Queensland Rookies have to Avoid Disaster

Paul Johnson reports, the Queensland's rookies are facing an unprecedented fourth straight series loss and true humiliation, but it won't be all their fault with the selectors also to blame.

While confirmed stars of the game such as Rhys Wesser, Matt Bowen and Clinton Schifcofske sit at home tonight and watch game two of the State of origin series on their television sets, the men who are playing in their first games will be out to make a lasting impression.

Adam Mogg, Karmichael Hunt and Jacob Lillyman are all new to the toughest form of league, and will have to play well above their weight against a big and strong New South Wales side who will be bent on exploiting the rookies lack of size and the perception that they are not up to the standard of Origin Football.

Of these players only Hunt was an expected choice having had the experience of representing his country, but the trio are all considerably slight in stature, and with the trend developed by former NSW coach Phil Gould of playing big men out wide for the Blues set to continue, the Queenslanders will need to muscle up in defence, and one gets the idea, that with the side they have chosen that they may lack the physical dominance to match it with the Blues.

Mal Meninga has been critical of the media for criticizing his team and in the last weeks said on more than one occasion “give me the solution and I will consider it, all people are doing is criticising without offering a solution”, well here is a solution for you Mal.

Queensland needed to select players who were not only bigger in stature but more experienced, and ones who are also cunning enough with their skills to get past the NSW defence and create line breaks.

While Hunt can create a line break or ten during the course of a game, Darren Lockyer would have been at his best at fullback and that way Scott Prince could be moved to the halfback position, with Johnathon Thurston shifting to his preferred position at pivot.

This way the Queenslanders would also have a stronger defensive presence in the middle of the park, and with Lockyer out of the front line, also allowing him to be more potent in attack.

The selection of Lillyman is also a worry, and there is a strong argument that Shane Tronc even if partially fit may have been a better option to toughen up the defence, and while we are talking about toughening up the defence Paul Bowman should have been in the side rather than Mogg, with Steve Bell pushing out on to the wing.

If Queensland fail to hit hard, often the big and imposing NSW team will bulldoze their small team. Their selectors and coach should be the ones to shoulder the blame for their inept decisions when selecting this team.

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!