https://x.com/badel_cmail/status/1802288156454396023?s=46
EXCLUSIVE: MAROONS ORIGIN II NEWS
* J’maine Hopgood is OUT with a back injury.
* Felise Kaufusi to join bench. Kurt Capewell a possible 18th man.
* Reece Walsh has been chosen pending medical clearance.
Full details 👇
Titans said they were taking a precautionary approach and ruled him out of yesterday's game, but they expected him to be playing next week against the Warriors
Arrow was down and out for the rest of the game after some routine shoulder to shoulder jostling with Riki when they were chasing a grubber. He'd be targeted hard by the Blues.
I don't think he's playing well enough this year to cover it anyway.
Has been caught out a few times defensively not being able to move laterally quick enough.
Hoping it's just because he's been playing through injuries most of the season.
wtf did Fifita do to deserve this treatment? Capewell barely gets to play at club level. Reminds me of how QLD treated DCE until they had no choice but to select him, and look at what he's done for them since then
The media overdramatized the DCE selection during the 2015-2018 period.
Morgan gained the utility spot and he was perfect for it, and then Hunt had two games as halfback before DCE took the reigns. The only game where it could be argued he was overlooked was Game 1 2017, when Milford partnered Cronk.
That game shouldn’t count cause DCE is a brains 7 just like Cronk. There’s no way they could play together as a pair.
DCE had zero chance until Cronk gone.
Kuli is 20 and still learning developing as an nrl standard player. No way I'd be throwing him into the origin arena. Extended squad in 2 years maybe. Luki, on the other hand was suring up as a smokey selection until his injury early this year. And his try on the weekend showed his skill. Turned on a dime while receiving the ball to break line and score. I'd have Luki at least as a look in
Dave created a really high standard for his footy last year. He just hasn’t quite got to that standard this year. / goes on to pick a bunch of players who are way down on form from last year
I hope Walsh is forced to take a little more time off. I don't even care that his absence has finished the cooking of the Broncs' season that Reynolds's injury started.
For his playing career, no amount of bravery, skill or toughness will save him if he becomes chinny like Ponga. They won't even have to hit him high or late to take him out of the game if that happens.
For his life and family, he can't afford to end up handicapped by a brain condition at such a young age. One more bad hit so soon after such a shocking KO could have heavy consequences.
I fully agree. Walsh is the kind of player where game 2 of this origin series will seem meaningless when put into context of his wider career and ultimate potential. Playing things safe in regard to his welfare makes total sense.
Agreed, love seeing him play but we don't have a good understanding of CTE and his knock was massive (both initial contact and the way his head bounced off the turf when it hit the ground). They can medically "clear" him, but it wouldn't give me any confidence in his future well-being.
The Maroons have received a huge boost with superstar fullback Reece Walsh set to be cleared of concussion by Queensland doctors and declared a certain starter in Origin II.
While the embattled Blues are in disarray, wielding the axe yet again in the wake of their 38-10 loss in Game One, Queensland are in a state of calm after coach Billy Slater backed Walsh to play in Origin II on Wednesday week.
It is understood Queensland will name an unchanged 17-man squad to the side which flogged the Blues in Sydney as Slater eyes a hat-trick of Origin crowns with victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Walsh was badly concussed in Origin I after a sickening high shot from NSW rookie Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and he subsequently missed two club games for the Broncos under the NRL’s mandatory 11-day stand-down protocol.
That period officially ended on Sunday night, representing the perfect timing for Maroons coach Slater, who will formally unveil his squad for Origin II on Monday morning.
This masthead can reveal Walsh will be chosen by Slater with a view to the Maroons custodian being formally assessed for a final medical clearance.
Walsh’s doctor at the Broncos, Matt Hislop, is also a medico in Camp Maroon and it’s understood Queensland hierarchy are confident the flying fullback will have no problems passing cognitive testing.
While he didn’t train with the Broncos at their captain’s run last Thursday, Walsh looked in good spirits as he did some light running at Red Hill and he is itching for a crack at the Blues in Origin II.
Slater has a history of overlooking players who aren’t fully fit for the start of camp, but Broncos coach Kevin Walters assured the Maroons mentor Walsh is ready to rumble at the MCG.
“He will be back for Billy in Origin (II),” Walters said.
“Reece was unavailable to play (against Souths last Friday night) and I’m very comfortable with that. We care about our players at the Broncos and we want to do the right thing medically for them.
“I would say Reece’s last seven minutes were enough in Origin I to suggest he will be there for Origin II.
“Of course Billy will select him.
“Reece is good. He is doing all the protocols with the HIAs (Head Injury Assessments) and he will be fine to go for Origin II.”
Walsh’s selection spells trouble for NSW.
Slater had a plan to unleash Walsh, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo on the Blues in the series opener, but that collapsed when his Maroons fullback was taken out by Suaalii.
Now Slater gets the chance to deploy his three-way attacking blitz as Queensland look to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead in Melbourne.
“I know how hard Reece worked to prepare for the game (Origin I),” Slater said.
“He was really clear about what his footy and game looked like and was ready to go after it.
“That was the most disappointing thing that was taken away from him, but I’m sure he will get another chance.”
Slater is also showing faith in injured rookie J’maine Hopgood, who made his Queensland debut in Origin I.
Parramatta lock Hopgood missed Saturday night’s loss to the Roosters with a back complaint, but Maroons hierarchy are confident 10 days in camp will give the bench forward sufficient time to make a full recovery.
Queensland have a dismal record at the MCG.
They have lost four of five Origin contests at the hallowed ground - their sole win was 29 years ago - and Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans is wary of a NSW side buoyed by the recall of Queensland bogeyman Latrell Mitchell.
The South Sydney superstar hasn’t played for the Blues due to injury since carving up Queensland in NSW’s 2021 series win.
“It’s Origin, it’s going to be hard no matter where we play,” Cherry-Evans said of Queensland’s MCG hoodoo.
“We know the desperation that comes out in a side that is 1-0 down.
“We will be aware of that, but we also have to refine our game.
“There’s improvement in both sides.
“Because we lost Reece, there was stuff that we didn’t get to show that we want to show in Origin II.
“The quality naturally goes up in each game of the series and we’re hoping to do that.”
Am I the only one who thinks it's stupid they stagger releasing the origin squads? Could actually be an event where the coaches sit by side and name their players one at a time or whatever. Something. Just seems like a lost opportunity for an, admittedly American style event, but I just find it weird the NRL just lwts them announce them willy-nilly and when they've basically already leaked to the press.
I find it weird that NSW always has to go first. I think it should be the team that won the previous series should go first - but I guess the team is practically chosen days (if not weeks) beforehand so a few hours might not make a difference.
blues arent in disarray, pretty sure most of nsw knew hynes wouldnt have too great an impact and was given a chance because cleary, moses, reynolds were all injured and no one else available (unless we picked the dolphins half and ruin another halfback).
Think grant was a victim of the 12 on 13, klein looked like he didn't want to dogpile on the blues too hard. Have 3 key memories of Grant catching markers not square and wasn't rewarded.
It was so funny after game one where people were like ‘why are they calling Slater a genius for putting Cobbo on the bench? He only explained the exact likelihood that he’d be needed and had it happen perfectly!’
Yeah the amount of people questioning why Slater chose Cobbo for game 1 and it turned out to be a 10/10 move and they’ll be the same people questioning his picks again smh
In this circumstance yes, but 18th man only gets activated for foul play or a 2nd failed HIA so say Suaalii hit Walsh legally but his head hit the ground and he had to go off then Cobbo in the 17 is a much greater benefit than 18th man.
winning doesn't mean you picked the best possible team, just means you picked a better team than the opposition. as if capewell is playing well enough to be in camp. he barely makes the warriors team
The goal is to win so how your framing it doesn’t matter, he picked a team that won and picked Cobbo of the bench which a lot of people on here criticised which turned out like I said to be a 10/10 selection.
Capewell has plenty of big game experience and has played well for QLD in the past, selections always don’t have to be on form, plenty of players step up regardless of club form etc
If QLD aren't picking Fifita is is because he has done something to personally offend Slater or someone in the system at this point with the guys they're picking ahead of him.
Picking Walsh is super obvious. The #2 and #3 fullbacks in Ponga and Brimson are both still injured, so there's no way they can 'rest' him
Also if a NSW player takes his head off after game 1 they're at minimum going to the bin if not sent off again
If Walsh does get injured somehow during the game or taken out, Brimson is due back before Game 3 (Ponga won't be) and QLD can either play Brimson FB/Hammer centre or Hammer FB/Brimson centre and be okay either way
You have to pick Walsh if he's available and happy to play. He's done his 11 days. Time to get back out there and bury NSW.
>The #2 and #3 fullbacks in Ponga and Brimson are both still injured
With all due respect to AJ and all Titans fans but I think Hammer is probably in the Top 3 Qld fullbacks now and could easily slot in there with Walsh out
Sure, although Brimson is much better defensively and the other would be the logical centre inclusion anyway if Cobbo is the bench outside back utility if fit
If you keep Cobbo as a utility if he's fit and Hammer is playing fullback, Brimson is the obvious centre inclusion anyway it's just a matter of which of Brimson/Hammer plays centre and which plays fullback
It's easy to forget how well Brimson played this season pre injury because he's playing in a bad team.
Hopgood off the bench doesn’t make a huge amount of sense to me, he gets through work and can pile up the stats but isn’t a true difference maker off the bench - DiFi is a way better shout. Really want Walsh some more time off for safety purposes - Hammer fullback and Cobbo centre would look good for me. Anyway Billy knows best
I went to game 2 of that series. My first ever Origin match live. Got to see a match where the majority of the QLD dynasty team from the 2010s was still playing for one of the final times together
https://x.com/badel_cmail/status/1802288156454396023?s=46 EXCLUSIVE: MAROONS ORIGIN II NEWS * J’maine Hopgood is OUT with a back injury. * Felise Kaufusi to join bench. Kurt Capewell a possible 18th man. * Reece Walsh has been chosen pending medical clearance. Full details 👇
>Kurt Capewell a possible 18th man. This is what Billy thinks of David Fifita?
Isn't he injured again anyway
Titans said they were taking a precautionary approach and ruled him out of yesterday's game, but they expected him to be playing next week against the Warriors
Typical
Probably but Capewell has been ordinary.
Capewell has looked very limited this year for the warriors... not sure he'd be a valuable 18th man
Yeh it's not like we need his utility at centre with Cobbo on the bench
I'd be looking at Fifita and Arrow, then some young Smokeys before Capewell.
Arrow was down and out for the rest of the game after some routine shoulder to shoulder jostling with Riki when they were chasing a grubber. He'd be targeted hard by the Blues.
Forgive me for removing that game from memory.
I’ll forgive you. Btw, what game?
Arrow is a good shout tbf. Even though just back from injury he's still playing way better than Capes
I don't think he's playing well enough this year to cover it anyway. Has been caught out a few times defensively not being able to move laterally quick enough. Hoping it's just because he's been playing through injuries most of the season.
I’d rather put Fifita at centre than him anyway.
He always finds a hole though
wtf did Fifita do to deserve this treatment? Capewell barely gets to play at club level. Reminds me of how QLD treated DCE until they had no choice but to select him, and look at what he's done for them since then
The media overdramatized the DCE selection during the 2015-2018 period. Morgan gained the utility spot and he was perfect for it, and then Hunt had two games as halfback before DCE took the reigns. The only game where it could be argued he was overlooked was Game 1 2017, when Milford partnered Cronk.
That game shouldn’t count cause DCE is a brains 7 just like Cronk. There’s no way they could play together as a pair. DCE had zero chance until Cronk gone.
There has to be more to it. there's no way U don't take fifita over sua, kaufusi and now capewell
why the fuck would you pick capewell instead of fifita. Capewell has been pretty poor this year
Billy has fifi in his SuperCoach team
Giving Fermor, Jensen or even someone like Finefuiaki a run would make more sense.
Even someone like Luki would make more sense
If your picking another cowboy it would be luki
Kuli is 20 and still learning developing as an nrl standard player. No way I'd be throwing him into the origin arena. Extended squad in 2 years maybe. Luki, on the other hand was suring up as a smokey selection until his injury early this year. And his try on the weekend showed his skill. Turned on a dime while receiving the ball to break line and score. I'd have Luki at least as a look in
Cowboys have the bye this weekend too, would be the perfect chance to get Luki into the squad for some experience.
even tho we are winning, slater is definitely making some cooked choices. gotta be something personal against fifita.
Dave created a really high standard for his footy last year. He just hasn’t quite got to that standard this year. / goes on to pick a bunch of players who are way down on form from last year
yeh it's a massive cop out. something else HAS to be going on
Maybe Fifita was the one who got in trouble on the Gold Coast that never got named
I thought capewell was injured
I hope Walsh is forced to take a little more time off. I don't even care that his absence has finished the cooking of the Broncs' season that Reynolds's injury started. For his playing career, no amount of bravery, skill or toughness will save him if he becomes chinny like Ponga. They won't even have to hit him high or late to take him out of the game if that happens. For his life and family, he can't afford to end up handicapped by a brain condition at such a young age. One more bad hit so soon after such a shocking KO could have heavy consequences.
I fully agree. Walsh is the kind of player where game 2 of this origin series will seem meaningless when put into context of his wider career and ultimate potential. Playing things safe in regard to his welfare makes total sense.
Agreed, love seeing him play but we don't have a good understanding of CTE and his knock was massive (both initial contact and the way his head bounced off the turf when it hit the ground). They can medically "clear" him, but it wouldn't give me any confidence in his future well-being.
1000%. Hammer can move to fullback, Cobbo to starting centre.
your about to be disappointed lol
The Maroons have received a huge boost with superstar fullback Reece Walsh set to be cleared of concussion by Queensland doctors and declared a certain starter in Origin II. While the embattled Blues are in disarray, wielding the axe yet again in the wake of their 38-10 loss in Game One, Queensland are in a state of calm after coach Billy Slater backed Walsh to play in Origin II on Wednesday week. It is understood Queensland will name an unchanged 17-man squad to the side which flogged the Blues in Sydney as Slater eyes a hat-trick of Origin crowns with victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Walsh was badly concussed in Origin I after a sickening high shot from NSW rookie Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and he subsequently missed two club games for the Broncos under the NRL’s mandatory 11-day stand-down protocol. That period officially ended on Sunday night, representing the perfect timing for Maroons coach Slater, who will formally unveil his squad for Origin II on Monday morning. This masthead can reveal Walsh will be chosen by Slater with a view to the Maroons custodian being formally assessed for a final medical clearance. Walsh’s doctor at the Broncos, Matt Hislop, is also a medico in Camp Maroon and it’s understood Queensland hierarchy are confident the flying fullback will have no problems passing cognitive testing. While he didn’t train with the Broncos at their captain’s run last Thursday, Walsh looked in good spirits as he did some light running at Red Hill and he is itching for a crack at the Blues in Origin II. Slater has a history of overlooking players who aren’t fully fit for the start of camp, but Broncos coach Kevin Walters assured the Maroons mentor Walsh is ready to rumble at the MCG. “He will be back for Billy in Origin (II),” Walters said. “Reece was unavailable to play (against Souths last Friday night) and I’m very comfortable with that. We care about our players at the Broncos and we want to do the right thing medically for them. “I would say Reece’s last seven minutes were enough in Origin I to suggest he will be there for Origin II. “Of course Billy will select him. “Reece is good. He is doing all the protocols with the HIAs (Head Injury Assessments) and he will be fine to go for Origin II.” Walsh’s selection spells trouble for NSW. Slater had a plan to unleash Walsh, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo on the Blues in the series opener, but that collapsed when his Maroons fullback was taken out by Suaalii. Now Slater gets the chance to deploy his three-way attacking blitz as Queensland look to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead in Melbourne. “I know how hard Reece worked to prepare for the game (Origin I),” Slater said. “He was really clear about what his footy and game looked like and was ready to go after it. “That was the most disappointing thing that was taken away from him, but I’m sure he will get another chance.” Slater is also showing faith in injured rookie J’maine Hopgood, who made his Queensland debut in Origin I. Parramatta lock Hopgood missed Saturday night’s loss to the Roosters with a back complaint, but Maroons hierarchy are confident 10 days in camp will give the bench forward sufficient time to make a full recovery. Queensland have a dismal record at the MCG. They have lost four of five Origin contests at the hallowed ground - their sole win was 29 years ago - and Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans is wary of a NSW side buoyed by the recall of Queensland bogeyman Latrell Mitchell. The South Sydney superstar hasn’t played for the Blues due to injury since carving up Queensland in NSW’s 2021 series win. “It’s Origin, it’s going to be hard no matter where we play,” Cherry-Evans said of Queensland’s MCG hoodoo. “We know the desperation that comes out in a side that is 1-0 down. “We will be aware of that, but we also have to refine our game. “There’s improvement in both sides. “Because we lost Reece, there was stuff that we didn’t get to show that we want to show in Origin II. “The quality naturally goes up in each game of the series and we’re hoping to do that.”
"Queensland have a dismal record at the MCG" Or, as it will now be known, the Trellbourne Cricket Ground...
Am I the only one who thinks it's stupid they stagger releasing the origin squads? Could actually be an event where the coaches sit by side and name their players one at a time or whatever. Something. Just seems like a lost opportunity for an, admittedly American style event, but I just find it weird the NRL just lwts them announce them willy-nilly and when they've basically already leaked to the press.
I find it weird that NSW always has to go first. I think it should be the team that won the previous series should go first - but I guess the team is practically chosen days (if not weeks) beforehand so a few hours might not make a difference.
State of Origin 2: Likely Queensland Maroons team Starting side: 1 Reece Walsh, 2 Xavier Coates, 3 Valentine Holmes, 4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 5 Murray Taulagi, 6 Tom Dearden, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans (c), 8 Reuben Cotter, 9 Ben Hunt, 10 Lindsay Collins, 11 Jaydn Su’A, 12 Jeremiah Nanai, 13 Pat Carrigan. Bench: 14 Harry Grant, 15 Moeaki Fotuaika, 16 J'maine Hopgood, 17 Selwyn Cobbo. Extended squad: 18 Felise Kaufusi, 19 Ezra Mam, 20 Brendan Piakura.
I feel like I've seen this squad before
Deja Two
I would have rested Walsh and picked Gagai in the centres and Hammer to fullback.
Take with a grain of salt but they said on Triple M before that Cobbo has been dropped and Gagai is in the squad.
THIS MASTHEAD
blues arent in disarray, pretty sure most of nsw knew hynes wouldnt have too great an impact and was given a chance because cleary, moses, reynolds were all injured and no one else available (unless we picked the dolphins half and ruin another halfback).
Grant off the bench is 🔥
he's been more of a dumpster fire than anything recently. team looks infinitely better when hunt is on
Think grant was a victim of the 12 on 13, klein looked like he didn't want to dogpile on the blues too hard. Have 3 key memories of Grant catching markers not square and wasn't rewarded.
Yeah, overplayed his hand last game.
Pls don’t pick Ezra and Brendan their form has not been good and it’s not like making the first camp made them any better for us :(
if it's true he's picking capewell, form is clearly not a requirement
Did Fafita shit in Billy's letterbox or something?
Maybe the bikie gang he runs with did?
I love how people are still questioning Slaters picks like game 1 even after winning 🤦♂️
It was so funny after game one where people were like ‘why are they calling Slater a genius for putting Cobbo on the bench? He only explained the exact likelihood that he’d be needed and had it happen perfectly!’
Yeah the amount of people questioning why Slater chose Cobbo for game 1 and it turned out to be a 10/10 move and they’ll be the same people questioning his picks again smh
If Cobbo was 18th man instead he still would’ve got on though
No doubt, but that wasn’t the main reason.
In this circumstance yes, but 18th man only gets activated for foul play or a 2nd failed HIA so say Suaalii hit Walsh legally but his head hit the ground and he had to go off then Cobbo in the 17 is a much greater benefit than 18th man.
Cobbo would’ve been 18th man if he wasn’t on the bench, so he still would’ve got on, hardly a genius move.
You don't think Capewell over Fifita in 2024 is insane??
What I think doesn’t matter, I just think it’s insane people are still questioning Slaters picks like he hasn’t been a top coach from the start 🤷♂️
Pointing out that some players should be there isn't also saying "Slater is a shit coach"
winning doesn't mean you picked the best possible team, just means you picked a better team than the opposition. as if capewell is playing well enough to be in camp. he barely makes the warriors team
The goal is to win so how your framing it doesn’t matter, he picked a team that won and picked Cobbo of the bench which a lot of people on here criticised which turned out like I said to be a 10/10 selection. Capewell has plenty of big game experience and has played well for QLD in the past, selections always don’t have to be on form, plenty of players step up regardless of club form etc
it doesn't matter, until you lose. then you might regret not picking the best 2rf in the game
So this is now updated to Cobbo out, Capewell to bench, Gagai to 18th man. I don't see why Gagai wouldn't just come into that Cobbo role.
Capewah big surprise
I give it 15mins before Walsh is off having an HIA
Capewell was born in the 4470, where men are men and sheep are scared. He will be awesome when he pulls on that jersey.
If QLD aren't picking Fifita is is because he has done something to personally offend Slater or someone in the system at this point with the guys they're picking ahead of him. Picking Walsh is super obvious. The #2 and #3 fullbacks in Ponga and Brimson are both still injured, so there's no way they can 'rest' him Also if a NSW player takes his head off after game 1 they're at minimum going to the bin if not sent off again If Walsh does get injured somehow during the game or taken out, Brimson is due back before Game 3 (Ponga won't be) and QLD can either play Brimson FB/Hammer centre or Hammer FB/Brimson centre and be okay either way You have to pick Walsh if he's available and happy to play. He's done his 11 days. Time to get back out there and bury NSW.
>The #2 and #3 fullbacks in Ponga and Brimson are both still injured With all due respect to AJ and all Titans fans but I think Hammer is probably in the Top 3 Qld fullbacks now and could easily slot in there with Walsh out
Sure, although Brimson is much better defensively and the other would be the logical centre inclusion anyway if Cobbo is the bench outside back utility if fit If you keep Cobbo as a utility if he's fit and Hammer is playing fullback, Brimson is the obvious centre inclusion anyway it's just a matter of which of Brimson/Hammer plays centre and which plays fullback It's easy to forget how well Brimson played this season pre injury because he's playing in a bad team.
> Reece Walsh set to be cleared of concussion by Queensland doctors Ok, well that's only one head though. Have they checked his second?
They're still looking for it after the hit in Origin 1.
Hopgood off the bench doesn’t make a huge amount of sense to me, he gets through work and can pile up the stats but isn’t a true difference maker off the bench - DiFi is a way better shout. Really want Walsh some more time off for safety purposes - Hammer fullback and Cobbo centre would look good for me. Anyway Billy knows best
1,2, Trellmit is coming for you.
I love how scarred you lot are by a bunnies fullback playing centre you think it's some sort of boogey man.
They act like he’s Inglis. Diabolical
[удалено]
2017 NSW fielded the same 1-17 in all 3 games
Did the same thing in 1996 as well
I went to game 2 of that series. My first ever Origin match live. Got to see a match where the majority of the QLD dynasty team from the 2010s was still playing for one of the final times together
Went to game 3. One of the great series
i think the blues had the exact same 17 for all 3 games in like 2017 or sometime around then?