Nick Cotric, Tom Trbojevic make strong cases for NSW Origin selection
HEY Freddy, we’re ready. That was the message from NSW State of Origin hopefuls Nick Cotric and Tom Trbojevic to Brad Fittler on Friday night.
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HEY Freddy, we’re ready.
That was the message from NSW State of Origin hopefuls Nick Cotric and Tom Trbojevic to Brad Fittler on Friday night.
But the problem for the two young guns is that they could ultimately end up fighting for the same spot when Fittler names his team on Monday.
With Melbourne flyer Josh Addo-Carr tipped to be picked on one wing and James Tedesco the NSW fullback incumbent, a tough decision is coming for Fittler and his selection advisors Greg Alexander and Danny Buderus as to who misses out.
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That is of course unless Tedesco cops the cut, or Fittler selects Trbojevic in the centres, where he also played for Australia at the World Cup.
Tedesco will get his final chance to impress when the Sydney Roosters take on Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon in Gosford.
Ricky Stuart last night conceded he was “biased” but declared 19-year-old Cotric should be the “first winger picked”.
Cotric was absolutely brilliant in Canberra’s thrilling 21-20 win, scoring a first half double and then laying on a ripper for Jack Wighton that locked the game late.
If the 19-year-old sensation does get the call-up he will become Canberra’s youngest NSW player since the great Bradley Clyde in 1989.
“Do I expect to see Nick Cotric? Well, if you are picking the best winger in the competition for NSW he is the first winger picked whether he is on the right side or the left side,” Stuart said.
“He is a natural right side player.
“Call me biased, call me whatever you want, I don’t care, he is the best winger in the competition.”
Despite going home without the competition points, Trbojevic certainly didn’t do his Origin hopes any harm with another impressive all-round performance.
The 21-year-old laid on a lovely try for Joel Thompson while he came up with some other crucial plays and ran the tough yards as usual out of yardage.
While Tedesco is the incumbent and has the speed advantage, Trbojevic has size on his side and he doesn’t lack any of the skills.
Trent Barrett has long maintained Trbojevic is a natural fullback but even if he is picked on the wing or at centre Barrett said it won’t matter.
“He is a fullback but wherever they pick him, if they want to pick him on the wing or at centre he will handle it,” Barrett said.
“I thought some of his carries coming out of yardage tonight were really strong and if they do pick him on the wing that is what they are going to need.
“He will probably give Freddy the luxury of playing with two fullbacks if they want to design a game plan around that with Tedesco and Turbo.
“But that is up to Freddy.”
There’s little doubt Jake Trbojevic will also get a spot in the NSW pack while Barrett spoke up for Daly Cherry-Evans’ chances of getting a call-up for Queensland.
Cherry-Evans has some tough competition with Ben Hunt expected to get the No 7 jumper, which could make Michael Morgan play off the bench with Cameron Munster at five-eighth.
“We are all hopeful that he will get an opportunity,” Barrett said about Cherry-Evans.
“But we all say that there is three games and if either of the three boys aren’t in the first game you don’t put the cue in the rack because there is three and you never knowwhat can happen.”
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