Buzz highlights and lowlights Round 8: NSW Blues set for mass Origin overhaul
It wasn’t long ago we thought the Blues were set for a long domination of Origin. But just a month out and Brad Fittler could easily make seven changes, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.
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It wasn’t that long ago we thought Freddy Fittler and the NSW Blues looked set for a long domination of State of Origin football.
Especially while the Queensland clubs were all struggling.
The NSW team for the opening game of the series at Accor Stadium on June 8 will be picked in four weeks but now Fittler is facing a number of selection headaches with out of form players and injuries.
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Angus Crichton, Jack Wighton and Daniel Saifiti do not deserve to be in the side. James Tedesco will be there but his form is not great, despite all the run metres. Tariq Sims is not playing as well as previous seasons.
Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic and Brian To’o have played little football because of injuries.
HIGHLIGHT
Josh Schuster’s emotional embrace of Keiran Foran after the veteran five-eighth’s try against the Rabbitohs in Gosford on Friday night.
Schuster looked anything but disgruntled about Foran playing in the No.6 jersey which he eventually wants when the time is right. Schuster celebrated his 21st birthday on Saturday night.
LOWLIGHT
The Channel 9 commentators and influential voices like Cameron Smith and Phil Gould bagging the send-off of Karl Lawton for the spear tackle on Friday night. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but their comments were irresponsible.
SHOOSH
Which NRL assistant coach had far too much to drink at a nightclub on the night before a game on a recent weekend away trip. And this guy desperately wants to be a head coach.
SHOOSH
Which former rugby league executive and high-profile sportsman is about to land one of the top management jobs in women’s sport. This guy is a class operator.
SHOOSH
The great Herb Elliott and his wife Liz were late scratchings from the big John Coates farewell dinner at the Sofitel in Darling Harbour. They were at their holiday home in Woolgoolga in isolation recovering from Covid.
SPOTTED
The three biggest names in the NRL – Tommy Turbo, Latrell Mitchell and Nathan Cleary – doing some wonderful stuff with fans on Friday night.
Cleary climbed high into the grandstand on the Gold Coast to do selfies with a young boy with disabilities.
It was so beautiful to see the young fella’s eyes light up. Latrell signed autographs for hours on the Central Coast as did Turbo at the Manly v Souths game.
SPOTTED II
NSW stadiums boss and GWS Giants chairman Tony Shepherd jogging along the Torrens River in Adelaide on Saturday morning, not breaking any speed records but looking remarkably fit for a 78-year-old.
SPOTTED III
If you want to see the Panthers v Eels western Sydney blockbuster on Friday night you’ll need a stool at the pub or a seat on the lounge. It has already sold-out.
360 VIEW
Catch you on Monday night on NRL 360 at 6.30pm on Fox League with Braith Anasta, Paul Kent, Cooper Cronk and James Hooper to dissect all the biggest issues from another dramatic round of the NRL.
Originally published as Buzz highlights and lowlights Round 8: NSW Blues set for mass Origin overhaul
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