What I don't get with the tin foil hat theory about quotas for each state is that WA got zip.
Of the Vic boys, the centres played OK in a beaten team and were reasonably good from broken play. The 8 was a bit of a surprise, as I didn't think that the Vic loosies played particularly well. The Q1 8 must be wondering what he needs to do to get a gig.
Of the ACT boys, the Jordan and Jordan show were standout performers in all the ACT games. It will be interesting to see how they go when surrounded by top echelon players. Similar comments to the Vic #8 apply to the ACT #6.
For all the talk about probable Qld bias, ignoring the front row, Qld only had a flanker and a wing selected. Like many others I though 5. Hewat, 8. Fox, 9. Nucifora, and 12. Pritchard must have been very close to selection, and suspect that they will be 1st cabs off the rank in the Shadow.
I am interested as to the positioning of Crichton and Summerhayes from NSW. Due to injury to others, Crichton played most games as a #6, and he looked quite good in that role. He doesn't seem to have grown much over the past few years, and if he doesn't shoot up and out soon, he will find himself too small for his preferred #8 position. He may even migrate to the #7 role. Summerhayes is a bit of a notta - not a second row (where he has played previously), not a No 8 (where he played most of this tournament after injury to Walker forced a reshuffle), and not a 6 (where he has also played) but useful as a utility player. I'd imagine that the selectors have him in as the Potgeiter type utility forward.
Like many others on here, I liked the cut of the jib of N1 #7, and the 4 loosies from N2, although #6 Burkett seemed to be a little quiet by his standards. These blokes didn't do too much fancy stuff, but they were into everything and their individual play complemented the other loosies in their team particularly well.
Duffy (N2 #9) is copping a few questions, and I suspect he may have been given a bit of benefit of doubt on the basis of his school footy combination with O'Shea. Goddard looks a complete package and with his sniper like goal kicking has a bright future in the game.
I still reckon that we shouldn't get too uppity about the squad until the final 3 positions are made public. Porter must be in contention for one of those, and if the other bloke is better than Porter, then we will be well served.
With so many QLD based Selectors, they actually appear to have done a fairly reasonable job, and may have even been a little harsh on several of the Qld players. I can't really see any Qld bias in the selections, which is what many thought would have been the case.
The proof of the pudding will be in the games v Fiji and NZ.
Of the Vic boys, the centres played OK in a beaten team and were reasonably good from broken play. The 8 was a bit of a surprise, as I didn't think that the Vic loosies played particularly well. The Q1 8 must be wondering what he needs to do to get a gig.
Of the ACT boys, the Jordan and Jordan show were standout performers in all the ACT games. It will be interesting to see how they go when surrounded by top echelon players. Similar comments to the Vic #8 apply to the ACT #6.
For all the talk about probable Qld bias, ignoring the front row, Qld only had a flanker and a wing selected. Like many others I though 5. Hewat, 8. Fox, 9. Nucifora, and 12. Pritchard must have been very close to selection, and suspect that they will be 1st cabs off the rank in the Shadow.
I am interested as to the positioning of Crichton and Summerhayes from NSW. Due to injury to others, Crichton played most games as a #6, and he looked quite good in that role. He doesn't seem to have grown much over the past few years, and if he doesn't shoot up and out soon, he will find himself too small for his preferred #8 position. He may even migrate to the #7 role. Summerhayes is a bit of a notta - not a second row (where he has played previously), not a No 8 (where he played most of this tournament after injury to Walker forced a reshuffle), and not a 6 (where he has also played) but useful as a utility player. I'd imagine that the selectors have him in as the Potgeiter type utility forward.
Like many others on here, I liked the cut of the jib of N1 #7, and the 4 loosies from N2, although #6 Burkett seemed to be a little quiet by his standards. These blokes didn't do too much fancy stuff, but they were into everything and their individual play complemented the other loosies in their team particularly well.
Duffy (N2 #9) is copping a few questions, and I suspect he may have been given a bit of benefit of doubt on the basis of his school footy combination with O'Shea. Goddard looks a complete package and with his sniper like goal kicking has a bright future in the game.
I still reckon that we shouldn't get too uppity about the squad until the final 3 positions are made public. Porter must be in contention for one of those, and if the other bloke is better than Porter, then we will be well served.
With so many QLD based Selectors, they actually appear to have done a fairly reasonable job, and may have even been a little harsh on several of the Qld players. I can't really see any Qld bias in the selections, which is what many thought would have been the case.
The proof of the pudding will be in the games v Fiji and NZ.
