NSW Blues spine an advantage for Origin I

True Blue and the latest Hall of Fame inductee Ricky Stuart has given the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues a big tick of approval, claiming the experience of the spine could be an advantage for Game One of the Ampol State of Origin series at Accor Stadium on Wednesday 8 June.

Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler named his team for the opening game on Monday and was forced into several changes with star centres Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell and prop Daniel Saifiti unavailable through injury.

Fittler made several tough calls, including overlooking incumbents Josh Addo-Carr, Jake Trbojevic and Angus Crichton, but Stuart said it’s the retention of last year’s spine which could provide an edge against Queensland.

“I really like how Brad has got cohesion and consistency in his four main positions with Damien Cook at hooker, Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai in the halves and Teddy (James Tedesco) at fullback,” Stuart told nswrl.com.au.

“That’s a massive advantage to have that comfort knowing your spine players are familiar with each other and how they all play.”

Stuart also backed the decision to pick his Canberra Raiders five-eighth Jack Wighton at centre, pointing out that his form in 2022 has been consistently strong.

“I was the most confident I’ve felt about him being picked this time around because of that consistent form,” Stuart said.

“You’ve got to remember Jack Wighton hasn’t played with the same spine since Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad got injured in April last year.

“He hasn’t played with the same halfback or hooker and he’s had five or six different fullbacks. Yet he doesn’t complain – he gets on with it and throws the team on his back.

“It’s a massive disadvantage for any half when you’ve got so much disruption to your spin combinations.”

Stuart moved Wighton from fullback to five-eighth at the start of the 2019 NRL season, reinforcing his importance to any team due to his versatility.

“I just see Jack as a footballer,” Stuart said.

“He can play a number of positions and I think he’s a wonderful fullback, but I needed a strong line of defence and that’s why I moved him to No.6.”

Stuart also had an answer for the debate about whether it’s harder to coach a State of Origin side or play in an Origin series.

“Coaching most definitely,” Stuart said.

“You feel vulnerable on the sideline because you’ve got no control.

“Certainly, if you feel confidence with your preparation and you have belief and confidence in your team it makes it easier.

“But as a coach who played, I think we’d all prefer to have the ball in hand rather than sitting back waiting and watching.”

Stuart joins Laurie Daley, Wayne Pearce, Tom Raudonikis, and Brad Fittler as former NSW Origin players who later coached the Origin team.

Stuart, who played nine Tests and 14 games for the Blues (1990--94); and coached nine Origin games (2005, 2011-12), joined St George legend Ken Kearney and South Sydney-Western Suburbs star Harry Wells as this year’s Inductees.

For Stuart, who was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2018, it has been a humbling experience since his boyhood heroes – Raudonikis and Bob Fulton – are also on the revered NSWRL list.

“Privately it means a lot to me,” Stuart said.

“But I don’t like being the centre of attention at these sorts of functions.

“I prefer to be at the pub with a few mates than the big gala diners. But I am very appreciative of this honour and I don’t discount for a minute what this all means and how privileged I feel.”

For Stuart the essence of Origin was being part of the best 34 players in the world playing on a given night.

“Competing against each other on the same field brings all the quality out of those quality players,” he said. “That also makes it the most intense and toughest football game you’ll see.”