State of Origin - Game 3

[StormBec]

NSW

1 Brett Hodgson (Wests Tigers)
2 Eric Grothe (Parramatta Eels)
3 Matt King (Melbourne Storm)
4 Matt Cooper (St.George-Illawarra Dragons)
5 Timana Tahu (Parramatta Eels)
6 Mark Gasnier (St.George-Illawarra Dragons)
7 Craig Gower (Penrith Panthers)
8 Willie Mason (The Bulldogs)
9 Danny Buderus, captain (Newcastle Knights)
10 Luke Bailey (St.George-Illawarra Dragons)
11 Steve Simpson (Newcastle Knights)
12 Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta Eels)
13 Luke O'Donnell (North Queensland Cowboys)

Subs:
14 Mark O'Meley (The Bulldogs)
15 Steve Menzies (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
16 Paul Gallen (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
17 Ben Hornby (St.George-Illawarra Dragons)

Coach:
Graham Murray

http://rleague.com/db/article.php?id=25718

[Rabble No 7]

Interesting line up, wow no roosters  i wonder how the unwritten law of a few token rooster will sit with the media, but i see they have made that up with dragons players

Honestly though hoffy might of got a bench role 

[StormBec]

Surpised they have gone with Gasnier at five-eighth and have picked 2 backs on the bench  :shock: but it is fantastic that Kingy has been picked in the centres instead of being played out of position on the wing.

[Hailstorm]

Wasn't sure where to put this, didn't want to start a new thread tho.

I have not long returned from Rebel Sport in Dandenong Plaza where i just paid $99 for a new Qld SoO jersey, they lowered their prices from $169 on saturday. (its possible the NSW jerseys are even cheaper as no one wants them  )  I'm, so glad i didn't buy one at the game on friday, they wouldn't even give storm member discount on them there, very disappointing...

So i suggest anyone considering getting a jersey head to your local Rebel Sport. Even if they don't have them on sale there I'm sure they will price match with the Dandy store.

[StormBec]

QLD
1 Clinton Schifcofske (Canberra Raiders)
2 Brent Tate (Brisbane Broncos)
3 Justin Hodges * (Brisbane Broncos)
4 Josh Hannay (Nth Qld Cowboys)
5 Adam Mogg (Canberra Raiders)
6 Darren Lockyer (c) (Brisbane Broncos)
7 Johnathan Thurston (Nth Qld Cowboys)
8 Steve Price (New Zealand Warriors)
9 Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
10 Petero Civoniceva (Brisbane Broncos)
11 Nate Myles (The Bulldogs)
12 Carl Webb (Nth Qld Cowboys)
13 Dallas Johnson (Melbourne Storm)
Subs:
14 Shaun Berrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
15 Chris Flannery (Sydney Roosters)
16 Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos)
17 Tonie Carroll (Brisbane Broncos)

*Hodges has been named but is in doubt. I thought he was already ruled out.
http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.asp?ID=11135
http://rleague.com/db/article.php?id=25719

[Op2musPrime]

Also heard a Harvey Norman radio promo that the SoO players will be making an appearance at Harvey Norman Chadstone (formerly Megamart) this Friday 30th June.  (QLD @ 17:00 and NSW @ 19:00 but please confirm with HN before making your way to Chadstone)

returned from Rebel Sport in Dandenong Plaza where i just paid $99 for a new Qld SoO jersey

Greensborough Rebel have the same deal for the $99 SoO jerseys (if only the Storm jerseys were that cheap!).
The Maroons jersey at $99 sounds like a bargain, I think I'll get one of those.  I might get a Sky Blue jersey also...the dogs need a new towel after their wash

[Insomniac]

I'm glad Schifcofske FINALLY got the call up - hopefully he has a blinder!

[lotti]

I thought Gower would make the team.

[Thunderstruck]

I'm glad schif finally got the call. Problem is, wth is carroll doing in the list???

[Insomniac]

What a load of shit QLD not knowing that Hodges was out!!  They just wanted to buy some more time before naming his replacement, and didn't want the flack of naming Mr TBA again!  Idiots!

[Blitzkrieg]

Hodges has been replaced by Rhys Wesser - good to see him back in a Maroon jumper, hope he has a great game.  He'll play on the wing, which means Tate will shift to centre.

[TC]

Bugger. 

Wesser is not a winger. Certainly not at Origin level.

[Blitzkrieg]

From the Fox Sports site:

Maroons wary of Gasnier @ #6

QUEENSLAND captain Darren Lockyer and centre Brent Tate issued Mark Gasnier alerts today, warning of the threat posed by the makeshift five-eighth in next Wednesday's State of Origin series decider.

While critics have questioned whether converted centre Gasnier possesses the passing and kicking game for the No.6 role, Queensland was talking up his undoubted class.

"Gasnier at five-eighth could be a dangerous thing for us," declared Tate.

"He didn't really get too much ball in the second game.

"I think he'll get a lot more involved in this game and the more involved he gets the harder it is to contain him.

"They've taken a couple of gambles if you want to call them that, but I can't see it as too much of a gamble to be honest.

"He's played a bit there at club level and the more times he has the ball in his hands the more things are going to happen."

Gasnier was chosen in an untried halves combination with Craig Gower for the Telstra Dome clash as Blues selectors axed Brett Finch, whose field goal in game one snatched a 17-16 victory, and Braith Anasta in the wake of Queensland's hard-hitting 30-6 win in game two.

Gasnier, cleared of a broken hand, has played only three games at five-eighth for his St George Illawarra club although coach Nathan Brown has indicated his future lies there.

Lockyer alluded to some problems for the Blues after they made five changes for the decider.

However he was careful not to question Gasnier's positional move.

"With any loss and with the magnitude of the loss there was always going to be changes," said Lockyer before the Queensland team, minus ill prop Peter Civoniceva, flew to Melbourne.

"But five probably signifies that they're under a bit of pressure."

Lockyer expects a lot of play to revolve around Gower but he also believes Gasnier will be heavily involved.

"They've virtually got three centres in (Matt) Cooper, Gasnier and (Matt) King," said Lockyer.

"Gasnier is very good with the football in his hands and I think they'll be trying to get the ball to him as much as they can.

"I don't see him changing the way he plays too much and I don't think we'll see too many chip kicks from him – they're still a year or two away," he joked.

It's a gamble putting Gasnier @ 6, but will it pay off? IMO probably not.  He's not really experienced enough @ 5/8.

Surely they could've considered Preston Campbell

[Stormwarning[c]]

As a blues supporter I was concerned at Gasnier going into the half combination at first. That was until you heard most of the other NSW players and I think some have let the game plan out.

I think you will find Gasnier play a roll like we see in Geyer when he is at 5/8. Not really a 5/8 but in that position to be allowed to run and more importantly allow the focus be taken off others and given them more space to do what they do best.

I had money on Queensland on taking out the series, that will change now and I would expect the media to say it was a master stroke come Thursday morning.

[Fampa]

Scott, I can agree with you there.

As a Queenslander I am concerned about Gasnier in the halves for NSW.  Anything that lets him have the ball more is a concern for me.

Though I would really love to see QLD get up, I don't think we have the team to do it.