LOAD OF BULL
MAROONS great Gorden Tallis has taken a swipe at NSW selectors, saying, as a Queenslander, he is glad Ryan James was not picked for the Blues.
And while Titans ambassador Tallis admitted to being disappointed for the Gold Coast captain, he was happy he would not be able to make an impact for the Blues.
“I’m glad they don’t pick him,” said Tallis, the man called the Raging Bull in his playing days.
“On two counts — one because I’m a Titan and two because I’m a Queenslander.”
Tallis (pictured) said James would played a lot of State of Origin games already had he been a Queenslander.
MAROONS legend Gorden Tallis has taken a swipe at NSW selectors, saying, as a Queenslander, he is glad Ryan James was not picked for the Blues.
James has come agonisingly close to making his State of Origin debut this series, coming into the squad for Game Two before being named as 18th man for next week’s clash at Suncorp Stadium.
And while Titans ambassador Tallis admitted to being disappointed for the Gold Coast captain, he was happy he would not be able to make an impact for the Blues.
“I’m glad they don’t pick him,” Tallis said.
“On two counts – one because I’m a Titan and two because I’m a Queenslander.
“They think that we’re joking when we say it but he would have played a lot of games for Queensland already.
“He’s a big body, plays big minutes, is aggressive, has been fantastic for the Titans and super consistent.
“As a Queenslander, I’m happy, as a Titan, I’m happy.
“But I’m really disappointed for him personally.”
Tallis said James had the ability to make a mark as a reliable workaholic for the Blues.
“NSW say they want what we’ve got,” he said of the players that were able to produce their best on the Origin stage.
“They are the Jai Arrows, the Josh Jacksons, they are the guys that don’t have the big names but week-in, week-out do their job.”
Ironically, it was the Blues’ depth that led them to pick the wrong players, Tallis said. “The Maroons don’t have the amount of talent to pick from, so picking a Queensland team, it’s the best 17 players available.
“Picking a NSW team, is somebody’s opinion of the best 17 because of the amount of talent they have.”
Tallis said James still had a chance though and could take inspiration from 31-year-old Matt Prior’s debut in Origin II.
“I suppose what he can look at is Matt Prior and how Matt got his start and what age he got his start,” Tallis said.
The silver lining to James’s Origin omission is that he will be available for the Titans’ crucial clash against the Broncos on Sunday – a match the Gold Coast must win to make finals.
Many believe the eight is set already, with the eighth-placed Broncos holding a six-point buffer over their nearest rivals, including the Titans.
But Tallis believes there could be movement yet.
“The season’s not done and dusted. Sides go on runs, sides get in some little holes after Origin,” he said.
“It’s a long year. Some start and don’t quite get it, like the Cowboys – but to say the Cowboys aren’t going to go on the run, I’m not that brave.”