Don't get me wrong he's a good winger but I don't see anything he does that Trbojevic can't do. With Trbojevic you get a clear height and weight advantage in comparison to Morris as well.
I see no reason in picking B Moz, regardless of playing time. He's experienced and been there before, if he's fit and firing next year a return to NSW isn't going to over awe him. I think it is a much better idea to get any rookies they're looking at in for game 3, its a dead rubber and next series is much more important than turning a 3-0 loss into a 2-1 loss.
And a clear disadvantage in experience and proven ability at rep level which Morris has in spades. I think they're both very good, well-rounded wingers but Morris is clearly the better selection imo.
By that logic you'd have to drop Gallen yeah? I mean you'd essentially be making the statement that the result of this game is secondary to building for next year. I'm not saying you're wrong to do so, just wanting clarification.
I think we should pick Fittler and Johns as the halves becaus they have proven ability and experience.
It's a trickier one with Gal as he is the captain, but taking emotion out of it I'd definitely give him the flick given he's retiring. If he had a change of heart and said he'd go around again next year I'd pick him, but there's no point in wasting the opportunity to blood his replacement now. I expect him to be there though, I suspect there'll be a bit of marketing around it being his last game to try and get a few through the gates.
See the reason I think it's tricky is because I do actually believe this current losing culture is detrimental to the team. I don't think it's healthy to have all these young kids coming into Origin and failing with a 3 zip result. They do need to take something out of this series, having won once in the last 6 games. On the other hand, I do agree with you that this is a perfect opportunity to trial some new blood, especially in vital positions. The real complication arises because of, as you mentioned, the errors in selections they've made this year and last year. I'm not going to say let's drop Gallen so we can take a look at Merrin, his probably replacement, because Merrin should've fucking been there to begin with. Dropping Gallen for Trbojevic or Finucane or whoever they have in mind and essentially turning the last game into another City/Country trial? That's hard for me to swallow.
Yours and Lukic's? Yes I agree. No one is saying experience or proven ability is the be all, end all but unless we differ again, I think they are relevant and worth noting (especially, since we're taking into account crucial things like, ah, weight.) Lukic's post presumes that I use them as the only or primary criteria, hence the fatuous comment about Joey and Freddy, which I don't. If they are meaningless to you, fair enough but you ought to say that's what you mean.
No but you're making experience the determining factor. That being the determining factor is a contributer to why we pick and stick with the same shunts. If someone is the better player, and also holds and distinct height and weight advantage, which is crucial for the modern winger but the only thing he hasn't got over the other is experience and we chose the latter then we're morons.
I can see the value of Turbo, he's a soon to be star for sure. Morris isn't that old though. Why not both?
Well, yes, in the current context. In a different context it could be used to "pick-and-stick" with a good player who should be there. I mean, a hammer can be used to build a house or to bash someone's head in. I can't help it if other people misuse the argument by either placing to great an importance on it or using it to justify picking players who shouldn't be there in the first place. Right but that's not what we're (or I) am doing. I don't agree that Trbojevic is the better player to begin with. I'm making the argument that experience and actual runs on the board are relevant, that's all. If you think Trbojevic weighing 5 kilos more than Morris is of greater importance than what we can adduce from Morris's 30 rep games, okay but that is weird to me, I have to say.
I think the Gallen question is a bit different to the Brett Morris one. Choosing not to recall a proven winger a game or two back from a long injury because it's a dead rubber is a fair bit different to actually dropping the captain. Morris should play next year if he's fit but I wouldn't bother with him in Game III. Reynolds out is a huge opportunity to have a look at a half, whether that means Austin or it means seeing how Moylan or Coote would go in that position in a 'not much to lose' sort of situation. Jack Bird is an excellent player but he's never going to be a real Origin half so I really hope they don't waste the free trial so to speak on him playing there, although I suspect they probably will tbh.
True but what then is the rationale for keeping Gallen in the side if there's nothing to lose and he won't be there next year? I mean I'd answer that plaintive question by saying well, I do think they have something to play for, and that Merrin, who I consider his replacement, should find his way into the team alongside Gallen. I'm assuming your answer would be similar to mine but this is the small thought experiment. If it's a choice between dropping Gallen for Merrin, or keeping Gallen and Merrin sitting on the sidelines, which way do you go? For me it's a moot question but if forced into the situation, I would drop Gallen.
I think it's a bit of a given that the older a player gets the less likely they are to recover quickly from injury.
