It’s Mitchell Moses’ time to make his mark at State of Origin level. I have no doubt about that.
I used to watch him closely when he was at the Wests Tigers and we all knew he had brilliance in him – but he could be erratic and emotional. Yet, I’m not seeing any of that recently.
I had a good chance to work closely with him at Parramatta a few years ago, and he’s just a different player now. That comes with maturity, on and off the field. At 28, he’s in the absolute sweet spot of his career where he knows how to run a team and what his strengths and weaknesses are.
On Monday against the Bulldogs he absolutely shot the lights out. It was a 9.5 out of 10 performance. Let’s not forget it was against a different class compared to what he’ll face at Origin level, but the way he was able to control that game was superb.
I thought the try he set up for Clint Gutherson – where he sucked the Bulldogs’ defence across the field and then turned his captain underneath – told you everything you need to know about where his game is at right now.
But it’s his kicking that will be so crucial next Wednesday night. His long-kicking game is almost second to none and that is so important in an Origin match. It will help NSW find field position and keep them in the fight when things might not be going perfectly.
NSW halfback Mitchell Moses.Credit: Brook Mitchell
There’s no doubt he’s really elevated himself in the past month and with the experience of the preliminary final against the Cowboys – where he was superb – and grand final against the Panthers, he knows what the intensity is like when the stakes are high.
People forget he played a lot of football with James Tedesco at the Tigers, and now it’s about developing that combination with Jarome Luai and the hookers Damien Cook and Reece Robson.
I really like the inclusion of Robson. I’m disappointed for Api Koroisau because he was one of NSW’s best in game one. But I’m a big believer you need two hookers at Origin level, and I’m expecting the one-two punch with Cook and Robson to be really threatening.
But there are no illusions, everyone in NSW camp knows the enormity of the task at Suncorp Stadium. The new No.7 is ready.
State of Origin debutant Reece Robson.Credit: Getty
How do we get our grounds drier come game time?
At any of the major soccer games in Europe, I’ll tell you what happens in the hour before kick-off: they turn on the sprinklers to wet the pitch. It might sound crazy, but they want to make it more conducive to slick passing. They know what type of game they want and tailor the conditions to suit.
So, why do we persist with having a product below its best with the conditions we play our major games in?
I’ve been campaigning about this for a while, but the reality is we play all our major matches such as the grand final and Origins at night to work in with television. Our week-to-week NRL matches often have the best games on Thursday and Friday nights.
A groundskeeper empties the super sopper at the cricket.Credit: AP
What we often see is cold conditions and grounds plastered with dew, which makes the ball slippery, producing an inferior game. When we don’t have a windy night, games can just deteriorate because of the surface.
People might think I’m crazy, but why aren’t we trying to figure out ways to manufacture better playing surfaces? I’ve seen super soppers used in cricket, why can’t we think about something similar in the NRL? We could use industrial strength fans, possibly dozens of leaf blowers.
I know there was a wet couple of days in Adelaide before the opening Origin match, but that spectacle was far from what it could have been because of the dewy surface.
And then the women’s Origin clash the next night at CommBank Stadium was even worse with the ball like a cake of soap. Every time there was a collision in a tackle you were worried it was just going to pop out.
Just some food for thought.
Flanno’s the man to fix Dragons
Firstly, Shane Flanagan’s appointment to the Dragons is a smart one. That club is in desperate need of a strong and steady hand as head coach.
But he’s got one big job: getting everyone at St George Illawarra pulling in the right direction.
If you asked most people in the street about what the Dragons stand for, I don’t know how many would be able to give you a precise answer.
What’s their style of play? What’s the DNA of the club? Who are the different types of leaders?
I can see a really young team that can be moulded into a good one. Despite his past indiscretions, Flanagan is the right man to do that. We’ve seen when he was at the Sharks he knows how to shape a roster and he did so much work at that club by himself, and he’ll know how to navigate the internal politics at play.
I just hope the Dragons can rise above it at board level and start showing the solidarity they displayed when endorsing Flanagan as their next coach. The club is too big to be struggling like it has for years.
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