Titans duo shoo-ins for Origin
Travis Meyn | 12:01am April 13, 2012
QUEENSLAND coach Mal Meninga has all but guaranteed State of Origin jerseys for Titans forwards Nate Myles and Ashley Harrison despite the club's horror run of form.
The Titans are on a five-match losing streak heading into a tough clash against Manly at Brookvale Oval tomorrow night, a venue the defending premiers have won their past 11 matches at.
But Meninga said Gold Coast's form won't affect his Origin selections as Queensland attempt an unprecedented seventh straight series victory.
He also declared Myles' rich vein of form warranted consideration for Test selection.
"Nate's been sensational. He hasn't let the team down. It's been a credit to his personal performances. He's been going terrific," Meninga told the Bulletin.
"He just keeps on doing the things he does. He's trying his backside off at the moment as most of the (Titans) players are, to be honest with you.
"I'm very encouraged by the way Nate's playing and the way Ashley's playing as well.
"They're trying their butts off and you can see it in everything they're doing in the game ... but things aren't happening for them (Titans) at the moment."
Former Roosters Myles has been a stand-out performer at his new club and leads voting for the Titans' player of the year medal.
He has already amassed 12 Paul Broughton Medal votes, out of a possible 18, to hold a five-point buffer over Harrison.
Myles, who's played 17 Origins, leads the Titans tackle count with 220 and is averaging 115m with the ball every week.
He played a blinder against his former club at the weekend and Meninga said he was a contender for an Australian jersey in next Friday's Trans-Tasman Test in New Zealand.
"He can offer that back row, front row position which Tim Sheens (Australia coach) likes to have in his side," he said.
"It's become a bit more trendy these days when you talk about your benches and they can play both. It's a valuable position to be in. Nate's one of the leading contenders for that area."
Meninga was at Skilled Park to watch his former club Canberra beat the Titans in round 2 but the Maroons mentor said he wouldn't talk to his Origin players until the series rolled around next month.
"I've watched them pretty closely I must confess because I'm keen on how Ashley and Nate are going," he said.
"I'll have a yarn to them prior to Origin but the way I operate is that they've got to concentrate on club footy and the people that influence them at club footy is their coaches.
"I don't want to be in a position where I'm in their ear all the time telling them to do things"
