NSW coach Brad Fittler has a range of talent to call on for Origin I
There was a time when rep selection was a reward for the best performers but now experience and combinations are also crucial. Now Brad Fittler must filter his team from an oustanding depth of talent, writes MATTY JOHNS.
Opinion
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NSW coach Brad Fittler will be sleeping a little restlessly at the moment.
With Origin selections just around the bend, Freddy will be thinking long and hard about whether to reward his incumbents, who won the series last year, or the players who are in better form.
There was a time when representative selection was a reward for those, who each year, were performing best. But as the rivalry of State of Origin grew, the onus switched from the best players to best team, with form, experience and combinations all being factors to consider.
The good news for Freddy is the depth of talent from which to pick is outstanding.
The battle for the halves spots is red-hot.
Nathan Cleary and James Maloney are being challenged heavily by Cody Walker, Luke Keary and Mitch Moses.
Keary can’t do any more and must be considered almost certain of selection. Last year’s man-of-the-match performance in the grand final was the perfect audition and his form has only improved this season.
Likewise, Walker is playing the house down. Cody, 29, has taken the long way to the top, but the hard road has served him well. He has more than just great instincts and skill, he’s tough, and his style would suit the “not much time to think”, frenetic tempo of State of Origin football.
And Moses in recent weeks, has emerged as a bolter. Moses is behind Keary and Walker as far as form and consistency, but he is a favourite of Fittler’s.
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As far as the rest of the spine is concerned, only injury will prevent Damien Cook and James Tedesco from retaining their jerseys.
The middle men, the eight, 10 and 13 are interesting. Jake Trbojevic will be one of the first picked, while David Klemmer and Paul Vaughan are certain to be in the 17.
Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Matt Prior featured in last year’s series, but now face an uphill battle for selection.
Before the season started there was a lot of noise surrounding Broncos’ trio Matt Lodge, Payne Haas and Tevita Pangai Jr.
Lodge’s season so far has been disrupted by suspension and injury while Haas is a huge talent, but inexperienced and viewed more as a future project.
I get the feeling Freddy is keen to select Pangai Jr, his explosiveness and ability to play an edge or middle would be a huge asset off the bench. His battle with Sam Burgess should provide some indication as to his readiness.
Dale Finucane’s experience and reliability in big games couldn’t see him too far away, while I think both Victor Radley and Cameron Murray would both be an enormous asset off the bench and would bring a variation to the middle of the field as the game starts to loosen.
Both Radley and Murray deserve selection, but Fittler can only pick one.
In the coming weeks, watch them battle for a role off the bench.
In the back row, Tyson Frizell and Boyd Cordner are locked in, while I expect Freddy to definitely pick Angus Crichton.
Frizell is comfortable on the edge or in the middle, which lends itself to picking the bench with back-row bias.
So for the remaining back-row spot in the 17, again Pangai, along with Tariq Sims, look the leading contenders.
Tom Trbojevic’s injury opens up a wing spot and this shapes up as a big decision for coach Fittler.
Nick Cotric or Blake Ferguson?
Cotric has been groomed for several seasons and Fittler has been lavish in his praise of the young Raider.
Ferguson has been sensational in 2019 and his yardage game would be enormous for the Blues.
Problem is, Freddy cast out Ferguson from the NSW set up after the controversies of 2017.
Ferguson has come out publicly and expressed his desire to be given another chance.
It’s up to Freddy to decide whether he deserves it.
While left centre appears to be Latrell Mitchell’s for many years to come, out on the right, James Robert’s indifferent form and injury has opened the door for a contender to steal his jersey.
I suspect Freddy will be casting a close eye over Joey Leilua in the next couple of weeks.
He has the size and talent, the only question mark is regarding his temperament.
The incumbent for the 14 jersey is Tyrone Peachey, who did the job last year and has a fan in Fittler.
The biggest threat to Peachey appears to be Clint Gutherson.
Gutho can be a finisher or a creator, and I believe he would revel in Origin’s fast pace.
Through Queensland’s run of dominance, Mal Meninga stayed loyal to the men who did the job, but by the same token those players always elevated themselves around the time of selection and gave Mal no reason not to pick them.
Incumbency gives a player a head start, but not a guarantee.
Originally published as NSW coach Brad Fittler has a range of talent to call on for Origin I
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