A detailed analysis of State of Origin coach Laurie Daley's selections and their potential impact on his coaching role, with contentious calls such as shifting James Tedesco for Dylan Edwards discussed.
Laurie Daley and Billy Slater both deserve credit for the squads they’ve picked for the State of Origin opener. Watch every game of every round of the NRL Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sport s |WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU?
Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. That said, there are some contentious calls on both sides that I believe could turn out to be huge gambles depending on how the game plays out next Wednesday night. This is clearly the most contentious call Daley has made.
Bringing James Tedesco back at the expense of Dylan Edwards has understandably split Blues fans right down the middle. Honestly, you could ask 1000 NSW supporters who they would have picked and I reckon the result would come back at almost a 50/50 split. Edwards has been one of the most reliable and consistent players for the last four years. He never stops working.
He never lets his teammates down. And he probably understands Cleary better than any player in the game. If I was picking the side, that Penrith combination alone would have been enough to keep Edwards in the No. 1 jersey. But Daley has made no apologies for the fact he wants the Blues to play with more attacking flair this year.
Daley also explained it perfectly when he said: “In the end, Teddy got the job more around how we want to play. ”But at the end of the day, it’s Daley’s head on the chopping block. Yet if Tedesco tears Queensland apart, it will be hailed as a masterstroke and it could end up winning the coach a new contract. Had Latrell Mitchell been fit, he would have walked straight into the left centre spot.
But after clearly struggling in Souths’ loss to the Dolphins, Latrell’s unavailability opened the door for Daley to switch Stephen Crichton to left centre while also naming the inform Kotoni Staggs. But we also know his best could single-handedly win NSW the game if Crichton can rediscover even 80 per cent of his best form. His form for the Broncos has been excellent.
And the irony is that his recent suspension may actually help him given he’ll enter the series without the bumps and bruises. But while I can’t wait to see Tolu Koula’s sizzling speed explode in the Origin arena, I do worry that picking him out of position on the wing could come back to bite the Blues. Like I said, I’m really looking forward to seeing Koula in a NSW jumper.
WHY THE PRESSURE IS ON BLUES HALVESNathan Cleary had to be picked. That was never up for debate. But I wrote last week that I would have preferred a more traditional running five-eighth alongside him. And Ethan Strange’s hard-running style would have given Sam Walker nightmares counting down to Walker’s first Origin.
Historically the Blues are at their best when they’ve had a running five-eighth in the Laurie Daley mould.
'Was jumping up and down inside' | 05:02 This is not a criticism of Moses because Moses is a quality halfback and he has performed exceptionally well for the Blues in the past. I just think Strange would have provided a far greater running threat, especially lining up directly opposite Walker. I also think Cleary would have benefited playing alongside a traditional five-eighth instead of another halfback.
Too often in the past the Blues have looked clunky when there are too many players wanting to call the shots instead of just doing their job. I just hope he gets enough game time so we can at least see how he aims up at this level. Honestly, I reckon if you asked every single Blues player privately what they thought about Radley being picked, every one of them would say they’d love to go into battle alongside him.
Yes, he’ll probably fly out of the line, try to decapitate someone and give away a penalty or two. But isn’t that exactly what you want in an Origin forward when the refs are known to let a bit more slide when it comes to the rough-house tactics? His mere presence will lift the entire squad around him over the next 10 days.
While I think the Blues have picked a strong pack, the unluckiest man outside of Edwards was Jackson Ford. Ford has been sensational for the Warriors this season and at least deserved a spot on the bench, if not in the starting team. This is certainly not a criticism of Jacob Saifiti because Saifiti has also been in great form for the Knights and I’m glad he got his call up.
But if there is one Blues forward I thought was lucky it’s Addin Fonua-Blake who has been well below his best for the Sharks. And the raw emotion of the occasion will stir something in Fonua-Blake that playing for the Sharks hasn’t been able to inspire this year. But I just think Ford’s work rate, toughness and consistency had put him ahead in the front-row conversation for a reason.
From a Queensland perspective, I completely agree with Kalyn Ponga getting the fullback job ahead of Walsh. I wrote last week that if the teams were picked at the end of last season, Walsh would have been the first player selected. And Walsh did absolutely nothing at Magic Round to convince anyone he deserved the fullback spot ahead of Ponga, who has been magnificent since returning from injury.
I also felt moving Ponga into the halves would have been a gamble Slater didn’t need to make given Walker is obviously ready to take the next step in his career. I love Slater’s decision to pair Walker with Cam Munster. Munster’s form has exploded back to life over the past fortnight _ and when he’s playing with this confidence, it’s infectious on everyone around him.
As for Walker, the injury to Tom Dearden has opened the door and I think Walker’s going to grab this with both hands. We know he has the best short kicking game in the NRL, and the faster style of play we’re seeing this season suits him perfectly. But Wayne Bennett summed it up perfectly last week when he compared Walker to Allan Langer. When Alfie first arrived in Origin everyone questioned the decision.
Now it’s Walker’s chance to silence his critics. Like Radley for NSW, both men feel the perfect fit for Origin. Plath has been outstanding for the Dolphins and also provides cover for Harry Grant.
Meanwhile, Flegler has gone through hell to get back to where he is today _ and he deserves enormous respect for earning his selection. You just know that he’ll make every run and every tackle count with that old-school, take-no-prisoners mentality. And Ezra Mam should go and buy himself a lottery ticket after getting a spot on the extended bench ahead of Walsh.
Honestly, I think this is an even ballsier call than when Slater dumped Daly Cherry-Evans after game one last year. But leaving him out altogether is completely staggering. How Walsh reacted to missing Origin | 01:11But if this game is tight with five minutes remaining and you had the option of injecting either Walsh or Mam into the contest, who do you think NSW would least like to see run out? Maybe Slater’s call will prove a masterstroke.
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