Your SOO sides for 2008

[Robbie_Dee]

And not only is Tim Smith not playing footy, he's a Queenslander.

wtf was I thinking, I was meaning Brett Finch..but wrote Tim Smith for some reason.... LOL

and didn't realise Carroll was retired from rep, it's a shame he's in great form.

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

NSW(if All fit)

1. Brett Stewart
2. Anthony Quinn (impressed me in the country/city game)
3. Mark Gasnier
4. Matt Cooper
5. Jared Hayne
6. Todd Carney (impressed me in the county/city game, very good 2nd phase runner, future permant rep player)
7. Brett Finch
8. Jason Ryles(Bailey if fit would be here, and ryles on bench, ryles is the statistically best prop going atm)
9. Danny Buderus (Farah if fit would be here)
10. Brett White
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Willie Mason
13. Greg Bird

14. Paul Gallen
15. Ben Cross (impressed in the country/city game and titans/knights game)
16. Ryan Hoffman
17. Kurt Gidley
18. Anthony Tupou

Queensland

1. Billy Slater
2. Greg Inglis
3. Israel Falou
4. Justin Hodges
5. Brent Tate (playing good footy at warriors, Bowen would be here, but i don't think he will be fit)
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Johnathon Thurston
8. Petro Civoncievia (sp)
9. Cameron Smith
10. Ben Hannat
11. Carl Webb
12. Nate Myles
13. Dallas Johnson

14. Sam Thaiday
15. Michael Crocker
16. Jacob Lilleyman
17. Anthony Kafusia
18. Ashley Harrison

[kwigibo]

I've changed my mind, I like Sammut for NSW halfback. If Pearce is in the mix, why not? Pearce's team has won a few more games, but he's got a lot more back up.

[TITANS007]

I just wish they'd stop picking Lockyer on his name and start picking Prince on his form. I'd love to see Prince - 7 and Thurston - 6 and Slater - 1. I think they would kill it in that combination. Lockyer is not match fit, proved by his inept performance in his last game. He needs to stand down cos he is gonna go out fizzling not firing.

[Flanker/5-8]

Queensland

1. Slater
6. Thurston
7. Prince
12. Thaiday

NSW

6. Todd Carney
11. Laffranchi
12. Hindmarsh

[Dummy Half]

I just wish they'd stop picking Lockyer on his name and start picking Prince on his form. I'd love to see Prince - 7 and Thurston - 6 and Slater - 1. I think they would kill it in that combination. Lockyer is not match fit, proved by his inept performance in his last game. He needs to stand down cos he is gonna go out fizzling not firing.

ouch

I don't know if Mal Meninga agrees with that.
Or Ricky Stuart for that matter.
They both seem to believe Lockyer is the best man for the job.
Each to their own i guess.
-

[Titanium_BD1103]

Ok well with the fact that Greg Bird is playing 6 on Friday, this could be a very feasible side for NSW in 2008, not saying I want this side, but it could be very feasible.

01. Brett Hodgson
02. Anthony Quinn
03. Mark Gasnier
04. Jamie Lyon
05. Jarryd Hayne
06. Greg Bird
07. Kurt Gidley
08. Willie Mason
09. Danny Buderus (c)
10. Brett White
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Anthony Tupou
13. Paul Gallen

14. Brent Kite
15. Ryan Hoffman
16. Ben Cross
17. Braith Anasta



NB: Anasta would be used as a utility, Stewart is considered injured.

[Supergoose]

I'm not sure how Queensland will approach the Hunt V Slater issue but something tells me they'll both be there. Slater may get the bench utility spot or Hunt may be pushed to the wing instead of Tate. This is how I think the Qld team might line-up.

1. Karmichael Hunt
2. Israel Folau
3. Justin Hodges
4. Greg Inglis
5. Brent Tate
6. Darren Lockyer (Scott Prince if Lockyer ruled out)
7. Jonathan Thurston
8. Nate Myles
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Sam Thaiday
12. Michael Crocker
13. Dallas Johnson

14. Ben Hannant
15. Carl Webb
16. Corey Parker (if not fit than Lillyman/Stagg)
17. Billy Slater

[Chaos]

Choosing Slater or Hunt for fullback is one of the hardest decisions when picking the QLD team but so far I honestly believe Slater deserves the fullback spot.
From there...more thought needs to go into whether Hunt can find a spot elsewhere.

[Supergoose]

I think the NSW selectors will pick Gidley as the half - personally I'd be picking Mullen or Wallace as they are the two legitimate, consistent young halves from NSW. I think Gidley should be picked as the fullback as his form is better than Stewart's at this point in the season. My team then looks like this

1. Kurt Gidley
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Mark Gasnier
4. Jamie Lyon
5. Anthony Quinn
6. Braith Anasta
7. Jarrod Mullen
8. Brent Kite
9. Danny Buderus (Farah's not fit)
10. Jason Ryles
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Greg Bird

14. Paul Gallen
15. Anthony Tupou
16. Willie Mason
17. Luke O'Donnell (Luke Lewis or Ben Harris if O'Donnell is not fit)

Lewis or Harris would be useful if there were any injuries in the backline but Bird, Hoffman could also be shifted into the backline somewhere - Wing would be the worst position to suffer an injury with no utility although Gasnier has prowess as a winger.

[Supergoose]

Choosing Slater or Hunt for fullback is one of the hardest decisions when picking the QLD team but so far I honestly believe Slater deserves the fullback spot.
From there...more thought needs to go into whether Hunt can find a spot elsewhere.

I tend to agree with you but I'm not sure the selectors will. In my team Hunt would either fill the bench utility spot or take Tate's spot on the wing and Slater should have the fullback spot.

[TITAN PETE]

After this weekends round a couple of players may have pushed their way into the side

1. Brett Stewart
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Mark Gasnier
4. Jamie Lyon
5. Anthony Quinn
6. Braith Anasta
7. Kurt Gidley
8. Brent Kite
9. Danny Buderus
10. Ben Cross
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Paul Gallen
13. Greg Bird

14. Ryan Hoffman
15. Anthony Tupou
16. Willie Mason
17. Peter Wallace
18. Chris Lawrence

I think Lawrence will probably need to wait another year but the young guy has Superstar written all over him

I also think Wallace will be picked as another "Gidley" with his versitality from the bench

[Jaye001]

After this weekends round a couple of players may have pushed their way into the side

1. Brett Stewart
2. Jarryd Hayne
3. Mark Gasnier
4. Jamie Lyon
5. Anthony Quinn
6. Braith Anasta
7. Kurt Gidley
8. Brent Kite
9. Danny Buderus
10. Ben Cross
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Paul Gallen
13. Greg Bird

14. Ryan Hoffman
15. Anthony Tupou
16. Willie Mason
17. Peter Wallace
18. Chris Lawrence

I think Lawrence will probably need to wait another year but the young guy has Superstar written all over him

I also think Wallace will be picked as another "Gidley" with his versitality from the bench

I think your pretty much spot on with those selections

[eelectrica]

1. Slater
2. Hunt
3. Folau
4. Hodges
5. Inglis
6. Thurston
7. Prince
8. Civoniceva
9. Smith
10. Hannant
11. Crocker
12. Thaiday
13. Johnson

14. Webb
15. Myles
16. Meyers - Been impressed with his recent efforts
17. Cronk - Utility value

[Cowboy Titan]

Push on for Prince to replace Lockyer


Scott Prince... on fire for the Titans this season. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)

Brisbane Broncos forward Sam Thaiday has backed Gold Coast Titans co-captain Scott Prince to play five-eighth for Queensland in the State of Origin series.

Queensland selectors met with coach Mal Meninga today to discuss the make-up of the Maroons line-up with the full-back, five-eighth and second row positions attracting the most discussion.

Regular five-eighth and captain Darren Lockyer has had knee surgery and will miss the opening clash next Wednesday.

Karmichael Hunt could be an option in the number six jumper given Billy Slater's outstanding form at full-back, but Broncos coach Wayne Bennett has urged Maroons selectors not to play Hunt out of position.

"I don't think Queensland would be that silly, really. What are you going to do with Scott Prince?" Bennett said yesterday.

There has been some suggestion that a halves pairing featuring two dominant players in Prince and Johnathan Thurston would not suit team dynamics, but Bennett laughed that off.

"What do you think Darren Lockyer is?" he said.

"Scott Prince is a wonderful, wonderful player. If he's not the form player in the NRL at the moment, I don't know who is.

"His other great strength is that he is a wonderful team person.

"I don't think he will have a problem with Thurston being dominant."
Thaiday agrees Prince is the best option to fill in for Lockyer.

"I think Wayne likes Princey because he was at the club," Thaiday said.
"But I think that Princey would make a great five-eighth for the Queensland side.

"I hope he does make it because you know he's been playing absolutely great footy and it'd be a great reward for him."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...?section=sport