Who should play in Origin III?

The series is lost. Queensland have once again shown that they are the far superior team. Origin II was nothing short of a nightmare for Blues fans.

Origin III presents a chance to try and regain some pride by avoiding a whitewash, but how realistic is this? The Maroons are THAT good that any team NSW fields is likely to end up on the wrong side of the scoreline.

There's already talk of an upheaval from the top down in the Blues ranks, from selectors, to coaching staff, to players, for next year. But the question is, for game III, does NSW stick with the team that got obliterated in game II? Or do we start looking to future now?

I say we start looking to the future now. Chances are we'll lose anyway, so let's give some younger kids a run.

For game II the selectors did away with Brett Kimmorley (who actually wasn't bad in game 1) in favour of young gun Mitchell Pearce. But they fatally stuck with Trent Barrett at five-eighth, himself in the twilight of his career - having never been exceptional even in his heyday. It's time for new blood in the number six.

Jamie Soward has been playing his heart out over the last two years. As the form five-eighth in the comp, it's time to see what he can do at state level. He would be my first pick for Origin III alongside Pearce.

Let's look at the backs. Finally the selectors saw sense and picked Jarryd Hayne at fullback. Even though he had a quiet Origin II, we know what he can do, and what he will do in the future. Lock him into the number one jersey.

Brett Morris is one of the most exciting young wingers in our game right now. He absolutely deserves his spot on the wing. His centre partner can be none other than his twin brother Josh. Overlooked this year after playing for the Blues in 2009, Josh Morris should be rushed back for game III. His ability to cut through defenders and score tries is well documented, while the unspoken communication he and his twin enjoy could be exploited to cause headaches for Queensland.

The other centre spot should go to another man overlooked this year after starring in 2009, Michael Jennings. The Penrith centre has it all in attack. Especially considering the Maroons have arguably the most explosive centre in the game in Greg Inglis, NSW needs to counter his freakish talent with a hugely talented centre of their own.

For the other wing spot, what more does Nathan Merritt have to do to get picked? He is one of the best finishers in the game, with 13 tries so far for the season.

We need forwards with grunt, which is why Paul Gallen gets my nod to retain his spot at lock. Luke O'Donnell would slot into the second row if not for suspension, in his place should go Anthony Watmough. Now Watmough hasn't had the most brilliant of years, but again, we've seen what he can do - and if NSW are serious about building a team for the future the selectors will put their faith in a group of players and stick with them rather than chopping and changing with each defeat.

As for the other second row spot, its between Nathan Hindmarsh and Ben Creagh - and as huge a fan as I am of Hindmarsh, having criticised his omission for Origin I - if we are building the team of the future we need to pick the players of the future. Creagh it is then.

Michael Ennis had his chance at hooker and failed to impress. It is time to hand the number 9 jersey back to the man who waited years for his chance - Robbie Farah, who has been playing at a far superior level recently.

Michael Weyman has done enough for one front-row berth; Brett White most certainly has not. I would look at either Brent Kite or Aiden Tolman for the other jumper, with the player missing out on a start going to the bench.

Which leaves us with three bench spots. Luke Lewis gets one, while it's time another South Sydney player, John Sutton, got a NSW call-up. In the interests of looking to tomorrow the final bench spot goes to the Sharks' Kade Snowden.

The final team is therefore:

1. Jarryd Hayne
2. Brett Morris
3. Josh Morris
4. Michael Jennings
5. Nathan Merritt
6. Jamie Soward
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Brent Kite
9. Robbie Farah
10. Micheal Weyman
11. Ben Creagh
12. Anthony Watmough
13. Paul Gallen

14. Aiden Tolman
15. Luke Lewis
16. John Sutton
17. Kade Snowden

Now I'm not saying this team will win game III - but they won't do any worse than the teams for games I and II, and the future of State of Origin is at stake. Who knows, in a few years when Queensland's freakish stars start to tire, the names above could be the ones that bring the trophy back to New South Wales.

The Joey Race Debate

Apologies that this posting comes a few days late... by now this issue has been debated and dissected numerous times, unfortunately work and uni deadlines have meant I've only gotten around to writing about it now.

But here we go.

By now everyone knows that Andrew Johns referred to Greg Inglis as a "black c***", leading to NSW winger Timana Tahu walking out of the team in protest. A recent article has also stated that it was not just one comment that made Tahu walk.

This is what I think. The fact that Johns was arguably one of the best players to strap on a boot has allowed him too much leeway over the years. A few years ago when he was caught with drugs and managed to turn the whole thing around to get sympathy, I said then that he was no victim, that he knew what he was doing and he was only sorry for getting caught.

That is why his apology is meaningless again now. Clearly Andrew Johns would have carried on making unacceptable comments with zero remorse if no one had complained. It was only after Tahu took his commendable stand that (all of a sudden) apologies and regret gushed forth from Johns' mouth. An article I read today says he is emotionally distraught over the whole affair now too.

Sorry, Joey, there's no sympathy for you this time.

Andrew Johns has crossed the line again. NSW team management have rightly said he is not welcome back in the fold this year. But the time has come to stamp out racism in rugby league, and not for years will there be another opportunity this ideal.

What better way to send a message out to players, coaches, clubs and fans than by making an example of one of the game's most celebrated players? Ban him from coaching NSW for life. Ban him from any official NRL duty. And while we're at it, how about Channel 9, who so willingly disposed of his brother Matthew, show some balls and fire him too?

Then every player will know that racism will not be tolerated. If that's what they'll do to one of the game's best-known champions, then everyone will see that the league and its partners are serious.

As for Timana Tahu - its a shame that he had to leave the team to make his point. I am of the view that he could have - and should have stayed in the camp, while still blowing the whistle on Joey's myopic ways. Timana shouldn't have to miss playing for his state because of someone else's poor judgement. Here's hoping he rejoins the fold for Origin 3.

... which will be a dead rubber after Queensland make it five series wins from five on Wednesday night. NSW were outsiders even before this ugly Johns incident. The incredible disturbance the whole mess has caused to NSW's preparations is bad enough - and then factor in a Queensland side featuring several stars of indigenous lineage, who wouldn't have taken to kindly to the comment either, and will be looking forward to refuting it - with their football doing the talking.

News Limited vs News Limited

Today on DailyTelegraph.com.au, a very interesting article. Rugby League's favourite newspaper is calling on all Sydneysiders to "Boo the cheating Storm" when they are in Sydney to play Parramatta this Friday night.

It's the first time the Storm are playing in Sydney since the club had its 2007 and 2009 premierships stripped from them for cheating the salary cap. And the Daily Telegraph is hell-bent on making sure they remember it:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/after-42-days-the-storm-should-hand-the-nrl-trophy-back/story-e6frexnr-1225875113015

A "Give back the Trophy" poster will appear in tomorrow's Daily Telegraph which fans are being encouraged to take to the game. Which all sounds like a bit of good fun to poke at the club whose management deceived us all by deliberately hiding player payments to stay at the top.

But the MOST INTERESTING thing of all about this, is that the Daily Telegraph and the Melbourne Storm both have the same employer -News Limited. The media giant has thrown too much money at the Storm to let its recent monumental troubles bring about its demise.

Could the Daily Telegraph's campaign be a stroke of brilliance?

Think of it this way. On a bigger scale, what is one of the greatest rivalries in our fair country, and I am not just talking about sport?

Sydney vs Melbourne. Or Melbourne vs Sydney, depending in which city you live.

The Storm risked alienating and losing their Melbourne support base after their salary cap rorting was outed. Indeed in this very blog I predicted the team would wither and die. But News Limited aren't a successful multinational company for nothing. There's a bunch of smart fellas (and lasses) making things tick along and they've caught a sniff of something that can save the Storm.

There's an undercurrent within the Melbourne public that the severity of the Storm's punishment was a Sydney vs Melbourne thing.

In the weeks following the metering out of the club's punishment, attendance at their new home ground AAMI Park has been in defiance of post-rort predictions. The reason? They want to show up the Sydneysiders that took away their premierships and points. They want to stick their middle finger up at the Sydney-based NRL.

That considered, what better way to get Melburnians behind the Storm? You guessed it. Keep 'em under siege. Demand they return the silverware. Call them cheats at every game they play up here. Never let them forget that us Sydneysiders hate their cheating team.

That will rile them up. And that will get them behind the Storm. And perhaps after all the club with weather its own Storm, and Rugby League will have a future in Victoria yet.