sidelined

Origin is done and dusted for 2008. As the sound of gloating washes south from the border and over the Tweed, the rest of us can get on with the serious business of the run to the finals. Just 10 rounds to go now and only 6 points between 1 and 8. Manly, The Roosters and the Sharks share the lead on 24 pts. The Storm just below in 22 pts. But these teams are not safe. A dip in form could see them slide down the ladder rather quickly. At the other end, the Warriors, the Rabbitohs, the Bulldogs and the Cowboys are desperate to avoid the wooden spoon. Pride makes games for those teams just as important as those still in the hunt for the eight. There is a lot of great footy to come.

The tea leaves have been consulted and all is revealed over the fold.

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Yes folks. Live blogging of Origin III will be here on Wednesday night. It will start sometime between 7:30 and 8:00pm with the ceremonial bagging of Ben Ikin.

I wonder if NSW win Ikin be so depressed that he will stop commentating. And with the ceremonial bagging of Ikin live blogging of Origin is back..

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And so it has come to this. New South Wales and Queensland with one win each in the 2008 State of Origin campaign. ANZ Stadium in Sydney is the host for Origin III, the decider. It is a ground for which Queensland has little love. But after blowing New South Wales off the park in Origin 2, the Cane Toads are deserved favourites (though they will still try and claim underdog status).

Thurston, Inglis, Prince, Folau. A dream combination which could be a nightmare for New South Wales. Thurston enjoys the extra room at five-eight and so does Inglis. He was sent on many a raid down the left side of the field by Thurston in game 2. An obvious tactic for New South Wales is to keep Inglis quiet. And that means shutting Thurston down.

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Is Leichhardt oval not one of the best league venues in the land? The crowd is vocal and close to the action, the food and drink vendors operate out of the traditional vendor caravans. You get you beer in a can and kids can get an ice cream. Best of all is doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg.
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Origin once more makes the form guide useless. But that does not mean a boring round. Teams are jostling for position in the eight and have plenty to play for. At the other end of the table, the battle for the wooden spoon has become very interesting indeed. I’ve consulted the Ouija board and the spirits have foretold the following.

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Greg Bird’s injury is a blessing for the NSW selectors for Origin III.

They can safely avoid the original plan to stick with Bird (relying on the modern management skill never admitting a mistake no matter how obvious) and pick Anasta. The trouble with Bird at 5/8 is that he is fine when the team is going well. But when a team is in trouble he doesn’t have the skills to produce something brilliant.

Of course, Anasta has his critics who point to his past Origin games as being nothing special. And they have a point. But Anasta has been in good from for the Roosters this year (much better than the previous times when he was picked for Origin) and deserves a recall. Still a sub par performance by Anasta may kill his chances of Origin for next year.

The same goes for some of the forwards. Especially Willie Mason. At club level, can be dominate but he is a bit of a flat track bully. He should be one of the greatest Origin forwards but Mason does have a tendency to hide when things are not going well. Given that Mason has stated that the will turn in the performance of his life, give him the chance. If he fails, then he give him the boot. A few of the other forwards are in the same boat. Hoffman needs to step up this game as well.

There is still some injury concerns clouding the selection of Wallace. I’ll be tempted to go for Mitchell Pearce if a new halfback is needed. He copped a hammering against the Knights but kept on going. That is a good sign for Origin and his partnership with Anasta would be beneficial to the blues.

And Hayne for Turner. No discussion needed here.

Origin III will be a beauty of a game. It will be a telling game for some of the NSW players. They will either make their Origin career or find the bitter realization that they couldn’t make it at the highest level.

Origin influences this round especially for the those vying for NSW selection. The word is no major changes will be made but the halfback spot is open depending on Wallace’s injury and a few forward spots could be up for contention. Those in with a chance will have a final chance to cry out “pick me!” before the NSW team is announced. I suspect the QLD team will only change pending injuries between now and Origin III.

In regards to the premiership race, things are becoming interesting. My tip is a little bit more jostling over the next two weeks before post-Origin will see about 8-10 teams start to pull away from the rest in the race for home. Remember only four points separates 1 from 8 so it is still a tight contest.

The goat entrails are ready so let the divination begin.

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The Telecrap continues its speedy descent into places even the most appropriately disheveled gutter journos would avoid. The latest is their coverage of the altercation Tigers star Benji Marshall found himself in during the wee hours of Monday.

Marshall was cleared of any wrong doing by the police as he was provoked by an idiot. But the Telecrap would have none of that! The Telecrap’s website has the story filed under ‘League Lumps Will Never Learn.” Going to the actual story it is titled Benji Marshall stands up to abuse in nightclub.

The Telecrap article somehow tries to both potray Benji as a victim and another NRL player up to no good. Ray Chesterton puts on his sackcloth and ashes and if you listen hard you can hear “League’s image battered beyond repair over his wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The Telecrap understands well that sensationalism sells but it is also undermining their once good reputation for sports journalism. They love a beat up. See the Eric Grothe story from the weekend. A confusing mix of trying to portray Grothe as having no commitement in being late for a flight then a bit of praise for him turning up and making the steps to regaining his first grade spot.

Never mind that elements of the story in regards to Grothe’s late arrival were exaggerated.

And never mind that Nathan Hindmarsh took time out to visit Pendle Hill High School this week. Since there were no punches thrown nor late night shenanigans, this story just doesn’t rate when it comes to NRL players and their community life.

A strange thing has happened. I have no memory from about 8:00pm till 10:00pm last night. It’s like I witnessed some horrible happening, an event too distressing to deal with and hence I have shut it out.

While I try and recover that memory, ponder round 14 of the NRL. It is the downhill run to the finals now. Teams in the eight will want to consolidate while there are few lurking outside that want to get a look in. It is an abbreviated round this week with only five games but as always, time to get the magic 8 ball out and work out where the winners are.

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I know I should do a proper preview but pushed for time. I’ll just say that NSW are going for the 3-nil whitewash and Bellamy will have them primed. The Prince/Thurston experiment in the halves will be interesting. I’m just not sure it will work unless their communication is spot on.

Tune in between 7:30 and 8:00 Wednesday evening when proceedings will commence with the now traditional bagging of Ben Ikin.

And so it begins!

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