Following the heartbreaking loss on Wednesday Night, the New South Wales Blues are reportedly considering recalling former captain, and the last man to lead them to a series victory, Paul Gallen.
Make no mistake, I am a big fan of the Sharks captain, and believe he would be among the first players picked should he have been available for games one and two, but it would ridiculous for the Blues to take such action.
If Gallen were to return, he would certainly not let anyone down, and would surely provide an extra experienced head as the Blues face the near-impossible task of beating the mighty Maroons at home for the second time this series, but Gal has retired. It is time to move and find another route to victory.
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The Blues have the forwards to win the series. Andrew Fifita is the game's premier prop, while Aaron Woods and David Klemmer are brilliant. Jake Trjoevic is arguably the game's best young forward.
All four men have played well at some stage already this series and none should be forced to make way for Gallen, even should the reports be genuine and Gallen open to the return. That's not even without considering the view of the Sharks who have counted on their captain to lead the side through the Origin period.
If Tyson Frizell is injured and cannot play Origin three, then and only then should Paul Gallen come into consideration, but even then Paul Vaughan should be the next cab off the rank.
New South Wales don't need a hard working forward, they have multiple game-breaking forwards who should remain, despite the awesome form of the ageless Gallen.
What New South Wales need to win the series, other than an injury to either Cooper Cronk or Johnathan Thurston, is better decision making in the key moments.
I fully admit I was not a fan of the refereeing 'effort' on Wednesday night, but the Blues lost the game in the crucial moments, due to some dumbfounding decisions.
Why did Jarryd Hayne not pass to an unmarked Brett Morris? That try would have iced the game.
Why did Wade Graham play at that ball when they had the Maroons pinned in their own twenty?
Where was Mitchell Pearce when the game was on the line?
Where was Jack Bird when the momentum shifted and the Blues urgently needed an energetic force?
Seriously, if Hayne passes that ball to Morris, he scores. He scores, it's game over. There is no coming back from a three-try deficit even for this legendary Maroon side.
It would be silly to suggest Hayne cost the Blues the game, but that was a crucial moment, and unfortunately, Origin is won or lost in such crucial moments.
With the game on the line, Thurston stood up and was counted. He was in everything in the closing moments, despite the fact, his shoulder was hanging and he was in obvious pain.
He then stepped up and slotted a difficult kick despite 75,000 Blue fans booing him furiously.
The Blues don't have anyone with the footballing ability or smarts of Thurston.
The fact that he may very well be the greatest player to ever grace the game perhaps has a little to do with that, but the Blues were a long way behind.
James Maloney had a wow of a first half but was largely taken out of the game in the second half. His partner in Mitchell Pearce was nowhere to be seen with the game on the line.
That was the difference in this game, not a refereeing gaffe, or the absence of Paul Gallen.
If the Blues get any of those crucial decisions right, they lift the trophy in three weeks.
The fact is, they didn't, and Paul Gallen or not, they're going to have to get them right at Suncorp or face having to listen to yet another Cameron Smith acceptance speech.
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