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State of Origin 1 2016: Our experts name their NSW teams for Game One

OUR experts Nick Walshaw, Paul Crawley and Barry Toohey choose their NSW teams for Origin 1. Check out the sides — and pick yours with Blues Team Selector!

James Maloney is pushing for a Blues State of Origin recall.
James Maloney is pushing for a Blues State of Origin recall.

WHO should NSW coach Laurie Daley call upon to lead the Blues back to State of Origin glory?

We asked our rugby league writes to name the Blues team they want to see for State of Origin 1 next month.

Check out who Nick Walshaw, Paul Crawley and Barry Toohey have each chosen in their sides and why — and then select your own NSW Blues team with our Origin selector.

ORIGIN SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

NICK WALSHAW

If Mitchell Pearce wants in, let him play. If not, let the remaining halfbacks draw straws to partner Jimmy Maloney.

And on that note, Maloney has to play.

Apart from being one of the few playmaking contenders actually firing, the Cronulla No. 6 also converts goals, kicks strongly in general play and is a “must have” inclusion on any team bonding exercise.

Sure, he only weighs 80 kegs. But Maloney can find you points.

Which is why the Blues must also pick Bryce Cartwright.

ORIGIN SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

James Maloney has to play for the Blues.
James Maloney has to play for the Blues.

Like Maloney, questions have been raised about the young Penrith forward’s defence.

But c’mon, really?

Last start we leaked 50 points. With a team of supposed defensive specialists.

In the City-Country match, Cartwright set up — to quote Brad Fittler — about a dozen tries.

Better, he only missed one tackle.

Maloney, too, was a standout for Country — his attitude summed up by the fact he scored the final try of the game.

After full-time. When the game was already decided.

Elsewhere, throw Josh Mansour a debut jersey and bring back Blake Ferguson.

Then bring Will Hopoate in as 18th man ... if only to say a quiet prayer for the team.

NICK WALSHAW’S NSW TEAM

1 Matt Moylan

2 Blake Ferguson

3 Michael Jennings

4 Josh Dugan

5 Josh Mansour

6 James Maloney

7 Mitchell Pearce

8 Aaron Woods

9 Robbie Farah

10 Paul Gallen

11 Greg Bird

12 Bryce Cartwright

13 Boyd Cordner

Interchange

14 David Klemmer

15 James Tamou

16 Josh Jackson

17 Tyson Frizell

PAUL CRAWLEY

Out with the old, in with the new. NSW were beaten 52-6 in the decider last year. Queensland scored eight tries, NSW scored one.

The Blues have lost nine of the past 10 series.

If that doesn’t indicate it is time for change I don’t know what does.

This team might not win this year but it would certainly lead us into the future.

For once, let’s get the jump on Queensland in respect to generation change.

I’d have Matt Moylan at fullback, Bryce Cartwright and Mitchell Pearce in the halves, Nathan Peats at hooker.

ORIGIN SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

Penrith's Bryce Cartwright would start at five-eighth in Paul Crawley’s team. Picture: Gregg Porteous
Penrith's Bryce Cartwright would start at five-eighth in Paul Crawley’s team. Picture: Gregg Porteous

The flying James Roberts would take Josh Morris’s spot in the centres, with last year’s NSW player of the series Josh Dugan on the wing and Josh Mansour on the other.

Paul Gallen would be gone with Greg Bird captain but shifting to the middle to make way for Wade Graham.

Beau Scott is a must, on form and while ever Johnathan Thurston is around.

Young Tyrone Peachey would be on the bench, along with Canberra giant Paul Vaughan.

Call it crazy but I’d rather take a gamble instead of going back to the same old names who have had their shot.

ORIGIN SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

PAUL CRAWLEY’S NSW TEAM

1 Matt Moylan

2 Josh Mansour

3 Michael Jennings

4 James Roberts

5 Josh Dugan

6 Bryce Cartwright

7 Mitchell Pearce

8 Aaron Woods

9 Nathan Peats

10 James Tamou

11 Wade Graham

12 Beau Scott

13 Greg Bird (c)

Interchange:

14 Tyrone Peachey

15 David Klemmer

16 Paul Vaughan

17 Boyd Cordner.

BARRY TOOHEY

I’m all for generational change after losing nine of the past 10 Origin series but I’m thinking toe-in-the-water changes rather than a full-scale cull for Game One of the 2016 series.

I’ve come up with four debutants in centre James Roberts, winger Josh Mansour, interchange utility Lachlan Coote and talented back-rower Bryce Cartwright.

The mail is strong Josh Dugan will be picked in the centres but on his club form in that position and the way he played for the Kangaroos, I’m not having it. We need a safe, strong carrier of the football at fullback and Dugan has a big advantage in that department over both Coote and Matt Moylan, whose time will come.

ORIGIN SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

Josh Mansour could make his NSW State of Origin debut. Picture: Brett Costello
Josh Mansour could make his NSW State of Origin debut. Picture: Brett Costello

Mansour’s wing play is made for Origin, Roberts’ attacking qualities are desperately needed if we are to score enough points to win, Cartwright offers creativity and an X-factor while Coote can provide spark and is capable of filling a number of positions.

Mick Ennis’s great form for the Sharks rather than anything Robbie Farah has done wrong is the reason he gets the nod while how do you ignore seasoned players like Scott and Bird in the sort of form they are in when you know what they bring to the table at this level.

The halves pairing of Pearce and Maloney doesn’t overly excite me but it is better than any of the alternatives.

The likes of Farah, Moylan, Andrew Fifita, Nathan Peats, Jack Bird and Tyson Frizell are all knocking on the door.

BARRY TOOHEY’S NSW TEAM

1 Josh Dugan

2 Blake Ferguson

3 Michael Jennings

4 James Roberts

5 Josh Mansour

6 James Maloney

7 Mitchell Pearce

8 James Tamou

9 Michael Ennis

10 Aaron Woods

11 Beau Scott

12 Greg Bird

13 Paul Gallen.

Interchange:

14 Lachlan Coote

15 Bryce Cartwright

16 David Klemmer

17 Boyd Cordner.

ORIGIN SELECTOR: Pick your NSW Blues team for Origin 1 now!

Originally published as State of Origin 1 2016: Our experts name their NSW teams for Game One

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