Mercury sports reporters Michael Cox and Joel Ritchie debate whether NSW selectors should pick Dragons five-eighth Jamie Soward for State of Origin I game. Have your say below.
MICHAEL COX
The time is right for the inclusion of in-form Dragons five-eighth Jamie Soward in the NSW Origin side.
Facing their fourth straight series defeat, NSW needs an injection of energy and creativity.
Soward has been on fire for St George Illawarra. His 21-point haul against the Roosters on ANZAC Day was the season's most dominant individual performance.
Although Soward was overlooked for last week's 40-man preliminary squad and is believed to be on the outer with NSW selectors, he still has three games to prove his worth before teams are named for Origin I.
It seems Soward, a star in the lower grades at the Roosters who had seemingly lost his way, only needed a coach to have faith in him and a dominant forward pack to work behind.
With his sweet left boot, deft passing and dynamic quickness, Soward could provide a point of difference for a NSW side desperately in need of change.
The Blues need to start planning for the future and blooding 24-year-old Soward would be a great start.
Soward's defence is a concern, but NSW selectors need to roll the dice if they are to avoid the same inevitable result against one of the most powerful Queensland sides of all time.
JOEL RITCHIE:
Form is temporary. Class is permanent.
Jamie Soward's purple patch has been one of the stories in the NRL this season, but to declare the Dragon a candidate for the coveted Blues No 6 jumper is a tad premature.
Yes, Soward was electric on Anzac Day. Yes, he was one of the few stand-outs in the Red V against Newcastle. Yes, he was man of the match in Benny's triumphant Brisbane return.
But despite all that, the NSW selectors couldn't find a spot for him in the 40-man preliminary squad named last week.
Despite the selectors' insistence that those outside the 40 are still in contention, it seems the pivot for Origin I is in the squad - Canberra's Terry Campese, Penrith's Luke Lewis and Souths' John Sutton are the main candidates.
No room for Soward. Seems the selectors want to see more from Wagga Kangaroos junior before entrusting him with a Blue jumper.
Remember this is the bloke who was pilloried after being pushed aside by Melbourne's Greg Inglis - a player he would surely cross paths with again in Origin - in round one.
This is the same guy who was dropped for journeyman Ben Rogers before last year's elimination final humiliation.
Soward's kicking game is among the best in the comp and his ability to lay on a try from nowhere is special - but questions still linger about his defence, and Queensland would direct a heap of traffic his way.
Although Soward may not be ready for a Blue jumper, surely he could be included in the CRL team for City-Country on May 8.
That way we could find out if Soward is indeed just on a hot streak or fast becoming one of the most dynamic players going around.
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