NSW - Two Steps Forward or Two Steps Back

NSW Game Two Selections

NSW has selected their side to take on Queensland at Suncorp Stadium Wednesday week. The Blues have made two forced changes due to injury and suspension. Jarryd Hayne has not recovered from a hamstring strain and will be replaced by Josh Dugan at fullback while James Tamou is replaced by Aaron Woods in the front row. Two steps forward or two steps back in the battle to wrestle back Origin bragging rights?

What to make of the supremely talented footballer sacked from hometown club Canberra a matter of month ago, Josh Dugan of the pineapple cruiser infamy. What should be important to NSW selectors at the present time is not that Canberra saw fit to sack a player for repeated alcohol infringements or that he is only a few games into his comeback. The most significant point in the whole saga is that the Canberra players were sick of Dugan. 

Tired of him not having a go, of the endless list of injuries leaving him unable to complete training sessions or that  resulted in him limping around the field for 60% of every defensive set every game. The Canberra playing group effectively outed Dugan as a weak dog incapable of handling the ferocity and physicality of NRL football, whether these problems are physical or mental, do NSW really want to rely on such an unreliable individual. Penrith bashed and taunted Dugan back in round 1 and if the likes of Clint Newton, Luke Walsh and Nathan Smith were doing that to him QLD will be licking their lips.

NSW have again seen fit to pick Josh Reynolds on the bench after his contribution in Game 1. If you missed it, Reynolds was invited to train off against John Sutton for the final bench position eventually winning a jersey on account of his ability to play hooker. As it turns out Robbie Farah suffered a fractured cheekbone and Reynolds was still not required. Despite Farah appearing legless and QLD threatening to march home with the game in the last 15 minutes Daley did not have the confidence to throw Reynolds into the fire. In light of Farah’s ability to play through the 80 minutes and carry an injury and with a fullback made of glass, already carrying an ankle injury would NSW be better served by a utility player able to play in the outside backs and perhaps cover fullback. Certainly there seems to be more chance we’ll need injury cover at the back rather than at hooker. 

In the front row NSW have opted to replace drink driving James Tamou with the Wests Tigers Aaron Woods. Keen SuperCoach players will know statistically Woods is right up there with the best forwards in the competition. Statistics though are often used selectively to support the argument in favour at the time. And it is the case with Woods. My opinion on the matter is do we really want to pick a player so comprehensively embarrassed by South Sydney at ANZ Stadium less than a month ago? As a South Sydney supporter I’ve seen a lot of inept performaces over the years, a 78-0 thumping at the hands of the Warriors comes to mind, but that first half at ANZ Stadium is the single worst defensive effort I have ever seen on a football field. Not only did Souths race to a 38 nil lead but they did it by simply running over the top of Woods and co. 

Granted Wests are struggling but for George Burgess to run through you like you’re not there as many times as he did that night exposes a glaring weakness in Woods game, and being a Concord Tigers player it’s no surprise to find he is toughness deficient. I find it funny that a missed tackle in the Souths-Tigers game I talk about is often used to justify the non-selection of a certain prolific try scoring winger but several glaring and embarrassing misses by Woods are brushed off.

Going into Suncorp Stadium’s hostile environment I would be a hell of a lot more comfortable with Big Willie Mason running out in the front row ready to go toe to toe with a fired up Queensland pack smarting from the Game 1 touch up. We all know Mason would thrive on that stage, now we wait to see how Woods handles it.

Dugan at fullback and Aaron Woods in the front row. What do you think? Two steps forward or two steps back?