Queensland 2014 Line-Ups

[Harry Sack]

No bench props worries me. We did the same last year and I remember vividly how much we struggled when scott went off. We basically have to get ahead in the first 25, then hold on til scott comes back on with 25 to go.

I dont understand the logic. We pick Guerra, Teo and Papalii based on them being wide running backrowers, yet they will be expected to play up the middle heaps, negating their good attributes.

A specialist prop on the bench and I'm a far more confident QLD'r

 

[jarro65]

A specialist prop on the bench and I'm a far more confident QLD'r

That would be ideal, but it would also need to be a fairly mobile big man as well.

 

[Broncs1459]

I dont understand the logic. We pick Guerra, Teo and Papalii based on them being wide running backrowers, yet they will be expected to play up the middle heaps, negating their good attributes.

More mobility in defence would be my guess. The team will scramble better and have better line speed to put pressure on their playmakers. Even if Lillyman or someone was picked I doubt they would do much more work in the middle then Papalii/Te'o/Guerra are capable of doing alternating throughout the game. Not saying I would do the same but I think it will work well this year.

It also gives Cronk, Smith and Thurston more options in attack. They will have the traditional back line options but Guerra, Papalii and Te'o are excellent hole runners as well. Along with Gilletts attack and Parkers offloading ability we should be able to put a fair few tries on them.

 

[Alec]

OK, let's drop Scott too, he's certainly not very mobile...other than 3 linebreaks against us, but that's the exception.

The lack of respect for front rowers is frustrating the same way the lack of respect for the halves is shown when Hoffman is there.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

More mobility in defence would be my guess. The team will scramble better and have better line speed to put pressure on their playmakers. Even if Lillyman or someone was picked I doubt they would do much more work in the middle then Papalii/Te'o/Guerra are capable of doing alternating throughout the game. Not saying I would do the same but I think it will work well this year.

It also gives Cronk, Smith and Thurston more options in attack. They will have the traditional back line options but Guerra, Papalii and Te'o are excellent hole runners as well. Along with Gilletts attack and Parkers offloading ability we should be able to put a fair few tries on them.

I understand where you're coming from, but having a mobile, attacking team is no use if you are constantly playing out of your half. I remember last year we had massive periods of the games where scott and myles were off and we struggled to get out of our half. We basically had to hold on until they came back on.

NSW didnt pick any bench props, but we all know Gallen will end up there, and merrin has played there heaps before. That gives them 4 big guys to roll up the middle and once Scott and myles are off, we will be relying on guerra, papalii, gillet and parker to somehow make metres against gallen and merrin. It worries me.

 

[winslow_wong]

our second row is definately suspect. lucky we have a bench full of back ups. i do feel we need a prop on the bench, hannant or shillington? this first game is pretty crucial, nsw enjoy playing at suncorp and have done well in there in the past. we can't afford to have a slow start

 

[lynx000]

our second row is definately suspect. lucky we have a bench full of back ups. i do feel we need a prop on the bench, hannant or shillington? this first game is pretty crucial, nsw enjoy playing at suncorp and have done well in there in the past. we can't afford to have a slow start

I agree re the prop, but I would be selecting Brenton Lawrence from Manly.

 

[KingWebcke]

I wonder if this could be Tate and Hodges last Origin series?

 

[Harry Sack]

I wonder if this could be Tate and Hodges last Origin series?

Tate yes IMO. I would hope Hodges is at least thinking about it.

 

[Alec]

I think Tate said he isn't going to retire from Origin because he loves it so much. So as long as Mal keeps picking him...

 

[Super Freak]

I wonder if this could be Tate and Hodges last Origin series?

I would hope it is. Time to start planning for the future.

 

[Porthoz]

I agree re the prop, but I would be selecting Brenton Lawrence from Manly.

I don't get what people are talking about regarding player sizes. This is the Qld team:

Matt Scoot: 185cm, 108 Kg
Nate Myles: 187cm, 105 Kg

Josh Papalii: 183cm, 110 Kg
Ben Te'o: 188cm, 105 Kg
Corey Parker: 188cm, 100 Kg
Matt Gillett: 187cm, 105 Kg
Aidan Guerra: 193cm, 102 Kg
Chris McQueen: 189cm, 102 Kg

By the way, this is the size of the possible other prop choices:

David Shillington: 194cm, 111 Kg
Brenton Lawrence: 184cm, 102 Kg
Ben Hannant: 184cm, 106 Kg
Jacob Lillyman: 184, 104 Kg

Shillington is the only one that stands out, and given his form, he would also be my last choice of this lot.

Now compare it with the NSW'kers:

Aaron Woods: 194cm, 109 Kg
James Tamou: 194cm, 113 Kg

Paul Gallen: 180, 103 Kg
Trent Merrin: 184, 104 Kg
Tony Williams: 192, 118 Kg
Ryan Hoffman: 192, 103 Kg
Beau Scott: 185cm, 99 Kg
Anthony Watamong: 181cm, 95 Kg
Luke Lewis: 188cm, 105 Kg

Their props have a bit of size on ours, but they're really not better, and don't last longer either.
And when you have Parker, Papalii, Gillett, Guerra and Te'o in your side,why worry about Gallen, Merrin or anyone else in their side.

I really don't see why people thing they're gonna run over us.

 

[Rally Towel]

- Accidental double post -

 

[Rally Towel]

I don't get what people are talking about regarding player sizes. This is the Qld team:

Matt Scoot: 185cm, 108 Kg
Nate Myles: 187cm, 105 Kg

Josh Papalii: 183cm, 110 Kg
Ben Te'o: 188cm, 105 Kg
Corey Parker: 188cm, 100 Kg
Matt Gillett: 187cm, 105 Kg
Aidan Guerra: 193cm, 102 Kg
Chris McQueen: 189cm, 102 Kg

By the way, this is the size of the possible other prop choices:

David Shillington: 194cm, 111 Kg
Brenton Lawrence: 184cm, 102 Kg
Ben Hannant: 184cm, 106 Kg
Jacob Lillyman: 184, 104 Kg

Shillington is the only one that stands out, and given his form, he would also be my last choice of this lot.

Now compare it with the NSW'kers:

Aaron Woods: 194cm, 109 Kg
James Tamou: 194cm, 113 Kg

Paul Gallen: 180, 103 Kg
Trent Merrin: 184, 104 Kg
Tony Williams: 192, 118 Kg
Ryan Hoffman: 192, 103 Kg
Beau Scott: 185cm, 99 Kg
Anthony Watamong: 181cm, 95 Kg
Luke Lewis: 188cm, 105 Kg

Their props have a bit of size on ours, but they're really not better, and don't last longer either.
And when you have Parker, Papalii, Gillett, Guerra and Te'o in your side,why worry about Gallen, Merrin or anyone else in their side.

I really don't see why people thing they're gonna run over us.

Thanks for the stats Porthoz. Interesting reading.

I can't add speak for others, but in my opinion, concerns don't necessarily boil down to size but also age and experience.

Guys like Gallen, Scott, Watmough, as well as Bird (if he was playing) are all seasoned campaigners, full of aggression and grit. Their younger contingent are likely to lift behind them leading the way. Our pack has some great young players, but man for man, they're unlikely to match them for ferocity or intensity. We've got Scott, and to a lesser extent Myles, but that aside, we don't have anyone to spearhead the fight up front.

Despite this, I'm not too concerned. Yes, we'll struggle of we try and match them in brute force to front. But if we utilise our superior kicking, keep turning them about, and swamp them with aggressive kick chases, our defence becomes our offence. We've seen it executed perfectly before, such as game 2 last year.

A week to go! Bring it on!

 

[Cult]

Despite this, I'm not too concerned. Yes, we'll struggle of we try and match them in brute force to front. But if we utilise our superior kicking, keep turning them about, and swamp them with aggressive kick chases, our defence becomes our offence. We've seen it executed perfectly before, such as game 2 last year.

A week to go! Bring it on!

We've been lucky over the years that NSW has been filled with grubs who illegally try hurt us, giving us penalties and giving us an easy march down the field. They should be doing a lot better than they do but will never win by trying to hurt us.

 

[Rally Towel]

We've been lucky over the years that NSW has been filled with grubs who illegally try hurt us, giving us penalties and giving us an easy march down the field. They should be doing a lot better than they do but will never win by trying to hurt us.

Very true. If they'd concentrated on playing footy rather than cheap shots and niggle, then who knows how things may have panned out?

That said, we have quite a few younger guys in our forward pack now. Guys like Gillett and Guerra, and to a lesser extent Papalii, are fine players but may be a bit lacking in steel due to relative inexperience. They could be rattled and lose composure in the heat of battle. Dave Taylor is a prime example: should be a walk up starter but can't handle the pressure.

Hard headed veterans like Thaiday, Civoniceva, Webke, Price, etc, can take the heat and get on with the job. These younger lads have yet to prove they can, and we're lucky that Bird and Fifita are out. Their absence means they are fielding a less threatening pack.

Still got us by a healthy margin though!

 

[Alec]

Weight isn't everything, didn't we already make this mistake with Kennedy? Playing in the middle is different to playing on the edges. Just because a player is big, doesn't mean he will dominate through the middle. Watmough is supposedly the lightest one there, and he's deadly through the middle.

 

[Porthoz]

Scott, Myles and Parker are our seasoned ruck forwards, and they can certainly get the job done with support from the newer generation under guidance of Cam Smith.

As far as experience at this level, the good thing is that none of our guys is exactly the type to get easily rattled, and they're also not rookies at the highest level, except maybe Guerra, who still has finals and even a GF win on his CV.

Yes, NSW has more seasoned players in their forward pack, and half of them are grubs, but I really can't see them outplaying ours.
In fact, Fifita and Bird would probably have given them an edge, but I actually think our pack has it now.