2026 State of Origin Discussion.

With a couple of injuries striking and form, this is what my QLD side would be for game 2:

1. Ponga
2. Cobbo
3. Toia
4. Hammer
5. Taulagi/Coates (whoever plays better this week and next)
6. Munster
7. Walker
8. Flegler
9. Grant
10. Tino
11. Luki (much better option than Capewell, this guy is in great form)
12. Finefeuiaki (needs to start)
13. Cotter

14. Collins
15. D Fifita
16. Horsburgh (need some aggression coming off the bench)
17. Plath (middle/hooker depth)
18. Perdue (adds depth at centre/wing/fullback/halves
19. Walsh (pure x factory if needed. Could cover injury to the halves - Walsh to fullback, Ponga to 5/8)

Outs

Nikora
Capewell
Fifita
Carrigan (injury)
Loiero
Mamm
That’s a lot of changes to what would have been a winning side had it not been for the sendoff
 
That’s a lot of changes to what would have been a winning side had it not been for the sendoff
NSW won’t want this game going to a decider in QLD. They’re gonna come out all guns blazing. Our game 1 team doesn’t have the firepower imo to match what’s coming.
 
NSW won’t want this game going to a decider in QLD. They’re gonna come out all guns blazing. Our game 1 team doesn’t have the firepower imo to match what’s coming.
The side from game 1 would have been picked on the expectation that NSW would come out all guns blazing, and they handled them with ease. I also expect NSW to play a lot better next time round, but I wouldn’t change anything I didn’t have to. That QLD team looked in sync from kick-off to send off.
 
I reckon Taulagi will swap with Fifita.
Also have no ****ing clue how Loiero got selected. Guy offers sweet **** all coming off the bench.
 
I reckon Taulagi will swap with Fifita.
Also have no ****ing clue how Loiero got selected. Guy offers sweet **** all coming off the bench.
Looks to me like they are trying to cover Carrigan's defensive output by committee. Maybe Gilbert a better option on paper but his minutes have been down the last 6 weeks, so possibly he has some niggles we don't know about. Hopgood a good option if he was fit. Loiero is a genuine middle who plays 60 most weeks so fits the role. There are some other guys you could pick for 15-20 minutes of impact impact but tbh I'm not sure who else I would pick if I need someone to just go out and tackle their ass off for 30.
 
Haas would have made the team for game 1 if he was fit.

Brailey and Crichton would have made the team for game 2 if they were fit.

So no unforced changes for Laurie?
 
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