Bellamy backs ignored Orford
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:17 am
MELBOURNE Storm coach Craig Bellamy last night rushed to the defence of halfback Matt Orford after his latest snubbing by New South Wales selectors.
After axing incumbent Brett Kimmorley, Blues selectors dismissed the claims of Orford and Penrith skipper Craig Gower, naming Dragons five-eighth Trent Barrett out of position for next week's Origin II in Sydney.
Bulldogs pivot Braith Anasta will partner Barrett in the halves.
Orford refused to comment yesterday but Bellamy said the Storm half should not abandon his representative goals.
"I think Matt is very unlucky," Bellamy said.
"I believe his form was good enough to be considered there, but the selectors have gone another way.
"He just has to keep putting in every week and hopefully his chance will come."
Kimmorley, who threw the intercept pass that cost NSW the opening game of the series, said he was not shocked by his dumping.
"I had an inkling it was going to happen and our result over the weekend obviously didn't help," Kimmorley said.
"Who knows what happens now? All I can do is keep enjoying my footy. The furthest thing on my mind is whether I play (Origin) again."
Storm five-eighth Scott Hill, who played with Kimmorley during his time in Melbourne, questioned the selectors' decision to name Barrett at halfback.
"I feel for Ox (Orford) and I feel for Noddy (Kimmorley) as well," Hill said. "I didn't think he did that much wrong. His kicking game probably wasn't as good as it usually is, but I would have backed him to fix that up.
"Trent's a great player and he has done the job there before, but he doesn't play halfback week in week out."
Sharks coach Stuart Raper said Kimmorley had been made a scapegoat.
"I feel Brett has been let down a little bit by the coach and selectors," Raper said.
"He did not have a great performance in Origin I, but the selectors have to take some of the fall for that, only picking two props.
"In this day and age picking only two props is not going to win you a game and that let Brett down a bit."
heraldsun.com.au
After axing incumbent Brett Kimmorley, Blues selectors dismissed the claims of Orford and Penrith skipper Craig Gower, naming Dragons five-eighth Trent Barrett out of position for next week's Origin II in Sydney.
Bulldogs pivot Braith Anasta will partner Barrett in the halves.
Orford refused to comment yesterday but Bellamy said the Storm half should not abandon his representative goals.
"I think Matt is very unlucky," Bellamy said.
"I believe his form was good enough to be considered there, but the selectors have gone another way.
"He just has to keep putting in every week and hopefully his chance will come."
Kimmorley, who threw the intercept pass that cost NSW the opening game of the series, said he was not shocked by his dumping.
"I had an inkling it was going to happen and our result over the weekend obviously didn't help," Kimmorley said.
"Who knows what happens now? All I can do is keep enjoying my footy. The furthest thing on my mind is whether I play (Origin) again."
Storm five-eighth Scott Hill, who played with Kimmorley during his time in Melbourne, questioned the selectors' decision to name Barrett at halfback.
"I feel for Ox (Orford) and I feel for Noddy (Kimmorley) as well," Hill said. "I didn't think he did that much wrong. His kicking game probably wasn't as good as it usually is, but I would have backed him to fix that up.
"Trent's a great player and he has done the job there before, but he doesn't play halfback week in week out."
Sharks coach Stuart Raper said Kimmorley had been made a scapegoat.
"I feel Brett has been let down a little bit by the coach and selectors," Raper said.
"He did not have a great performance in Origin I, but the selectors have to take some of the fall for that, only picking two props.
"In this day and age picking only two props is not going to win you a game and that let Brett down a bit."
heraldsun.com.au
