2017 State of Origin

Smith is obviously irreplaceable. Along with Thurston it's like losing Wally Lewis. But we've gotta make the best of what will be left. Friend I'm okay with. I rate him. McCullough can gagf. He's a decent club player, that's it.

Keeping an eye on Granville too.

 

We've gotta find a way to get rid of Thaiday or at least get him back on the right. He was hopeless again. Fucking idiot holding the ball out in one arm just asking for it to get knocked out.

 

Two games in QLD. Chambers, Papalii, Morgan and maybe Slater back. Napa pushing for a spot. Holmes and Feltd pushing for spots. Cooper's been blooded. And NSW no closer to a genuine halves combination.

We're in decent shape for next year I think to make it 11 from 12.

So glad Laurie's job is now safe for 2017.

 

Just wondering about the make-up of the Blues forward pack next year. Bird will probs never play again. Gallen retired. Farah possibly gone even if he stays in the NRL.

I'd keep Woods, Tamou and Klemmer. And get rid of Fifita.

 

Thought he was decent last night off the bench. 10 runs for 90m and 15 tackles in 25 minutes of game time is pretty handy.

 

I wonder who'll play lock for QLD.

 

Not really the appropriate thread but I kind of agree. We always hear endless whining about Inglis not playing for NSW. Tamou's case is very different as he did actually pledge his allegiance the NZ. He was picked in the Kiwi Test squad earlier in his Cowboys career and would've played for them had there been injuries. Inglis never did anything like that with NSW.

Thats quite different from Inglis who though born and raised in NSW, pledged loyalty to Qld, or Papalii and Hunt who, though born in NZ were either raised here or pledged allegiance to Australia. Tamou was born and raised in NZ and pledged allegiance to them. He should be playing for NZ. There's a profile photo of him wearing the New Zealand Test jersey as a member of the squad. It wasn't until Ricky Stuart rang him that Tamou first said no, and that he wants to play for the Kiwis, and then several weeks later changed his mind.[FONT=&quot]


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With one crucial difference. Papalii never took part in a Kiwis train-on squad. They named him, and then days later he rejected it. Tamou did occupy a spot in the Kiwis Test squad. He trained with them, and would've played for them if given the chance. No Kiwi player missed out because of Papalii's backflip, unlike with Tamou.

Incidentally, under the current rules Papalii would be allowed to play for QLD as he played RL here from the age of 6. Tamou didn't move to Australia until he was 13 so he wouldn't be eligible.

 

Papalii also played for the QLD u18's. I don't like that he signed a letter of intent but there's a difference between signing a letter and actually acting on it. Tamou took a spot away from somebody else. I don't think that's a minor detail. I think that's significant. He should never have been allowed to switch after being presented with a Kiwis jersey and training with them with the full intention of playing for them.

The minor detail is that Tamou switched in time to play in the Anzac Test. Papalii switched despite knowing he wasn't in the Australian Test squad. Obviously both were swayed by their respective Origin coaches but yeah.