I’m gonna toot my horn here..
NSW need to understand that some guys thrive in this environment. Clubland becomes a bit boring for them…the monotony of 7 months of the same shit week after week, playing with the same guys, running the same plays, operating through the same structures. They grow an extra leg when the chance comes to do something different. They become invigorated. Origin is different to Club, Exhibition and Test Match games. It is a different version of the sport. Take Dane Gagai and Ben Hunt for example. Perfectly fine club players, but stick them in origin and wow…both have individually won us games even though future immortals were playing.
Origin is different. Club form means little. NSW has had a poor record of identifying origin players. Latrell has always been this guy. It is also quickly shaping up that Moses, not Cleary is this guy as well.