Billy’s make or break selection headache
THE biggest question facing the Maroons ahead of the Origin decider is how to replace their best and most important player in five-eighth Cameron Munster.
Munster was ruled out of Origin III with winger Murray Taulagi due to a positive Covid test, with Tom Dearden and Corey Oates drafted in as replacements.
While Oates is the logical replacement for Taulagi on the wing, who fills the fiveeighth role is less clear and the decision could make or break Queensland’s bid to win back the Shield.
Given he has played fiveeighth all year for the Cowboys who are cemented in the top four, Dearden filling the No. 6 jersey would cause the least disruption to the Queensland side.
A straight swap would allow Queensland to stick with their two-pronged hooker rotation of Ben Hunt starting and bringing Harry Grant off the bench when the Blues forwards tire at the end of each half.
The tactic worked so well in game one and even in the first half in game two, before the Felise Kaufusi sin bin turned the match on its head.
Hunt was able to take the sting out of the Blues forwards and allow Grant to come on fresh and run riot against the tiring NSW pack.
The tactic was so successful that the Blues copied Queensland in game two by using Api Koroisau to start and bringing Damien Cook off the bench.
Bringing Dearden in would allow Maroons coach Billy Slater the opportunity to stick to the structures and tactics that he knows can bring Queensland a victory, as they did in the series opener.
However, Dearden is a rookie at this level and bringing a debutant into the pressure cooker of any Origin let alone an Origin decider is not without considerable risk.
Given his and the Cowboys’ strong form in 2022, it is easy to forget Dearden is still just 21 years old and has only played 49 NRL games after debuting for the Broncos back in 2019.
Dearden is on a career trajectory to be an excellent player and a regular representative star in the future, which is why he was included in all three Origin squads in 2022.
However, given Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans’ stranglehold on the halves positions, Dearden’s selection was more of a nod to the future and a way to develop the Cowboys playmaker so that he is ready for Origin in a few years time.
Munster’s Covid diagnosis has fast-tracked Dearden’s Origin journey and given him a debut ahead of his time.
That is not to say he won’t be able to handle the step up, but the Origin arena has made fools of far more experienced and established players than Dearden over the years, as well as youngsters who have been thrust in when not quite ready.
The other option for Slater and Queensland is to switch Hunt, who has played most of his club career in the halves and has played Origin in the No. 7 jersey, to the halves alongside Cherry-Evans.
Just as he did in the starting No. 9 role, that would allow Dearden to come off the bench and ease into his Origin debut without the pressure of having to guide the ship from the first whistle.
However, that option is not without risk either.
Gorden Tallis believes Queensland should switch Ben Hunt to the halves alongside Cherry-Evans.
“For me Daly CherryEvans goes to No. 6, Ben Hunt goes to halfback and Harry Grant plays 80 minutes, end of story,” Tallis said.
However, James Graham believes Queensland should avoid trying to weaken their dummy-half rotation by switching Hunt to the halves.