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Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
State of Origin 2015: NSW selection puzzle gets complex after rookies shine in Four Nations
INJURY, burnout and suspension forced a changing of the guard in the Kangaroos side that lost the final of the Four Nations to New Zealand on Saturday.
It gave a handful of rugby league’s brightest young stars an opportunity to shine on the international stage, many of whom are yet to be involved in an Origin camp, let alone pull on a jersey.
Most of the rookie Roos were New South Wales players of the future, so what does that mean for Laurie Daley’s side to contest the 2015 series?
Here’s a reminder of the 22 players involved in breaking the longest Origin drought in history by snatching the series off the all-conquering Queenslanders in 2014.
NSW Blues:
Jarryd Hayne
Brett Morris
Josh Morris
Michael Jennings
Daniel Tupou
Josh Reynolds
Trent Hodkinson
Aaron Woods
Robbie Farah
James Tamou
Beau Scott
Ryan Hoffman
Paul Gallen (c)
Trent Merrin
Anthony Watmough
Luke Lewis
Tony Williams
Will Hopoate
Josh Dugan
Greg Bird
James McManus
Boyd Cordner
WHO’S SAFE?
Paul Gallen
While his Kangaroos suspension for 2015 may have ended his international career, the NSW skipper has been endorsed by Daley as the leader of the Blues again next year.
Brett Morris
Still undisputed as the premier winger in the game.
Josh Morris
His defensive ability and the incredible courage he showed to make big plays with a busted knee in Origin I this year will assure his place is retained.
Michael Jennings
Had a superb 2014 and was a standout for the Kangaroos in the Four Nations.
Aaron Woods
Still a young man of 23, Woods has cemented his reputation as one of the best props in the game this year.
Robbie Farah
Had a superb 2014 and is one of the Blues’ leaders.
Greg Bird
One of Laurie Daley’s first picked players when available, Bird is one of the most outstanding Origin contributors of the last decade.
Boyd Cordner
A future leader of the Blues, Cordner just gets better and better, and at just 22, he’s got plenty of improvement left in him.
Beau Scott
The Dally M second rower of the year reinvented himself in 2014. At 30, Scott has a few good seasons in him yet.
Ryan Hoffman
Was immense in Origin this year.
Hard to see the Players’ Player of the series missing out in the following year.
INCUMBENTS UNDER PRESSURE
Daniel Tupou
The rise of Josh Mansour and Sione Mata’utia the wing pairing selected for the Four Nations final must have Tupou feeling the heat.
If Kangaroos squad member Alex Johnston continues his try scoring exploits for the Rabbitohs he will also be in the mix for a wing spot.
Josh Reynolds
Was superb in Origin and finished the season strongly with an excellent finals series, but a premiership for Adam Reynolds, and Mitch Pearce’s storming return to form at the end of the season, combined with Daley’s tendency to pick a club combination in his halves creates an intriguing subplot.
Trent Hodkinson
Was the cool head the Blues needed in the No. 7 jersey this year but strong finishes to the season from Pearce and Reynolds must be considered a threat.
James Tamou
Had a very average 2014 by his standards.
Will have to return to his best to keep his spot.
Trent Merrin
At 25, Merrin’s got a long rep career ahead of him but competition for places is immense in the Blues’ back row.
Anthony Watmough
At the age of 31, Watmough could be the unlucky second rower squeezed out of the NSW side.
Much depends on his start to the season with his new club, Parramatta.
Luke Lewis
His versatility might be enough to keep him on the bench, although Lewis would like to have an injury free start to 2015 to put any doubt over his place to bed.
Tony Williams
Can he become the consistent force his talent suggests he can be?
If he starts the season fast, T-Rex will be hard to keep out.
Will Hopoate
All of a sudden Hopoate has a huge amount of competition for places in the outside backs.
Has the talent, but seems to have fallen down the pecking order a touch.
Josh Dugan
Is he a fullback or is he a centre?
As a centre Dugan’s probably third or fourth cab off the rank — behind Josh Morris and Jennings at the least.
With Jarryd Hayne vacating the fullback position it might come down to Dugan v Moylan for the No. 1 jersey.
James McManus
Has probably played his last game for the Blues.
Too much talent competing for his spot.
PUSHING FOR A CALL UP
Matt Moylan
The 23-year-old Penrith star is all class.
The favourite to take over from Jarryd Hayne at fullback.
Alex Johnston
The Rookie of the Year made the Four Nations squad but didn’t get a game.
Possible that the younger Mata’utia has already gone past him.
Sione Mata’utia
Massive future in rep football and is the player most likely to oust Daniel Tupou from the preferred Blues backline.
Josh Mansour
Got ahead of Tupou in the Kangaroos pecking order, but still has work to do to get to Brett Morris’ level.
Dylan Walker
Had a sensational year of club football but struggled in the Four Nations.
Jennings and Josh Morris are still ahead of him.
David Klemmer
On the strength of his finals series, then his Four Nations performances, Klemmer must just about be a lock to break into Daley’s squad.
Josh Jackson
Was 18th man in Origin I this year and continues to impress good judges.
Would be a massive surprise if he didn’t force his way into a NSW jersey in 2015.
DON’T FORGET ...
Andrew Fifita
At his best Fifita is the best prop in NSW, and is only just behind Matt Scott as the best in Australia.
If he can stay fit and focused in the early rounds of 2015, Fifita will be back in the side.
Blake Ferguson
One of the most prodigious talents in NSW, Ferguson will come right back into Origin reckoning if, as expected, he is registered as a Roosters player for 2015.
Mitchell Pearce
Still highly rated by Laurie Daley, Pearce will be hard to ignore if he starts 2015 like he finished 2014.
Adam Reynolds
Now a premiership winner, Reynolds has never played more confidently and must again come into calculations for the NSW halfback jersey.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-in-four-nations/story-fni3fqyo-1227126590026
- BEN GLOVER
- FOX SPORTS
- NOVEMBER 18, 2014 9:38AM
INJURY, burnout and suspension forced a changing of the guard in the Kangaroos side that lost the final of the Four Nations to New Zealand on Saturday.
It gave a handful of rugby league’s brightest young stars an opportunity to shine on the international stage, many of whom are yet to be involved in an Origin camp, let alone pull on a jersey.
Most of the rookie Roos were New South Wales players of the future, so what does that mean for Laurie Daley’s side to contest the 2015 series?
Here’s a reminder of the 22 players involved in breaking the longest Origin drought in history by snatching the series off the all-conquering Queenslanders in 2014.
NSW Blues:
Jarryd Hayne
Brett Morris
Josh Morris
Michael Jennings
Daniel Tupou
Josh Reynolds
Trent Hodkinson
Aaron Woods
Robbie Farah
James Tamou
Beau Scott
Ryan Hoffman
Paul Gallen (c)
Trent Merrin
Anthony Watmough
Luke Lewis
Tony Williams
Will Hopoate
Josh Dugan
Greg Bird
James McManus
Boyd Cordner
WHO’S SAFE?
Paul Gallen
While his Kangaroos suspension for 2015 may have ended his international career, the NSW skipper has been endorsed by Daley as the leader of the Blues again next year.
Brett Morris
Still undisputed as the premier winger in the game.
Josh Morris
His defensive ability and the incredible courage he showed to make big plays with a busted knee in Origin I this year will assure his place is retained.
Michael Jennings
Had a superb 2014 and was a standout for the Kangaroos in the Four Nations.
Aaron Woods
Still a young man of 23, Woods has cemented his reputation as one of the best props in the game this year.
Robbie Farah
Had a superb 2014 and is one of the Blues’ leaders.
Greg Bird
One of Laurie Daley’s first picked players when available, Bird is one of the most outstanding Origin contributors of the last decade.
Boyd Cordner
A future leader of the Blues, Cordner just gets better and better, and at just 22, he’s got plenty of improvement left in him.
Beau Scott
The Dally M second rower of the year reinvented himself in 2014. At 30, Scott has a few good seasons in him yet.
Ryan Hoffman
Was immense in Origin this year.
Hard to see the Players’ Player of the series missing out in the following year.
INCUMBENTS UNDER PRESSURE
Daniel Tupou
The rise of Josh Mansour and Sione Mata’utia the wing pairing selected for the Four Nations final must have Tupou feeling the heat.
If Kangaroos squad member Alex Johnston continues his try scoring exploits for the Rabbitohs he will also be in the mix for a wing spot.
Josh Reynolds
Was superb in Origin and finished the season strongly with an excellent finals series, but a premiership for Adam Reynolds, and Mitch Pearce’s storming return to form at the end of the season, combined with Daley’s tendency to pick a club combination in his halves creates an intriguing subplot.
Trent Hodkinson
Was the cool head the Blues needed in the No. 7 jersey this year but strong finishes to the season from Pearce and Reynolds must be considered a threat.
James Tamou
Had a very average 2014 by his standards.
Will have to return to his best to keep his spot.
Trent Merrin
At 25, Merrin’s got a long rep career ahead of him but competition for places is immense in the Blues’ back row.
Anthony Watmough
At the age of 31, Watmough could be the unlucky second rower squeezed out of the NSW side.
Much depends on his start to the season with his new club, Parramatta.
Luke Lewis
His versatility might be enough to keep him on the bench, although Lewis would like to have an injury free start to 2015 to put any doubt over his place to bed.
Tony Williams
Can he become the consistent force his talent suggests he can be?
If he starts the season fast, T-Rex will be hard to keep out.
Will Hopoate
All of a sudden Hopoate has a huge amount of competition for places in the outside backs.
Has the talent, but seems to have fallen down the pecking order a touch.
Josh Dugan
Is he a fullback or is he a centre?
As a centre Dugan’s probably third or fourth cab off the rank — behind Josh Morris and Jennings at the least.
With Jarryd Hayne vacating the fullback position it might come down to Dugan v Moylan for the No. 1 jersey.
James McManus
Has probably played his last game for the Blues.
Too much talent competing for his spot.
PUSHING FOR A CALL UP
Matt Moylan
The 23-year-old Penrith star is all class.
The favourite to take over from Jarryd Hayne at fullback.
Alex Johnston
The Rookie of the Year made the Four Nations squad but didn’t get a game.
Possible that the younger Mata’utia has already gone past him.
Sione Mata’utia
Massive future in rep football and is the player most likely to oust Daniel Tupou from the preferred Blues backline.
Josh Mansour
Got ahead of Tupou in the Kangaroos pecking order, but still has work to do to get to Brett Morris’ level.
Dylan Walker
Had a sensational year of club football but struggled in the Four Nations.
Jennings and Josh Morris are still ahead of him.
David Klemmer
On the strength of his finals series, then his Four Nations performances, Klemmer must just about be a lock to break into Daley’s squad.
Josh Jackson
Was 18th man in Origin I this year and continues to impress good judges.
Would be a massive surprise if he didn’t force his way into a NSW jersey in 2015.
DON’T FORGET ...
Andrew Fifita
At his best Fifita is the best prop in NSW, and is only just behind Matt Scott as the best in Australia.
If he can stay fit and focused in the early rounds of 2015, Fifita will be back in the side.
Blake Ferguson
One of the most prodigious talents in NSW, Ferguson will come right back into Origin reckoning if, as expected, he is registered as a Roosters player for 2015.
Mitchell Pearce
Still highly rated by Laurie Daley, Pearce will be hard to ignore if he starts 2015 like he finished 2014.
Adam Reynolds
Now a premiership winner, Reynolds has never played more confidently and must again come into calculations for the NSW halfback jersey.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-in-four-nations/story-fni3fqyo-1227126590026