DIEHARD
Administrator
Game 1: NSW vs QLD (2018)
Game 2: NSW vs QLD (2018)
- Thread starter DIEHARD
- Start date
Titanic
Immortal
Morgan went pretty well but I think Ponga needs to sneak in there somewhere but if Slater is fit then one doesn't make it. Wallace and Hess were woeful and Hunt not much better but they won't drop them on one game either. Milford has to go.
DIEHARD
Administrator
Brennan urges Fittler to pick James for Origin II
https://www.nrl.com/
Titans coach Gareth Brennan has a message for Blues coach Brad Fittler as he contemplates whether to include Ryan James in the team that will try and win the Holden State of Origin trophy for the first time since 2014 next Sunday night.
"He'd be in my team ... NSW would be crazy not to give him a crack," Brennan said after James led his Gold Coast side to a 22-point win over a hapless Bulldogs outfit at Belmore Oval on Saturday.
"He's such a big part of our football team. He's our captain and he leads… no Jarrod Wallace there today [suspension] so I asked Ryan to really step up again and grab the team and put it on his back and he did that. I thought he was enormous."
Ryan was close last time – an airline ticket had been sent to him for Origin I at the MCG.
But at the last minute Fittler chose David Klemmer, who coincidently opposed James today. The NSW coach had telephoned James to assure him he would remain firmly in selectors minds for games two and three in Sydney and Brisbane.
James did everything he could against the Bulldogs to prove he should be at ANZ Stadium on June 24. He played 74 minutes at prop; ran for 126 metres; made 11 hit-ups and 51 tackles and scored a try by busting through a Klemmer and Aiden Tolman tackle.
"I just like scoring tries to tell you the truth. If you're a front rower you don't get many," James said, when asked if he wanted to reinforce the point by making sure he out-played Klemmer.
"The last two weeks have been good for the Titans and when you're playing good for the Titans hopefully things come off the back of that.
"If it was to come, that'd be good, if not I'll just work harder.
"It was devastating," James said of being in and out of the Blues side in a matter of hours. "But I couldn't do much about it – just go out and play good footy. Freddy told me that night what his plan was for game one… and they won… so can't do much about it.
"Another opportunity is there but it's up to the selectors."
The broken jaw suffered by Penrith and Blues prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard is that very opportunity. But Dragons Tariq Sims will also be thinking along the same lines as James.
James said the Campbell-Gillard injury had not influenced his thoughts around today's game.
"We needed to start winning footy games ... We hadn't had a win for a while so it was all about getting out there and getting a win for the Titans."
James, 26, grew up in Tweed Heads and said he would love to pull on the Blues jersey.
"A childhood dream ...," said James, who had friends over to his house to watch Origin I.
"I'm not bitter. I still support the Blues. I just wanted them to win – that's what it came down to.
"He [Fittler] will pick the best side. If I'm in it, then I'm in… if not, I'm always hopeful. I'm still pretty young and still got a fair bit of footy in me."
https://www.nrl.com/
Titans coach Gareth Brennan has a message for Blues coach Brad Fittler as he contemplates whether to include Ryan James in the team that will try and win the Holden State of Origin trophy for the first time since 2014 next Sunday night.
"He'd be in my team ... NSW would be crazy not to give him a crack," Brennan said after James led his Gold Coast side to a 22-point win over a hapless Bulldogs outfit at Belmore Oval on Saturday.
"He's such a big part of our football team. He's our captain and he leads… no Jarrod Wallace there today [suspension] so I asked Ryan to really step up again and grab the team and put it on his back and he did that. I thought he was enormous."
Ryan was close last time – an airline ticket had been sent to him for Origin I at the MCG.
But at the last minute Fittler chose David Klemmer, who coincidently opposed James today. The NSW coach had telephoned James to assure him he would remain firmly in selectors minds for games two and three in Sydney and Brisbane.
James did everything he could against the Bulldogs to prove he should be at ANZ Stadium on June 24. He played 74 minutes at prop; ran for 126 metres; made 11 hit-ups and 51 tackles and scored a try by busting through a Klemmer and Aiden Tolman tackle.
"I just like scoring tries to tell you the truth. If you're a front rower you don't get many," James said, when asked if he wanted to reinforce the point by making sure he out-played Klemmer.
"The last two weeks have been good for the Titans and when you're playing good for the Titans hopefully things come off the back of that.
"If it was to come, that'd be good, if not I'll just work harder.
"It was devastating," James said of being in and out of the Blues side in a matter of hours. "But I couldn't do much about it – just go out and play good footy. Freddy told me that night what his plan was for game one… and they won… so can't do much about it.
"Another opportunity is there but it's up to the selectors."
The broken jaw suffered by Penrith and Blues prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard is that very opportunity. But Dragons Tariq Sims will also be thinking along the same lines as James.
James said the Campbell-Gillard injury had not influenced his thoughts around today's game.
"We needed to start winning footy games ... We hadn't had a win for a while so it was all about getting out there and getting a win for the Titans."
James, 26, grew up in Tweed Heads and said he would love to pull on the Blues jersey.
"A childhood dream ...," said James, who had friends over to his house to watch Origin I.
"I'm not bitter. I still support the Blues. I just wanted them to win – that's what it came down to.
"He [Fittler] will pick the best side. If I'm in it, then I'm in… if not, I'm always hopeful. I'm still pretty young and still got a fair bit of footy in me."
Toads
Captain
Surely Klemmer will be scrubbed after his two indiscretions in yesterday's game?
That possible late hit on AJ had plenty of intent in it.
That possible late hit on AJ had plenty of intent in it.
JunctionBlock
Moderator
I think that kind of dog shot makes you captain of NSW.
DIEHARD
Administrator
New South Wales: (Squad)Josh Addo-Carr, Nathan Cleary, Damien Cook, Boyd Cordner (c) (Sydney Roosters), Angus Crichton, Jack de Belin, Tyson Frizell, Ryan James, Luke Keary, David Klemmer, James Maloney, Latrell Mitchell, Tyrone Peachey, Matt Prior, James Roberts, Tariq Sims, James Tedesco, Jake Trbojevic, Tom Trbojevic, Paul Vaughan
Late Mail: Three more debutants have been named in the Blues squad with Ryan James, Matt Prior and Luke Keary joining 16 of the men from Game I and 18th man Tariq Sims. James, Prior and Sims will all be in the frame to replace Reagan Campbell-Gillard in the side for Game II. Latrell Mitchell suffered a distressing neck injury against the Panthers but is expected to be fit to play.
Late Mail: Three more debutants have been named in the Blues squad with Ryan James, Matt Prior and Luke Keary joining 16 of the men from Game I and 18th man Tariq Sims. James, Prior and Sims will all be in the frame to replace Reagan Campbell-Gillard in the side for Game II. Latrell Mitchell suffered a distressing neck injury against the Panthers but is expected to be fit to play.
Titanic
Immortal
James should now change his phone number and forget to tell it to Fittler ... disgraceful treatment of anybody. Any respect I had for this tosser just went down the gurgler. Go Queensland and wipe that smug look off the mugs face. He now joins the DCE list of haasholes to be booed at CBus.
Mr Bods
Inactive User
There’s always this assumption in here that this is a QLD thread.
Some of us grew up on the Tweed Coast you know.
Plenty of our present and past players are from the Tweed.
The Giants and Seagulls home ground was at West Tweed.
Happy to Boo Fittler though because he was an Easts player
Some of us grew up on the Tweed Coast you know.
Plenty of our present and past players are from the Tweed.
The Giants and Seagulls home ground was at West Tweed.
Happy to Boo Fittler though because he was an Easts player
JunctionBlock
Moderator
James should come and play for QLD, we wouldn't treat him this way. He would have had a spot for the last few years. We've got no props.
Bods, cool, you grew up in the Tweed. That means that at this time of year you're a filthy cockroach. Its banter. Just proves NSW don't get Origin......
Bods, cool, you grew up in the Tweed. That means that at this time of year you're a filthy cockroach. Its banter. Just proves NSW don't get Origin......
Mr Bods
Inactive User
^^^ my love of the GC Titans would be at least 1000 times that of Origin.
And now that there’s no violence my interest has waned even more
But to be parochial and try and disengage your Tweed and Northern Rivers drawing population from going for the Titans due to parochialism due to an imaginary line along Griffith St separating the suburbs of Coolangatta/Tweed Heads is not very bright and reinforces stereotypes about Cane Toads inferior intelligence
And now that there’s no violence my interest has waned even more
But to be parochial and try and disengage your Tweed and Northern Rivers drawing population from going for the Titans due to parochialism due to an imaginary line along Griffith St separating the suburbs of Coolangatta/Tweed Heads is not very bright and reinforces stereotypes about Cane Toads inferior intelligence
JunctionBlock
Moderator
You say lack of violence I say 10 years of QLD dominance.....:fight:
Not sure how going for QLD and the Titans as opposed to NSW and the Titans disengages our tweed supporters.
Not sure how going for QLD and the Titans as opposed to NSW and the Titans disengages our tweed supporters.
Mr Bods
Inactive User
Thought I did explain that in earlier posts but anyway....
The selling or marketing of Titans/Suns as QLD Teams puts the public in these areas off.
Both those clubs need to be neutral in order to maximise building the fan base.
DIEHARD
Administrator
I think we should do more to promote both elements. I feel we do very little for northern NSW and to begin with, it seemed like a huge focus. Origin is a great time to promote this. I'd love to see some challenges or competitions involving fans and even players. We all have our allegiances.
Mr Bods
Inactive User
^^^ you are such a great bloke DH. Yes it’s neglected and it’s a working class area that’s absolute Rugby League Heartland.
DIEHARD
Administrator
That's actually another great topic for the Think Tank.
I have many early Titans memories of NSW. Including, the first time the Titans ever played, at the Orara Valley 7s.
Then we had two NSW based trial matches before the kick of to 2007. One in Lismore and one in Coffs Harbour.
I still remember the local coverage and kept many of the newspapers.
DIEHARD
Administrator
NSW v Queensland: State of Origin II preview
https://www.nrl.com/
After blowing last year's series, the Blues are in the same situation again heading into Sunday's game two, although this time there's no Cameron Smith or Johnathan Thurston to bring the Maroons back from the brink.
It's no point theorising if they learned a lesson or not because most of NSW's 2017 players weren't chosen for this series. Let's just say the selectors must've learned a lesson.
This Blues team hopes to do what Queensland did for the previous decade or so by starting their own multi-year dynasty, eventually leaving indelible footprints as one of the all-time great NSW sides.
But if they get ahead of themselves for a moment the Maroons will make them pay – as they often have over the years, even before Smith and Thurston broke into the Origin scene.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters has made a couple of much-needed team changes from game one and is hoping it has the desired effect. Can't wait to see when 20-year-old superstar in the making Kalyn Ponga comes off the bench for his first taste of Origin footy. Bring on Sunday night!
Key match-up: Experience versus X-factor. When the result is on the line, few players seal games better than the king of crunch time James Maloney. The Panthers pivot has the uncanny knack of making each team he's part of a winning one. His duel with Melbourne playmaker Cameron Munster will go a long way toward determining the outcome of the all-important game two.
For the Blues to win: Good as it must feel to be up 1-0 in the best of three series, NSW might be better off with the approach that it's still 0-0. That might be the only way to stamp out any cockiness lingering from their 22-12 game one victory. James Tedesco might not reach his Man of the Match heights from game one, meaning other players will have to be ready to step up. When the Blues briefly fell behind in game one there was no panic and they better be armed with exactly the same poise and belief on Sunday.
For the Maroons to win: There's nothing like the fear of failure to bring out the best in elite athletes. The Queenslanders know the series hinges on this game and will be desperate to avoid heading home to Brisbane for a dead rubber in game three. Inglis has to lead from the front like he did so stoically in game one, but he needs help from every one of his teammates if Queensland are to keep the series alive. They can't afford to let Tedesco get his confidence up like he did in the first game and the forwards have to stand up and be counted.
NSW Stat Attack: The Blues have only secured a series win at ANZ Stadium three times, in 2003, 2004 and 2014. Brad Fittler meanwhile is looking to become the sixth NSW coach to claim victory in his first Origin series, after Terry Fearnley (1985), Ron Willey (1986), Phil Gould (1992), Tom Raudonikis (1997) and Ricky Stuart (2005).
Queensland Stat Attack: Billy Slater will play his 30th State of Origin match, the 10th Maroons player to do so and the 11th overall. Meanwhile Kalyn Ponga is set to become the youngest Queensland Origin debutant since Israel Folau in 2008.
And another thing: The largest crowd to watch a State of Origin match was 91,513 in 2015 at the MCG, while the smallest was 16,559 at Lang Park in 1984. NSW hold the record for most points scored in a single game when they beat the Maroons 56-16 in game three in 2000. That was also the game when Ryan Girdler racked up an Origin-high 32 points in one game – an individual record that will almost certainly never be broken. Cameron Smith holds the record for most games played (42), while Greg Inglis has scored the most Origin tries (17). Petero Civoniceva was the oldest Origin player at 36 in 2012 and Ben Ikin was the youngest at 18 in 1995.
New South Wales Blues: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Tom Trbojevic, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 James Roberts, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 James Maloney, 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 David Klemmer, 9 Damien Cook, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Boyd Cordner (c), 12 Tyson Frizell, 13 Jack De Belin. Interchange: 14 Paul Vaughan, 15 Jake Trbojevic, 16 Angus Crichton, 17 Tyrone Peachey. Reserves: 18 Tariq Sims, 19 Luke Keary, 20 Ryan James.
Queensland Maroons: 1 Billy Slater, 2 Valentine Holmes, 3 Greg Inglis (c), 4 Will Chambers, 5 Dane Gagai, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Ben Hunt, 8 Dylan Napa, 9 Andrew McCullough, 10 Jarrod Wallace, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Felise Kaufusi, 13 Josh McGuire. Interchange: 14 Kalyn Ponga, 15 Josh Papalii, 16 Coen Hess, 17 Jai Arrow. Reserves: Tim Glasby, 19 Christian Welch.
Steve Turner's prediction: The Blues will be full of confidence, following an impressive win in the opening game of the Origin series. James Tedesco and Damien Cook were outstanding and the key for the blues will be to not be complacent and go to another level. They were in the same position as last year and unfortunately couldn't get the job done. Queensland need to improve out of sight. They need more from their forward pack and they need more from their spine to take control of the game. Without Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston, the Maroons need to find the next leaders and this responsibility falls on the shoulders of Ben Hunt and Cameron Munster. There is no greater opportunity for the blues than to take the series on home soil this weekend. TIP: Blues by 8
https://www.nrl.com/
After blowing last year's series, the Blues are in the same situation again heading into Sunday's game two, although this time there's no Cameron Smith or Johnathan Thurston to bring the Maroons back from the brink.
It's no point theorising if they learned a lesson or not because most of NSW's 2017 players weren't chosen for this series. Let's just say the selectors must've learned a lesson.
This Blues team hopes to do what Queensland did for the previous decade or so by starting their own multi-year dynasty, eventually leaving indelible footprints as one of the all-time great NSW sides.
But if they get ahead of themselves for a moment the Maroons will make them pay – as they often have over the years, even before Smith and Thurston broke into the Origin scene.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters has made a couple of much-needed team changes from game one and is hoping it has the desired effect. Can't wait to see when 20-year-old superstar in the making Kalyn Ponga comes off the bench for his first taste of Origin footy. Bring on Sunday night!
Key match-up: Experience versus X-factor. When the result is on the line, few players seal games better than the king of crunch time James Maloney. The Panthers pivot has the uncanny knack of making each team he's part of a winning one. His duel with Melbourne playmaker Cameron Munster will go a long way toward determining the outcome of the all-important game two.
For the Blues to win: Good as it must feel to be up 1-0 in the best of three series, NSW might be better off with the approach that it's still 0-0. That might be the only way to stamp out any cockiness lingering from their 22-12 game one victory. James Tedesco might not reach his Man of the Match heights from game one, meaning other players will have to be ready to step up. When the Blues briefly fell behind in game one there was no panic and they better be armed with exactly the same poise and belief on Sunday.
For the Maroons to win: There's nothing like the fear of failure to bring out the best in elite athletes. The Queenslanders know the series hinges on this game and will be desperate to avoid heading home to Brisbane for a dead rubber in game three. Inglis has to lead from the front like he did so stoically in game one, but he needs help from every one of his teammates if Queensland are to keep the series alive. They can't afford to let Tedesco get his confidence up like he did in the first game and the forwards have to stand up and be counted.
NSW Stat Attack: The Blues have only secured a series win at ANZ Stadium three times, in 2003, 2004 and 2014. Brad Fittler meanwhile is looking to become the sixth NSW coach to claim victory in his first Origin series, after Terry Fearnley (1985), Ron Willey (1986), Phil Gould (1992), Tom Raudonikis (1997) and Ricky Stuart (2005).
Queensland Stat Attack: Billy Slater will play his 30th State of Origin match, the 10th Maroons player to do so and the 11th overall. Meanwhile Kalyn Ponga is set to become the youngest Queensland Origin debutant since Israel Folau in 2008.
And another thing: The largest crowd to watch a State of Origin match was 91,513 in 2015 at the MCG, while the smallest was 16,559 at Lang Park in 1984. NSW hold the record for most points scored in a single game when they beat the Maroons 56-16 in game three in 2000. That was also the game when Ryan Girdler racked up an Origin-high 32 points in one game – an individual record that will almost certainly never be broken. Cameron Smith holds the record for most games played (42), while Greg Inglis has scored the most Origin tries (17). Petero Civoniceva was the oldest Origin player at 36 in 2012 and Ben Ikin was the youngest at 18 in 1995.
New South Wales Blues: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Tom Trbojevic, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 James Roberts, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 James Maloney, 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 David Klemmer, 9 Damien Cook, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Boyd Cordner (c), 12 Tyson Frizell, 13 Jack De Belin. Interchange: 14 Paul Vaughan, 15 Jake Trbojevic, 16 Angus Crichton, 17 Tyrone Peachey. Reserves: 18 Tariq Sims, 19 Luke Keary, 20 Ryan James.
Queensland Maroons: 1 Billy Slater, 2 Valentine Holmes, 3 Greg Inglis (c), 4 Will Chambers, 5 Dane Gagai, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Ben Hunt, 8 Dylan Napa, 9 Andrew McCullough, 10 Jarrod Wallace, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Felise Kaufusi, 13 Josh McGuire. Interchange: 14 Kalyn Ponga, 15 Josh Papalii, 16 Coen Hess, 17 Jai Arrow. Reserves: Tim Glasby, 19 Christian Welch.
Steve Turner's prediction: The Blues will be full of confidence, following an impressive win in the opening game of the Origin series. James Tedesco and Damien Cook were outstanding and the key for the blues will be to not be complacent and go to another level. They were in the same position as last year and unfortunately couldn't get the job done. Queensland need to improve out of sight. They need more from their forward pack and they need more from their spine to take control of the game. Without Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston, the Maroons need to find the next leaders and this responsibility falls on the shoulders of Ben Hunt and Cameron Munster. There is no greater opportunity for the blues than to take the series on home soil this weekend. TIP: Blues by 8
DIEHARD
Administrator
QLD didn't deserve it if we couldn't score against a 12 man Blues for 10mins...
Mr Bods
Inactive User
Bad luck QLD fans
Jolly good fight put up in both games
Would really like to go back to just concentrating on the Titans
I obviously watched purely from a Blues viewpoint being a dirty dog Tweed boy
How do you feel Wallace and Arrow went from a Maroons point of view tonight?
Jolly good fight put up in both games
Would really like to go back to just concentrating on the Titans
I obviously watched purely from a Blues viewpoint being a dirty dog Tweed boy
How do you feel Wallace and Arrow went from a Maroons point of view tonight?
gotitans101_
Coach
Arrow was good, Wallace was more involved, particularly in defence.
Ben Hunt pretty much cost us that game. He is trash when put under pressure. NSW lose a man, ball goes to Hunt on the 3rd. What does he do? Kicks it dead. Fool.
Ben Hunt pretty much cost us that game. He is trash when put under pressure. NSW lose a man, ball goes to Hunt on the 3rd. What does he do? Kicks it dead. Fool.
JunctionBlock
Moderator
Wallace did absolutely nothing. If we didn't have a choice he wouldn't have a jersey.
Arrow on the other hand is built for origin. Shame he had limited time.
Arrow on the other hand is built for origin. Shame he had limited time.