NRL talking points: Blues' inexperience, Boyd Cordner criticism, Billy Slater announcement
Tuesday 29 May 2018 16:19, UK
Shocks, criticism and changes - Jenna Brooks has the latest from the NRL as the countdown to State of Origin continues.
Blues talk
With just over a week to go before the opening game of State of Origin, all the talk Down Under is on Brad Fittler's decision to include a record 11 debutants to his New South Wales side, making it the most inexperienced Origin squad in 34 years.
Just six players have been included from last year's decider - captain Boyd Cordner, James Maloney, James Tedesco, David Klemmer, Tyson Frizell and Jake Trbojevic, meaning NSW will kick-off the match with just 39 games of Origin experience between them, but the Blues coach said the team picked themselves.
"The team comes first, that's why a lot of these blokes were picked, because of how they play for their club," Fittler said.
"It's a team that gets you sitting on the edge of your seat, week in week out they've been fantastic for their clubs."
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Josh Addo-Carr, Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell, James Roberts, Nathan Cleary, Damien Cook, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Jack de Belin, Paul Vaughan, Angus Crichton and Tyrone Peachey are the debutants in the 17-man squad.
Cordner criticised
Blues captain and Roosters second-rower Boyd Cordner has been criticised by NSW's most successful coach Phil Gould.
Gould told the Nine Network's 100% Footy he didn't think Cordner was playing well enough to be in the side.
"I just don't think he's going good enough. I've always questioned his impact at that level as well," Gould said.
"For me, Boyd Cordner's football has stagnated over the last two or three years. He runs the one line, at the one time, every time. There's nothing varied about his play, (he) never passes the ball."
Cordner admitted he was stunned and hurt by Gould's criticism.
"It does hurt a bit coming from such a guy like Gus. But at the same time, it's not much use me dwelling on it and thinking too much about it now," Cordner said.
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Slater bombshell
The 2018 Origin series will be Billy Slater's last, after the star fullback joins Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston in calling time on his representative career.
Slater, who turns 35 next month, said 'it's been a great ride', but he felt it was time.
He said: "I had a fair indication that the World Cup last year would be the last time I played for Australia, it's been on my mind for a while, I always felt this would be my last Origin series."
Queensland coach, Kevin Walters admitted he was 'a little bit shocked' by the Melbourne star's decision.
"This time last year I was nearly in tears because we didn't have him in the team and now he gets to go out on his terms," Walters said.
Queensland shock
Next to Slater's decision to retire from international rugby, the biggest shock coming out of the Queensland camp is the omissions of Darius Boyd and Matt Scott for Origin I.
Coach Kevin Walters admitted Scott's exclusion, in particular, was a hard decision to make.
"It's very difficult, Scotty has been a great player, 22 appearances for Queensland," Walters said.
"That's the hardest part of my job, ringing them and letting them know they're not in the team. The flip side is I get to ring the other players and let them know they are in the team.
"A very disappointing afternoon for a few of those boys …. certainly from Scotty, he's been playing some good football for the Cowboys but we just felt it is in the best interests of the team for game one to go without him."
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Cronulla speedster Valentine Holmes replaces Boyd on the left wing, while Dylan Napa and Jarrod Wallace fill in the front-row.
Origin timekeeper
After the timekeeping blunder between Melbourne and Manly in round 11, the NRL will appoint a specialist sideline official in charge of timekeeping during game one of Origin.
The move comes after this month's mishap when Manly duo Apisai Koroisau and Matthew Wright returned to the game almost two minutes early from a sin-binning.
The governing body will also consider using big screen technology like they do in North America in the NHL, displaying a countdown clock on the big screens around the stadium and during television broadcasts.
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