Granty
22-05-2006, 01:29 AM
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,19199279-23214,00.html
Defence will be the key
By Andrew Johns
May 21, 2006
DEFENCE will dominate in a low-scoring game as two new-look sides feel each other out like a couple of boxers in the early rounds of a title fight.
That is my take on what will happen in Origin I at Telstra Stadium on Wednesday night.
Both sides, particularly Queensland, are going through a changing of the guard at this level.
There are a lot of new faces, a lot of first-timers and it's never easy to predict what sort of influence that is going to have on the contest.
However, I will say this about the Maroons: even though Queensland's changes are significant, coach Mal Meninga and his selectors have come up with a side full of form players.
If they play up to their club form, they are going to be very hard to beat.
In trying to get a handle on just who might have an advantage in these big games, I always look for which side has the best combinations.
Not necessarily club combinations but at least players who have played together enough to know each other's game.
The biggest plus for me when I came back into the side for Origin II last season was having Danny Buderus at hooker. We know each other inside out and that made my job so much easier.
I'm not sure either side boasts a clear advantage in that department coming into game one.
The Blues predictably came up with Craig Gower and Braith Anasta as their halves combination but they haven't played much footy together, if at all.
I'm looking forward to seeing how quickly they gel.
I am sure NSW coach Graham Murray will want Braith to assume a running five-eighth's role, just like he did last year.
Maroon halves Johnathan Thurston and Darren Lockyer probably shade the NSW pair for attacking potency and will have benefited from playing alongside each other in last year's series.
The Sunday Telegraph
Defence will be the key
By Andrew Johns
May 21, 2006
DEFENCE will dominate in a low-scoring game as two new-look sides feel each other out like a couple of boxers in the early rounds of a title fight.
That is my take on what will happen in Origin I at Telstra Stadium on Wednesday night.
Both sides, particularly Queensland, are going through a changing of the guard at this level.
There are a lot of new faces, a lot of first-timers and it's never easy to predict what sort of influence that is going to have on the contest.
However, I will say this about the Maroons: even though Queensland's changes are significant, coach Mal Meninga and his selectors have come up with a side full of form players.
If they play up to their club form, they are going to be very hard to beat.
In trying to get a handle on just who might have an advantage in these big games, I always look for which side has the best combinations.
Not necessarily club combinations but at least players who have played together enough to know each other's game.
The biggest plus for me when I came back into the side for Origin II last season was having Danny Buderus at hooker. We know each other inside out and that made my job so much easier.
I'm not sure either side boasts a clear advantage in that department coming into game one.
The Blues predictably came up with Craig Gower and Braith Anasta as their halves combination but they haven't played much footy together, if at all.
I'm looking forward to seeing how quickly they gel.
I am sure NSW coach Graham Murray will want Braith to assume a running five-eighth's role, just like he did last year.
Maroon halves Johnathan Thurston and Darren Lockyer probably shade the NSW pair for attacking potency and will have benefited from playing alongside each other in last year's series.
The Sunday Telegraph