Queensland 2013

[Big Pete]

What would your side look like next year?

At a pinch...

1. Billy Slater
2. Darius Boyd
3. Greg Inglis
4. Brent Tate
5. Justin O'Neil
6. Jonathan Thurston
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Mat Scott
9. Cam Smith
10. David Shillington
11. Nate Myles
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Corey Parker

14. Ben Te'o
15. Ben Hannant
16. Josh McGuire
17. Dave Taylor

 

[Porthoz]

What? Where's Hodges?

Taylor? No way ever again! I don't care who comes in, as long as it's not him.

Depending on form, I'd go with:

1- Slater
2- Boyd
3- Inglis
4- Hodges
5- Yow Yeh (if fit, otherwise Tate)
6- Thurston
7- Cronk
8- Hannant
9- Smith
10-Scott
11-Myles
12-Thaiday
13-Parker/Harrison

14-Barba
15-McGuire
16-Shillington
17-Gillett/Te'o/Guerra/Not Taylor/Anyone else

With a big minutes McGuire in the prop rotation, we can afford to get Barba on the bench, possibly to take advantage of tiring forwards towards the end of each half, and obviously as a cover for an injury in the backline.

 

[Jeba]

I disliked because of lack of Hodges.

 

[Alec]

1. Slater
2. Boyd
3. Inglis
4. Tate
5. TBA
6. Thurston
7. Cronk
8. Shillington
9. Smith
10. Scott
11. Harrison
12. Parker
13. Myles

14. McGuire
15. Hannant
16. Thaiday
17. Taylor/Someone

Hodges has never really done too much at Origin, one obstruction of a try doesn't excuse all the mediocrity.

 

[Ari Gold]

What's with people leaving out Hodges?

 

[Jeba]

Maybe he's not quick enough to be a good centre.

 

[Big Pete]

Sick bait.

I just don't rate Hodges at this level. His work from dummy half is his bread and butter and that was barely effective at all this series. Yeah he scored a sus try but that doesn't excuse his dicey defence & ineffective running game.

I rate Tate and think he's an Origin great. (poetry) I'm gambling on O'Neil having a fantastic end to the season & big start to next year. Great prospect and would fix up any anxiety with our backline.

Same thing with Taylor. I reckon he's in for a big end of the season and the return to Queensland will do him the world of good. In front of a boisterous Suncorp crowd he'd do alright.

I considered having Segeyaro on the bench as an impact hooker but think that was a bit of a stretch and don't really want to move Smith out of the way at dummy half. I'm not really a fan of having Barba in the side when we already have Billy & GI around.

 

[Jeba]

Did you not see Hodges's dummy half run in the lead-up to Cronk's field goal the other night. That run along with Tate's gave us a sniff of decent field position to have a crack at it.

 

[Big Pete]

Yes, his one effective dummy half run of the series and he ruined it by milking Bird's tackle.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Taylor will be back in the mix next year. He will impact in Origin. I can see us going with a Barba/Cherry-Evans on the bench next year.

 

[Fozz]

I wonder if Hodges will give away the rep game? He's not getting any younger. Barring injury or retirement, he will be in the Origin side next year though.

1. Slater
2. Boyd
3. Inglis
4. Hodges
5. Tate
6. Thurston
7. Cronk
8. Hannant
9. Smith
10. Scott
11. Thaiday
12. Myles
13. Parker

14. Gillett
15. T'eo
16. Taylor (if he plays like he wants to be there)
17. Shillington

Harrison will be 32 and if Gillett plays to his potential, I can see Harrison getting left out.

 

[Ari Gold]

I'll readily admit that he's been underperforming in Origin but I still wouldn't drop him for O'Neill at this stage.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I'd love to see Hodges pull the pin on Origin. It would be ideal for the Broncos given his battle with injuries.

 

[Big Pete]

Honestly the other reason I wouldn't have him at rep. level is selfish. I'd love to have him play for Brisbane during the Origin period. He would rip those sides to shreds.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I think Gagai will be pushing for a spot next year. Under Bennett he should perform to his potential and become a superstar.

 

[Browny]

I noticed cronk get up hodges and push him out of dummy half so he could take a hit up at speed

 

[Son Edo]

Slater
Boyd
Inglis
Hodges
O'Neill/Yow Yeh
Thurston
Cronk
Scott
Smith
Shillington
Myles
Thaiday
Harrison/Parker

McGuire/Kasiano
Hannant
Taylor
?

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

1- Slater
2- Boyd
3- Inglis
4- Hodges
5- Tate
6- Thurston
7- Cronk
8- Shillington
9- Smith
10-Scott
11-Myles
12-Thaiday
13-Parker

14-Barba
15-McGuire
16-Hannant
17-Te'o