BLUES DESERVE
Of course Greg Inglis, who has been inspirational and without doubt Queensland’s best, will be one centre, and I can’t go past young sensation Latrell Mitchell for the other.
He has dominated Will Chambers at every opportunity, which is no easy feat.
The halves is where I’m still a little undecided. Has Nathan Cleary done enough? Probably not, but a strong showing tonight may just be enough for him to get the nod to play alongside Panthers teammate Maloney – although at this stage, I have gone for Maloney at halfback and Cameron Munster at five-eighth.
The forward pack is where NSW will heavily dominate, with Josh McGuire the only Maroon deserving of selection.
I’m going for Regan Campbell-Gillard and David Klemmer as my starting front row, with Damien Cook a certainty to be selected at hooker after a great series for NSW.
There is a rumour floating around the Maroons’ Ben Hunt will be selected at hooker.
Surely this cannot be true. This is a specialist position that must be respected and not just handed to someone who plays halfback for his club and for 15 minutes in an Origin game.
Tyson Frizell has been superb and Boyd Cordner likewise, so they must take the back-row positions. I have Josh McGuire at lock – he is tough and uncompromising and has been Queensland’s best forward throughout the series.
The bench is as important as the first 13, so I have Hunt, as his versatility is key, if Michael Morgan is unavailable.
But if Cleary does get the No.7, I would have Munster ahead of Hunt. I also have Jake Trbojevic, Jack De Belin and Angus Crighton. The latter has been enormous for NSW off the interchange bench.
This is a side picked on form, but isn’t that what the Australian jersey deserves?
And so Australian coach Mal Meninga faces his biggest challenge as a representative coach. No longer can the Maroons dominate national selection – because the men in blue are in far superior form.