no hesitation selecting him if he plays in a similar fashion against the Dragons on Saturday night.
Cleary will be the first NSW player picked for a long time.
So who partners Nathan?
If Fittler picks Mitchell, then Luke Keary has serious merit, his combination with Latrell is the most creative at the Roosters.
On top of that Keary is a low maintenance player. He will easily gel with Cleary, happy in his role as secondary ball handler.
But we already know that the Maloney/Cleary combination works. Maloney has experience, confidence and he knows how to play alongside his young half.
MY PICK
Freddy has let Maloney know through the media there’s aspects of his game that concern him but he’s the best man to accompany the Rookie half.
HOOKER: MCINNES/COOK
About a month ago Damien Cook was looking like the ideal bench player.
McInnes would start and as the Queensland big men started to fatigue, Cook would come on and blow the game apart.
But Cook’s football has exploded. He is currently one of the competitions most influential players and proved himself an 80 minute player.
If Cameron McInnes is selected at hooker, Fittler will most certainly carry Cook on the bench, however if Cook gets the starting job, I can’t see Freddy giving a crucial bench spot to McInnes.
MY PICK
Damien Cook to wear the No.9.
THE PACK
I’d be choosing a pack based on speed and mobility. The great thing about most of the Blues back row candidates is that they are capable of playing on an edge or in the middle.
Two big men would be enough in my pack, the Queensland spine will present more of a running threat than a passing threat, so mobility as opposed to size is a great way of countering that threat.