Harry_Fong
New member
**City-Country a genuine Origin trial**
Brad Walter
SMH
May 6, 2011
NSW Origin coach Ricky Stuart was on hand last night as Blues great Chris Mortimer handed out the jerseys to the Country team, but for all intents and purposes all the players involved in tonight's match at Albury are on the same side.
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More than ever, the City-Country clash is a selection trial for Origin and Stuart has had input into the selection and game plans of both teams.
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The only uncertainty is over the prospects of players considered strong chances of NSW selection but who are missing either through injury or in the case of Dragons back-rower Beau Scott because of his elevation to 18th man for Australia.
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Kangaroos representatives Paul Gallen, Brett Morris, Ben Creagh, Jamal Idris and Kade Snowden are expected to be certainties for NSW but the other 12 spots are up for grabs and could be decided tonight.
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It is believed players like Country five-eighth Jamie Soward, centre Josh Morris, winger Akuila Uate and props Aiden Tolman and Trent Merrin only need strong performances to confirm their places in the Blues line-up, but if they fail to deliver the likes of Jarrod Mullen, Keith Galloway, Michael Gordon and Chris Houston are waiting.
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It is the same for City fullback Jarryd Hayne, who faces competition from Country's Josh Dugan, and halfback Mitchell Pearce, while hooker Robbie Farah has a golden opportunity to stake his claim in the absence of Michael Ennis and Dean Young.
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The Herald understands Young was favourite for the NSW hooking job but his inability to take part in every training session due to a chronic knee problem and the unavailability due to injury of Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley may have thrown things wide open.
>
A potential replacement for Gidley on the interchange bench could be Dugan. Dragons centre Mark Gasnier and Titans lock Greg Bird are also expected to be in the Blues side, despite missing tonight's due to injury.
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Betting agency Sportingbet opened a book on the key NSW selections, with Hayne, Soward, Mullen and Farah favourite for the fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooking roles.
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''We have Jarryd Hayne as a slight $1.95 favourite ahead of Josh Dugan at $2.05 for fullback with Hayne's experience a big plus in a young team but a big game from Dugan for Country would see that change," Sportingbet CEO Michael Sullivan said.
>
Meanwhile, Canberra prop David Shillington has resigned himself to missing the entire Origin series for Queensland with a knee injury.
I still can't get over that Young is supposedly the favourite for the job barring injury…..
Brad Walter
SMH
May 6, 2011
NSW Origin coach Ricky Stuart was on hand last night as Blues great Chris Mortimer handed out the jerseys to the Country team, but for all intents and purposes all the players involved in tonight's match at Albury are on the same side.
>
More than ever, the City-Country clash is a selection trial for Origin and Stuart has had input into the selection and game plans of both teams.
>
The only uncertainty is over the prospects of players considered strong chances of NSW selection but who are missing either through injury or in the case of Dragons back-rower Beau Scott because of his elevation to 18th man for Australia.
>
Kangaroos representatives Paul Gallen, Brett Morris, Ben Creagh, Jamal Idris and Kade Snowden are expected to be certainties for NSW but the other 12 spots are up for grabs and could be decided tonight.
>
It is believed players like Country five-eighth Jamie Soward, centre Josh Morris, winger Akuila Uate and props Aiden Tolman and Trent Merrin only need strong performances to confirm their places in the Blues line-up, but if they fail to deliver the likes of Jarrod Mullen, Keith Galloway, Michael Gordon and Chris Houston are waiting.
>
It is the same for City fullback Jarryd Hayne, who faces competition from Country's Josh Dugan, and halfback Mitchell Pearce, while hooker Robbie Farah has a golden opportunity to stake his claim in the absence of Michael Ennis and Dean Young.
>
The Herald understands Young was favourite for the NSW hooking job but his inability to take part in every training session due to a chronic knee problem and the unavailability due to injury of Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley may have thrown things wide open.
>
A potential replacement for Gidley on the interchange bench could be Dugan. Dragons centre Mark Gasnier and Titans lock Greg Bird are also expected to be in the Blues side, despite missing tonight's due to injury.
>
Betting agency Sportingbet opened a book on the key NSW selections, with Hayne, Soward, Mullen and Farah favourite for the fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooking roles.
>
''We have Jarryd Hayne as a slight $1.95 favourite ahead of Josh Dugan at $2.05 for fullback with Hayne's experience a big plus in a young team but a big game from Dugan for Country would see that change," Sportingbet CEO Michael Sullivan said.
>
Meanwhile, Canberra prop David Shillington has resigned himself to missing the entire Origin series for Queensland with a knee injury.
I still can't get over that Young is supposedly the favourite for the job barring injury…..
