2018 State of Origin

Tough one given it's not exactly a problem position for us, but yeah I probably would as long as he continued to play the way he has so far. I'd usually want a much longer period of performance before I'd pick someone, but there's the type of "playing well" the commentators talk about when someone is just really effective in their limited role (Aitken springs to mind here), and there's the "playing well" Ponga has done in which he's demonstrated a very high level of all round skill rather than just form or circumstance.

 

I really like Boyd as a player (it was only this time last year I wrongly suggested he might be a better fullback than Slater), but it's terminal decline IMO; he's done. I wouldn't pick him - I'd probably sooner drop him from the Broncos side than pick him for Queensland - especially given Queensland have two other really good options for that spot.

 

Even though I think it's a bad call I kind of envy it. I wish NSW would err on the side of proven incumbency a bit more often.

 

"Form" is just such a small sample size that's ignoring so many variables though. I more or less believe in picking starting front rowers on form, but every other position is in some way relying on others to look effective. If a player has performed well in the past it shows they're up to standard -- sometimes their short-term club performances indicate they've declined or improved, but sometimes they just indicate cyclical, structural or team confidence factors.

It's the job of a selector to sort the Pongas out from the Aitkens. Relying too much or too little on form just shows a selector up for not really being able to read the game as a spectator (or sadly in some cases just not being bothered to do so).

I'd agree with picking on form if it could be agreed that a star half in a team finishing 16th could actually be in great form. I've never seen someone actually say this though, which makes me very sceptical when a coach says he's picking on form. It usually just means he's picking on media hype and/or which team a cunt plays for.

 

Actually I'm more or less fine with this, thinking about who the Dragons pack actually is, as long as Sims is benched and it's Jackson he replaces. Frizell, Vaughan and de Belin are gun, Graham is a pom and Sims offers something different off the bench if they want it in that third running forward spot.