Its that time of year again!
State of Origin kicks off a week today at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The Australians are celebrating 30 years of what is the most anticipated three matches of the summer. And with that, the two squads were selected and announced on Monday.
Without further ado, the New South Wales side will be:
1. Kurt Gidley (Newcastle)
2. Brett Morris (St George Illawarra)
3. Matt Cooper (St George Illawarra)
4. Timana Tahu (Parramatta)
5. Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta)
6. Jamie Lyon (Manly)
7. Brett Kimmorley (Bulldogs)
8. Michael Weyman (St George Illawarra)
9. Michael Ennis (Bulldogs)
10. Josh Perry (Manly)
11. Trent Waterhouse (Penrith)
12. Ben Creagh (St George Illawarra)
13. Anthoney Watmough (Manly)
14. Jamal Idris (Bulldogs)
15. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (Canberra)
16. Luke Lewis (Penrith)
17. Brett White (Melbourne)
I said it last year, and I will say it again this year. New South Wales are missing the quality of half backs that Queensland will have. Its what has cost them the last four series. It was more evident last year than ever when Jamie Soward should have been selected. Terry Campese flopped in game one and they replaced him with Trent Barrett, who past his best before he moved to Wigan and went back to the NRL.All of this was despite Campese had the better game between him and scrum half Peter Wallace. But Wallace gets the second shot in game two and when the series is over by game three they select two players with the combined age of 63 years to run in the halfs and past their best five years ago.
This year they have brought in Jamie Lyon at five eighth. A man who wants to play Origin one minute, then changes his mind the next. Because the selectors for NSW can see that the tried and tested partnership of Darren Lockyer and Jonathan Thurston works for Queensland, they think it will work for them. The only difference is, Lockyer and Thurston have been playing together at representative level for years. They have played together for Australia since Andrew Johns retired, so have developed a winning partnership that finally clicked many moons ago. The same hasn't developed for NSW because the selectors want immediate success, and after four straight Origin losses who can blame them? But they won't get that series win unless they can gel two players together in the halfs. Then NSW half backs can start to claim that green and gold jersey.
So what of the Queensland team? Here is it:
1. Billy Slater (Melbourne)
2. Darius Boyd (St George Illawarra)
3. Greg Inglis (Melbourne)
4. Willie Tonga (North Queensland)
5. Israel Folau (Brisbane)
6. Darren Lockyer (Brisane)
7. Jonathan Thurston (North Queensland)
8. Matthew Scott (North Queensland)
9. Cameron Smith (Melbourne)
10. Petero Civoniceva (Penrith)
11. Nate Miles (Sydney)
12. Sam Thaiday (Brisbane)
13. Ashley Harrison (Gold Coast)
14. Cooper Cronk (Melbourne)
15. David Shillington (Canberra)
16. Neville Costigan (St George Illawarra)
17. David Taylor (South Sydney)
18. Ben Te'o
For the four Melbourne players, it might be nice to actually play a competitive match for once. Joking aside, that team excels in the half back roles as I mentioned earlier. Other than that, the two teams are very evenly matched. The Queensland backs may have the edge on New South Wales, but I feel the NSW pack is a lot stronger. On paper it might seem very close, but my pre series predictions are an easy pick.
Game one winner: New South Wales. They are on home turf and I think they could be motivated to get that first win on the board early.
Series winner: Queensland. Overall, I can't see anything but a fifth straight series win for the Maroons.
Wednesday 19 May 2010
Wednesday 12 May 2010
Fax thrown out of the cup.
Halifax have been thrown out of this year's Challenge Cup, after the Yorkshire club were found to have fielded an ineligible player in their fourth round tie with Swinton.
Halifax fielded Michael Ostick, currently on loan from Roachdale, who the prop forward had already played for against Lezignan in round three.
The misconduct was spotted by a Halifax supporter, who revealed the information on a fans forum. It was only after this revelation that the RFL took action, and postponed Halifax's fourth round tie with Batley on Sunday hours before kick off.
Two things strike me as odd in this scenario.
Number one, why did the player not own up before being selected to play against Swinton knowing full well he had already played for Rochdale? Were the coaching staff not aware there was a possibility Ostick played in the third round?
Number two, why did it take a fan of the guilty club to reveal this information on a fans forum before the RFL acted? Did the RFL not know about the breach in competition rules until this point, and if so, why not?
In my opinion there are two incompetent parties here, the RFL and Halifax RLFC.
Halifax should have done their research and background checks before signing the player on loan and fielding him in the cup. Its completely unacceptable that they did this. Matt Calland, if he is being held responsible, has every right to be suspended pending further investigation as to why this happened.
As for the RFL, they shouldn't have to leave it to a supporter in order to find out breaches in the rules. This should have been checked after the fourth round tie, and not hours before the fifth round was about to kick off. Again, this is unacceptable of what is supposed to be a respectable governing body. Thankfully the information came to light just in time, but in my opinion the RFL's blushes haven't been spared. This should have been checked earlier and punishment have been dealt out a lot sooner.
Halifax fielded Michael Ostick, currently on loan from Roachdale, who the prop forward had already played for against Lezignan in round three.
The misconduct was spotted by a Halifax supporter, who revealed the information on a fans forum. It was only after this revelation that the RFL took action, and postponed Halifax's fourth round tie with Batley on Sunday hours before kick off.
Two things strike me as odd in this scenario.
Number one, why did the player not own up before being selected to play against Swinton knowing full well he had already played for Rochdale? Were the coaching staff not aware there was a possibility Ostick played in the third round?
Number two, why did it take a fan of the guilty club to reveal this information on a fans forum before the RFL acted? Did the RFL not know about the breach in competition rules until this point, and if so, why not?
In my opinion there are two incompetent parties here, the RFL and Halifax RLFC.
Halifax should have done their research and background checks before signing the player on loan and fielding him in the cup. Its completely unacceptable that they did this. Matt Calland, if he is being held responsible, has every right to be suspended pending further investigation as to why this happened.
As for the RFL, they shouldn't have to leave it to a supporter in order to find out breaches in the rules. This should have been checked after the fourth round tie, and not hours before the fifth round was about to kick off. Again, this is unacceptable of what is supposed to be a respectable governing body. Thankfully the information came to light just in time, but in my opinion the RFL's blushes haven't been spared. This should have been checked earlier and punishment have been dealt out a lot sooner.
Saturday 8 May 2010
Australia scrape by in appalling conditions.
Australia won the ANZAC Test 12-8 at the opening of AAMI Park, but had the weather conditions been kinder the game could have been a lot more exciting.
The new rectangular purpose built stadium looked great at its opening match, and will suit the Melbourne Storm and future internationals played at the ground. Credit must go to the ground staff, for not only producing a carpet like pitch in the first place, but to be able to maintain the surface in horrible conditions.
In my opinion the weather conditions seemed to have an effect on the match. There were more knock ons and errors than I would have expected to see, but they were from both sides which was testament to New Zealand who underperformed in last season's Four Nations.
But don't let that suggest New Zealand were the better side. It would have been nice to see them win, but their first half attacking play was woeful. They were too flat on Australia's line, and I feel Benji Marshall could have done better to organise his team in such a scenario.
That said, New Zealand had their chances but they didn't have many. For most of the first half Australia seemed to make better use of possession, and under performed in that they should have gone into half time 12 or 18 points ahead. Again, the weather did not suit Australia's style of play. They seemed to think they were the 'Australian Globetrotters' and insisted on offloading the ball in unbelievable situations with a great degree of difficulty. It was justice in a way that they did have the lead at half time, but it should have been more.
But by the end of the game it was only two missed conversions that cost New Zealand the game, with both teams scoring two tries apiece. A credit to the Kiwis, but they must know they have a long way to go before they can match Australia in dryer conditions. They picked up the pace in the final twenty minutes, but playing well for that amount of time is not good enough at international level.
I look forward to the Four Nations, when both teams will undoubtedly be playing in conditions at the height of the southern hemisphere spring when both teams can open the taps a bit more, and play better free flowing rugby league.
The new rectangular purpose built stadium looked great at its opening match, and will suit the Melbourne Storm and future internationals played at the ground. Credit must go to the ground staff, for not only producing a carpet like pitch in the first place, but to be able to maintain the surface in horrible conditions.
In my opinion the weather conditions seemed to have an effect on the match. There were more knock ons and errors than I would have expected to see, but they were from both sides which was testament to New Zealand who underperformed in last season's Four Nations.
But don't let that suggest New Zealand were the better side. It would have been nice to see them win, but their first half attacking play was woeful. They were too flat on Australia's line, and I feel Benji Marshall could have done better to organise his team in such a scenario.
That said, New Zealand had their chances but they didn't have many. For most of the first half Australia seemed to make better use of possession, and under performed in that they should have gone into half time 12 or 18 points ahead. Again, the weather did not suit Australia's style of play. They seemed to think they were the 'Australian Globetrotters' and insisted on offloading the ball in unbelievable situations with a great degree of difficulty. It was justice in a way that they did have the lead at half time, but it should have been more.
But by the end of the game it was only two missed conversions that cost New Zealand the game, with both teams scoring two tries apiece. A credit to the Kiwis, but they must know they have a long way to go before they can match Australia in dryer conditions. They picked up the pace in the final twenty minutes, but playing well for that amount of time is not good enough at international level.
I look forward to the Four Nations, when both teams will undoubtedly be playing in conditions at the height of the southern hemisphere spring when both teams can open the taps a bit more, and play better free flowing rugby league.
Monday 3 May 2010
Nathan Brown rant is not the first.
Nathan Brown's rant after his side's loss to Wigan on Sunday is not the first time the man has last the plot in front of the media.
In his post-match comments at Edinburgh, the Huddersfield coach said: "The officials can do better and protect the small players. I'll quite clearly instruct my players if the officials are going to allow people to hit our key players late and in the head, you do it back."
For the former St George Illawarra boss, it is not the first time he has instructed his players to take the law into their own hands. In 2008 he was so appalled by the tackling techniques of Melbourne in a game at Olympic Park, that he then instructed his players to respond with violence, and called on every other NRL club to turn their games against Melbourne into a bloodbath because that was the only way to beat them.
To me, and with the historical evidence at hand, this is a case of the toys being thrown out of the pram. Huddersfield played very well on Sunday, and it was only a lapse in concentration for ten minutes that really cost them the game.
Brown's criticism of the match officials could see him fined by the RFL like Justin Morgan was earlier in the year.
In his post-match comments at Edinburgh, the Huddersfield coach said: "The officials can do better and protect the small players. I'll quite clearly instruct my players if the officials are going to allow people to hit our key players late and in the head, you do it back."
For the former St George Illawarra boss, it is not the first time he has instructed his players to take the law into their own hands. In 2008 he was so appalled by the tackling techniques of Melbourne in a game at Olympic Park, that he then instructed his players to respond with violence, and called on every other NRL club to turn their games against Melbourne into a bloodbath because that was the only way to beat them.
To me, and with the historical evidence at hand, this is a case of the toys being thrown out of the pram. Huddersfield played very well on Sunday, and it was only a lapse in concentration for ten minutes that really cost them the game.
Brown's criticism of the match officials could see him fined by the RFL like Justin Morgan was earlier in the year.
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