NRL 2023: Burning Questions, State of Origin III, NSW Blues vs QLD Maroons, James Tedesco, Brad Fittler, Daly Cherry-Evans
The blowtorch is on the Blues — and in particular coach Brad Fittler and captain James Tedesco — as NSW aim to avoid the first Origin series sweep in 13 years.
However, the Maroons also have a void to fill in replacing the suspended Reece Walsh and they still have a big task to win 3-0 in enemy territory.
Read on for the Burning Questions for Origin III.
IS THIS DCE’S LAST ORIGIN GAME?
It was clear after Game II that Queensland halfback Daly Cherry-Evans had already thought about his representative future.
Speaking after the Maroons clinched the 2023 Origin series, the 34-year-old was asked if he was considering hanging up the boots.
“As I get older the thought of retirement definitely starts to float through your head, but then I go in to camp and I get around the boys and I play,” Cherry-Evans said.
“I just love it so much, I just don’t know if I can let it go just yet. But I don’t want to hang on too long.”
Despite spending three years in the Origin wilderness, the Manly gun has enjoyed an impressive career for Queensland.
He has played 21 games for his state and has captained the Maroons to series victory on three occasions since taking the armband in 2019.
So what’s left for Cherry-Evans to achieve? If the Maroons pull off the first clean sweep since 2010, he could hang up the boots and hand over the Queensland No.7 jersey to the next man up.
However, you’re retired a long time and if his form continues then there’s no reason he shouldn’t keep notching up his Maroons caps.
DCE confirms he'll give winner's speech | 01:09
WHAT DOES FREDDY’S FUTURE HOLD?
New South Wales coach Brad Fittler is under huge pressure to keep his job having lost five of his past six games and three of the past four series.
The Blues are staring down the barrel of their first series whitewash in 13 years and the only thing currently saving Fittler’s job is there’s no obvious replacement.
Such has been Queensland’s dominance since 2006, winning 14 of 18 series, that nobody is chomping at the bit to take on one of the toughest gigs in Australia sport.
In that time the Blues have churned through five coaches - Ricky Stuart, Graham Murray, Craig Bellamy, Laurie Daley and Fittler.
The pressure has without question seen Fittler make some poor selections this year and many feel fresh ideas are needed.
“At the end of the day there’ll be a discussion about who’s available. At the end of the day I’ll sit down and see if I still have the energy for it,” Fittler said.
“If I don’t think I’m the best person, I’ll make sure I step aside.
“People might become available, you don’t know what happens with footy.”
It’s become far too big a job for an NRL coach to take on and you’d struggle to find one willing in any case.
Former NSW captain Paul Gallen has ruled himself out, while Andrew Johns and Matthew Johns aren’t interested in the role.
Mick Ennis refused to be drawn this week on whether he wanted the role, but outside some dummy half coaching, he has very little experience.
Alex McKinnon nominated Englishman Sam Burgess who is an assistant at the Rabbitohs as there could be as many as six Souths stars in the Blues next year.
The New South Wales Rugby League board are reportedly considering a radical proposal to appoint Brian Smith as a coaching director above Fittler.
Smith coached 679 first-grade games in Australia and England between 1984 and 2016, but hasn’t coached in the NRL since the Roosters sacked him in 2012.
The 69-year-old would play a mentoring role for Fittler who, in the eyes of many critics, badly needs guidance after years of left-field selections.
Will Freddy remain as Blues coach? | 01:38
IS THIS TEDESCO’S LAST GAME?
NSW skipper James Tedesco has endured a tough 2023, and is playing for his representative future just eight months after leading Australia to World Cup glory.
Tedesco has struggled in an underperforming Roosters side for most of the season and has only held his Blues jersey on reputation, not form.
The 30-year-old is under pressure from Dylan Edwards, Clint Gutherson and Scott Drinkwater, while Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic both play fullback in the NRL.
“Obviously Teddy needs a big game and there’s a few players that could really relish a big game here to kick-start their season – and to kickstart the Blues again,” Fittler said.
“I think that’s important. We got beat last year, as well, so we are coming off a couple of series losses and it hasn’t been great recently.
“Gutho is playing some really good footy and I think Scott Drinkwater is incredibly exciting.
“Dylan is going great, he is going really good, and he is most probably so much like Teddy that that is the position he takes if he pushes in.
“I’m not sure if Turbo was in the form of a couple of years ago, then all of a sudden you could say, ‘well, you know what?’
“I think Teddy – and he most probably agrees too - is at that age where you either finish really strong, and find a way through it … or he is coming to a tough time, so he can understand that.”
WILL THE BLUES MAKE A LATE RESHUFFLE AMID UNEVEN BENCH?
Rumours emerged the Blues were set to make a shock late change to bring reserve Spencer Leniu into the 17.
The Blues picked a curious bench rotation including Reece Robson and Clint Gutherson for game three, which remains one of the biggest question marks over the NSW side.
However, rather than move Gutherson to the centres and drop debutant Bradman Best, the theory was that one of the hookers and likely veteran Damien Cook could miss out.
“They say Spencer Leniu is going enormous and although he’s picked in jersey No.19 there’s been a bit of speculation,” Phil Rothfield said on NRL 360.
“Is there a chance he’s playing? We’ve all heard the murmurs that he’s training the house down and they’re considering it. Is that true?” Braith Anasta asked.
“Well I’m told they’re having a little bit of a thought around the two hookers.
“To knock these buggers off, we’re going to need a rampaging middle forward coming on fresh, just like he does at Penrith.”
“Well his expertise is a front-row middle forward coming off the bench with impact to change a game,” Anasta responded.
“It seems a more balanced bench with him on there rather than Robson and Gutherson,” Read said.
“So I’d imagine Robson would start and Cook would drop out of the team and him and Gutho would be on the bench together.
“I can’t imagine they’re going to get rid of Gutho because Parramatta would be filthy, they had a game last week.”
Bringing Leniu onto the bench and promoting Robson and dropping Cook would give the Blues’ 17 greater balance.
However, Queensland have shown how dangerous playing two hookers in tandem can be and the Blues may be hurting one position to strengthen another by tinkering with their twin dummyhalf model.
It would be a huge call to drop Cook, but it could be more detrimental to leave Leniu out and carry Gutherson and Robson on the bench with just two forwards on the pine.
Only time will tell if Fittler has made the right call with his 17 and the proof will be in the Blues winning game three. Anything else and his selections will be deemed a failure.
CAN MOSES AND WALKER SOLVE BLUES’ HALVES DILEMMA?
Mitchell Moses has a huge opportunity to solidify his spot in the Blues halves after Jarome Luai was dropped for Game III.
Cody Walker has been handed the No.6 and the Rabbitohs gun also has a chance to stake his claim for next season, but Moses could be the perfect candidate to partner Nathan Cleary in 2024.
When it comes to NRL playmakers, Moses’ running game is up there with the best and he could transition to a five-eighth for Origin.
That’s not to mention how scary the kicking partnership of Cleary and Moses would be, hoping to counteract the ball-running ability of Reece Walsh.
Cleary and Moses attack on both sides of the field in club land and would be able to swiftly swing the ball from one side of the field to the other.
Moses’ performance in Game II was also solid in a losing side and proved he can hold his own in the arena.
The Blues have their halfback in Cleary all but locked in for the next five years at least, but his halves partner has been a dilemma for the Blues since James Maloney wore the NSW No.6.
Maloney was crucial to the Blues’ first two series triumphs under Fittler in 2018 and 2019 and even with Cleary in the team he was the dominant playmaker.
Cleary has dominated certain Origin games since, but has failed to dominate a series, which is why the Blues have only won one series since Fittler’s second year in charge.
The No.6 jersey has been a bit of a revolving door with Jarome Luai (seven games), Jack Wighton (one game) and Cody Walker (five games with one on the bench) all getting a crack.
Nicho Hynes was also in the conversation for the five-eighth role, before debuting off the bench and falling out of favour after the Blues lost game one of the 2023 series in Adelaide.
Walker has arguably been the most consistent NRL five-eighth over the last five years, but that hasn’t always translated to success in the Origin arena.
However, there is no denying Walker is one of the biggest attacking threats in the NRL and the Blues have struggled to create try-scoring opportunities this series.
Many believe Walker’s selection was one or two games late and the series could still be alive if he was picked from game two at least.
Picking Walker, who is in his mid-30s for a dead rubber is a curious selection from Fittler as he is closer to the end of his career than the start and the Blues could have gone for someone like Hynes to build for the future.
However, should Walker lead the Blues to victory in game three he deserves first crack at the jersey in 2024 if his NRL form warrants it and he can plot a series win before hanging up his representative boots.
Walker is a similar selection to Maloney in that while he is approaching his twilight years in the NRL, he has the experience, toughness and creativity that the Blues so desperately need to combat this dangerous Queensland side.
If Walker can spark an upset win in game three he may well be worth persisting with alongside Cleary for the next year or two until the next NSW No.6 option bangs down the selection door.
If he can’t the Blues would be better served going with Cleary and Moses as their halves for the foreseeable future.
WILL SHOCK BEST CALL PROVE CRITICS WRONG?
NSW coach Brad Fittler stunned all and sundry by picking Knights young gun Bradman Best for his Origin debut in Game III.
With Tom Trbojevic sidelined, and Rabbitohs star Campbell Graham nursing a sternum injury, Blues selectors had a big decision to make.
Broncos’ star Kotoni Staggs, Bulldogs playmaker Matt Burton, Panthers gun Izack Tago and Eels centre Will Penisini were all in the mix to fill the centre spot.
However, it was a 21-year-old who Fittler has nurtured through the NSW pathways system who ultimately got the nod — and the decision could prove a masterstroke.
Fittler has previously selected Mitchell, Trbojevic, Gutherson and Wighton in the centres, with all four players featuring in different roles for their respective club teams.
Best partnering Stephen Crichton is the first time Fittler has picked two specialist centres since his tenure began in 2018.
Defending in the centres is a specialist skill and Best has another trump card up his sleeve when it comes to Origin experience — Dane Gagai.
While the veteran Maroons gun may not be willing to give his young teammate ample advice now he has been named to start on Wednesday night, Best has undoubtedly been listening and learning from one of the most-capped Origin players ever.
'We just put a stake in the ground' | 00:52
WILL SLATER EXTEND?
Billy Slater’s Queensland coaching contract expires at the end of the 2023 season and it’s been one of the big questions asked during Origin this year.
Will Billy’s coaching tenure continue?
The legendary fullback made a seamless transition to coaching, signing on for two years ahead of the 2022 series.
If he didn’t torment NSW fans enough as a player, he has secured victory in the last two Origin series and now has a chance to coach the first clean sweep since 2010.
There is no doubt the QRL will do everything in their power to retain Slater in the Maroons’ top job for the foreseeable future.
However, Slater admitted that the Queensland coaching role does take up a fair bit of his time and he is busy with his media gig for Channel 9 and his horse racing commitments.
There is also the lure of coaching in the NRL with the Storm still viewing Slater as the ideal replacement for Craig Bellamy when he hangs up the whistle.
Slater doesn’t seem keen on the rigours of a full-time NRL gig any time soon, but that could change in the future.
Ultimately it us up to Slater how long he wants to coach at Origin level and if his family life and work ambitions elsewhere conflict with the Queensland role in the future.
Odds are Slater will likely coach on for the Maroons in 2023, but how many more years he is at the helm are unknown.
WILL AJ BRIMSON PROVE THE RIGHT REPLACEMENT FOR WALSH?
There was very little conjecture over who would replace the suspended Reece Walsh at fullback for game three from within the Maroons camp, but there was outside of it.
Potential options floated in the media included playing Tom Dearden at five-eighth and switching Cameron Munster to fullback.
Selwyn Cobbo scored a hat-trick for the Broncos in his last start against the Dolphins and was certainly worthy of a recall at fullback or on the wing at least.
Kalyn Ponga would have come under serious consideration for a recall had he not ruled himself out to focus on the Knights.
In the end the Maroons went for Titans fullback AJ Brimson, who was a reserve in game two and considered the most like for like replacement for Walsh.
Brimson has played four games for Queensland and is certainly deserving of a recall in Walsh’s suspension-enforced absence.
However, there are question marks over his fitness after a number of frustrating injury setbacks over the last few years.
Still, the 24-year-old is six games shy of 100 first grade games and is entering the sweet spot of his career, so the odds are in his favour to fit in seamlessly and help lead Queensland to a series sweep.
But Queensland were flush with options to replace Walsh and only time will tell if they pulled the right rein in going for Brimson.
