AusS2000

How many tries did he score though?

Austblue

While it's not just tries that make a player, I think the count is great. During the first game I felt that his experience under pressure payed off well and when it counts he can come through with the goods.

I agree on Slater, the only thing that he could change to make me like his game more would be the colour of his jersey. But the player that's been blowning me away is King! I really felt that he might have been player of the match based on this game as well as his last game.

I'm of the opinion that the half-backs prominence in the game gives them an unfair advantage as they kind of steal the glory quite often. I know that they often look as have won the game but its players like king that prevent them from being beaten which is just as important.

From my own experience, we had players that had the potential of being the next Johns but never had the commitment that he does. They'd go out on the sauce the night before a big game and spend 60 minutes trying to keep the morning's berocca down while the rest of the team carried them and did all the hard work. Then for that 20minutes they'd shine and win the game making them look like the heroes

MattG

Yeah I thought Matt King was a bit hard done by not getting man of the match. Everybodys focus was on Johns and having a hand in all those tries, it seemed inevitable he would get chosen.

I'm not sure that it is Mini's game that I don't like, it is probably more of a case of everybody else liking him, so I don't.

Whilst some people were thinking Eric Grothe Jr was a bit unlucky to miss selection, I agree that he is a good strong winger, but I think at times he makes a few errors in defence. He seems to be turning that around this season, and looks to be improving.

I guess the thing about rep teams is that everybody has to fit into a certain team playing style, which can lead to picking players out of position to fit into a team, instead of picking the best player of each position.

Austblue

Someone's jealous

I'm a bit funny about Growthe, I kind of knocked around with him back in the days when he'd just given up playing and he was such a level headed guy I could never picture what our mates were talking about when they spoke of just how good he was before his self-imposed hiatus.

Next thing you know he "decided" that he wanted to get back into it and then he's on tv Unbelievably, naturally talented man that is made for football and provided he doesn't continue getting injured, I believe he will have plenty of chances to leave his mark on the game that is origin.

You make some good points Matt. There is also the consideration that SoO isn't comp footy and people react to it differently. Maybe they don't think he was ready for it yet? Watching the reunion show we seen the likes of fittler and langer getting in there when they were still bubs and IMO it groomed them well in their careers but not everyone shares that opinion.