There were few surprises when the XXXX Queensland Maroons side was unveiled to the faithful earlier in the week amidst quotes of a bit of fanfare in Brisbane. The same cannot be said of the announcement of the NSW Blues. Eager to get the jump on the Queenslanders, Ricky Stuart’s Blues were announced last Sunday in a very sombre businesslike manner. Perhaps that had something to do with the reaction selectors must have known they could expect following the announcement.
Since Sunday’s announcement, there has been a good deal of criticism surrounding the omission of Jarryd Hayne and Jamal Idris. Apparently in the case of Idris you can be good enough to play for your country but not good enough to pull on a sky blue jersey. Of course Idris has now been called into the Blues camp as 18th man – whatever that means. All Queenslanders must be celebrating the omission of Hayne. While he hasn’t been in peak form, he is the man you know is capable of taking the game away from you at any time. He had a blinder in Round 10 and probably has every reason to feel aggrieved at the snub especially as it has been revealed Stuart has been courting his replacement Dugan for weeks behind the scenes. Ricky at best it’s not a good look even from the outside. With or without Hayne this is a team with plenty to like. In fact it’s almost the Dragons up against the Maroons, with all that Bennett gloss working against the Maroons. How does that happen? Please explain.
There is an air of comfortability about the selection of the Maroons with plenty of familiar faces and just a sprinkling of newcomers to cover the loss of an injured and not quite in form Inglis and Justin Hodges who must feel as though someone is practising their voodoo on him. This is Origin – it will not be a walk in the park, but I will be there in the crowd as those Mighty Maroons give it everything they’ve got and that bit more simply because, well, they’re Queenslanders.
XXXX Maroons team: 1. Billy Slater (Innisfail Brothers/Melbourne Storm); 2. Darius Boyd (Mudgeeraba Redbacks/Dragons); 3. Dane Nielsen (Mackay Norths/Melbourne Storm); 4. Willie Tonga (Cherbourg Hornets/Cowboys); 5. Jharal Yow Yeh (Brisbane Norths/Broncos); 6. Darren Lockyer (c) (Roma Cities/Broncos); 7. Johnathan Thurston (Sunnybank South/Cowboys); 8. Matthew Scott (Longreach Tigers/Cowboys); 9. Cameron Smith (Logan Brothers/Storm); 10. Petero Civoniceva (Redcliffe Dolphins/Panthers); 11. Nate Myles (Cairns Souths/Roosters); 12. Sam Thaiday (Townsville Brothers/Broncos); 13. Ashley Harrison (Aspley Norths/Titans). Interchange:- 14. Cooper Cronk (Brisbane Souths/Storm); 15. Corey Parker (Logan Brothers/Broncos); 16. Jacob Lillyman (Richmond Tigers/Warriors); 17 Ben Hannant (Burleigh Bears/Broncos); 18. David Taylor (Blackwater Crushers/Rabbitohs).
NSW Blues team: – 1. Josh Dugan (Canberra), 2. Brett Morris (Dragons), 3. Michael Jennings (Penrith), 4. Mark Gasnier (Dragons), 5. Akuila Uate (Newcastle), 6. Jamie Soward (Dragons), 7. Mitchell Pearce (Roosters), 8. Jason King (Manly), 9. Michael Ennis (Bulldogs), 10. Kade Snowden (Cronulla), 11. Beau Scott (Dragons), 12. Greg Bird (Titans), 13. Paul Gallen (c). Interchange: 14. Ben Creagh (Dragons), 15. Trent Merrin (Dragons), 16. Tim Mannah (Eels), 17. Dean Young, 18. Jamal Idris (late call-up) (Bulldogs).
Up the Mighty Maroons