Teegy
12-05-06, 08:30 AM
from SMH
BRETT Hodgson's goalkicking is likely to clinch him the NSW fullback spot for State of Origin I and as long as Braith Anasta fires for City tonight, there will only be two places left up for grabs.
The Herald understands those are at lock and one of the three reserve forward spots in the 17-man squad to be named on Monday for the game against Queensland at Telstra Stadium on Wednesday week.
Lock is expected to go to either Trent Waterhouse (Penrith) or Craig Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters), with whoever misses out there to battle it out with Andrew Ryan (Bulldogs), Brent Kite (Manly) and Joel Clinton (Penrith) for the open bench spot.
NSW have problems in the halves due to the unavailability of numerous players because of injury and retirement from representative football and they are not keen to combine two regular halfbacks as a solution.
They would prefer to pair Anasta - a regular five-eighth with Sydney Roosters and the Bulldogs before that, although he will play lock for City against Country in Dubbo tonight - and Manly halfback Matt Orford. Penrith halfback Craig Gower would then take a bench spot and act as cover for hooker, halfback and five-eighth, with forwards Steve Menzies (Manly) and Steve Simpson (Newcastle) also on the bench.
Anasta can guarantee his spot for the Blues with a strong performance tonight, but he can also play his way out of the side if he has an off night. Gower would then re-enter the frame for five-eighth and Craig Wing (Sydney Roosters) for the bench.
Hodgson, Orford and Fitzgibbon, if he makes the side, would all be potential first-choice goalkickers, but it is believed the selectors rate Hodgson, from Wests Tigers, ahead of Orford in that department.
And, since Fitzgibbon would not play the full match, that leaves Hodgson in the box seat to edge out the other contender for fullback - St George Illawarra's Ben Hornby.
The NSW three-quarter line is set in stone, with Matt King (Melbourne) and Timana Tahu (Parramatta) the wingers and Dragons pair Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper the centres.
Luke O'Donnell (North Queensland) and Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta) are set to combine in the second row, with Bulldogs pair Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley the props and Newcastle's Danny Buderus the hooker and captain.
Meanwhile, former NSW and Australia centre Jamie Lyon's anticipated return to Parramatta is set to move closer to reality when the player's manager, George Mimis, and Eels officials meet next week.
Lyon is playing for English club St Helens, but he is still under Parramatta's jurisdiction because he was never actually released from the contract he walked out on in 2004 and which runs until the end of this season. That means no other NRL clubs can approach him before the anti-tampering deadline passes on June 30.
"I think Parramatta are keen to move forward quickly," Mimis said yesterday. "We're in discussions with Parramatta exclusively, so we'll see how that unfolds. He's seriously considering what's been discussed with Parramatta and that's all he's focused on at the moment."
Parramatta are expected to table a formal contract offer for Lyon at the meeting with Mimis.
In other news, NRL club chief executives yesterday agreed in principle with the league's proposed move to lift the salary cap to $4 million next year.
The league will now meet with players' association officials next week, for a new round of talks on the salary cap and other issues included in negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.
LIKELY NSW TEAM: Brett Hodgson; Matt King, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Timana Tahu; Braith Anasta, Matt Orford; Trent Waterhouse, Luke O'Donnell, Nathan Hindmarsh, Willie Mason, Danny Buderus (c), Mark O'Meley. Interchange: Craig Gower, Steve Menzies, Craig Fitzgibbon, Steve Simpson.
BRETT Hodgson's goalkicking is likely to clinch him the NSW fullback spot for State of Origin I and as long as Braith Anasta fires for City tonight, there will only be two places left up for grabs.
The Herald understands those are at lock and one of the three reserve forward spots in the 17-man squad to be named on Monday for the game against Queensland at Telstra Stadium on Wednesday week.
Lock is expected to go to either Trent Waterhouse (Penrith) or Craig Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters), with whoever misses out there to battle it out with Andrew Ryan (Bulldogs), Brent Kite (Manly) and Joel Clinton (Penrith) for the open bench spot.
NSW have problems in the halves due to the unavailability of numerous players because of injury and retirement from representative football and they are not keen to combine two regular halfbacks as a solution.
They would prefer to pair Anasta - a regular five-eighth with Sydney Roosters and the Bulldogs before that, although he will play lock for City against Country in Dubbo tonight - and Manly halfback Matt Orford. Penrith halfback Craig Gower would then take a bench spot and act as cover for hooker, halfback and five-eighth, with forwards Steve Menzies (Manly) and Steve Simpson (Newcastle) also on the bench.
Anasta can guarantee his spot for the Blues with a strong performance tonight, but he can also play his way out of the side if he has an off night. Gower would then re-enter the frame for five-eighth and Craig Wing (Sydney Roosters) for the bench.
Hodgson, Orford and Fitzgibbon, if he makes the side, would all be potential first-choice goalkickers, but it is believed the selectors rate Hodgson, from Wests Tigers, ahead of Orford in that department.
And, since Fitzgibbon would not play the full match, that leaves Hodgson in the box seat to edge out the other contender for fullback - St George Illawarra's Ben Hornby.
The NSW three-quarter line is set in stone, with Matt King (Melbourne) and Timana Tahu (Parramatta) the wingers and Dragons pair Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper the centres.
Luke O'Donnell (North Queensland) and Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta) are set to combine in the second row, with Bulldogs pair Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley the props and Newcastle's Danny Buderus the hooker and captain.
Meanwhile, former NSW and Australia centre Jamie Lyon's anticipated return to Parramatta is set to move closer to reality when the player's manager, George Mimis, and Eels officials meet next week.
Lyon is playing for English club St Helens, but he is still under Parramatta's jurisdiction because he was never actually released from the contract he walked out on in 2004 and which runs until the end of this season. That means no other NRL clubs can approach him before the anti-tampering deadline passes on June 30.
"I think Parramatta are keen to move forward quickly," Mimis said yesterday. "We're in discussions with Parramatta exclusively, so we'll see how that unfolds. He's seriously considering what's been discussed with Parramatta and that's all he's focused on at the moment."
Parramatta are expected to table a formal contract offer for Lyon at the meeting with Mimis.
In other news, NRL club chief executives yesterday agreed in principle with the league's proposed move to lift the salary cap to $4 million next year.
The league will now meet with players' association officials next week, for a new round of talks on the salary cap and other issues included in negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.
LIKELY NSW TEAM: Brett Hodgson; Matt King, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Timana Tahu; Braith Anasta, Matt Orford; Trent Waterhouse, Luke O'Donnell, Nathan Hindmarsh, Willie Mason, Danny Buderus (c), Mark O'Meley. Interchange: Craig Gower, Steve Menzies, Craig Fitzgibbon, Steve Simpson.