Granty
23-05-2006, 07:03 AM
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,19223179-5003409,00.html
Unleash the beast
Ben Dorries
May 23, 2006
FORMER NSW firebrand Mark Geyer says the Maroons will be forced to "unleash the beast" and pitch hitman Carl Webb into the explosive first 20 minutes of tomorrow night's State of Origin series opener.
Webb monstered Blues prop Luke Bailey to lead Queensland to victory at Suncorp Stadium last year, writing his name into Origin folklore with a series of heavy-handed, crunching tackles.
With Queensland naming three rookie forwards in its starting side, and another two on the bench, Geyer predicts coach Mal Meninga will switch Webb from bench warmer to starting weapon.
"Webb has to start to show these young Queensland blokes the way forward, otherwise they will be outmuscled," Geyer insisted.
"He is an explosive player and you simply can't have your most potent forward weapon on the bench in Origin. Webb is probably the only forward that NSW would be really wary of."
Geyer, who famously went eyeball-to-eyeball with Wally Lewis in 1991, believes Queensland is playing a smoke-and-mirrors game by naming Webb on the bench.
NSW coach Graham Murray is also expecting Webb, his North Queensland Cowboys enforcer, to start tomorrow night and has put tough Blues juggernauts Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley on notice.
Mason fought fire with fire by claiming he and O'Meley are ready and waiting for Webb – and will ensure there is no repeat of his man-handling tactics.
"We've got to take on Carl Webb because he's their enforcer. He's an aggressive player," Mason said.
"He can change a game but so can 'Ogre' (O'Meley). I know one thing – O'Meley won't take a backward step. He's our Carl Webb."
Geyer, a former Test forward who played three Origin matches for the Blues, said Queensland had taken a positive step by selecting a new-look side.
But he believes size, and a lack of players with regular starting experience, is a problem for the Maroons. Queensland's starting pack tips the scales at 598kg, conceding a 21kg advantage to the Blues.
The injection of the 109kg Webb into the starting side, possibly at the expense of David Stagg (98kg), would provide extra grunt in the opening stanza.
However, an added concern for Queensland is that all Blues forwards start for their club sides, whereas Queensland youngsters Matt Scott, Sam Thaiday and Nate Myles are primarily interchange players.
"The Queensland rookies will mix it with NSW in the first half but they will be found out in the second when the Blues forwards will call upon all their starting experience," Geyer said.
"The young Queenslanders will be thinking, 'What's all this about?' I think Sam Thaiday has started in one NRL game in his life and that's not much preparation for Origin.
"The NSW side looks tried and proven and it has got that element of 'been there done that'.
"Queensland has a good attacking backline but you don't win Origin games with your backline."
Unleash the beast
Ben Dorries
May 23, 2006
FORMER NSW firebrand Mark Geyer says the Maroons will be forced to "unleash the beast" and pitch hitman Carl Webb into the explosive first 20 minutes of tomorrow night's State of Origin series opener.
Webb monstered Blues prop Luke Bailey to lead Queensland to victory at Suncorp Stadium last year, writing his name into Origin folklore with a series of heavy-handed, crunching tackles.
With Queensland naming three rookie forwards in its starting side, and another two on the bench, Geyer predicts coach Mal Meninga will switch Webb from bench warmer to starting weapon.
"Webb has to start to show these young Queensland blokes the way forward, otherwise they will be outmuscled," Geyer insisted.
"He is an explosive player and you simply can't have your most potent forward weapon on the bench in Origin. Webb is probably the only forward that NSW would be really wary of."
Geyer, who famously went eyeball-to-eyeball with Wally Lewis in 1991, believes Queensland is playing a smoke-and-mirrors game by naming Webb on the bench.
NSW coach Graham Murray is also expecting Webb, his North Queensland Cowboys enforcer, to start tomorrow night and has put tough Blues juggernauts Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley on notice.
Mason fought fire with fire by claiming he and O'Meley are ready and waiting for Webb – and will ensure there is no repeat of his man-handling tactics.
"We've got to take on Carl Webb because he's their enforcer. He's an aggressive player," Mason said.
"He can change a game but so can 'Ogre' (O'Meley). I know one thing – O'Meley won't take a backward step. He's our Carl Webb."
Geyer, a former Test forward who played three Origin matches for the Blues, said Queensland had taken a positive step by selecting a new-look side.
But he believes size, and a lack of players with regular starting experience, is a problem for the Maroons. Queensland's starting pack tips the scales at 598kg, conceding a 21kg advantage to the Blues.
The injection of the 109kg Webb into the starting side, possibly at the expense of David Stagg (98kg), would provide extra grunt in the opening stanza.
However, an added concern for Queensland is that all Blues forwards start for their club sides, whereas Queensland youngsters Matt Scott, Sam Thaiday and Nate Myles are primarily interchange players.
"The Queensland rookies will mix it with NSW in the first half but they will be found out in the second when the Blues forwards will call upon all their starting experience," Geyer said.
"The young Queenslanders will be thinking, 'What's all this about?' I think Sam Thaiday has started in one NRL game in his life and that's not much preparation for Origin.
"The NSW side looks tried and proven and it has got that element of 'been there done that'.
"Queensland has a good attacking backline but you don't win Origin games with your backline."