Former Panther, now Bronco Peter Wallace and the Dragons Ben Hornby are the bolter choices in New South Wales’s team for State of Origin I, which has seen Brent Kite dropped from the NSW Origin Side and Kurt Gidley unfortunately missing out due to his fractured cheek bone, selectors fearing that Gidley may be targetted by the Maroons in the open-ware of State of Origin.
Sea Eagles big man Brent Kite missed a spot, even though he was selected for Australia last Friday night, and the luckless Gidley was ruled out after his horror injury last night when playing against the Melbourne Storm.
Knights Prop and former Storm man Ben Cross also injured last night with a heavy head knock, but has got the spot ahead of Kite in the front row. It seems both Cross and White’s ties with NSW State of Origin coach Craig Bellamy – his old coach at the Storm – has helped these players get into the side, as they have both been in only average form and haven’t played a lot of NRL in 2008.
Former Panthers and now Broncos no.7 Peter Wallace has been handed the key role of halfback in the wake of Kurt Gidley’s injury, with Dragons utility Ben Hornby the bolter – but giving good value from the bench.
The Roosters while not getting Braith Anasta into the side, still have 3 players in the line-up with Willie Mason and Anthony Tupou being joined by veteran Craig Fitzgibbon who is recalled. With State of Origin being played under domestic rules and the interchange numbers reduced, Fitzgibbon is a smart choice and will add plenty of starch and defence to the NSW Blues State of Origin pack.
The full team
1.   Brett Stewart
2.   Jarryd Hayne
3.   Mark Gasnier
4.   Matt Cooper
5.   Anthony Quinn
6.   Greg Bird
7.   Peter Wallace
8.   Brett White
9.   Danny Buderus
10.   Ben Cross
11.   Ryan Hoffman
12.   Willie Mason
13.   Paul Gallen
14.   Anthony Laffranchi
15.   Anthony Tupou
16.   Craig Fitzgibbon
17.   Ben Hornby
I think SOO has turned into a bash fest with NSW picking fighters over footballers. Titans and Manly have only two players selected out of both teams. It is a disgrace that players from both teams have been overlooked for players that have hardly played this year. It is especially disgraceful that Prince did not get selected. Cross and White have hardly played any football and were selected over Kite. Gasnier has been injured and Hornby has not done a great deal for the struggling Dragons. What about Glenn Stewart and Jason Ryles who have both been playing the house down? I think for the first time in 27 years I will not watch!!!
I agree wit you scorpy. l mean I don’t see how some players play the season of their lives and in doing so are putting their hands up for selection only to have the ‘ones with connections’ sitting on the sidelines gettin picked. Its like being in school and we gotta sit through the picking of the teams!!! Mates always choose mates first! Bugger form or hard work!
why isn’t john sutton or nathan merrit in the nsw team lineup
why isn’t any of the rabbitoh players playing
why can’t they pick a better FULLBACK than brett steawart
brett steawart is not playing
brett stewart is awesome, i think they picked the right nsw team. On the other hand they shouldve picked someone like Preston Campball or Jaime Soward. They should Pick Brett Kimmorly every Year because he can stop the flying Greg Inglis with a good tackle around the legs