StephenP
ArnoldSurprises all round for Origin One
May 13th 2008 05:01
Both New South Wales and Queensland selectors have named powerful line-ups ahead of next Wednesday night's opening State of Origin encounter at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.
Broncos half Peter Wallace won the contentious battle for the Blues number seven, beating rivals Brett Finch, Mitchell Pearce and Todd Carney to make his interstate debut.
Wallace will be apired in the halevs with Test five-eighth Greg Bid, while Melbourne Storm winger Anthony Quinn has been rewarded with his first sky blue Anthony Quinn after a consistent couple of seasons.
Both Nathan Hindmarch and Brent KIte were unable to crack a spot in the Top NSW 17, with selectors surprising many by recalling 30-year old Roosters warhorse Craig Fitzgibbon for a spot on the bench.
Gold Coast Titans backrower has been rewarded for a stellar start to season '08 with his first NSW jumper, while Dragons utility Ben Hornby replaces injured Knight Kurt Gidley on the interchange bench.
All up, NSW selectors have made nine changes to the team that lost the 2007 series, with Newcastle prop Ben Cross rounding out the list of four Blues debutants.
Maroons selectors also produced somewhat of a selection shock by naming Brisbane fullback Karmichael Hunt to replace the injured Darren Lockyer at five-eighth, with Storm speedster Billy Slater beating a hotly contested field for the Queensland fullback jersey.
The unluckiest player to miss selection would have to be Titans skipper Scott Prince.
Prince has been one of the NRL's most consistent performers on a weekly basis for the past two years, with many pundits bamboozled as to how the Queensland selectors could not find a spot for him in the Queensland 17.
The teams are as follows -
New South Wales -
Brett Stewart, Jarryd Hayne, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Anthony Quinn, Greg Bird, Peter Wallace, Brett White, Danny Buderus (c), Ben Cross, Ryan Hoffman, Willie Mason, Paul Gallen
Interchange: Anthony Laffranchi, Anthony Tupou, Craig Fitzgibbon, Ben Hornby
Queensland -
Billy Slater, Brent Tate, Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Israel Folau, Karmichael Hunt, Johnathan Thurston, Carl Webb, Cameron Smith (c), Petero Civoniceva, Michael Crocker, Sam Thaiday, Dallas Johnson
Interchange: PJ Marsh, Ben Hannant, Nate Myles, Jacob Lillyman
Who do you think deserved a jersey - Who was lucky to be selected - We would love to hear your thoughts!
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Comment by poindexter
Comment by StephenP
NRL News
Yeah - Prince's omission from all forms of representative football is extremely puzzling - I would have Hunt at the back, Slater on the wing and Prince at half with JT.
I don't really mind Wallace at half for NSW, but why did they pick Fitzgibbon? Nothing against him, but there is no impact (Tupou aside) off the bench for mine, as Laffranchi and Fitzgibbon are basilcally the same defensive players.
I would have gone with Laffranchi in the starting side, with a bench of Mason, Tupou, Kite and Hornby - but thats just my thoughts!
Cheers,
StephenP
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by StephenP
NRL News
It seems that Nathan Hindmarsh has paid for Parramatta's indifferent form this season, and has been overlooked thus far for this years series.
There a few players who can cont theselves unlucky though!
Cheers,
StephenP
Comment by Captain foreskin