‘SERIOUSLY, WHAT IS DALEY’S OBSESSION WITH FARAH?
Written by MARTIN LENEHAN , June 9, 2016
How many Sharks does it take to devour the Cane Toads?
That’s the question Laurie Daley must be asking himself in the lead-up to the Blues’ do-or-die trip to Brisbane for Origin Two.
He took three Sharks into battle in Game One and came away empty handed.
With the series on the line, Daley needs to double that quota and throw Jack Bird, Wade Graham and Michael Ennis in with Paul Gallen, Andrew Fifita and James Maloney. Yep, six Sharks. That’s how many Daley needs and he needs them now.
One of the key factors behind Queensland’s decade of Origin dominance has been the combinations of Broncos, Storm and Cowboys players. In Game One the Maroons had six Broncos, four Cowboys and the dynamic Storm duo of Smith and Cronk. That’s 12 of their 17 from three of the NRL’s most dominant clubs.
The Blues’ biggest representation in Game One came from the Sharks and Bulldogs with three each while the Panthers, Roosters and Wests Tigers had two each.
With the Sharks riding high on top of the table and so many of their players in irresistible form, why would Daley ignore them?
Wade Graham should waltz in to the back row vacated by Boyd Cordner while Jack Bird would offer far more off the bench than poor old Dylan Walker, who was given just nine minutes in Origin One, making him basically a wasted selection.
And that brings us to Ennis, who is playing the best footy of his career and leading Cronulla around the park superbly.
For reasons known only to himself, Daley seems obsessed with having Robbie Farah in his side, despite the fact his own club coach struggles to find a place for him in a side which has won just five games all season.
Sure, there’s bad blood between Farah and Jason Taylor but the veteran hooker hasn’t exactly stood out for the Tigers when he has been on the paddock. And his Game One performance for NSW wasn’t exactly spectacular.
He failed to spark the team in the second half when they so badly needed a try to put a scare into the Maroons and bring the Blues faithful into the game.
As the minutes ticked by and the Maroons defended for their lives the Blues still refused to take risks and in the end they paid the price for being too predictable.
Ennis has far more to offer in attack than Farah and has the potential to put a few Maroons off their game with his in-your-face aggression.
http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/daleys-obsession-farah/?adbsc=social_20160609_62552576&adbid=1161239050584003&adbpl=fb&adbpr=110919635615955
Written by MARTIN LENEHAN , June 9, 2016
How many Sharks does it take to devour the Cane Toads?
That’s the question Laurie Daley must be asking himself in the lead-up to the Blues’ do-or-die trip to Brisbane for Origin Two.
He took three Sharks into battle in Game One and came away empty handed.
With the series on the line, Daley needs to double that quota and throw Jack Bird, Wade Graham and Michael Ennis in with Paul Gallen, Andrew Fifita and James Maloney. Yep, six Sharks. That’s how many Daley needs and he needs them now.
One of the key factors behind Queensland’s decade of Origin dominance has been the combinations of Broncos, Storm and Cowboys players. In Game One the Maroons had six Broncos, four Cowboys and the dynamic Storm duo of Smith and Cronk. That’s 12 of their 17 from three of the NRL’s most dominant clubs.
The Blues’ biggest representation in Game One came from the Sharks and Bulldogs with three each while the Panthers, Roosters and Wests Tigers had two each.
With the Sharks riding high on top of the table and so many of their players in irresistible form, why would Daley ignore them?
Wade Graham should waltz in to the back row vacated by Boyd Cordner while Jack Bird would offer far more off the bench than poor old Dylan Walker, who was given just nine minutes in Origin One, making him basically a wasted selection.
And that brings us to Ennis, who is playing the best footy of his career and leading Cronulla around the park superbly.
For reasons known only to himself, Daley seems obsessed with having Robbie Farah in his side, despite the fact his own club coach struggles to find a place for him in a side which has won just five games all season.
Sure, there’s bad blood between Farah and Jason Taylor but the veteran hooker hasn’t exactly stood out for the Tigers when he has been on the paddock. And his Game One performance for NSW wasn’t exactly spectacular.
He failed to spark the team in the second half when they so badly needed a try to put a scare into the Maroons and bring the Blues faithful into the game.
As the minutes ticked by and the Maroons defended for their lives the Blues still refused to take risks and in the end they paid the price for being too predictable.
Ennis has far more to offer in attack than Farah and has the potential to put a few Maroons off their game with his in-your-face aggression.
http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/daleys-obsession-farah/?adbsc=social_20160609_62552576&adbid=1161239050584003&adbpl=fb&adbpr=110919635615955
