Congratulations Matt Ballin

[DVS Matt]

He was today selected in the preliminary squad for QLD

 

[Dan]

He obviously wont get in unless Smith is injured or suspended. But good on him he deserves the spot, and there is a chance that when Smith goes, Ballin could slot into this role regularly. Well done Ballin

 

[DVS Matt]

Queensland preliminary squad: Matt Ballin (Sea Eagles), Darius Boyd (Dragons), Petero Civoniceva (Panthers), Neville Costigan (Dragons), Cooper Cronk (Storm), Israel Folau (Broncos), Ben Hannant (Bulldogs), Ashley Harrison (Titans), Justin Hodges (Broncos), Karmichael Hunt (Broncos), Greg Inglis (Storm), Dallas Johnson (Storm), Darren Lockyer (Broncos), Steve Michaels (Broncos), Nate Myles (Roosters), Corey Parker (Broncos), Steven Price (Warriors), Scott Prince (Titans), Billy Slater (Storm), Cameron Smith (Storm), David Shillington (Raiders), David Stagg (Bulldogs), Sam Thaiday (Broncos), Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys), Willie Tonga (Cowboys).

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Am surprised he is ahead of Friend and Payne, just based on form

 

[Dan]

Friend isn't that special!

Ballin would make a better Origin player and imagine what it will do for his game too

 

[clontaago]

Slater
Folau
Hodges
Inglis
Boyd (Maybe Slater should they slot Hunt in at FB)
Lockyer
Thurston
Price
Smith
Civoniceva
Thaiday
Stagg
Johnson

Hunt
Parker
Hannant
Costigan/Myles/Harrison

 

[eagle_predator]

Way to go Matt Ballin he deserves it.

 

[clontaago]

Gidley
D Williams
Lyon
Cooper
Jennings
Campese
Wallace
Kite
Ennis
Bailey
Laffranchi
Gallen
G Stewart

Galloway
Weyman
Creagh
O'Donnell

 

[clontaago]

Thats not my side btw, just who i believe will be selected

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Friend isn't that special!

Ballin would make a better Origin player and imagine what it will do for his game too

At their potential it is a no contest, and I agree, Ballin a better Origin player, just on recent form Friend has been pretty good, even though I think he is a tosser

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

well done Matty on getting on their radar

 

[Dan]

i think a lot of people judge form of individual players based on whether the team they are in is doing well. I think Ballin has had a very good start to the year and have seen no drop in his form from last year

 

[Matabele]

Surprising he's selected ahead of Payne.  Maybe his age counted against him.

Yet another knock to the Moanaghan lovers who disputed my comments in 2007 that Ballin would one day come under Origin consideration.

 

[Nutzcraw]

O'Donnell should get a run for NSW based on the 8 mins of origin he has already played.

Gotta be the best 8 minutes anyone has played for their state!

 

[willstyles]

O'Donnell should get a run for NSW based on the 8 mins of origin he has already played.

Gotta be the best 8 minutes anyone has played for their state!

Haha, absolutely. He broke his thumb in the first tackle or something didn't he? But he played on for a few minutes and absolutely towelled a few blokes up before the trainer dragged him from the field.

I like O'Donnell. He's tough, and perfect for Origin.

 

[Disco]

O'Donnell is a definate for me as well, the NSW pack needs a solid mix of workrate and aggression, i feel previously with packs filled with the likes of Ryan, Hindmarsh, White, Kite, Bailey, Laffranchi, Fitzgibbon etc that they have had too much workrate

id go with

8.Kite
9.Farah
10.Weyman
11.O'Donnell
12.Gallen
13.G Stewart

14.Galloway
15.Bailey
16.Watmough/Mateo/Creagh
17.Hindmarsh/Creagh/Laffranchi

I feel this pack gives us a good balance, we have O'Donnell, Gallen, Weyman and Galloway covering aggression whilst, Kite, Bailey Are hardworking frontrowers.
Stewart is a worker who also provides another point of attack, taking pressure off the inexperienced halves (campese and wallace i assume)

The last two positions are up for grabs imo, firstly i dont think we need a utility in the traditional sense, Farah can play 80 whilst G Stewart is somewhat versitile.
I think the 16 needs to be a bit of a gamebreaker who has a bit of versatility, and three of those could do the job.
The 17 should be another worker imo, someone who can come on and tackle everything whilst the other forwards tire. Personally i'd go with Hindmarsh, now i know people think he represents the onld guard but christ he has been good. Creagh imo could fill either 16 or 17 and if he doesnt make it should be brought in as 18th man, whilst laffranchi is a bit down on last year imo

 

[Disco]

On the QLD side of things, i think Stagg and Johnson are both great players but too similiar to start together

 

[eggson]

Good thing we signed Ballin just before his asking price would go up!  Even if he doesn't play i think being selected in a prelim squad would give you some room to ask for a bit more cash

 

[Ian Martin tragic]

I have a feeling whatever toying the nsw selectors do it will be shuffling deckchairs on the titanic......

but yes o'donnell definitely, with laffranchi and watmough would be my backrow. kite bailey farrar.
the halves are the 64000 qn. with b. stewart in I would have gone wallace and gidley. but now I would go wallace and campese, with gidley at 1.

I hope they don't pick any manly players though in either team! they didn't want any last year, wy the f**k would they want them this year?

 

[willstyles]

8.Kite
9.Farah
10.Weyman
11.O'Donnell
12.Gallen
13.G Stewart

14.Galloway
15.Bailey
16.Watmough/Mateo/Creagh
17.Hindmarsh/Creagh/Laffranchi

Weyman on the bench, Bailey to start would be my front-row (with Kite and Farah).

I'd also have Gallen at lock, Gift in the second-row. I'd like to find a place for Waterhouse. I've moved on from Hindmarsh, while Mateo and Laffranchi are both down on form (although I think Laffranchi is a certainty). Not sure about Galloway either. He's playing very well, but I don't know about Origin. If he has a huge game in city/country then I might change my mind...