Paul Kent believes the Blues will repeat their selection blunder and overlook Bulldogs and Kangaroos winger Josh Addo-Carr for the second straight Origin series.
Addo-Carr’s omission from last year’s series loss to Queensland was labelled one of the worst selection blunders in Origin history, but Kent believes NSW selectors don’t want the Foxx in the team.
“Some think that because they lost last year without him and his form has been pretty good that it (Blues recall) is a fait accompli. Do we think that’s the case,” Dan Ginnane asked on NRL 360.
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“No it is not a fait accompli,” Kent said.
“I don’t like saying it but I think he might be overlooked again.
“I can’t understand how. I thought he was magnificent for Australia. He was probably their best player at the World Cup.
“I thought his absence was noticeable last year in the Origin series and let’s remember (NSW) lost that Origin series.
“But I don’t think they will pick him.”
“So who is your wingers then,” James Hooper interjected.
“I just don’t know, To’o will be one, but I don’t think that there is a wrap on Addo-Carr,” Kent replied.
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“I don’t think Addo-Carr was replaced last year in Origin because somebody was playing better than him.
“I think he was not in Origin last year because they didn’t want to pick him and then they went and found someone to take the spot.”
The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis believes Addo-Carr has to be picked.
“Daniel Tupou had a pretty good series and Addo-Carr started slowly last year at the Bulldogs, but I think he (Addo-Carr) needs to be in this NSW side,” Carayannis said.
“Daniel Tupou did a decent job for them but the other option is Suaalii and I would be picking Addo-Carr at the moment.”
Hooper agreed that Addo-Carr’s form for club and country demanded a Blues recall.
“I’m picking the Foxx every day of the week,” Hooper said.
“You have only got to look at what he has done at Canterbury as their roster has improved and he has better players around him.
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“He was one of the best wingers in the tournament in the World Cup. He’s a rep player.
“It will be a big story if they don’t pick him again. It will be just as big a story if they don’t pick him.”
Kent agreed Addo-Carr gives the Blues a weapon few other players can match.
“He brings speed which is the one thing you can’t coach we know that,” Kent said.
“And Queensland have got some out and out speedsters. Respectfully I don’t think NSW have got the speed outside of him that Queensland have got.”
Carayannis believes the Blues got spooked by having two short wingers in To’o and Addo-Carr last year and felt they had to drop one.
“The paranoia is that if they have got Addo-Carr and To’o they have got two short wingers,” Carayannis said.
“That’s the paranoia that NSW have. I’m not saying that was my argument, but that was the argument that was made.”
However, Kent blasted the height explanation as foolish.
“I found that argument ridiculous last year,” Kent said.
“They picked one tall winger in Tupou. So they just thought that Queensland were not going to notice that one winger was five foot two and the other was six foot four.
“How does anyone expect you to believe that Queensland are not going to notice.
“If it is all about the kicking game and who is capable under the high ball, do they really think Queensland are going to sit there and not notice that.
“If it is about height, Addo-Carr is taller than To’o.”
Kent believes the Blues have a history of getting their team for game one wrong and thinks they will do so again in 2023.
“I don’t know why they are looking over him (Addo-Carr),” Kent said.
“NSW for some time now they continue to get game one team wrong. I don’t know why.
“They make four or five team changes and they sit there and say, who are you to say that, but you ring coaches and say explain this to me [and they reply], I can’t explain it, I don’t know what they are thinking.
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“It wasn’t just one year. It has happened multiple years. It will happen again this year you watch. They will pick a team and everyone will sit back and go, wow what have we done here?
“By game three they might get it right but it might be too late.”
Ginnane pointed out that Fittler and assistant Greg Alexander were quick to back Joseph Suaalii despite his rugby defection.
“They were very quick Freddy and Brandy to make it clear that Suaalii is in the frame,” Ginnane said.
“That his decision to go to rugby would not have any impact. It would be quite the story.”
Kent believes the Blues will argue Suaalii is a great player as well to justify his selection.
“If they do pick him (Suaalii) their argument will quite rightly be, why shouldn’t Suaalii be there?” Kent said.
“Are you saying he is not a good player?
“No, we are not saying that we are just saying that Addo-Carr has been the best winger in the game for some time now and he hasn’t been picked.
“I feel sorry for Josh Addo-Carr I really do.”
