City Country

[Fluffy]

very average game that looked like the 2 teams swapped jerseys at half time.

From a SOO preview there were a few but not many points:

Hayne is not a 5/8. Wing or fullback for him

Carney is the 5/8, Pearce the half, Wallace didnt get a gig so wont consider him and Mullen was having a nana nap

Aaron Woods should start with Gallen. Looked pooped at the end but put in a huge game and bent the line.

Ferguson has put his hand up but with Morris, Uate and Hayne may be a bit unlucky to miss out.

The backrowers were average bar Bird, they will come from the Aussie team and Trex + Gift

One a side note one has to feel the ref was trying to make it tight with the penalty count getting to 11 - 3 to the losing team.

 

[dceagle]

Tariq Simms looked promising

 

[Napper]

How did Buhrer go?

 

[Ceagle]

How did Buhrer go?

Average, missed a tackle on Carney which lead to a try

 

[swoop]

Hayne is a pea-heart.

 

[EagleRock40]

I honestly cant see Gifty or TRex making the Blues team for Game 1, but it will be good for Manly. Blues back row will be -
13.Lewis
12.Bird
11.Watmough
Tariq Sims will probably get a bench spot as well.

 

[Fluffy]

still have 4 weeks if gift plays this weekend plenty of time to remind Stuart how good he is.

Trex would have his name on a jersey already, cant see match fitness being an issue for a bloke who plays 80 minutes when he would be used as impact.

 

[Napper]

Yeah TRex will get a bench spot for sure.

 

[dowdz]

Uate is the Australian winger and I would say he will be the blues winger with Hayne.

 

[Ian Martin tragic]

So no injuries for manly players in either game this weekend?

 

[dowdz]

I heard Wolfie has a hammie problem. Nothing for the others. DCE may have piles from sitting on a cold bench all night long though

 

[Canteen Worker]

I thought Hoffman looked good for City. Was at the game and felt it lacked atmosphere. Enjoyed that the crowd booed Hayne and were highly critical f him. On today he will be lucky to make NSW.

 

[bennyeagle]

I thought wolf got roped for hayne to push to the wing cause haynes defence was poor and Stuart wanted to see more of him on the wing ?

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Hayne is obviously playing at about 70-80% imo, you can see in his movement on the park his knee is no good

 

[Bradza]

2GB were reporting a hammie issue for Wolfie. No further details last night.

 

[Earnie the Eagle]

If you stick ya out the window you can hear the Queenslanders laughing, if thats the best we Blues have, then it will be another series to the Toads.

 

[Masked Eagle]

I thought Hoffman looked good for City. Was at the game and felt it lacked atmosphere. Enjoyed that the crowd booed Hayne and were highly critical f him. On today he will be lucky to make NSW.

He had a good game, but he's been such little impact in Origin in the past I hope it wasn't enough to get him a spot. Same as Creagh. No thanks.

Its been reported several times, that T-Rex will be having his own fitness test prior to the team being selected. I think you can take that as a given, as long as he passes it, he will be picked. If he doesn't, he won't make it.

Blues need to go right back to basics to beat QLD. Our best performances have been really off the back of having a supreme effort, usually inspired by an individual. Choc did it a few years ago and Gallen did it last year. We've been too caught up in the past worried about tactics and game plans and forgetting the real basics. Run faster and tackle harder then them. If we do that than the difference in class at 6,7 and 9 won't be so large. Because we can't outfooty them I'd pick forwards who can hit hard and also offload the ball, second phase play with quick halves who are good support players would be my method of attack.