NSW squad for State of Origin I: Brett Stewart, Jarryd Hayne, Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, Akuila Uate, Todd Carney, Mitchell Pearce, Paul Gallen, Robbie Farah, Trent Merrin, Ben Creagh, Greg Bird, Glenn Stewart, Luke Lewis, James Tamou, Tony Williams, Jamie Buhrer.

No Mason!! Shocking!!

Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Brent Tate, Jonathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith, Petero Civoniceva, Nate Myles, Sam Thaiday, Ashley Harrison, Matt Gillett, Dave Taylor, Ben Hannant, David Shillington, Daly Cherry-Evans (18th man), Dane Nielsen (19th man)

Both sides have picked four forwards on the bench, essentially. Depending on who is in the 13 and who is benched for NSW they will both have four regular forwards with at least one who can play play in the three quarters or five-eighth if needed. For Qld it's Gillett and for NSW it will be Williams, Buhrer, Bird or Creagh depending on who is actually on the bench.

Qld still look much stronger in the key 1, 6, 7 and 9 positions and in the threequarters generally.

I think the NSW three quarters are okay. Tate is past it, Hodges has niggling injuries and Boyd has been all season. Only Inglis is in good form, though that is a big plus. Uate and Morris are in form for NSW and Jennings and Hayne are capable of anything. I would have liked to see a more attacking team chosen but there is enough there with Carney, Stewart, Farah, Williams and those three quarters to create plenty of scoring chances.

Agree with most of that. Hayne & Jennnings are capable of anything, however they havent really done anything for a while. Saying that big games need big players.

As a blues fan im more optimistic then usual this year. Carney & Pearce is a great half back combo and any team with Paul Gallen has more then a chance. Bit gutted Watmough isnt involved.