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Blues coach Ricky Stuart has received an avalanche of advice over the last few weeks as everyone from the average punter to NRL coaches have weighed in on the makeup of the NSW team. Front row, fullback and hooker have all been hotly debated with a raft of different players suggested. Throw in injury and some of his stars being dropped to NSW Cup (I'm looking at you Michael Jennings) and it has been a tough few weeks for Ricky.
Queensland on the other hand have had a more subdued build up with doubt lingering only over who will take over Cooper Cronk's utility role. Surely Big Mal has been smiling into his XXXX watching the Cockroaches argue and fight with each other all the while knowing his team is pretty much, barring injury, already settled.
So attempting to cut through the debate and conjecture, I have come up with who I believe will line up for the respective teams when they are named in the coming days.
NSW
1. Brett Stewart
2. Akuila Uate
3. Chris Lawrence
4. Josh Morris
5. Jarryd Hayne
6. Todd Carney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Paul Gallen (c)
9. Robbie Farah
10. Michael Weyman
11. Glenn Stewart
12. Luke Lewis
13. Greg Bird
BENCH
14. James Tamou
15. Tariq Sims
16. Anthony Watmough
17. Ryan Hinchcliffe
Brett Stewart has the form on the board and just a little bit more big game experience to edge out Dugan. You could easily replace Hayne with Brett Morris but I just think Hayne has the x-factor that the Blues might need. It just depends which Jarryd Hayne shows up... Michael Weyman gives the Blues stability up front and allows Tamou to inject his sizeable frame once the sting is taken out of the contest.
I think Greg Bird is an out and out Origin player and I would be starting him ahead of Watmough and Sims who could both come on later to do some damage on the edges. Hinchcliffe is somewhat of a bolter but his ability to cover so many positions and his no nonsense style gets him the nod ahead of Jamie Buhrer, Jarrod Mullen and co.
QLD
1. Billy Slater
2. Darius Boyd
3. Justin Hodges
4. Greg Inglis
5. Brent Tate
6. Jonathan Thurston
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Matt Scott
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Sam Thaiday
12. Dave Taylor
13. Ashley Harrison
BENCH
14. Ben Hannant
15. Nate Myles
16. Matt Gillett
17. Mick Crocker
The QLD starting side pretty much selects itself with the exception being Brent Tate on the wing. Tate has been there and done it all before and he is such a competitor that I would have him in any team I am picking. I think Petero is warming into the season nicely and you just know the big man will be primed for a huge farewell series. He has to be there.
I would also be starting with big Dave Taylor ahead of Myles. I think Taylor could cause big headaches for the Blues on the edge and then Myles would come on and add starch to the middle of the ruck. Crocker is my bolter for the utility spot. He's as hard as nails, can cover hooker, five eight and back row. David Shillington, Corey Parker, Daly Cherry-Evans and Ben Barba are unlucky but all 4 could force their way in over the course of the series.
Adam Schoenmaker is a high school chaplain in the northern suburbs of Brisbane for three days each week and serves two days a week in his local church. Adam loves a good book, a classic album and all Queensland sporting teams.
Adam Schoenmaker archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/adam-schoenmaker.html