SOO Squads Announced

[Davo5]

8 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Any chance you could have an adult conversation.  I assume you are older than 16?

Oh insults now,well done,very “adult” of you.

[DavidM]

I think this game will be the nail in the coffin for Freddie as Origin coach . He got it wrong in Origin 1 , he’s trying to repair the self inflicted wounds but I can’t see them getting anything at Suncorp 

[Dunbar]

1 minute ago, DavidM said:

I think this game will be the nail in the coffin for Freddie as Origin coach . He got it wrong in Origin 1 , he’s trying to repair the self inflicted wounds but I can’t see them getting anything at Suncorp 

I actually think he has made a decent call with Mitchell Moses at 7.  He is a very good half.

But, as I have said before, his dummy half decisions in games 1 and 2 are a bit bizzare.

But overall, I don't think it bouks down selections with Fittler, he just isn't good enough tactically as a coach and you can see that his teams are not running to a game plan that they all understand and are bought in to.

[Davo5]

23 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I think this game will be the nail in the coffin for Freddie as Origin coach . He got it wrong in Origin 1 , he’s trying to repair the self inflicted wounds but I can’t see them getting anything at Suncorp 

Freddie brings bags of enthusiasm to the role & gave the Blues a huge lift when he took the job,resulting in back to back series wins,but that enthusiasm can’t always make up for his. limitations as a coach.

He has benefited from Qld being in a rebuild phase & some really outstanding Blues talent but he probably should have stood down after losing the series to the so called “worst ever maroons side” & coupled with the emergence of Slater as a coach & the talent Qld is now producing this could be his last hurrah.

[Dunbar]

54 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Oh insults now,well done,very “adult” of you.

The thing is, I agree with a lot of what you say on these boards but as soon as we disagree, you get all passive aggresive in your comments and start posting childish emoji's.  It is probably as much my fault as yours and so we should just not bother interacting any more.

[Davo5]

14 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

The thing is, I agree with a lot of what you say on these boards but as soon as we disagree, you get all passive aggresive in your comments and start posting childish emoji's.  It is probably as much my fault as yours and so we should just not bother interacting any more.

A tad ironic.

I wasn’t the one resorting to insults.

Edited June 14, 2023 by Davo5

[DavidM]

Watching NRL 360 it highlights how massive Origin is there . The build up and analysis is endless . Added to how its the focus of talk pre , during and after NRL games , you’ve got to remind yourself its a game between two states . Its good but boy they sell it . I cant help remember the pre World Cup talk and it was throwaway and dismissive 

Edited June 14, 2023 by DavidM

[Davo5]

12 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Watching NRL 360 it highlights how massive Origin is there . The build up and analysis is endless . Added to how it’s the focus of talk pre , during and after NRL games , you’ve got to remind yourself it’s a game between two states . It’s good but boy they sell it . I cant help remember the pre World Cup talk and it was throwaway and dismissive 

Ways loved Origin but since they’ve sanitised the games in line with regular NRL games it really doesn’t justify all the hype these days.

Gould is still spouting his ridiculous rhetoric that some of the NRL sides are struggling this year because of their players being involved in that World Cup & yet is perfectly happy to see them doubling up after Origin.

[Mojo]

12 hours ago, Davo5 said:

But not every game,Luai wasn’t great in last years series & was largely anonymous in game 1 this year,I’d have Hynes at 6 but crazy Freddie has given Luai another go so let’s see if his faith in Luai is justified & he can lead the Blues to a win.

I don't know what game you were watching but Luai was one of the best nsw players in that game 1. Maybe try and put your hate towards Luai's personality aside and actually watch how well he played. You probably watched his recent game against the roosters and thought he was awful too.

 

Game 1 nsw had that game. They got out played the first 10mins and the last 10mins other than that they had qld on the ropes. That last 10mins meltdown wasn't on Freddy it was on the players on the field. I think nsw will win game 2 and they won't make that same mistake again.

Picking Moses is definitely the right move. He's playing outstanding for the eels and definitely deserves the call up

[Mojo]

9 hours ago, Davo5 said:

Ways loved Origin but since they’ve sanitised the games in line with regular NRL games it really doesn’t justify all the hype these days.

Gould is still spouting his ridiculous rhetoric that some of the NRL sides are struggling this year because of their players being involved in that World Cup & yet is perfectly happy to see them doubling up after Origin.

I don't think Gould ever said that. That was Paul Kent. To make it even more ridiculous the players that were injured weren't even at the world cup

[StandOffHalf]

I like Moses for his running and his willingness to try his hand. I would though have gone with Reynolds and Walker. I'm not sure that Moses is the guy to manage a hard-fought away game alongside Luai. He's never really done it in big games before. Reynolds would be on his club ground and Walker and him had a good chemistry for years at Souths. Walker is temperamental but he can pick a pass like few others in the comp.

Picking injured players and players out of position is going to be NSW's downfall, I feel.

I'd put Turbo at #1 and bring Graham into the centres. If Latrell isn't good to go, Crichton went well in Game 1. Not sure about Murray on the bench. Either start him or not at all.

Qld by a good few scores; it could get ugly for Freddy.

34-10

[Mojo]

1 hour ago, StandOffHalf said:

I like Moses for his running and his willingness to try his hand. I would though have gone with Reynolds and Walker. I'm not sure that Moses is the guy to manage a hard-fought away game alongside Luai. He's never really done it in big games before. Reynolds would be on his club ground and Walker and him had a good chemistry for years at Souths. Walker is temperamental but he can pick a pass like few others in the comp.

Picking injured players and players out of position is going to be NSW's downfall, I feel.

I'd put Turbo at #1 and bring Graham into the centres. If Latrell isn't good to go, Crichton went well in Game 1. Not sure about Murray on the bench. Either start him or not at all.

Qld by a good few scores; it could get ugly for Freddy.

34-10

Players out of position your talking about picked apart the qld team the last time they played together. Teddy at flb is still the right choice. I would have Graham over Addo-Carr tho. Reynolds is good but the players around hin that made him good are in the qld team like Walsh and Cobbo. Moses has something to prove too. I would've had Leniu off the bench over Stefano 

[StandOffHalf]

1 hour ago, Mojo said:

Players out of position your talking about picked apart the qld team the last time they played together. Teddy at flb is still the right choice. I would have Graham over Addo-Carr tho. Reynolds is good but the players around hin that made him good are in the qld team like Walsh and Cobbo. Moses has something to prove too. I would've had Leniu off the bench over Stefano 

Walsh is a young buck with fizz and Cobbo is a super young winger who scores a lot. Take Reynolds out of that team though and they're not going to challenge for the title. He's the heartbeat, the maestro pulling the strings.

I agree on Leniu - he'd have brought the dynamism off the bench.

I am looking forward to seeing how Moses and Luai combine to run the team. I hope Freddy tells Moses to play his game and not go into his shell. I see a lot of parallels between Moses and a young Sam Tomkins in how they run the ball with verve.

Edited June 15, 2023 by StandOffHalf

[Davo5]

9 hours ago, Mojo said:

I don't think Gould ever said that. That was Paul Kent. To make it even more ridiculous the players that were injured weren't even at the world cup

Yes he did & has done ,numerous times since the season started.

[Davo5]

9 hours ago, Mojo said:

I don't know what game you were watching but Luai was one of the best nsw players in that game 1. Maybe try and put your hate towards Luai's personality aside and actually watch how well he played. You probably watched his recent game against the roosters and thought he was awful too.

 

Game 1 nsw had that game. They got out played the first 10mins and the last 10mins other than that they had qld on the ropes. That last 10mins meltdown wasn't on Freddy it was on the players on the field. I think nsw will win game 2 and they won't make that same mistake again.

Picking Moses is definitely the right move. He's playing outstanding for the eels and definitely deserves the call up

I have no idea where you get this “hatred” of Luai from,maybe it comes from your obvious dislike of any criticism of Samoan heritage players.

Luai like his fellow Penrith halfback were poor so maybe put that Samoan bias aside & try rewatching the game.

[Dunbar]

Personally I think Fittler has made the right call with Mitchell Moses over Reynolds... although I think Hynes can consider himself very unlucky to be selected for Game 1, given no chance to impress, and then left out for Game 2.

I like Reynolds and he is doing great things for the Broncos and is a perfect half to guide a team through a season - especially one with some young stars he can mentor.  But he will be 33 in a couple of weeks and I think his body is feeling the effects of a long career, he regularly needs some attention during a game and I think the added speed and intensity of Origin may be too much of an ask.

[Saint Toppy]

9 hours ago, Mojo said:

I don't know what game you were watching but Luai was one of the best nsw players in that game 1. Maybe try and put your hate towards Luai's personality aside and actually watch how well he played. You probably watched his recent game against the roosters and thought he was awful too.

 

Game 1 nsw had that game. They got out played the first 10mins and the last 10mins other than that they had qld on the ropes. That last 10mins meltdown wasn't on Freddy it was on the players on the field. I think nsw will win game 2 and they won't make that same mistake again.

Picking Moses is definitely the right move. He's playing outstanding for the eels and definitely deserves the call up

Luai is a headless chicken in an awful lot of games. He can get away with it at club level because the rest of the Penrith team are very structured in both defense and attack and their ruthlessness then creates space for someone like Luai. Problem is when the opposition match that level of ruthlessness, particularly in defense he's left looking like a little boy lost just aimlessly running around the field.

I think Moses is a superb player and IMO the 2nd best 7 in the NRL (behind Cleary) but Luai is too inconsistent. Hynes would have been a far better option especially when you consider the game is at Suncorp and the style the Maroons played with in game 1. Moses will be put under an awful lot of pressure so someone like Hynes would give them that 2nd option for both running, kicking and as an organiser. 

[Davo5]

Latrell Mitchell pulls out & is replaced by Crichton with Burton coming in as 18th man.

[StandOffHalf]

33 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Personally I think Fittler has made the right call with Mitchell Moses over Reynolds... although I think Hynes can consider himself very unlucky to be selected for Game 1, given no chance to impress, and then left out for Game 2.

I like Reynolds and he is doing great things for the Broncos and is a perfect half to guide a team through a season - especially one with some young stars he can mentor.  But he will be 33 in a couple of weeks and I think his body is feeling the effects of a long career, he regularly needs some attention during a game and I think the added speed and intensity of Origin may be too much of an ask.

Yep, that would have been my main concern with a Walker - Reynolds partnership. AR does seem to have been getting knocked around and battered this year.

Good luck to Moses and Luai. I have my reservations, but they are both fine players.

[StandOffHalf]

24 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

Luai is a headless chicken in an awful lot of games. He can get away with it at club level because the rest of the Penrith team are very structured in both defense and attack and their ruthlessness then creates space for someone like Luai. Problem is when the opposition match that level of ruthlessness, particularly in defense he's left looking like a little boy lost just aimlessly running around the field.

I think Moses is a superb player and IMO the 2nd best 7 in the NRL (behind Cleary) but Luai is too inconsistent. Hynes would have been a far better option especially when you consider the game is at Suncorp and the style the Maroons played with in game 1. Moses will be put under an awful lot of pressure so someone like Hynes would give them that 2nd option for both running, kicking and as an organiser. 

NSW seem to have taken Hynes out of the firing line. He seems to have been the centre of media attention. That's the way they've been spinning his dropping anyway...

[Dunbar]

I decided to have a quick browse through the Aussie web sites to see their reaction to the performances of the NSW halves.  In gerneral, Luai got more favourable feedback than Cleary - although neither were praised of course as it was a loss.  But this one made me smile.

https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/05/31/state-of-origin-nsw-blues-player-ratings/

6. Jarome Luai
Great pass to Liam Martin for a try, and for Crichton’s try in the 67th. Defence still a bit shaky though, highlighted by his miss on Cobbo in the 57th minute, one of his four misses. 6/10

7. Nathan Cleary
The star half was solid but dropped a ball and his kicks were not quite up to his usual stellar standard. He missed an uncharacteristic six tackles. 6.5/10

So, Luai set up two tries and missed four tackles while Cleary was off his game and missed six tackles and yet rated better.

Just goes to show that opinions can vary so much - and that's not a bad thing as it would be boring otherwise.

[Davo5]

22 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

NSW seem to have taken Hynes out of the firing line. He seems to have been the centre of media attention. That's the way they've been spinning his dropping anyway...

His treatment by Fittler during & after game 1 & some of his comments afterwards seems to have had a real negative affect on Hynes & he looked all over the place against the Storm last week.

[StandOffHalf]

2 hours ago, Davo5 said:

His treatment by Fittler during & after game 1 & some of his comments afterwards seems to have had a real negative affect on Hynes & he looked all over the place against the Storm last week.

The circus around Origin can be wearying on me as a fan on the other side of the world, so I can only imagine what it's like on a player picked and then not really given a go.

I thought Brent Tate seemed to be sticking the boot in when he said that he liked Hynes but didn't think he was an Origin player. Bit harsh to make a judgement like that on him being chucked on in the centres.

[Dunbar]

13 hours ago, StandOffHalf said:

Qld by a good few scores; it could get ugly for Freddy.

34-10

NSW will get a win in the next two games (there has only been one 3-0 series win this century).

Being in Brisbane makes it very tough but I think NSW may get the win and take it into a decider.

[DavidM]

I like Cody Walker and would take him over Luai every day