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STATE OF ORIGIN 2008 – GAME ONE PREVIEW

ANZ STADIUM, SYDNEY – WEDNESDAY MAY 21ST.

Andrew Pelechaty

Melbourne has been rewarded for its strong start to 2008, with ten players representing the 2007 premiers (four for NSW, six for Qld) in the Origin opener next Wednesday. Storm coach Craig Bellamy will lead the Blues, replacing Graham Murray. Teen prodigy Israel Folau will make his Queensland debut, seven months after his Australian debut. Both teams have made changes in the crucial halves position. NSW has picked Bronco debutant Peter Wallace at half-back to partner Greg Bird, while fullback Karmichael Hunt will slot into five-eighth in the absence of Darren Lockyer. Hunt has been selected ahead of the desperately unlucky Scott Prince, who has been in fine form for the Gold Coast Titans, leading them to equal first with a 6-2 record. Billy Slater – who wore the number one jersey in the Centenary Test - will play at fullback. Greg Inglis will swap from wing to centre; Carl Webb will change from second-row to front row, while Sam Thaiday and Michael Crocker will play in the second row. Queensland are aiming to secure their first series hat-trick since 1987-89 (when they won eight of the nine games, not including the LA exhibition match).
NSW – looking to win their first series since 2005 - have made a number of changes from last year, including:

  • Craig Fitzgibbon starting the bench. It will be his first Origin game since 2005
  • Mark Gasnier joining St. George-Illawarra team-mate Matt Cooper in the centres. They last played in the centres in 2005.
  • Melbourne’s Anthony Quinn replacing Matt King in one of the NSW wing spots.
  • Ben Cross (on debut) and Brett White replacing Brent Kite and Willie Mason (who will play in the second-row) in the front-row.
  • Ryan Hoffman replacing Nathan Hindmarsh in the second-row
  • Anthony Laffranchi (on debut), Anthony Tupou and Ben Hornby joining Fitzgibbon on interchange.

TEAMS

NEW SOUTH WALES
FULLBACK – Brett Stewart (Manly-Warringah)
WINGERS – Anthony Quinn (Melbourne), Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta)
CENTERS – Mark Gasnier (St. George-Illawarra), Matt Cooper (St. George-Illawarra)
FIVE-EIGHTH – Greg Bird (Cronulla-Sutherland)
HALFBACK – Peter Wallace (Brisbane) *
HOOKER – Danny Buderus (Newcastle - c)
PROP-FORWARDS – Ben Cross (Melbourne)*, Brett White (Melbourne)
SECOND-ROW – Ryan Hoffman (Melbourne), Willie Mason (Sydney Roosters)
LOCK – Paul Gallen (Cronulla-Sutherland)
INTERCHANGE – Anthony Laffranchi (Gold Coast)*, Anthony Tupou (Sydney Roosters), Craig Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters), Ben Hornby (St. George-Illawarra)
COACH – Craig Bellamy.

QUEENSLAND
FULLBACK – Billy Slater (Melbourne)
WINGERS – Brent Tate (New Zealand), Israel Folau (Melbourne)*
CENTERS –Greg Inglis (Melbourne), Justin Hodges (Brisbane)
FIVE-EIGHTH – Karmichael Hunt (Brisbane)
HALFBACK – Johnathan Thurston (North Qld)
HOOKER – Cameron Smith (Melbourne - c)
PROP-FORWARDS – Petero Civinoceva (Penrith), Carl Webb (North Qld)
SECOND-ROW – Sam Thaiday (Brisbane), Michael Crocker (Melbourne)
LOCK – Dallas Johnson (Melbourne)
INTERCHANGE – P. J. Marsh (Brisbane), Ben Hannant (Brisbane), Nate Myles (Sydney Roosters), Jacob Lillyman (North Qld)
COACH – Mal Meninga

*= on debut


 

 

 

      



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