What was the point of selecting Gutho?
Guy deserves it no doubt, but.... talk about not utilising the manpower on-hand.
Fittler on shaky ground even with a dead-rubber win, surely.
Fittler admitted on Monday that he had no idea how he was going to use Gutherson beyond an injury, which is how he even got on the field with Addo-Carr having a hamstring complaint.
This was EXACTLY the same as with Nicho Hynes in Game 1. On the bench with the coach having zero clue how to use him beyond an injury replacement.
Now tonight it didn't matter because by the time Gutherson got on the field, NSW had the game won. But you can't go into games, club or representative, having no idea how you are going to use certain bench players beyond as an injury replacement. And remember, tonight NSW had Gutherson on the bench while still doing the two hooker thing with Cook and Robson.
For mine, Qld's biggest problem was that they missed Reece Walsh. AJ Brimson is a good running fullback, but that the thing ... he's a runner, not a ball player. He's not that Turbo/Walsh/Ponga style of fullback who will be both a runner and the extra 5/8. Brimson is the player the 5/8 passes to trying to run for a gap. Qld missed Walsh's ball play on both sides of the field tonight.
NSW tonight did what they ignored for Games 1 and 2. They used Addo-Carr's speed to their advantage. In Adelaide they all but ignored Turbo and Fox who were on the right edge. In Game 2 Fox was moved to the left, but still got largely ignored in attack. Tonight with Cody Walker calling the shots on the left, Fox was given room to exploit his pace and with Bradman Best getting the better of Holmes, NSW finally did what they should have been doing all series. Definitely a "What if??" moment tonight both with selection and tactics.
Did tonight's win save Fittler's job? Maybe ... but it was too little, too late wasn't it.